Bro This Shit's Important!

Three things I learned from the article were many specific instances of introducing a new species to an ecosystem and it screwing up a food web. The titular example presented involved palm trees being planted instead of native trees near the ocean shore where giant Rays lived. Since Palms make crappy homes for birds, they moved away and there was no poop (nitrogen) flowing into the water, creating life for the Rays to strive off. The other two examples I learned about were similar situations involving Salmon off the west coast of the United States and Foxes killing birds in Alaska. Both times nutrients were removed from the land or sea ecosystem, endangering the nutrient cycle involving the other.

Two ways these events affect Environmental Science include the use of Chemistry and Economics. The cash crops being grown (palms) are there to support life of humans there and other places, so the argument comes to the forefront of weather or not they need to protect the rays, even if it means losing their line of work. The chemical side of the equation comes in the form of the Nitrogen cycle involving the guano. A special isotope called Nitrogen-15 was the key variety of nitrogen that enrich the ocean and soil near the shores. Without it, the trees, plankton, and other sea-life would suffer greatly.

A question I want to ask now is what can I eat as a person living in Houston that won't support some farm ruining lives elsewhere? What foods can I eat that are grown in places they naturally belong and don't kill the planet at the same time? My guess would be not many.