"Ecological communities can be thought of as superorganisms which function more smoothly and predictably as biodiversity increases. As soon as species in a given place being to web themselves together, the whole community becomes a superorganism, with powerful emergent properties. The member species work together to create an emergent self-regulating network, in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. In order to fully understand, rather than explain, the profound animate quality of Gaian ecological communities, we need to compliment reason with knowledge given to us by our sensing bodies... as indigenous traditions have done here for centuries." - Stephan Harding, Animate Earth