with the ecosystems present

[GoodTaste]

Does "with Earth’s biophysical environment and the ecosystems present" mean "with the presence of Earth’s biophysical environment and the ecosystems"?

=================
By nature, we mean the diversity of life that has evolved over billions of years to exist in dynamic balance with Earth’s biophysical environment and the ecosystems present. Nature contributes to human well-being in many ways, and the services it provides, such as carbon sequestration by plants or pollination by insects, could impose a vast cost if lost3. Although the slow and long-term decline of Earth’s biodiversity4 is often overshadowed by climate change, and more recently by the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of biodiversity is no less of a risk than those posed by the other challenges. Many would argue that the effect of biodiversity losses could surpass the combined impacts of climate change and COVID-19.


Source: Nature Sep.9, 2020
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02502-2

 

[jutfrank]

The word present goes with ecosystems only.

Over the course of billions of years, the ecosystems within which life evolves change. Ecosystems that are present are ones that are in existence at any point in time.

 

[GoodTaste]

Is there a difference or nuance between "the ecosystems present" and "the presence of the ecosystems"?

 

[GoesStation]

Is there a difference or nuance between "the ecosystems present" and "the presence of the ecosystems"?

They mean different things. The ecosystems present: those ecosystems which are present. The presence of the ecosystems: The nearby existence of the ecosystems.

 

[tzfujimino]

I think you're reading it in the wrong way, GoodTaste.
It's not "... with A and B present."

You should read it as "... in balance with A and B".
A=Earth's biophysical environment
B=the ecosystems present

I hope you'll understand what I mean.

 

[GoodTaste]

I think you're reading it in the wrong way, GoodTaste.
It's not "... with A and B present."

You should read it as "... in balance with A and B".
A=Earth's biophysical environment
B=the ecosystems present

I hope you'll understand what I mean.

Are you saying that the structure is using the idiom of "balance (something) with (something else)"?

 

[tzfujimino]

No. The word "balance" is not a verb in that sentence, as you may know - it's a noun. I've found some examples of the phrase here:
https://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q="in+balance+with"&l=0

 

[GoodTaste]

OK. I read some of the examples. Do you mean the structure in the OP is similiar to that of the examples?:

(1)There's a hint of oak but it's in balance with the fruit's intensity.
(2) If a new role can be created for them, costs should be in balance with the services performed.
(3) In the past, the tribe lived in balance with these herds.

 

[tzfujimino]

Well, I think (3) is similar in construction to the sentence in question.

 

[GoodTaste]

Well, I think (3) is similar in construction to the sentence in question.

(3) In the past, the tribe lived in balance with these herds.

So what you mean is that putting "the tribe" on one pan of the scale, and putting "these herds" on the other, thus together they make a balance?

 

[tzfujimino]

My interpretation of the phrase is that if the two sides of the scale are in balance, one is in balance with the other.

However, I'm beginning to feel that your way of reading the sentence might be correct. Nature seems to be intended mainly for researchers and scientists, and I don't have enough knowledge to fully understand the text.