| Source Animal | The insular ecosystem has been supported mostly by plants. But the insecure atmospheric condition and amount of sunshine threatened a lot of plant species. To deal with this, the plant species formed symbiotic relationships with the rodent helpers. Rodents were suitable for this versatile ecological role since they grew and reproduced fast. This symbiosis started like that of the ants and the acacia trees: The rodents protected the tree from insects, and the trees feeding rodents in return. Then the relationship grew more interdependent so that the rodents started to contribute to pollination and seed dispersal of the trees. In return, the trees enabled the rodents to photosynthesize by donating them special tissues that can live and photosynthesize on rodents' skin.
This intricate symbiosis allowed rodents to have more energy available for growing and spreading faster. Therefore it supports a significant part of the ecosystem as a source of food for a lot of animals on this island. Without their predation, the ecosystem will be devastated by the overpopulation of these rodents. Also, for the islanders, the rodents' skin is the most accessible type of leather for their daily uses, such as bedcovers. |