Ecology existed before it was named ecology, but was not scientific.

Old classics that many people recognize, some for their description of the natural world, are now used to contrast between what the natural world looks like now vs. then. Call to action, takes something many people know to motivate.

What replaces what is taken by humans? Earth's resources are not all able to be replenished, so what happens when resources run out? Would the "payment" be planet undergoing global warming, which would affect all aspects of human life?

When scientists create inorganic substances, do they also create an enzyme that would be able to break down that substance? EDIT: often times there is not (see below)

Clarifies the purpose of the paragraph, tying together that the overproduction of proteins would be dangerous if introduced to an ecosystem. ACTION: portrays the delicate balance that many ecosystems exist in.

Mutated species have escaped from the lab and perpetuated in the environment. This can result in the disruption of the natural world, or integration over time.

Mutations only survive if they don't impede the organism from living the way they would normally. Organisms may also die off if they fail to adapt to their mutation.

The nutrients from dead animals decaying help plants grow. The plants that grow give insects a shelter while the insects help the plant pollinate. The plant may also be food for another animal.

Reminds me of the food chain nets I made in fourth grade. Every time a string of the net was cut, part of the food chain fell apart.

Would the human population be considered in balance with its current growth rate? Hard to track because the growth rates around the world vary depending on outside factors

Do animals instinctively act to help balance out oscillations in their environment? What behaviors are in place to prevent oscillations without human intervention, if any? Is the survival instinct animals' way of preventing oscillations?

Human population is likely a huge factor in environment oscillation. Hunting, the destruction of ecosystems, and the over harvesting of resources from the earth has created a large increase in the amount of animals populations at risk for extinction, the loss of ecosystems, and the overall destruction of earth's natural balance.

positive feedback loop? Def: change in one thing causes additional changes in the same direction?

Earlier, I noted that each species relies on each other, whether is be for food, shelter, companionship, or whatever else. It is true that there is a circle of life we are all apart of

"Everything has its place and everything in its place."

How deep were early inhabitants in the ocean? Were UV rays as powerful as they are today? Did the refractive property of water aid in protecting ocean inhabitants from UV rays?

Ozone layer has been slowly eaten up through the greenhouse effect. As the ozone layer depletes, the inhabitants of earth are more exposed to the sun's harmful rays and increases the average global temperature.

The Greenhouse Effect: the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere, due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. - from google

Interesting that not all radiation is blocked by the ozone layer in the atmosphere

Crazy how small things like wind and water vapor can transform under the influence of the sun.

A bit unrelated, but ancient civilizations like the Mayans and Incas idolized the sun as a god. I find it interesting that they were correct that the sun controls a lot of earth's functions and identified it as the source of life.

I've noticed that when large companies or government officials are responding to citizens concerned with the well-being of the environment, they often focus on "cleaning the air" or "saving the forests." Of course those are important missions, but they begin with holding people accountable for the environment. So much gets lost in the political scuffle

Reminds me of the nature journal video, reading about the cycle and how it indirectly affects my lifestyle makes me more aware of how much I depend on these cycles.

The cycle must be complete in order for a plant to grow efficiently. Although not directly dependent or mutualistic, the plant needs the nitrogen cycle to grow. Animals may need that plant to grow in order to survive, and other animals depend on that cycle for their prey to grow, etc.

Interesting how elements in the human body can be used to track species health. Is this true for all species or is this exclusive to humans?

In reality, the complex whole can be (kind of) simplified. Ex: global warming occurs because of large companies burning large amounts of harmful elements that are degrading our atmosphere, slowly exposing the earth to the sun's UV rays. As a result, ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, land is disappearing, and many species are losing their habitat. However, this still doesn't encompass the large amount of problems that come with global warming and loss of environment.

examples of this ??

Spatial complexity: the bounds on the amount of space an idea or thing takes up

Reminds me of dogs and humans. Dogs provide companionship, humans provide shelter and food.(mutualistic relationship)

Without all parts of life working together, life on earth would collapse. Humans can never be independent of the earth, because everything on earth depends on each other. The inhabitants of earth depend on it for food, shelter, and protection from sun rays. The earth depends on its inhabitants to continue the negative feedback loop that powers earth's functions

negative feedback loop: applies to all living things and the earth

This suggests that organisms prior to this had no survival instincts? confused

Did the first organisms to arrive have any natural predators? Was it the lack of predators that allowed life to transition from water to land?

Early dependency on earth for survival - how has this changed, if at all, in the modern world? Humans still depend on the earth to provide the right conditions to grow food, to nourish farm animals and crops to make a living, to eat, and to settle.

human formation vs. earth's formation, not all that different if you look at elemental composition - does author mean to make this comparison?

call to action - building up their evidence that will support their point

• reminds me of Wall-e, humans used every resource and the earth became barren and inhabitable. Opening scene shows shots of abandoned machines and trash built up

likening the earth to a machine - connects the previously statements on how man has separated from nature through the creation of machines

Takes idea of manmade and breaks it down into its original components. Nothing is truly manmade. Every material on the earth is derived from the earth.

• Makes me feel smaller with myself, and more aware of what everything around me is made up of

Icarus who flew too close to the sun, with wings made of wax. When Icarus came close to the sun's warm rays, the wax of his wings melted, and he found himself falling back down to earth. Icarus was previously held captive, and being able to fly free felt as if he would be able to do anything.

• While innovation is wonderful, this fable warns of the consequences of "flying too close to the sun."

When exploring the benefits of evolution, there is often a tradeoff. For example, when advancing the medical field, doctors had to study those who were sick and dying, and failed to save many before they came up with a solid solution.

• The tradeoff here is between our environment's health and human advancement

Repetition of a point to contrast early man vs. modern man

• criticizing the loss of survival instinct?

Desire to stay alive > desire to conquer natural law

• In the modern world, people conceive themselves as independent of their environment, however, humans depend on their environment for many things. -i.e. mental health may depend on seasons and climate (seasonal depression)

SAYING: Author is establishing the juxtaposition between human reliance on the earth, while simultaneously destroying it.

Exploit: to make full benefit of

• Humans have driven themselves to the brink of global disaster just through a lack of regard for the environment.

Humans have removed themselves from the nature ecosystem through evolution. As a result, humans see the world as something to be used for our profit and gain, rather than a "habitat."

• In reality, humans are just as part of the world as any other living being.