Understand the Earth

Nature is the source of life on Planet Earth.

We are composed of water and our bodies need water to regenerate.

We need clean air to breathe.

We need healthy and fertile soils to produce nutritious foods.

We acquire natural resources from the Earth’s grounds to produce medicines and other essential materials.

Change is a constant in this world as we see the transition between seasons. Plants and animals are governed by natural cycles (the seasons) that occur in nature. Plants and fauna must adapt to change or succumb to its forces.

Nature’s nurturing comes in the season cycles. The series of seasonal events creates new Terrestrial (land-based ecosystems) and Aquatic (ecosystems present in a body of water: freshwater and marine) Ecosystems; temperate forests (contain hardwood trees), rainforests, grassland, desert, tundra (the tundra lies at extreme latitudes where trees grow little or not at all, like the Arctic), taiga (the taiga land area supports a large population of conifers, particularly spruce and fir), freshwater and marine. Together with seasonal developments comes the water cycle. During this cycle water is transported around the Earth by ocean currents, rainfall, snow, wind, and nourishes plants, animals and all living organisms. The water cycle is complete when water is returned to the sky through evaporation and transpiration (the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers).

Natural disasters are a result of the Earth’s natural geological processes (the seasons and the Earth’s physical structure and substances); fires, volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes. But everything has a purpose. These cycles are beneficial in the long term; Floods bring fertile soil and increase agricultural production, improve the health of fish, as well as relocating fish and other living organisms in water bodies. Volcanic eruptions create rich soil and release carbon dioxide and hydrogen that contribute to the water cycle, and, precious stones and gems that were once deep within the earth are brought to the surface. Hurricanes cause the topsoil to be redistributed to other areas that are lacking, as well as help build up the coastal areas of islands (making the island wide). Bushfires clear debris and can stimulate growth and regenerate forest ecology (as the heat from fire is required for some seeds to sprout). Earthquakes happen because the planet needs to adjust itself in order to maintain its proper equilibrium (balance between solar energy and the atmosphere). It is the earth’s way of releasing stored energy (pressure) in plate tectonics as they move. This movement between the Earth’s crust and core naturally cycles materials from the mantle of the Earth - from the ocean to the Earth’s surface - and creates landscapes, mountains, coastlines and distinctly smaller oceans, and new seafloors which harbour large varieties of species of plants and animals. New and different plant and animal ecosystems are created and these play an important role in the human ecosystem (absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis). Earthquakes can also cause Tsunamis. Apart from covering or uncovering treasures in the Earth, a tsunami causes massive flooding in coastal areas. This then provides habitat for many living things (food for some, and a dispersion to new locations for some seeds, plants and animals). Finally, Tornados clear the land and bring rain if the area is in need of it.

Nature disperses nutrients and minerals needed by the living. It takes time for the Earth to adjust.

It is better to understand the Earth and respect it, because everything happens for a reason.

The ANH&F Team