ABSTRACT
The human ecosystem is highly complex. We might even think of ourselves as central structures in a sort of above-ground coral reef system, with symbiotic, parasitic, and commensurate relationships with millions of living organisms on a daily basis. While we may not readily recognize our complexity or our interdependence, many living things are decidedly dependent on us, for better (e.g., bacteria that break down waste in our guts) and worse (e.g., cold viruses). And we are also dependent on many of them as a species and as individuals. Modern theories of development are increasingly based on this understanding: We are ourselves complex, natural ecosystems that develop and change around basic structures, as we continuously adapt to our contexts.
