Last week, I listened to an episode of the French podcast Chaleur Humaine from the newspaper Le Monde. The episode, “Climat, biodiversité: comment sauver la mer Méditerranée,” discussed how climate change is drastically altering the Mediterranean Sea’s ecosystem, particularly affecting marine life.

The guest, François Sarano, a doctor in oceanography and diver, vividly described the sea’s colors and its once-abundant life. His insights sparked my curiosity about the causes and consequences of climate change. I began to wonder if these could be represented visually to better understand the reasons and effects.

Overnight, I considered using a graph database as a tool to map our world. In this model, each effect could be a node connected by relationships (cause/consequence), with additional properties like thresholds that trigger consequences. By adding dates, we might identify patterns in similar effects, recognizing that ecosystems often operate in cycles. Furthermore, could we draw parallels between different ecosystems?

The episode highlighted factors disrupting the ecosystem balance, such as trawlers and pockets of warm water increasing sea salinity and temperature, which favor the invasion of non-native species. While life on Earth will adapt, these changes impact our culture and the sea-dependent economy.

This led me to question if there are parallels with human migration. I believe migration enriches us, fostering growth through shared experiences. Our oceans reflect this richness, with ecosystems thriving symbiotically, but could certain factors destabilize local ecosystems?

I pondered why people migrate to new areas. Are local benefits attracting them? Conversely, why might fewer natives remain? Could we model these dynamics to promote awareness, ensuring decisions are balanced, humane, and sustainable? Or should we simply adapt?

I’ll leave you with this thought on adaptation, which I plan to explore further. Additionally, I recall hearing about an analysis of societal cycles over time but can’t remember the author or book. If you know of this study or have insights on modeling ecosystems or migration, feel free to contact me at night-thoughts@poyer.org.