Cockroaches must for Earth’s survival

Washington: The mere sight of a cockroach sends a shiver down the spine of many, but the most despised insect is actually essential to the survival of the Earth's delicate ecosystem, an Indianorigin biologists has claimed.      According to Srini Kambhampati, professor and chair of the biology department at the University of Texas at Tyler, the sudden disappearance of Earth's 5,000 to 10,000 cockroach species would have ramifications far beyond your filthy apartments. "Most cockroaches feed on decaying organic matter, which traps a lot of nitrogen. Cockroach feeding has the effect of releasing that nitrogen (in their feces) which then gets into the soil and is used by plants, Prof Kambhampati said. "In other words, extinction of cockroaches would have a big impact on forest health and thus indirectly on all the species," he said. PTI LIFELINE