Chapter 7: The Biosphere

1/9/2021

In this eye-opening chapter, Sala introduces readers to the wonderful world of, well, the world. From a human perspective, the natural world around us seems to be made for our use (and exploitation), but what it really is is a living, breathing, functional network of infinite organisms working together to keep the entire system rolling. We're really just the newest members to the club. From the effects of soil fungal networks on nutrient uptake to the transfer of carbon between plants, these ongoing relationships are integral to the continued success of all life on this planet. Failing to realize how important these mechanisms are to the continuance of all species has already had dire consequences.

Reading and Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions in the comments section below after you've finished reading the chapter:

What is the 'Overview Effect' and why is it critical that our global population understands it?
How have global whaling activities affected populations of krill and fish in the ocean?

Activities

Go online and research the Gaia Hypothesis (links below). Then, go out into your garden or growing space and try to visualize how each organism present interacts with the others to form mutually beneficial relationships.