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ECOLOGICAL ROLES Vascular seedless plants are photosynthetic, therefore, they are involved in the carbon fixation process, decomposing carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen. Without their ability, the world as we know it would not exist. Plants also prevent erosion by holding soil in place using their roots. This role is extremely important in moist environments such as in tropical or temperate climates. These plants are also food sources for many herbivores. These organisms are autotrophic primary producers, which means that they are the beginning of many food chains. They obtain energy from the sun, as describe in the 'Energy' link, and When they lose their leaves or die, these plants act as nutrients for the soil. People often use dead plants as fertilizer or mulch to assist growing of living plants. This process returns nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil, so that other plants are able to continue growing on the soil. They can also remove harmful chemicals from the soil through the process of phytoremediation. Heavy metals and man-made pollutants are removed in this manner. A diagram of the roles plants play in keeping the environment healthy.
Courtesy of Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003
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