It is not clear what Paul means by "extensive direct evidence". Flynn
indicated that he had a team of colleagues working over several years who
made this observation. Isn't this extensive direct evidence? Nor is it
unreasonable to postulate that maybe the reason that there are fewer
mosquitoes is that they were killed.
Bill Silvert, trying to think critically.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Cherubini" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Mosquitoes as keystone species?
Conor_Flynn wrote:
we've noticed something interesting: there are no
mosquitoes in or near Alamosa. This is because the
city sprays for them regularly. We have also noticed
fewer grasshoppers, bees, and frogs than we might
otherwise expect.
A critical thinker would say it wildly speculative for anyone to
claim, without , that:
1) There really are no mosquitoes and fewer grasshoppers, bees,
and frogs in Alamosa, Colorado.
2) Mosquito spraying is the underlying cause of these declines.
