Why are native species are important to an ecosystem?

Energy from the sun must be transferred from one organism to another in order for the ecosystem to function. Additionally, in order for an organism to produce new cells for growth or renewal, environmental matter must be used; consequently, this material must be recycled back into the environment after the organism dies so that it can be used by other organisms. Each organism in the ecosystem plays a part in both the energy transfer and the material recycling processes.

Native species are vital to an ecosystem because they have evolved to suit the local conditions over time and because they serve specific functions in preserving the ecosystem's equilibrium, such as feeding and housing other species, cycling nutrients, regulating the populations of other organisms, and bolstering the ecosystem's general resilience and stability.