# Web 3 Ecosystem Diversity

By [jer979](https://paragraph.com/@jer979-2) · 2022-09-11

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I've been thinking about decentralized networks as akin to a rainforest.

The more species there are, the more diversity there is. This doesn't only refer to animals, but to flora as well.

The more of everything there is, the more diversity, which leads to greater "natural experiments" in evolution and opportunities for nature to "innovate."

But, what would happen if, for example, all of the apex predators were removed [(like they were from Yellowstone](https://socratic.org/questions/why-did-the-removal-of-wolves-affect-the-entire-yellowstone-ecosystem))?

Or, if a certain type of tree were cut down? Or a type of animal were made extinct? Or if water flows were suddenly diverted?

I'm not a botanist or expert on the ecosystem of natural environments, but I would imagine that it throws things out of whack and, depending on the amount of things removed from an environment, really damage the overall health of the ecosystem.

This is what Layer 2 solutions do in crypto networks.

In the name of "efficiency" and "speed," whole ecosystem are moved from the Layer 1 (floor of the rainforest) to the Layer 2. It's like lifting up a whole section of trees from the floor and moving them to another part of the country (albeit keeping the roots attached).

But, what happens?

The leaves from those trees don't fall on the floor of the rainforest.

The sun isn't blocked out. The seeds from those trees don't get carried by birds or insects to other parts of the rainforest to cross-fertilize.

Ecosystem growth and development is hampered.

And this is what happens when Layer 2 solutions are introduced. The "cross pollination" is "atomic composability."

By hampering the atomic composability of a Web3 ecosystem, the introduction of Layer 2 reduces diversity.

The same is true, by the way, for sharded networks in the way that Ethereum and others do it , which are just like putting up a big wall between sections of the rainforest that goes up (and down) preventing them from interacting at all. True walled gardens.

The most healthy, robust ecosystems in Web3 are going to have the most opportunities for diversity. This can only happen if a network doesn't compromise on atomic composability.

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*Originally published on [jer979](https://paragraph.com/@jer979-2/web-3-ecosystem-diversity)*