Ultimately, all humanity and all life have is the
biosphere, the thin layer of life just above and below Earth’s surface,
composed of ancient, miraculously evolved natural ecosystems. The natural Earth
is a marvel – a complex coupling of species within ecosystems, whereby life
begets life.
ADVERTISEMENT
<!–/* * Replace all instances of INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE with
* a generated random number (or timestamp).
*
* The backup image section of this tag has been generated for use on a
* non-SSL page. If this tag is to be placed on an SSL page, change the
* 'http://ad10.walklightmedia.net/delivery/…'
* to
* 'https://ad10.walklightmedia.net/delivery/…'
*
* This noscript section of this tag only shows image banners. There
* is no width or height in these banners, so if you want these tags to
* allocate space for the ad before it shows, you will need to add this
* information to the tag.
*
* If you do not want to deal with the intricities of the noscript
* section, delete the tag (from … to ). On
* average, the noscript tag is called from less than 1% of internet
* users.
*/–>
… to
Ecology is far more than the study of life and
its environment. The word is used here as a synonym for ecosystems – the
vibrant connections that emerge between species across scales, which
cumulatively make life on Earth possible.
Nature is far, far more than pretty plants and
animals. Ecosystems make Earth habitable, providing water, food, air, shelter,
and more – everything that we need and desire to live well. In naturally evolved
ecosystems, from genes to individual organisms and species, to ecosystems and
everything else in between, each living being present fulfills a niche, which
sustains itself, its neighbors, and the whole.
All species uniquely express evolutionary brilliance
and have a purpose, a reason for being, a right to exist, and are necessary to
maintain life’s full potential. From the lowly worm to soaring eagles, to the
human race – all naturally evolved life has value and relies upon all the rest.
Even seemingly noxious disease organisms and man-eating predators have a role
to play in maintaining ecological balance.
The Earth as a whole is a living organism,
similar biologically to a cell, plant, animal, or ecosystem. Without large
intact ecosystems, Earth becomes uninhabitable. Yet sadly, she is being
murdered by industrial human growth at the expense of ecosystems. Past certain
planetary boundary conditions, like any life, Earth can die.
The vibrant mélange of life found in natural
ecosystems is godlike in its all-embracing nurturing. Ecology is the meaning of
life.
Ecosystem Collapse
Humankind’s demand for resources and growth
overwhelms nature, our steady diminishment of ecosystems abruptly changes
climate, and this is collapsing the biosphere. Global ecosystems – water, air,
food, forests, oceans, wetlands, and more – are collapsing and dying under the
burden of human industrial and population growth.
Human destruction of natural ecosystems and
disintegrating climatic integrity are already past critical thresholds.
Humanity (meaning each of us) can’t dump filth into air, defecate into water,
kill and diminish natural vegetation, plunder oceans, and expect a habitable
Earth and decent lives.
Read more at ENN affiliate, Ecologist.
Slug Image
via Shutterstock.