Biodiversity in the Klamath Region

Goods and Services

It might be easy to understand how an acorn woodpecker depends on oak trees to get acorns, or how plants depend on butterflies to reproduce, but it might not be so clear how humans fit into the picture. People depend on biodiversity and intact, functioning ecosystems, to conduct daily activities and to survive.

Did you know that without bees, not only would we not have honey, but we wouldn't have fruits and vegetables to eat? Bees are the primary pollinators for many of the fruits and vegetables we eat daily.

We receive over 5000 products from trees, including gum, rubber bands, carpets, and toothpaste.

Humans not only depend on nature for food, wood, and medicine, but healthy ecosystems also provide humans with indirect services that most people don’t realize. Biodiversity regulates our atmosphere, maintains fertile soils, and keeps our water clean.

Plants have the amazing capability of using the sun’s energy and producing their own food and the oxygen we breathe everyday. A decrease or increase in the amount of oxygen in the air would cause Lichen

great harm to plants and animals on land. Lichens and certain aquatic insects (stoneflies, mayflies, and caddisflies) are great indicators of changes in our environments. Lichens are very sensitive to toxic chemicals in the air and certain insects are sensitive to pollutants in the water. Studying lichens and these insects give scientists early warning signs if an area is contaminated.

The Klamath Region has one of the greatest diversities of conifers (trees such as pine, firs, and hemlocks) in the world. The roots of these trees help support the soil in the different habitats they live in. Roots of trees and other plants prevent sediment from washing into streams harming fish habitat and impacting drinking water.
Bacteria are essential to continued plant health because they convert nitrogen found in our air into a form that plants can use.
Ever been digging around in the dirt and found small, thin, white threads near the base of trees? The threads you see are actually a network of fungi which have a very important role to play. They surround plant roots and are vital in helping the roots absorb nutrients the plant needs to grow.
All of these services allow humans and all other species to live their lives. National Parks in the Klamath Region understand the importance of protecting biodiversity and are trying to maintain a healthy and functioning system for everyone.

All lichen, fungus, and moss photos by: David Lebo

An Outreach and Education Project made possible by the National Park Service, Klamath Network Inventory and Monitoring and Southern Oregon University