SUMMARY
Human activities such as fishing, hunting, adopting wild pets, and deforestation have increasingly stressed ecosystems around the world. To combat the issue, ecologists have created equation and models that simulate an ecosystem's potential downfall. The equations measure population growth by linking the species' reproduction rate to its food availability and how that species gets eaten by others if at all. Since food webs are hard to restore because the effects "stick", some scientists emphasize the prevention of possible food web flips instead of trying to restore one that have already flipped. While other methods are being developed, scientists agree that this is the best way to handle the phenomena at hand.
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ECOSYSTEMS ON THE BRINK- Humans have been stressing the world's ecosystems by overfishing, deforestation, warming the planet, etc.
- Ecologists write equations for species population growth by connecting reproduction rate to food availability and how it gets eaten - Food webs are hard to restore, effects "stick" - Some scientists emphasize preventing food webs from flipping before they do instead of trying to restore others who have flipped |
REFLECTION
It is truly sad how we as humans destroy other living beings' habitats for our own personal gain. Then we complain when the animals who lost their home come into our cities/neighborhoods. I believe the strategy of preventing potential food web flips is the right way to approach the situation, because the effects of the flip are pretty much irreversible. We need to uphold our duty to preserve nature, not destroy it. Not only will the loss of certain species have immediate negative effects on the animal kingdom, it will also spell doom for humans.
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