2008 Essay Contest Finalist

Entry by Yash Singh

Earth is a unique planet and is undergoing changes all the time. These changes are happening as a result of multiple natural processes. For example, water is constantly being moved from oceans to land and back to water bodies because of evaporation and precipitation. Similarly oxygen and carbon dioxide are constantly recycled through the respiration process. We all know about these different processes working independently but if you look closer they are actually linked. They work as a team to sustain life on Earth.

To illustrate this, let’s take a simple example of a plant. First, a seed is planted in soil. In order to grow it must be provided with water, nutrients, sunlight, and carbon dioxide. The plant gets water from the water cycle, get carbon dioxide from respiration, and energy from the sun. Plants produce fruits and vegetables, which animals consume which transfers energy. The animal then becomes part of a food chain. Once living things die, they decompose and nutrients seep back into the ground for the next plant. This completes a full cycle. After looking at this you can deduce that the Earth is a very complex community and is connected in several ways.

Similarly, Chesapeake Bay is a local home to many organisms and species making it a diverse and interconnected society. Here, shorelines are continuously being eroded by the natural processes of tides and waves. This constantly creates new wetlands providing habitats for other organisms such as blue crabs, herons, and terrapins. This in turn creates and ample supply of food and resources for its neighborhood. Humans have intervened with this delicate cycle by hardening shores. This in turn unbalances this interconnected society. In conclusion, the Earth’s many natural processes interact to create healthy and safe environments that allow life to flourish.