Comments on: The Conservation Horizon http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248 An exploits of a marine ecologist with an inordinate fondness for ascidians Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:05:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Terrapraeta http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-4408 Terrapraeta Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:44:17 +0000 http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248#comment-4408 Two comments... first on bio-char. That is actually not a new tevchnology but an old one: look up "terra preta" for info. Basically, it is living soil, examples come from the amazon where *perhaps* the myth of El Dorado began. It's brilliant stuff ;-) In regards the above commentators on invasive species: invasives *only* take hold in an ecosystem already degraded and lacking in some vital function. The only way to deal with them is to let them be. Until a new ecological balance is struck, *any* attempts to "manage the problem" will only make it worse. tp Two comments… first on bio-char. That is actually not a new tevchnology but an old one: look up “terra preta” for info. Basically, it is living soil, examples come from the amazon where *perhaps* the myth of El Dorado began. It’s brilliant stuff ;-)

In regards the above commentators on invasive species: invasives *only* take hold in an ecosystem already degraded and lacking in some vital function. The only way to deal with them is to let them be. Until a new ecological balance is struck, *any* attempts to “manage the problem” will only make it worse.

tp

]]> By: jebyrnes http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-4334 jebyrnes Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:33:33 +0000 http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248#comment-4334 Practically, our desire to manage species invasions has little to do with any abstract conception of celebrating or vilifying and individual species. There are hundreds if not thousands of exotic species that we have done nothing about. What we do care about from a management perspective is this - if a species has moved somewhere new and is radically altering an ecosystem so that the ecosystem no longer provides the services humans want, it is a problem. Lionfish, for example, can consume up to 80% of the incoming fish recruits on a reef. If the local economy is based on tourism through SCUBA diving, then that's a huge problem. This creates a huge impetus to manage the lionfish. You can celebrate the life of an invasive species all you want, but if it is destroying the local economy, it's going to be vilified and actions will be taken. Practically, our desire to manage species invasions has little to do with any abstract conception of celebrating or vilifying and individual species. There are hundreds if not thousands of exotic species that we have done nothing about. What we do care about from a management perspective is this – if a species has moved somewhere new and is radically altering an ecosystem so that the ecosystem no longer provides the services humans want, it is a problem. Lionfish, for example, can consume up to 80% of the incoming fish recruits on a reef. If the local economy is based on tourism through SCUBA diving, then that’s a huge problem. This creates a huge impetus to manage the lionfish. You can celebrate the life of an invasive species all you want, but if it is destroying the local economy, it’s going to be vilified and actions will be taken.

]]> By: Matthew Watkinson http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-4331 Matthew Watkinson Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:10:21 +0000 http://www.imachordata.com/?p=248#comment-4331 I accept that fighting change is the whole point of conservation, but honestly, this is a dynamic planet. Yes, humans are responsible for some fairly dramatic changes right now, and yes, they may lead to the extinction of many species (probably including our own), but no, dramatic change is not unusual. It has happened many times before and it will happen many times again and our desire to 'manage' everything is a little bit embarassing really. Indeed, 'assisted colonisation' is enough to make me whince with horror. And the vilification of invasive species like the Lionfish is even worse. They ,after all, just demonstrating temporary success in the battle for life. Instead of celebrating it however, we fund research into how bad it is and what we can do to 'manage' the situation and I think it is arrogance in the extreme. All creatures die eventually (whether they're the last of a species or not) and Nature just doesn't need our help. Indeed, offering our help is like offering a snorkel to a fish. I accept that fighting change is the whole point of conservation, but honestly, this is a dynamic planet. Yes, humans are responsible for some fairly dramatic changes right now, and yes, they may lead to the extinction of many species (probably including our own), but no, dramatic change is not unusual. It has happened many times before and it will happen many times again and our desire to ‘manage’ everything is a little bit embarassing really. Indeed, ‘assisted colonisation’ is enough to make me whince with horror. And the vilification of invasive species like the Lionfish is even worse. They ,after all, just demonstrating temporary success in the battle for life. Instead of celebrating it however, we fund research into how bad it is and what we can do to ‘manage’ the situation and I think it is arrogance in the extreme. All creatures die eventually (whether they’re the last of a species or not) and Nature just doesn’t need our help. Indeed, offering our help is like offering a snorkel to a fish.

]]>