"I have to agree. If there were no humans on the planet, more than likely, species and probably entire genus's(sp?) would still cease to exist. New ones would come along. Granted, wholesale destruction of habitats by humans is, in no way natural, and I believe we should attempt to limit it if possible, but things WILL change in spite of our best efforts."
Sharon, while it is true that change is constant, I think you're missing the larger point. Human induced change invariably leads to loss of biodiversity. For farmers, loggers and homeowners, the goal is a monoculture where a few commercially valuable (or aesthetic) species (or hybrids) are fostered. As habitats are disturbed, a relatively few adaptable weeds predominate. Not only are the "native" flora affected by these changes, but so to are the fauna that depend on the planet. If you subscribe to the notion that the earth is a giant organisms, how long can it continue to sustain the loss of these component parts? One other key issue is the, while the evolutionary process leading to new species generally takes places over long periods of times, the environmental changes occurring today are happening very rapidly. wuness _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
