For You To Know....

Trying to understand an ecosystem is no easy task. Since humans, animals and plants are in steady interaction with each other, they are all constantly changing aspects of the environment, making the study of ecology more and more in-depth everyday. Interactions among all species could have a number of positive and negative effects. For example, upon return from a trip in a tropical country, you notice a gecko (native to that country) jump out of your suitcase into your living room. How would this living being interact and survive in an American climate? Could this poor little lizard alter the entire ecosystem of insects in your neighborhood?

Ecologists study the relationships of living things to their environment and with each other, and examine the effects of a wide range of factors such as population size, rainfall, temperature, forest fires and major construction projects. The basic principle that they follow is that all life on Earth is connected and it is supposed to fit together harmoniously, although we have seen over time that it does not. Interested in sustainability issues, they are faced with trying to solve the impact that many human activities, such as over consumption and air pollution have on the environment and ecosystem in the long term.