Kolbert writes about how a project called the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, or BDFFP for short, has set up several reserves on a series of islands that are part of an Amazonian archipelago. People from different scientific field study the islands in their entirety. These include botanist, ornithologist, and entomologist. The main reason this project was set up was to see the affect that humans would have on an area previously uninhabited by humans.
Kolbert points out how everything in life is interconnected, and discusses the importance of patch dynamics. Over time, fragmentation of environmental areas leads to a decrease in the number of species in an area. This occurs, in part, because the size of such "islands" are too small to support a stable number of species members. For instance, Kolbert states, “A big cat that requires a range of forty square miles isn’t likely to make it for along in an area of only twenty square miles”(180). Animals have very specific living conditions and if these conditions are altered it can be detrimental to them. Also, smaller populations are more vulnerable to chance events. In addition, the disconnection of islands makes it more difficult for species to reach and recolonize them. One researcher describes this as "an obstacle course for the dispersal of biodiversity"(189). Kolbert also notes that the habits of many species can be highly specialized to their environment. She explains that one minor change can cause a domino effect in various ecological systems.
On the basis of the theme of “Earth itself is one interconnected system,” this is proven true in chapter 9. Carl and Marian Rettenmeyer, a pair of American naturalists, “...came up with a list of more than three hundred species that live in association with the ants”(184). When we think of ants and their size they seem like they have a meniscal impact on the environment. However, it’s the complete opposite because everything in nature has a purpose. Without the ants, various species of animals wouldn’t be able to get food. For example, the ant-following birds wouldn’t be able to strive in their environment if the ants didn’t exist. Humans are just one piece of the Earths puzzle. Even the smallest creatures matter a great deal and it’s because Earth is one big chained system.
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