Journal Entry #5

(taken from www.dictionary.com)

lignin - a complex polymer, the chief noncarbohydrate constituent of wood, that binds to cellulose fibers and hardens and strengthens the cell walls of plants.

stasis - a condition of balance among various forces; motionlessness: “Language is a primary element of culture, and stasis in the arts is tantamount to death.”

epiphyte - a plant, such as a tropical orchid or a staghorn fern, that grows on another plant upon which it depends for mechanical support but not for nutrients.

Example of an epiphyte: a tree growing on another tree.

REACTIONS TO CONCEPTS

i.  The idea that the ecotope is small enough that almost every person that owns property controls at least one ecotope was very surprising.  It had never crossed my mind before that my family was in control over an ecotope.  I was under the impression that we were in charge of a "yard", not an ecotope! By putting it this way, it's makes me feel more important and proud that I have control over a whole ecotope.  The author also says that many people our in charge of multiple ecotopes.  As I have said in previous journals, I work on a farm and my grandfather farms some 5,000 acres.  By farming this many acres, he has control over tens if not hundreds of ecotopes.  Now recognizing that a single human can be held responsible for one or more ecotopes, I feel that it is now my duty to take better care of my yard, landscape, and everything else that falls within the boundaries of my ecotope.

ii.  I chose the idea that "short chains are more stable and that long chains, if destroyed, would require the invasion of new species to maintain the integrity of the chain" for my second reaction. This concept I found very intriguing since we have millions of species on this earth and the author tells us that food chains are "usually only four or five links long."  This idea of the strength of chains is pretty much universal.  A short chain has few links, therefore its probability of breaking are far lesser than a long chain.  Also, if a short chain is broken, it will only directly effect 4 or five other species.  As opposed to the longer chain which will directly effect a number of species.  Even with my lack of expertise in this subject, this idea makes perfectly good sense.

iii.  The idea that "we too are members of communities of organisms, as well as communities of humans" is very important.  We seem to forget this idea a lot.  It's very hard to remember this when you have so much control over your surroundings.  We are at the top of the food chain and control our environments, but we have to remember that we are in fact still a part of the community of organisms.  We can directly effect the environment in so many ways.  For example, the other day when our class took our nature walk we pulled leaves off various trees.  We didn't think too much of it at the time, but even something this harmless does have a direct effect on the community.

Question - (based on ii.)  In your opinion, what organism (besides humans) would have the biggest effect on the food chain if it were to go extinct?

e-mail:  halley.4@wright.edu