Chapter 9 on Biodiversity and Ecosystem was interesting, especially the section on forests. Living in a forest area and being surrounded by it all my life, it was really interesting to learn a lot more about forests. Even when humans think they are responsible, they can still cause great harm. Building roads to grow trees, for example, can cause damage to a forest because it increases erosion, water runoff, and can damage the diversity of an ecosystem (Miller & Spoolman, 2010). One aspect of growing up in a mountainous region is that you are very likely to experience the dangers of fire (Miller & Spoolman). Fire is scary, but what has always struck me is how fire can benefit a forest. Fire can enrich the soil, putting nutrients back into the soil and eating away at mulch or other easily flammable material; these types of useful fires are called surface fires (Miller & Spoolman). Crown fires on the other hand are harmful to a forest, killing trees and species that live in the forest, as well as causing erosion (Miller & Spoolman). Something that has frustrated and angered me since I was a child is the destruction of rain forests. Rainforests are so vital to the earth. Yet they are rapidly being destroyed by logging, pollution, exports, roads, population growth, and agriculture, to name a few (Miller & Spoolman, 2010). It is sad to me that this vital earthly resource is so little appreciated by the world's population. This forest is so vital to the well-being of all the earth. It's always amazed me that maintaining it isn't a higher priority than it is. Question no. 5 on critical thinking wants to know whether developed countries should provide the most money to preserve rainforests in developing countries. .....how to give a new life to everyday objects. Retrieved from http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44289340Time. (2011). Thailand: Toxins may have killed tourists. Retrieved from: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2088898,00.htmlWade, M. L. (2011). Researchers discover antibiotic resistance in ancient DNA. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/science/01gene.html?ref=scienceWald, M. L. (2011). Solar company aided by federal loans closes. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/business/energy-environment/solyndra-solar-firm-aided-by-federal-loans-shuts-doors.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref =scienceWalsh, B. (2011). More problems for the shale gas industry. Retrieved from http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/05/10/more-problems-for-the-shale-gas-industry/WIP. (2011). Colorado water rights. Retrieved from http://www.waterinfo.org/rights.html