How Wolves Change Rivers: Trophic Cascade: Tao in action

[silent thunder]

Trophic Cascade is a scientific term for the cascading influence of the higher, alpha level predators and species on the entire eco-system that they inhabit, down to the most minute levels.  It's definition:

An ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators and involving reciprocal changes in the relative populations of predator and prey through a food chain, which often results in dramatic changes in ecosystem structure and nutrient cycling.

 

 

It's an offshoot of Systems Thinking and this short film How Wolves Change Rivers is a potent, quick explanation of the impact on the entire web, when one strand is affected.

 

To me, it's a vivid portrayal of Te and Tao.

 

 

[thelerner]

Fascinating video, here's the link:

 

in a similar vein here's a story on how large mammals like elephants fight desertification - http://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_world_s_deserts_and_reverse_climate_change?language=en

 

It's especially poignant because the author had written a paper in his younger days saying an ecological problem was too many elephants, which led to a mass slaughter.  It was later in his life he realized what an incredibly important cog they were environmentally; how the large hoofed mammals sustained and fought desertification. 

[silent thunder]

Thanks for adding the video link, not sure how that slipped out between the preview and posting.