A CHILD NATURE STORY OF CREEPY AND CRAWLY THINGS

ECOLOGICAL NICHES

This is a child nature story of ecology. It is part of our latest book which is called The Young Naturalist.

Running Deer and Moon Bird

are the main characters in most of our stories. Join us now in this condensed version of Ecological Niches. Let's see how Running Deer and Moon Bird have a little fun with ecology.

Running Deer was telling Moon Bird about her walk. “The old farm pond is bursting with life. I am so excited about it!”

Moon Bird was confused. “Oh, uh…good for the pond. What pond? What are you talking about?”

“Moon Bird, I thought I told you about the old farm pond I found a couple of years ago. Do you remember?

Moon Bird was still confused. “Sorry,” he said. “I don’t remember. So what life is ‘bursting’ at the pond as you say, and why are you so excited about it?”

“Well, Moon Bird, let me start at the beginning. Last year when I found the pond, it was a mess. There were old oil cans in the water that were killing the fish and many of the pond insects. Trash was everywhere, in and out of the water. The drain was clogged and the water line from the spring was broken.

I decided to clean it up. I couldn’t just walk away and leave Mother Earth with such a mess. I removed all of the oil cans and trash. Then I cleaned out the drain and fixed the water line. When I was done, I felt much better, and the pond looked much better.”

“But Running Deer,” said Moon Bird, “why did you go to all that trouble if there was no wildlife around to enjoy it?”

“That’s the part I am getting to, Moon Bird. I was hoping a clean pond would attract wildlife. Today I found that my plan worked! Not only were there healthy fish, but also frogs, tadpoles, snakes, salamanders, slugs, turtles, flies, spiders, and much more! What do you think about that?”

“I think, YUCK!”

“Moon Bird, how can you say that?”

“All those creepy and crawly things are yucky to me! Slugs and snakes and spiders and slimly water things …eeuuuw!”

“I see.” said Running Deer “Are you afraid of those things.”

“Afraid? Me? No, I’m not afraid! I’m just a little, well, you know…afraid, sort of.”

“Moon Bird, all of those little water and land creatures are there because the pond is now healthy. Fresh water brings in food for the fish and salamanders. New plants attract many kinds of insects and birds. Fish and frogs eat the insects. Snakes eat the frogs. Water birds can eat frogs and salamanders and tadpoles. Now they have a niche, an ecology niche."

“I’m sorry you have an itch, Running Deer, did you catch poison ivy at the farm?”

“No, Moon Bird. I said niche, not itch!”

“Oh, I get it. You don’t have an itch, you have a niche!”

“Not exactly, Moon Bird. It’s not me, it’s the farm. The old farm pond and the land around it is a niche. It is a small part of the natural world where things live.

Ecology is a word we use to say that all things are connected. This includes all of the plants and animals and everything they eat.”

“Yes, I see. I also see that we can have ecology in a small niche or in the whole world. Is that right, Running Deer?”

“Yes, Moon Bird. I think you have it! How do you feel about those creepy and crawly things now?”

“Hmmm…now that you mention it, I feel much better. Now that I know how important they all are, I’m beginning to like them!”