File talk:Biocomplexity spiral.jpg

This spiral image reminds me of the outdated "5 kingdoms of life" posters I used to see in biology class. Perhaps the poster will never be changed, but it can at least be discussed. Points:

1. Why is this given the form of a spiral instead of something hierarchical? Does it depict emergence? Because the planet and the cosmos did not emerge from cells! If the "biocomplexity" poster is about life in these places, it should use the terms for life in those places.

2. Why are some levels labelled with nouns and others with adjectives?

3. I would add/change several levels. "Organelle" (at least some of them) could definitely go between molecule and cell, even if they don't live independently (neither do molecules "live" independently). "Habitat" should be excluded, with "organism" going straight to "population" (of one kind of organism) and through to "community" (set of interacting populations of different species). Once you include the nonliving environment with life on any level, it's offically an "ecological system" or "ecosystem", but that is usually much more complex than a population. I can't see the bottom-most word, but I would expect "biome" (like 'desert' or 'tropical rain forest') to be shown before the planet itself. The planet's level of life should be called an "ecosphere" or a 'biosphere'.

4. Levels past ecosphere are yet unnamed, as we have yet to establish interstellar colonies complete with life! If you want to include possible aliens, go ahead... but then why not go in steps, like star system, interstellar 'empire' or something, galaxy, and so on...

00:36, 29 April 2009 (UTC)electropath