Lesson 11 Four Laws of Ecology (1) ---Barry Commoner

1. ChunyanShao (Shandong University) Lesson 11 Four Laws of Ecology (1)---Barry Commoner

2. Introuduction

3. Organization • The First Law • Part I (p. 4-9) The stabilization of the self-balancing system • Part II (p. 10-11) The danger of collapse • Part III (p. 12-16) The rate of its turnover and the complexity of the system determines the extent it can bear stress. • Part IV (p. 17) The amplification of a small perturbation

4. P. 1 LPs & Question • In outline---generally speaking • Niche---A situation or an activity specially suited to a person's interests, abilities, or nature • Immediate---Close at hand; near • What is this paragraph about? • The interaction within the environmental cycle • What is a life process composed of? • --respiration, nutrition, growth, moving, being sensitive or responding, excretion, reproduction

5. P. 2 LPs • Intricate---Having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate. • Pollen---花粉 • Fungi---真菌类 • Degrade---To cause (an organic compound) to undergo degradation • Make up---put together, construct / compose

6. P. 2 Analysis • Outline the linkage among species • insects blood juice/pollen mountain lion deer plants bacteria internal tissue organic waste fungi

7. P. 3 LPs & Questions • Explicitly---fully and clearly • Cohesive---well-integrated • Exemplify---To serve as an example of • Why is ecology a young science? • --a small section of the network • --no cohesive, simplifying generalizations

8. Ps. 4 & 5 LPs • Population--- All the organisms that constitute a specific group or occur in a specified habitat. • Multiple--- manifold • Act on—have an effect on • Picture---describe • Cybernetics---控制论The theoretical study of communication and control processes in biological, mechanical, and electronic systems, especially the comparison of these processes in biological and artificial systems. • Owe to--- be indebted to

9. P. 6 LPs & Questions • Helmsman---A person who steers a ship • Rudder--- 舵, 方向舵 • Veer---To turn aside from a course, direction, or purpose; swerve • Deflect---To turn aside or cause to turn aside; bend or deviate • What is this paragraph about? • How does cybernetics work?

10. P. 6 Analysis: Cybernetics • Ship off-course • Needle • Interpreted by helmsman • Rudder turned rudder turned too far • Ship swung back ship swung excessively • Needle in position needle deflected • Interpreted by helmsman • rudder turned • ship swung back • needle in position

11. P. 7 Aquatic cycle

12. P. 7 Aquatic cycle back to balance

13. Ps. 8 & 9 • Unwavering---resolute, not hesitant • Agent---A force or substance that causes a change • Oscillate---To swing back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm • Periodic---Having or marked by repeated cycles • Die off---To undergo a sudden, sharp decline in population

14. P. 9 Questions & Analysis • Describe the relation between rabbits and lynx in your own words. • Ten-year fluctuation • Many rabbits—lynx prosper—rising population—increasingly ravage—reducing rabbit—scarce—insufficient food—numerous lynx—die off—less fiercely hunted—increase in number • Oscillation, positively / negatively related • What specific words does the author use to refer to the big and small number of the animal? • Adverb, verb, adjective, phrase, noun

15. Ps. (4-9): The stabilization of the system by its self-compensating properties • Law: interconnection (p. 4) • Example: cybernetics (p. 5-6) • Our issue: ecological cycle (p.7) • Features of the system: example (p. 8) • Feature (p. 9)

16. P. 10 Analysis • Under what conditions will the system collapse? • The words to describe the negative effect • Eat all—no longer reproduce—starve—consumed—drop—die off

17. P. 11 LPs • Eutrophication--n.富(养)化作用; 水体加富过程 • a process by which pollution from such sources as sewage effluent or leachate from fertilized fields causes a lake, pond, or fen to become overrich in organic and mineral nutrients, so that algae and cyanobacteria grow rapidly and deplete the oxygen supply • Intrinsic-- Of or relating to the essential nature of a thing; inherent. • Die back-- The gradual dying of plant shoots, starting at the tips, as a result of various diseases or climatic conditions. • Debris--The scattered remains of something broken or destroyed; rubble or wreckage • Decay--To break down into component parts; rot

18. P. 11 Analysis • How does eutrophication lead to aquatic collapse? • Nutrient level in water—rapid growth of algae—algae density / thickness increases—light sharply diminished—strong overgrowth of algae—die back—organic debris great—decay depletes oxygen—bacteria of decay die off—aquatic collapse • Words used to describe the process

19. P 10: Analysis • The overstress of properties lead to collapse • P. 10: Structure • Law: out of balance (S. 1) • Example: Lynx eat up rabbits (S. 2) • Deduction: no longer reproduce (S. 3) • Analysis: Starve, no compensation (S. 4) • Result: Lynx die off (S. 5) • Consequence: The system collapse (S. 6)

20. Ps. 12 & 13 Analysis • How does the author express time duration? • Frequency • Speed • Rate • Swings in fractions of a second (V+Prep P) • Takes some seconds (V+ Object) • Respond over a time of minutes (V+Prep P) • The time be some months (NP) • A matter of days (be+NP) • Reproduce in a few days (V+Prep P)

21. P. 14 LPs • Turnover-- The number of workers hired by an establishment to replace those who have left in a given period of time • Dump-- To release or throw down in a large mass • Exceed—surpass • Intrude—enter as an improper element

22. P. 14 Analysis: deviation from normal • How is this paragraph organized? • What can we learn about writing from this paragraph? • What is the Law (S2)? • What is the SpecificRule (S3)? • What will happen in Idealized situation( S4)? • What might be the Problem( S5)? • How does Reasoning / deduction( S6) work? • What Result (S7) will that cause? • Then what Conclusion (S8) can be drawn? • Why (S9)?

23. P. 14 Writing assignment • What will happen if someone breaks the law?

24. P. 15 LPs & Questions • Marine--Of or relating to the sea • Shoreline--The edge of a body of water • Alfalfa--[植]紫花苜蓿 • In what ways are ecosystems differ? • Which turns over faster, the aquatic or soil ecosystem? • How many times does aquatic ecosystem produce more organic material than soil ecosystem does? • How much more does aquatic ecosystem produce organic material than soil ecosystem does? • Why does the soil cycle turn over more slowly?

25. P. 16 LPs • Pathway--A course usually followed by a body part or process • Crisscross--To move back and forth through or over • Fabric--A complex underlying structure • Strand-- rope, thread, or yarn • Vulnerable--Susceptible to attack

26. P. 16 Analysis: Writing • What writing strategy can we learn from the paragraph? • Law (Determinant of amount of stress) • Explanation (the more…the more…) • Example (Lynx-rabbit) • How does the example Support the topic? • Reality: More complex • Example (net-strand) • Analogy to our topic (environment-net)

27. Ps. 12-16: Rate of turnover and complexity of system determines its capacity to stress. • Feature: Rate of constituents determines the behavior of the system (p. 12-13) • Idealized situation: The slowest rate maintain the whole system (p. 14) • Second feature: Rate differs and points of collapse differ (p. 15): • Another feature: complexity determines the capacity (p. 16)

28. P. 17 LPs • Amplify-- To make larger or more powerful; increase • Magnitude—greatness in size, extent, etc. • Oxidize– To combine with oxygen; make into an oxide • Incorporate--To cause to merge or combine together into a united whole • Earthworm--蚯蚓 • Woodcock--[鸟] 鸟鹬

29. P. 17 Analysis: Writing strategy • Law:feedback and intensification (topic) • Example: Law: food chain (small-bigger) • Problem (greater amount) • Result (greater demand) • Problem (concentration on top) • Result (explain the topic)

30. P. 18 LP & Analysis • Perturbation--The state of being perturbed; agitation • How is everything connected to everything else?

31. P. 19: LPs • Indestructible--Impossible to destroy • Excrete--To separate and discharge (waste matter) from the blood, tissues, or organs • Respiratory--Of, relating to, used in, or affecting respiration • Nitrate--[化]硝酸盐, 硝酸钾 • Phosphate--磷酸盐

32. P. 20 LPs • Surface--To emerge after concealment • Incinerator--One that incinerates, especially an apparatus, such as a furnace, for burning waste • Emit—give or send out matter or energy • Stack--A chimney or flue • Toxic—poisonous • Condense--To become more compact • Convert—change or transform • Methyl--甲基：单价碳氢基 • Soluble--That can be dissolved, especially easily dissolved • Deposit--To lay down or leave behind by a natural process

33. P. 20 Analysis • Trace the path of the mercury • Battery—container of rubbish—incinerator—vapor—rain/snow—earth—lake—fish—man • What verbs does the author use to describe the process? • Place—collect—take—heat—produce—emit—carry—bring—enter—condense—sink—act on—convert—take up—metabolize—accumulate—catch—eat--deposit

34. P. 21 LPs • Counteract--To oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary action; check • Prevalent--Widely or commonly occurring, existing, accepted, or practiced • Extract--To obtain from a substance by chemical or mechanical action, as by pressure, distillation, or evaporation • Discharge--

35. Conclusion: Writing strategy • Definition • Analogy • Examples • Pattern • General law • Specific rule • Example • Issue • Problem • Result • Conclusion