Ecology and Ecosystems

From the works of Meadows, Capra, E.O. Wilson, and Odum, one can see that ecology is the study of community, but it is what makes up a community that differentiates ecology from other investigations.  My perspective is that it looks at organisms in their natural environment, or in the least where they exist.   The key here is the inclusion of the environment.  With the consideration of natural environments, we come to the idea of interactions within ecology and move to the idea of ecosystems and the interconnections between organisms.

The idea here is that from an ecological standpoint, thought is developed and created from what has already been.  Connections are made, connections are realized, and most importantly we see in the development of thought the connections that exist amongst all beings, matter, and energy.  One can admit when you touch another person, there is a sense or feeling of energy that moves between the two.  When does that energy and connection break away?  At 1 micron of separation? 1 millimeter? 1 meter?  It seems to me that the connection may diminish with spatial and temporal distancing, but never really disappear.  We are all connected, biological and non-biological entities, on this planet.

And what did we do with this connection?  Our consciousness has given rise to governments, relationships, community, and deeper connection.  Maybe we’ll be lucky and figure out how to reap the rewards of these connections for the sake of our ecosystems, of our ecology.