Jake, I think very much like you and Gary. I see so many avoidable ecological tradgedies that most people seem to to be totally obilivious of, invasive species being but one. There is a great article and discussion at the Orion website http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/discuss/4801/ about the need to up the ante on our actions as individuals and a species to mitigate or reverse our current trajectory.
Enjoy, Josh On Oct 28, 10:46 am, "Dyer, Jacob H" <[email protected]> wrote: > Joe et al., > > I have a few concerns to address regarding human introduced invasive species. > For one, what level of change are we comfortable with allowing given a new > suite of species? When you discuss the continents colliding, sure, novelty > arises from this new mix of species. But, at what scale (both temporal and > spatial) did this process occur? Look at the time and space we are covering > with our modern introductions. The results of such introductions are having > catastrophic effects on ecosystems at all scales. It is likely that the > "natural" invasions occurring as a result of non-anthropogenic climate change > and plate tectonics were not of the magnitude of change we are seeing now. > This is precisely the difference between the supposed natural process of > species range expansions and mixing and our conscious (directly and > indirectly) efforts to move species. We have decoupled spatial and temporal > scales, and the resulting trajectory of change MAY be outside of the > homeorhetic path systems have followed that are perpetuating them. Yes, > humans are a natural part of the global ecosystem, and we can never, ever > discount our functioning as a social system and the subsequent effects on > ecological systems. So, I think that the invasions happening as a direct and > indirect result of our actions are of monumental concern. We cannot treat > this subject lightly, especially when you have to consider the myriad > ecosystem services that are suddenly changing at scales that can equate to > global catastrophe. > > Just some thoughts. > > Jake > > Jacob H. Dyer, Research Assistant > Department of Forestry and Natural Resources > Purdue University > G068 Pfendler Hall > 715 W. State Street > West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061 > Phone: 765-494-9701 > Cell: 608-669-1355 > Fax: 765-494-9461 > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Joseph Zorzin > Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 9:04 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ENTS] Re: Autopoietic Forests and Forest Patch Management > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Steve Galehouse<mailto:[email protected]> > To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 11:46 PM > Subject: [ENTS] Re: Autopoietic Forests and Forest Patch Management > > ENTS > > When did we humans decide to become separated from the natural scheme of > things? > > The Neolithic > > --we, or our predecessors, have been here as long as there has been life on > Earth, in a continuum.Perhaps as Pogo said"We've met the enemy, and they is > us", but we are as much a part of nature as any other creature; plant, > bacteria, fungus, etc. Earth can't "recover' from us because we are as much > part of Earth as Earth is a part of us. Deep down I feel all these alien > species intrusions are just natural range expansions, optimizing whatever > method is available to the organism. > > I agree with that which is why I don't worry about "invasives". I read a > great book a few years ago- can't recall the name of it- but it discussed > what happened when continents collided, resulting in massive mixing up of > species- this sort of thing has happened countless times- it's only an > inconvenience to we humans. > Joe > > Steve- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
