Not to be confused with interconnectivity or interconnectedness.

Interdependence is a dynamic of being mutually and physically responsible to, and sharing
a common set of principles with others. This concept differs distinctly from "dependence,"
which implies that each member of a relationship cannot function or survive apart from
one another. In an interdependent relationship, all participants are emotionally,
economically, ecologically and/or morally self-reliant while at the same time responsible to
each other. An interdependent relationship can be defined as an entity that depends on
two or more cooperative autonomous participants (eg - co-op). Some people
advocate freedom or independence as a sort of ultimate good; others do the same with
devotion to one's family, community, or society. Interdependence recognizes the truth in
each position and weaves them together.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdependence
INTERDEPENDENCE OF LIFE
Every species is linked, directly or indirectly, with a multitude of others in an ecosystem. Plants
provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for other organisms. For their part, many plants depend
upon animals for help in reproduction (bees pollinate flowers, for instance) and for certain
nutrients (such as minerals in animal waste products). All animals are part of food webs that
include plants and animals of other species (and sometimes the same species). The
predator/prey relationship is common, with its offensive tools for predatorsteeth, beaks,
claws, venom, etc.and its defensive tools for preycamouflage to hide, speed to escape,
shields or spines to ward off, irritating substances to repel. Some species come to depend very
closely on others (for instance, pandas or koalas can eat only certain species of trees). Some
species have become so adapted to each other that neither could survive without the other (for
example, the wasps that nest only in figs and are the only insect that can pollinate them).
There are also other relationships between organisms. Parasites get nourishment from their
host organisms, sometimes with bad consequences for the hosts. Scavengers and decomposers
feed only on dead animals and plants. And some organisms have mutually beneficial
relationshipsfor example, the bees that sip nectar from flowers and incidentally carry pollen
from one flower to the next, or the bacteria that live in our intestines and incidentally
synthesize some vitamins and protect the intestinal lining from germs.
But the interaction of living organisms does not take place on a passive environmental stage.
Ecosystems are shaped by the nonliving environment of land and watersolar radiation,
rainfall, mineral concentrations, temperature, and topography. The world contains a wide
diversity of physical conditions, which creates a wide variety of environments: freshwater and
oceanic, forest, desert, grassland, tundra, mountain, and many others. In all these
environments, organisms use vital earth resources, each seeking its share in specific ways that
are limited by other organisms. In every part of the habitable environment, different organisms
vie for food, space, light, heat, water, air, and shelter. The linked and fluctuating interactions of
life forms and environment compose a total ecosystem; understanding any one part of it well
requires knowledge of how that part interacts with the others.
The interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem often results in approximate stability over
hundreds or thousands of years. As one species proliferates, it is held in check by one or more
environmental factors: depletion of food or nesting sites, increased loss to predators, or
invasion by parasites. If a natural disaster such as flood or fire occurs, the damaged ecosystem
is likely to recover in a succession of stages that eventually results in a system similar to the
original one.
Like many complex systems, ecosystems tend to show cyclic fluctuations around a state of
approximate equilibrium. In the long run, however, ecosystems inevitably change when climate
changes or when very different new species appear as a result of migration or evolution (or are
introduced deliberately or inadvertently by humans).
http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/chap5.htm
The preservation of a diversity of species is important to human beings. We depend on two
food webs to obtain the energy and materials necessary for life. One starts with microscopic
ocean plants and seaweed and includes animals that feed on them and animals that feed on
those animals. The other one begins with land plants and includes animals that feed on them,
and so forth. The elaborate interdependencies among species serve to stabilize these food
webs. Minor disruptions in a particular location tend to lead to changes that eventually restore
the system. But large disturbances of living populations or their environments may result in
irreversible changes in the food webs. Maintaining diversity increases the likelihood that some
varieties will have characteristics suitable to survival under changed conditions.
http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/chap5.htm
Ecological balance
Definition:
The condition of equilibrium among the components of a natural community such that their
relative numbers remain fairly constant and their ecosystem is stable. Gradual readjustments to
the composition of a balanced community take place continually in response to natural
ecological succession and to alterations in climatic and other influences.
http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/concept?cp=2441&langcode=en&ns=1
1. Ecological balance
a stable balance in the numbers of each species in an ecosystem .In the ecosystem of
the mouth this balance is brought about by competition and cooperation between the
different organism and the hosts defences which tend to control population size.
Found on http://www.eclipse.co.uk/moordent/page5.
2. Ecological balance
Stability in an ecosystem achieved through the development of equilibrium among its
various components. This does not imply that the community is static. It is subject to
natural variations associated with ecological succession and other influences such as
fire, disease and climate change, but the system is normally sufficiently elastic to make
the necessary ...
Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/visitor-contrib
3. Ecological balance
- a stable environment in which lives a large number of different forms of life, each
affecting the other. Examples are a forest, desert, tidal area, soil, oral cavity, gut.
Found on http://www.eclipse.co.uk/moordent/page5.
Ecological Balance in Nature
The environment in which the man and other organisms live is called the biosphere. The
biosphere is made up of different regions that have different types of flora (plants) and fauna
(animals). The types of organisms in an area are determined by various factors such as the
climate, temperature, rainfall, etc.
The regions based on their physical and biological nature are classified into ecosystems. For
example, pond ecosystem, evergreen forest ecosystem, desert ecosystem, etc. The organisms,
in addition to being dependent on the environment for their needs, are also dependent on each
other. This dependency is especially for food. This results in the presence of food chains and
food webs.

Food Chain in Nature (P = producer, H = herbivore, C
1
= carnivore order-1, C
2
= carnivore order-
2)
The food chains and other such interrelationships in the ecosystems create a balance in the
environment that is called the ecological balance.
Man is also a part of these food chains and webs. However, man tries to modify the
environment to suit his needs unlike the other components of the ecosystem. This has upset
the delicate balance being maintained in the environment.
Forest Food Webs
For example: consider the food chain: plants, deer, tiger in a forest. There is a balance
maintained in the environment because of this food chain. This balance becomes evident when
it is upset. If for some reason, all the tigers disappear, then the deer population will increase to
such an extent that plants will reduce in number drastically and the habitat will become
unsuitable for other herbivores also with more competition. If the deer disappear, then the
tigers will starve and dwindle in number. And if the plants disappear, then deer cannot survive
and as a result the tigers also cannot survive.
Such an event in the earlier days has resulted in the creation of deserts such as Sahara in Africa
and the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. Due to hunting habits of man, the numbers of lions in Africa
were drastically reduced during the times of the Romans. This resulted in increased population
of herbivores that in turn adversely affected the plant population. Less cover of vegetation on
land led to desertification. Thus maintenance of this ecological balance is very important.
Sustainable Development
The importance of maintaining the ecological balance and conservation of the resources has
been increasingly becoming clear in the last two decades. It has now become necessary for all
countries in the world to recognize this fact and plan what is known as 'sustainable
development'. The United Nations World Commission of Environment and Development in
1987 has defined sustainable development as "a process of change in which the exploitation of
resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and the
institutional change are in harmony and enhance both current and future generations to meet
their needs."
This means that the requirements of the present generation in terms of economic growth and
community development (to provide for basic needs like food, water, shelter, education, etc)
are met without compromising on environmental protection. This will ensure that every
generation will leave clean air, water and soil resources for the future generations.
Methods to Enforce the Concept of Sustainable Development
judiciously use the resources that are available in plenty and maintain them without
depletion or pollution
Restrict the use of the already endangered resources and protect them from
unsustainable development.
To increase awareness about the concept of sustainable development and ensure that
the people understand its full meaning. This concept means that there is a symbiotic
relationship (mutually beneficial) between the developmental process and environment
protection. If environment protection is ignored, then the very basis of developmental
processes (the natural resources) will get exhausted which will spell doom for mankind.
On the other hand, one cannot ignore development and only think of environmental
protection. However, it is necessary to strike a balance between the two.
Towards this end, every individual has to make his actions eco-friendly. This is possible only if
man stops thinking of himself as the supreme creation and enjoys only the benefits. It is high
time man realizes that he is an integral part of the environment. He should also realize that
because he is at the pinnacle of evolution and has also more responsibility towards maintaining
the environment.