God created the world, everything has a reason and a purpose. Every being in the universe depends on every other thing and every other being for their existence.
Interconnectedness is part of the terminology of a world view which sees a oneness in all things. A similar term, interdependence, is sometimes used instead, although there are slightly different connotations.
“The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to yin and yang.
Yin
and yang give birth to all things…
The complete whole is the complete
whole.
So also is any part the complete whole…
But forget about
understanding and harmonizing and making all things one. The universe is
already a harmonious oneness; just realize it.”
When you look at things and people, what do you see? Do you think that things are disconnected from you?
Do you ridicule people that say that all life is one life?
Physics has proven that indeed that all life is indeed one life.That all that exist on earth is connect to each other.
For thousand of years, sages, mystics, philosophers, and poets from all cultures have understood that the entire universe is a whole and living unity, which means that all things are connected. Nothing is separate. Everything is interlinked.
Interconnectedness and the Ecosystem
What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants, animals and organisms) in a given area, interacting with each other, and also with their non-living environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, atmosphere).
In an ecosystem, each organism has its' own niche, or role to
play.
A small puddle at the back of your home. There are all sorts of living things, from microorganisms, to insects and plants.
These depend on non-living things like water, sunlight, turbulence in the
puddle, temperature, atmospheric pressure and even nutrients in the water for
life.
Usually, biotic members of an ecosystem, together with their abiotics factors
depend on each other. This means the absence of one member, or one abiotic
factor can affect all parties of the ecosystem.
The food chain
A food chain is the sequence of who eats whom in a biological community (an
ecosystem) to obtain nutrition. A food chain starts with the primary energy
source, usually the sun or boiling-hot deep sea vents. The next link in the
chain is an organism that make its own food from the primary energy source -- an
example is photosynthetic plants that make their own food from sunlight (using a
process called
photosynthesis) and chemosynthetic bacteria that make
their food energy from chemicals in hydrothermal vents. These are called
autotrophs or
primary producers.
Next come organisms that eat the autotrophs; these organisms are called
herbivores or
primary consumers -- an example is a rabbit that
eats grass.
The next link in the chain is animals that eat herbivores - these are called
secondary consumers -- an example is a snake that eat rabbits.
In turn, these animals are eaten by larger predators -- an example is an owl
that eats snakes.
The tertiary consumers are are eaten by
quaternary consumers -- an
example is a hawk that eats owls. Each food chain end with a
top
predator, and animal with no natural enemies (like an alligator, hawk, or
polar bear).
The arrows in a food chain show the flow of
energy, from the sun or
hydrothermal vent to a top predator. As the energy flows from organism to
organism, energy is lost at each step. A network of many
food chains is
called a
food web.
Trophic Levels:The trophic level of an organism is the position it
holds in a food chain.
- Primary producers (organisms that make their own food from sunlight
and/or chemical energy from deep sea vents) are the base of every food chain -
these organisms are called autotrophs.
- Primary consumers are animals that eat primary producers; they are
also called herbivores (plant-eaters).
- Secondary consumers eat primary consumers. They are carnivores
(meat-eaters) and omnivores (animals that eat both animals and plants).
- Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers.
- Quaternary consumers eat tertiary consumers.
- Food chains "end" with top predators, animals that have little or no natural
enemies.
The food web
When any organism dies, it is eventually eaten by
detrivores (like vultures, worms and crabs) and broken down by
decomposers (mostly bacteria and fungi), and the exchange of energy
continues.
Some organisms' position in the food chain can vary as their diet differs.
For example, when a bear eats berries, the bear is functioning as a primary
consumer. When a bear eats a plant-eating rodent, the bear is functioning as a
secondary consumer. When the bear eats salmon, the bear is functioning as a
tertiary consumer (this is because salmon is a secondary consumer, since salmon
eat herring that eat zooplankton that eat phytoplankton, that make their own
energy from sunlight). Think about how people's place in the food chain varies -
often within a single meal.
Numbers of Organisms:In any food web, energy is lost each time one
organism eats another. Because of this, there have to be many more plants than
there are plant-eaters. There are more autotrophs than heterotrophs, and more
plant-eaters than meat-eaters.
Although there is intense competition between
animals, there is also an interdependence. When one species goes extinct, it can
affect an entire chain of other species and have unpredictable consequences.
EquilibriumAs the number of carnivores in a community increases,
they eat more and more of the herbivores, decreasing the herbivore population.
It then becomes harder and harder for the carnivores to find herbivores to eat,
and the population of carnivores decreases. In this way, the carnivores and
herbivores stay in a relatively stable equilibrium, each limiting the other's
population. A similar equilibrium exists between plants and plant-eaters.
Interconnectedness and biodiversity
What is biodiversity?
The Ministry of Environment defines biodiversity as "character and interconnection."
"Character" in biodiversity means the diversity/differences among various life forms. There are three levels:
The first level is the diversity in ecosystem. This refers to the diversity of ecological systems such as forests (natural or man-made), wetlands, rivers, coral reefs, etc.
The second level is the diversity in species. On Earth, there exist as many as 30 million different species of life forms.
The third level is the diversity in genes. Each individual within the same species has different genes. All life forms evolved over the course of four billion years - a process of adaptation to various environments. Each individual has developed different genes specific to its adaptability characteristics - characteristics such as resistance to dry climate, hot climate, or resistance to local diseases, and so on. Just as every human being has different features like face, height, or personality, every individual life form, even of the same species, has different characteristics depending on where it lives
The fact of the matter is that every life form is able to survive only in the context of its interconnection with other life forms, a web in which every life form plays a role.
For example, there used to be a flightless bird called the dodo on Mauritius Island in the Indian Ocean. When human beings began to settle on the island, they overhunted the dodo for food, and the bird, unaccustomed to any predators and unable to fly away for safety, became extinct in no time at all. Then something abnormal happened to the vegetation of the island. The tambalacoque tree, which had its seeds germinated by being passed through the digestive tracts of the dodo, went almost extinct. Some insects and microorganisms that lived only in this tree followed its fate. This example clearly demonstrates that the survival of one species is connected to survival of another
Interconnectedness according to Buddhism
"When we realize the extent of the myriad interconnections which
link us to all other life, we realize that our existence only becomes meaningful
through interaction with, and in relation to, others."
Buddhism
teaches that all life is interrelated. Through the concept of "dependent
origination," it holds that nothing exists in isolation, independent of other
life. The Japanese term for dependent origination is engi, literally
"arising in relation."
In other words, all beings and phenomena exist or occur
only because of their relationship with other beings or phenomena. Everything in
the world comes into existence in response to causes and conditions. Nothing can
exist in absolute independence of other things or arise of its own accord.
Shakyamuni used the image of two bundles of reeds leaning against each other
to explain this deep interconnectedness. He described how the two bundles of
reeds can remain standing as long as they lean against each other. In the same
way, because this exists, that exists, and because that exists, this exists. If
one of the two bundles is removed, then the other will fall. Similarly, without
this existence, that cannot exist, and without that existence, this cannot
exist.
More specifically, Buddhism teaches that our lives are constantly developing
in a dynamic way, in a synergy of the internal causes within our own life (our
personality, experiences, outlook on life and so on) and the external conditions
and relations around us. Each individual existence contributes to creating the
environment which sustains all other existences. All things, mutually supportive
and related, form a living cosmos, a single living whole.
When we realize the extent of the myriad interconnections which link us to
all other life, we realize that our existence only becomes meaningful through
interaction with, and in relation to, others. By engaging ourselves with others,
our identity is developed, established and enhanced. We then understand that it
is impossible to build our own happiness on the unhappiness of others. We also
see that our constructive actions affect the world around us. And, as Nichiren
wrote, "If you light a lamp for another, your own way will be lit."
There is an intimate mutual interconnection in the web of nature, in the
relationship between humankind and its environment--and also between the
individual and society, parents and children, husband and wife.
If as individuals we can embrace the view that "because of that, this
exists," or, in other words, "because of that person, I can develop," then we
need never experience pointless conflicts in human relations. In the case of a
young married woman, for instance, her present existence is in relation to her
husband and mother-in-law, regardless of what sort of people they may be.
Someone who realizes this can turn everything, both good and bad, into an
impetus for personal growth.
Buddhism teaches that we "choose" the family and circumstances into which we
are born in order to learn and grow and to be able to fulfill our unique role
and respective mission in life.
On a deeper level, we are connected and related not just to those physically
close to us, but to every living being. If we can realize this, feelings of
loneliness and isolation, which cause so much suffering, begin to vanish, as we
realize that we are part of a dynamic, mutually interconnected whole.
As Daisaku Ikeda has written, an understanding of the interconnectedness of
all life can lead to a more peaceful world:
"We're all human beings who, through some mystic bond, were born to share the
same limited life span on this planet, a small green oasis in the vast universe.
Why do we quarrel and victimize one another? If we could all keep the image of
the vast heavens in mind, I believe that it would go a long way toward resolving
conflicts and disputes. If our eyes are fixed on eternity, we come to realize
that the conflicts of our little egos are really sad and unimportant."
[Courtesy July 1999 SGI Quarterly]
Interconnectedness of life that sustains our planet
On this planet Earth, there exist 1.75 million scientifically identified living
forms. If you include yet-to-be identified organisms, 30 million different forms
of life are believed to exist. These figures include fungi and
microorganisms, as well as animals and plants. Their lives and existence are
interconnected with and dependant on each other. Human beings are part of this
interconnection.
However, this precarious balance of interconnection is falling
apart, and the number of life forms going extinct is increasing at an alarming
rate
Trees provide materials for houses;
plants provide materials for clothes; and both animals and plants provide us
with food. Life is supported by myriad of living things on Earth. The lives of
those living things in turn are supported by other living things. Life on this
planet is endlessly interconnected. Now the balance of those interconnections is
on the verge of collapse.
Their lives and existence are interconnected with and dependent on each other.
Human beings are part of this interconnection. However, this precarious balance
of interconnection is falling apart, and the number of life forms going extinct
is increasing at an alarming rate.
It is an attempt to reexamine the current state of coexistence of human beings
and other living things on Earth.
"The Seven Days of Creation"
On the first day, God created, the heaven and the earth.
An eternal plan in motion, a new world of great worth!
By His word He separated, the darkness from the light.
That time would follow a pattern, He called it day and night.
The second day came. He commanded the waters to divide.
A beautiful skyline, where the firmament would reside.
And as He commanded. His clear voice was heard.
Dry land raised forth. And the day, was the third.
By the power of His word, the ground would take root.
Grass, herbs, and shrubbery, from seedling to fruit!
The beauty of colors, danced over meadows and hills.
The flowered landscapes embellished, vegetation there filled.
The fourth day came. God placed the sun and moon.
That seasons would flourish, and light would illume.
The fowls in the air, and the fish in the sea,
Every animal God created, on the fifth day would be.
The sixth day commenced. God's work not complete.
For man in His image, would be His last feat.
From the dust of the earth, He molded from clay.
His greatest creation, mortal man, there he lay!
The man God called Adam, who stood all alone.
He carefully took a rib, and formed woman from his bone.
Adam named her Eve, the Mother of us all.
To multiply and replenish, soon after the Fall.
The seventh day ushered in. Creation now smiled.
God declared it was good, and rested for awhile.
