Friday, March 03, 2006

Are we Useful as a Species

Biologist E O Wilson, as well as other scientists, have studied the complex interdependence among various species in the biosphere. He found that every species makes a constructive contribution — small or great — to the ecology of the planet. For example, if vegetation — grasses and shrubs — decrease, herbivores suffer. And if the number of herbivores decrease, the carnivores are affected. Wilson found that only the human species does not contribute to the ecology. If we became extinct, there would hardly be any problems for other species or for the eco-logy. In fact, most ecological problems would be solved if humans became extinct. Arguably humans constitute the most intelligent species on the planet. Yet, science indicates that "intelligent" humans are nothing but a burden for the planet. Normally in a classroom the more intelligent a student, the more potential he has to make a positive contribution. Then why is it that the most intelligent species on the planet is making not a positive but a negative contribution to its biosphere?

The balance article available at below is on a different tangent …
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1435769,prtpage-1.cms

2 comments:

singlewheatfemale said...

whaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!! and I thought we humans were important!!!

Thats not entirely untrue, I guess... but if you look at it this way, we HAVE done something for the ecology... like write about it! No, seriously, we are here to apreciate it thru poetry and songs and basically MUSIC.

But yeah, I guess we ought to do somthing more... like ummm ummm be back with an answer!!!

Aditi said...

Well the way i see it is that we were an important part of the natural eco system till we began over running the planet. I mean as hunters and predators we too kept things in check. Besides does it matter whether we are important or not, we are the most powerful and we ARE here, till probably someone more powerful comes along or we self destruct