Glossary

invertebrates

Animals without a backbone, including insects, spiders, worms, and mollusks.

Invertebrates (in-vér-tuh-brets) play crucial ecological roles as pollinators, decomposers, and prey for many birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. They form the foundation of food webs in most ecosystems—cycling nutrients, breaking down organic matter, and supporting higher trophic levels.

In the Santa Cruz Mountains, invertebrates such as native bees, butterflies, beetles, and millipedes are essential to healthy forest, meadow, and riparian habitats.

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