2.1 Everything is 2.1 Everything is ConnectedConnected

Mrs. Trimble Mrs. Trimble

Mrs. PerrymanMrs. Perryman

Lessons from BorneoDDT was used to kill mosquitoes that carried malaria

There were some severe “unintended consequences”

““The day they parachuted The day they parachuted cats into Borneo!”cats into Borneo!”

Ecosystem DisasterEcosystem Disaster

The end of the story…The end of the story…

In the 1950's The World Health Organization In the 1950's The World Health Organization (WHO) financed and supported the first ever (WHO) financed and supported the first ever team of over 14,000 parachuting cats into team of over 14,000 parachuting cats into Borneo!Borneo!

InstructionsInstructions: Work in pairs and try to arrange the : Work in pairs and try to arrange the following events in chronological order – based on following events in chronological order – based on

the true events in Borneo.the true events in Borneo.

Rats brought plagueRats brought plague Lizards ate roaches (with DDT)Lizards ate roaches (with DDT) Cats diedCats died Caterpillar numbers went upCaterpillar numbers went up WHO (World Health WHO (World Health

Organization) sent DDT to Organization) sent DDT to BorneoBorneo

Mosquitoes were wiped outMosquitoes were wiped out Caterpillars ate grass roofsCaterpillars ate grass roofs Cats were parachuted inCats were parachuted in

• Cats caught lizards containing DDT

• Roaches stored DDT in their bodies

• Grass roofs collapse• Lizards disappeared• Lizards slowed down• Rats increased

The Story:The Story:In the 1950's, the Dayak people of Borneo tragically In the 1950's, the Dayak people of Borneo tragically

suffered an outbreak of malaria, spread by suffered an outbreak of malaria, spread by mosquitoes. The World Health Organization (WHO), mosquitoes. The World Health Organization (WHO), without thinking through all the consequences, without thinking through all the consequences, sprayed the area with DDT to kill the mosquitoes. sprayed the area with DDT to kill the mosquitoes. The mosquitoes died, malaria lessened and the The mosquitoes died, malaria lessened and the people of Borneo were happy.people of Borneo were happy.

But then grass roofs on the villagers houses started to But then grass roofs on the villagers houses started to collapse. It appeared that a parasitic wasp had collapse. It appeared that a parasitic wasp had previously been keeping a thatch-eating caterpillar previously been keeping a thatch-eating caterpillar under control and the DDT killed the wasps, meaning under control and the DDT killed the wasps, meaning the caterpillars were free to eat as much as they the caterpillars were free to eat as much as they wanted!wanted!

As if their houses falling in on them wasn’t enough – As if their houses falling in on them wasn’t enough – insects that had been poisoned by DDT were eaten insects that had been poisoned by DDT were eaten by gecko lizards, which were then eaten by cats. The by gecko lizards, which were then eaten by cats. The cats started to die from the poison, rats began to cats started to die from the poison, rats began to flourish, and the people were threatened by flourish, and the people were threatened by outbreaks of 2 NEW serious diseases: outbreaks of 2 NEW serious diseases: plague & plague & typhus.typhus.

WHO initiated Operation Cat Drop and the cats started WHO initiated Operation Cat Drop and the cats started parachuting. The people of Borneo gained new feline parachuting. The people of Borneo gained new feline friends, the rat population declined and the people friends, the rat population declined and the people of Borneo were happy once more. of Borneo were happy once more. The End.The End.

The moral of the story:The moral of the story:

As Rachel Wynberg & Christine Jardine, Biotechnology and As Rachel Wynberg & Christine Jardine, Biotechnology and Biodiversity - Key Policy Issues for South Africa, 2000 said:Biodiversity - Key Policy Issues for South Africa, 2000 said:

"This is a graphic illustration of the "This is a graphic illustration of the interconnectednessinterconnectedness of life, and of the of life, and of the fact that the root of problems often fact that the root of problems often stems from their purported stems from their purported solutions."solutions."

Source: www.flycatfly.com/Parachuting_Cats.htmlSource: www.flycatfly.com/Parachuting_Cats.html

Correct order of eventsCorrect order of events WHO (World Health Organization) sent DDT to BorneoWHO (World Health Organization) sent DDT to Borneo Mosquitoes were wiped outMosquitoes were wiped out Caterpillar numbers went upCaterpillar numbers went up Caterpillars ate grass roofsCaterpillars ate grass roofs Grass roofs collapseGrass roofs collapse Roaches stored DDT in their bodiesRoaches stored DDT in their bodies Lizards ate roaches (with DDT)Lizards ate roaches (with DDT) Lizards slowed downLizards slowed down Cats caught lizards containing DDT Cats caught lizards containing DDT Lizards disappearedLizards disappeared Cats diedCats died Rats increasedRats increased Rats brought plagueRats brought plague Cats were parachuted inCats were parachuted in

What is an ecosystem?What is an ecosystem?

Includes all the Includes all the different organisms different organisms living in a certain living in a certain area, along with area, along with their physical their physical environment.environment.

Abiotic FactorsAbiotic Factors Biotic FactorsBiotic Factors

Organization of LifeOrganization of Life

AtomAtom MoleculeMolecule CellCell TissueTissue OrganOrgan Organ SystemOrgan System Organism- one Organism- one

individual living individual living thingthing

Organization of Life -contOrganization of Life -cont

Organism Organism Population- a group of Population- a group of

individualsindividuals Community- a group Community- a group

of interacting of interacting populationspopulations

Ecosystem- living Ecosystem- living things and their things and their abiotic needsabiotic needs

BiomesBiomes BiosphereBiosphere

SpeciesSpecies

A group of A group of organisms that are organisms that are able to produce able to produce fertile offspring, fertile offspring, and that share and that share common genes common genes and therefore, and therefore, resemble each resemble each other.other.

HabitatHabitat

Actual Place an Actual Place an organism livesorganism lives

Your addressYour address

Burrow Water Nest Tree

Thicket Rock crevices or openings

Cave Den

Hollow log or hollow stump Shallow indentation in the ground

NicheNiche

An organisms way An organisms way of lifeof life

It includes all of the It includes all of the interactions (biotic interactions (biotic and abiotic) in its and abiotic) in its environment.environment.

How it makes its’ How it makes its’ livingliving

Let’s look at the bookLet’s look at the book

Look at the figure 2-2 Look at the figure 2-2 on page 34.on page 34.

““What are the biotic What are the biotic and abiotic and abiotic components of this components of this ecosystem?”ecosystem?”

““Give an example of a Give an example of a population not population not mentioned so far”mentioned so far”

““Choose an animal Choose an animal and discuss the and discuss the difference between its’ difference between its’ habitat and niche.”habitat and niche.”

““What part of an What part of an ecosystem is not part ecosystem is not part of a community? In of a community? In other words, what is other words, what is the difference the difference between an between an ecosystem and a ecosystem and a community?”community?”