[Taxacom] Biodiversity and Species Value

[Robin Leech]

Hi Ken,
Well, philosophically I cannot agree.  Whole groups of organisms,
some which we might call families or even higher groups, have come
and gone.  How many genera and species of Craseonycteridae were
there at some time in the past?  Is the species endangered because of
things that humans are doing, or did we find it in this critical state?
My guess this one species will die out on its own no matter how much
we protect it.
Now, as to value, what can we learn from it before it becomes extinct?
What should we be looking for to understand what is happening?  Is it
possible that the family no longer fills one or more niches, and that new
species in other groups have come along to put it into this precarious
position?
If we wanted, we could sit back and watch numerous species, on their
own, become extinct - no human interface.  It happens.  We have had
something like 4 or 5 dieouts in the past where no humans were involved.
Perhaps this is another start of one.
Robin

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kenneth Kinman" <kennethkinman at webtv.net>
To: <releech at telusplanet.net>
Cc: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2010 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Objective/Subjective Molehills


> Hi Robin,
>      Agreed.  But I also think certain species have much higher value
> from a biodiversity perspective.  Family Craseonycteridae has only a
> single living species, which is critically endangered.  Its extinction
> will mean the extinction of an entire Family of bats.
>          ---------Ken
>
>
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