Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 07:04:54 +0000 From: dark@popmail.mcs.net To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2635$foo@default> Subject: Reintroduction of cp into natural habitats
> I'll focus mainly on the question of introducing plants of a species
> that may already be present in a bog, because the question of introducing
> species not native to a particular habitat is clearly such a bad idea.
> You can find hundreds, if not thousands of examples of introduced species
> wreaking havoc with the native flora and fauna. The problem with introducing
> members of a species into a site where they already occur is that
> although the concept of a species is useful for categorizing plants, it
> is in many ways an artificial division. A given member of a species may
> be very different from others. In fact, like people, they are all
> individuals. The plants growing in a particular bog may be quite unique,
> even though they are members of the same species. If your introduced
> plants out-compete the plants already there, then you have unwittingly and
> unintentially decreased the genetic diversity (remember that argument on
> this list several months ago?) of the species.
> I would argue that it is short-sighted and irresponsible to
> introduce any plants or animals into an environment where they
> don't occur, even if they are present in similar areas near-by. Although
>
<snip>
Agree somewhat...if there is an ecosystem with many rare plants, I
have little problem in introducing these rare plants into an area
which is being renewed. Especially when the area to be renewed was
denuded of it's original plants by the hand of man.
Doug Bosco
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