LINK TO ARTICLE: coral-reef-microbes-point-assess-ecosystem
The Toulmin model is a rhetorical analysis method used for identifying part of an argument. Today, I am going to be applying and explaining the Toulmin model by analyzing “Coral Reef Microbes Point to New Way to Assess Ecosystem Health” written by Hayley Dunning.
The first part of the Toulmin model includes the claim, the claim refers to its central assertion, this can also be called a thesis. Hayley Dunning argues that a new study shows that ocean acidification is changing microbes in coral reefs which could be widely used to assess ecosystems.
The next part of the Toulmin model is the grounds, this can be described as a foundation/justification to which the claim depends upon. In this article, Dunning supports her idea that changing microbes in coral reefs can be used to assess ecosystems by justifying that “how ecosystems are changing in response to human activity allows predictions of their future, and how to conserve them.
The next part of the Toulmin model is the warrant, which is the connection between the ground and claim. It must be agreed upon to be successful, and it is sometimes assumed rather than stated explicitly. In this case, the warrant is the assumption that many people do not know that reefs grow near natural carbon dioxide vents on the ocean floor. These vents can later be used to understand the changing of ecosystems such as acidification and increase of oceanic CO2 levels.
Furthermore, the backing follows the warrant: backing refers to additional support for the warrant. It can take the form of examples or additional specific evidence. Following the paragraph that Dunning mentions CO2 vents on the ocean floor, she continues to explain how scientists measure these changes. She writes, “they used genetic sequencing and mass spectrometry to determine the microbes and metabolites present in each sample… They found that as the amount of CO2 increased, the microbes and metabolites found in the community of reef macro-organisms became more similar to those in the sediment” (Dunning).
The next part of this model includes the qualifier, this refers to a word or phrase that adds additional complexity to the argument. For example: nearly, certainly, most generally, probably. Despite having trouble finding specific qualifiers in the article, there are many quotes that add complexity to arguments. Jake Williams states, “Intensifying human activity and the climate crisis are increasing stress on ecosystems across the globe. But we lack general and robust ways of monitoring this stress and how ecosystems are responding.” Jake Williams ensures readers that the climate crisis is increasing stress on ecosystems, thus urging readers to think about their effect on the environment.
Lastly, the rebuttal is an acknowledgement made to invite reflection from an audience. Dunnings writes about scholars differing opinions on the use of microbes and metabolites to measure change in climate. Some disagree that this could be applicable to every single ecosystem while other scholars disagree. Jake Williams states, “ideally, these metrics shouldnt depend on what type of ecosystem you are looking at, but be applicable in every system from coral reefs to rainforests.”