Here's a link that brings up the debate about the fine line (or whether there is one) between "invasives" and "natives" that came up in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/opinion/hi-im-a-nutria.html?_r=2&hp
If we are considered invasives as well, have we technically "dominated" other species (as seen through agriculture and displacing of other species' habitats" and if we really are the most fit species as some claim, is this appropriate behavior?
- Effie
About the opinion piece in NYT: when we invaded the Native American territory, we weren't being an invasive species to the Native Americans, because we were part of the same species. We (or whoever invaded) were applying altruism by allowing our brethren more room to expand.
ReplyDeleteAppropriate behavior is relative, in my opinion; i.e. we should be able to go whatever we want with the Earth. I do feel though, that as one of the members in the house known as Earth, humans as a whole should attempt to preserve the Earth. If we rock the house too much and the stains in the carpet and the lingering smell of vomit never leaves , we don't really have any other options.
one does have to wonder however if we are invasive species in the sense that we have expanded to areas outside of our native habitat? We live in areas where it would not be possible to live without the aid of sophisticated technology...I'd say we have "invaded" these areas
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jim in that we are not an invasive species. Although no species is 'better' than another, I don't think humans should be compared to rodents. It is by human involvement that animals like rodents are able to live longer due to things like disease vaccinations. They shouldn't be compared to humans.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really interesting perspective. Like Johanna, I agree that we definitely "invaded" the areas (at least all the areas that are actually habitable).
ReplyDeleteAs per Executive Order 13112 an "invasive species" is defined as a species that is:
1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and
2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
We definitely fit the first category for most areas on that we have taken over, as for the second category... I guess it depends on who we're talking about?
Either way, I think this post really got me thinking about the ways we leave out of ourselves of the categories we create... and how often we forget about our own impacts on the environment.
- Stephanie Wu
I think this is a really interesting perspective. Like Johanna, I agree that we definitely "invaded" the areas (at least all the areas that are actually habitable).
ReplyDeleteAs per Executive Order 13112 an "invasive species" is defined as a species that is:
1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and
2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
We definitely fit the first category for most areas on that we have taken over, as for the second category... I guess it depends on who we're talking about?
Either way, I think this post really got me thinking about the ways we leave out of ourselves of the categories we create... and how often we forget about our own impacts on the environment.
- Stephanie Wu
Effie:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments! I was thinking about this some more and thought about how much we have changed our environment based on our lifestyles..it seems as if we're using earth materials in a way that other species are not able to (ie using the earth's elements to make man-made goods and the waste that comes with that). Aren't we causing the most damage in comparison to other species?
So I kind of take issue with the article's definition of an invasive species. When a species moves by migration (as the earliest humans did when they came to the Americas or even as explorers did, because some might argue that sailing is a form of human migration), a species is not deemed non-native. However, I do agree that humans have become problematic within the many ecosystems we inhabit. Recently, definitions of invasive species have expanded to include native species that have become destructive because they've lost some kind of traditional control (such as a major predator or competitor). Providing this definition is used, I think it's entirely possible to classify humans as invasive.
ReplyDeleteAn important thing is to distinguish the invasive species and introduced species. Invasive species are defined as species which bring ecological and economy damages. From the ecological aspect, we human beings are definitely invasive species since we have destroyed many native habitats and brought many serious environment problems. But for economy aspect, if depends. It seems that this definition of invasive species serves for people...--Yang Zhang
ReplyDelete