BALANCE IN NATURE

FOR LONG SCIENTISTS HAVE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS AN INHERENT EQUILIBIRIUM  IN MOST ECOSYSTEMS OF NATURE. WHEN DISTURBED, AN ECOSYSTEM TRIES TO RETURN TO A STATE OF BALANCE. IN OTHER WORDS, PLANTS AND ANIMALS INTERACT SO AS TO PRODUCE A STABLE, CONTINUING SYSTEM OF LIFE ON EARTH. (MODERN ECOLOGY DOES NOT FULLY ACCEPT THIS IDEA.

IN GENERAL, THE INTERACTIONS AND PROCESSES IN THE ECOSYSTEM ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE. SOME EXAMPLES ARE

• FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS ENSURE THAT POPULATIONS ARE UNDER CONTROL.
• WASTE PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY ONE SPECIES ARE USED BY ANOTHER.
• RESOURCES USED BY SOME ARE REPLENISHED BY OTHERS.
• PLANTS PRODUCE THE OXYGEN NEEDED BY ANIMALS, WHILE THE WASTE PRODUCT OF ANIMAL RESPIRATION, CARBON DIOXIDE, IS USED BY PLANTS IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
• THE  WATER CYCLE KEEPS THE WORLD'S WATER CIRCULATING PROVIDING WATER WHERE AND WHEN IT IS NEEDED.

THE ACTIVITIES OF HUMAN BEINGS CAN, AND FREQUENTLY DO, DISRUPT THE BALANCE OF NATURE AND AFFECT BIODIVERSITY.