Physically Break Down Non-living Materials
Nonliving materials are not carbon-based; that is, they are not and never have been living organs or tissues. However, they can be the products of living organisms, such as the calcium carbonate materials found in seashells (excluding organic compounds included in them). Physically breaking down nonliving materials requires mechanical means. While feeding, some living systems encounter very hard nonliving materials that can hinder access to the food. To address this, their teeth or other structures often contain minerals to maximize their hardness. For example, a marine organism called the chiton eats algae. But to access the algae, it must scrape it from rocks. To do so, it uses a special structure made of a material that’s stronger than the rock.
Generate Soil/Renew Fertility
An ecosystem can’t survive long without building up its soils and preventing them from being depleted of fertility. Organic matter, minerals, and other nutrients in soil support organisms, from microorganisms to the largest mammals. Raw soil consists of weathered minerals, such as silica. But organisms need more than minerals to survive, and minerals alone are poor at storing water needed by organisms. Therefore, soil has organic matter to support an ecosystem of organisms that, in turn, contribute more organic matter, make nutrients more accessible, and hold water. The dung beetle is an organism that enhances soil fertility. This beetle gathers and transports animal dung, feeds on it, buries it in the soil, and lays eggs on it. The dung provides its young with food when they hatch. At the same time, it adds nutrients and organic matter to the soil, benefitting the ecosystem as a whole.
