Traffic in plants and plant seeds

[Semjase]

Hi Ken:

>Semjase commented, with regard to people who are uneasy about the
>effects of introduced exotic species:
>
>> It seems you guys would opt for a status quo situation and it would not
>> surprise me if someone would try to stop evolution itself.
>
>	It is my understanding that one of the major causes of biodiversity
>is adaptive radiation, which has resulted in the veritable explosion of
>fruit fly diversity in Hawaii, as well as Darwin's finches on the Galapagos
>Islands, and numerous other cases worldwide. The introduction of 'weedy'
>exotic species takes a tremendous toll on such organisms--resulting in a
>marked decrease of overall world biodiversity.

 If one regards evolution as
>producing biodiversity

It is a philosophical bend to say that, the fact is we don't know and
biodiversity may not always be the direction evolution takes.  Also if
evolution becomes intelligently controlled the present world order would
probably cease to exist eventually.

, then it's the introduction of exotic species that
>is

 'stopping evolution itself'.

It would be better to think of it as changing direction.  Whether for better or
worse is a judgement to be made based on held values.


 Obviously the introduced species will them-
>selves evolve, but the result of giving every species in the world the
>chance of moving into every continent and little island in the world will
>be a homogenized and, as far as biodiversity goes, impoverished flora and
>fauna.

That is a possibility, but then again so is the opposite.  
>
>	It might be worth noting that, worldwide, exotic species have caused
>more extinctions than all the habitat destruction that lepidopterists love
>to (with good reason!) complain about. There appears to be no way to stop
>such introductions, most of which occur as 'collateral damage' of commerce,
>but I see litle need to 

_encourage_ them!

Who is encouraging them,  well I grant you I don't think the butterflies sold
for release at weddings and such is not a good idea but that is not the topic
here.  Hobbyists tend to not do that as the interest is much deeper.  If we
keep on interfering with people becoming familiar with nature we will have a
society very ignorant in that matter.  Do you see that as good?
>
>	Some animal-rights people refer to attempts to stop or reverse
>exotic-species introductions as 'fascist' or 'Nazi'--in part because the
>Nazis did encourage a 'back-to-nature' attitude with regard to Germany's
>indigenous organisms. (Nazis as early environmentalists--an odd byway of
>history!)
>
I do not understand some of their activities either.  Regarding the NAZI things
are much more weird than just what you mention.  Much much more!

Best Wishes,

S.
>	When a love for the diversity of life on earth, and the attempt
>to preserve it against one of its major threats, is labeled as bigoted,
>or fascist, I'm inclined to think that something has gone wrong somewhere...
>
>							Ken Philip
>fnkwp at uaf.edu
>