[MAIPC] Species die. Get over it

[Marc Imlay]

In the Washington Post today in Outlook, Mr. only humans count, made many
mistakes of course. I would like to start with his summary of mass
extinctions  that "come every 50 million to 100 million years, and
scientists agree that we are now in the middle of the sixth extinction, this
one caused primarily by humans. the sixth extinction will be followed by a
recovery, and later a seventh extinction, and so on." Associate professor
Pyron should read the scientific literature on mass extinctions. The first
mass extinction eliminated two thirds of the fundamental basic forms of life
forever. Over all there is a threshold level of degree of damage from mass
extinction so that for some there is recovery, although it takes millions of
years, and above that threshold there is not recovery. Studies have shown
that with our current conservation efforts we can keep the sixth extinction
below that threshold, but only if we continue that effort. So set aside
natural areas making sure that keystone species are kept there. For example,
the keystone cray fish burrows in wetlands that freeze over, support about a
dozen aquatic species about a foot or two below ground level because the
temperature is about 50 degrees (symbiosis). When the endangered species Act
of 1973 was passed studies showed that new species evolved at led than 1
percent of the rate they were becoming extinct, because of us. Responses to
that Act has helped a lot.  Host specific, effective biological controls of
non-native species has helped a lot. Japanese Knotweed is no longer the
problem it was in Great Britain as a result. Cheers 

 

Marc Imlay

MD Chapter, Sierra Club, Natural Places Working Group Chair 

 



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