Long before humans were here, various species of animals became extinct. Why does the possible extinction of some of today's species bother us so much?
2007-02-14 23:55:02 · 10 answers · asked by hish 1 in Environment
We as a species feel ashamed that we have caused the extinction of certain species. We want to try and keep them from extinction so there will be some around for our grandchildren and future generations to see for real, and not in some textbook.
2007-02-14 23:58:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, as a biologist, I've thought about this issue a lot. Why does it matter if we lose species? Why does it matter if there are fewer species? There are millions of species, what is a few thousand either way?
I think the biggest problem with reducing the number of species (especially at the alarming rate that humans tend to be helping that extinction) is that it reduces genetic diversity. Reducing genetic diversity is a problem because genetic diversity acts as a sort of buffer to changes in the climate, environment, etc. Say the temperature increases 10 degrees for several thousand years. Only some species are going to be able to survive that increase in temperature, and if we have more species (more genetic diversity), there is a greater chance that more species will survive.
Most importantly!!! If more species survive we have a better chance of having functional food webs (yes, we do depend on other species), and surviving as a group. More species = a less catastrophic failure in case one or more of those species go extinct. If an entire food web is depending on a group of algae and that algae disappears, so does that food web!!
In a purely selfish way, keeping more species gives humans a better chance of finding an organism that will help us cure cancer, help us cure HIV, help us cure gout...
2007-02-15 03:35:01 · answer #2 · answered by Miss Vida 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is the reason they no longer wxist that is the problem.
If man continues to use everything at the rate they are now it will not be long before there isnothing left to use.
The amount of resources it it taking for each of on this planet is not sustainable with the number of people on this little round marble.
The population should never have pased the three billion mark.
Not only are many animals and plants becoming extinct, Man will do the same to himself in time if he don't wake up.
2007-02-15 00:33:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because that was a naturally occurring extinction. The animals going extinct today are doing so because of humans destroying their environment. Like it or not, we are part of the food chain, and if creatures start dying, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, it will affect another creature on the chain, and another, until it reaches us. It will likely have a snowball effect, so these things will begin to happen faster and faster. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!
2007-02-15 00:07:01 · answer #4 · answered by Susan H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a difference between a species going extinct because it cannot adopt or cannnot breed due to natural reasons. More people are concerned about extinction due to the fact of man hunting animals for various reasons to the brink of extinction. Or man destroying the natural habitats of a species due to over population, deforestation, urban growth, global warming, and so on.
2007-02-15 00:03:08 · answer #5 · answered by selena d 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The fast rate of extinction leads some people to believe that we are in a domino chain of extinction. Why do I see it this way? For thousands of years we slaughter animals to eat and shoot for pleasure and they do not become extinct. Now many animal species become extinct we or some of us fear we are somewhere in line for extinction.
2007-02-15 00:07:55 · answer #6 · answered by kicking_back 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, extinction has ALWAYS taken place, and always will....the problem is that the normal rate of extinction is quite slow, but we (humans) have spead up the process to an alarming rate. Animals are going extinct faster than we can discover them. The faster we wipe out other organisms, the faster we wipe out ourselves.
2007-02-15 15:17:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what worries people is the rate of extinction. Loss of species represents genetic information that can't be replaced
2007-02-14 23:59:14 · answer #8 · answered by walter_b_marvin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
extinction of certain species in a food chain leads to a disruption in the ecological balance of nature.
extinction of one species is responsible for the extinction of species in the adjacent trophic levels.
check out what the extinction of Dodos have lead to...& u'll know what i mean to put forward.
2007-02-15 00:31:51 · answer #9 · answered by mishty 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because so many species are becoming extinct in such a short space of time
2007-02-14 23:58:29 · answer #10 · answered by Sean D 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋