What’s wrong with purposely causing the extinction of animals?

they are dangerous? if you dont like those pesky animals then dont go to where they are , now saying that they should all be "destroyed" because you want to enjoy a ride in the camp is just idiotic.

I hate bugs too but the fact is- they are all in the food chain- if you take away one link from the food chain- the whole chain can potentially crumble...

Don't be such a wuss and just deal with them like we all do! Trust me...no-body likes bugs but they ain't goin anywhere.

Buy a fly swatter- that should boost your morale.

Well….it’s 5 o’clock in the morning now…..so I really need to get some sleep….I’ll try and do the 100 or so list thing sometime tomorrow….. and do some more response’s then……and what ev…….thanks everyone so far…this has been an allllsssoome discussion….I’ll get back to this in about 10 or so hours wheni wake up and do what ev…… c ya….

I just now killed somekind of insect buzzing around my computer screen..i hope i didn't jeopardizes the food chain….

If you could get rid of misquitos, I think that most people would appreciate you.

Die little bitting bugs.

Does anyone have a good reason that misquitos exist?

reply to post by Wildbob77


Does anyone have a good reason that misquitos exist?

So Aliens don't have to abduct people to get blood samples! :p

Originally posted by Wildbob77
Does anyone have a good reason that misquitos exist?

Population control. They're a good vector for disease causing parasites and germs. They might also be responsible for shuffling about viruses for eventual incorporation into the genetic code (retrovirus) but that's just my opinion.

Originally posted by andre18
The harsh truth:


If anyone really gave a (…..) about animals….they wouldn’t be going to the local shop to buy a kilo of meat….chicken, fish, lamb, cow etc……we kill them everyday….we hunt them for sport….we do lab research on them.

And yet nobody seems to care….just take the next simple step and eradicate them for good…not every single one…just the irritating ones that we really, really, really, don’t need…..look….to me it makes perfect complete sense…..if you want to be a nature loving hippie…go save the Amazon jungle…now that really needs saving……

This ridicules, kill off all the annoying bugs and animals in the world because??? Their annoying …. What world do you live in O.P. imagine what those creatures are thinking of you or use for that matter. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard or read, maybe your just jerking our chains.

You know I’ve asked some pretty lame things in my youth but nothing this benign. Ok imagine this you get your wish and all the annoying animals are killed off and your stilled annoyed except it’s a little brother or sister that’s annoying you this time and you think to your self “ Well, I can live with out a few of them and decide their annoying and useless” but Guess what? The person next to you is thinking the same damb thing about you. So who’s to say it will end at insects.

Boy I bet those aliens or god are very tempted at this point to push that smite button right about now.

I'm not even going to read this entire thread, rather just ask the OP one question....

Who are you to decide what lives and dies?

Originally posted by masqua
Without insects, birds would die and bees woud no longer pollinate and plants would disappear. Without insects, we would starve.

Everything is connected in this world... breaking the chain would be catastrophic.

Nice sentiment, but not based on science.

If birds die due to lack of insects to eat, the bee population will grow out of control because there is nothing to eat them. There will then be a malthusian disaster (wiki it), and the bee population would almost die out, thereby killing the plant cycle.

Of course not all plants need pollination... so this view that the whole world biomass cycle would stop is bunk.

Killing mosquitos for example... would be brilliant. Any takers want to defend the existence of mosquitos scientifically?


-------------------------------------------------------------

Second point i have to make :

What if the entire biomass cycle did stop on earth? The last time i checked, humans relied upon farming for food (both animal and plant).

Now before someone says that decomposing animals are needed for organic nutrients in soil, please remember that plants are also organic! They will die and continue the cycle... ergo what is the need for insects?

[edit on 16-1-2008 by 44soulslayer]

reply to post by andre18


Hey andre,

I just got back to my computer and caught-up with the posts ... well you certainly stirred-up a hornets nest (maybe they'll be on your list)???

Have you ever heard that saying;

'When you've dug the hole ... step away from the spade'

I can't help but notice you never responded to my posts, but I guess you've been kept pretty busy repeating yourself and chasing your tail.

Sleep well, you'll need all the energy you can muster ... I think you'll be in for a busy day tomorrow. And do you know something ... there is no way you're going to convince anyone that this is a good idea ... even after a good nights sleep.

Oh well, I tried to warn you. Woody ... keep biting down on that bullet boy.

I’ll defend mosquitoes.

After all not all mosquitoes feed off blood. Only the female feeds on blood and nectar while the males feed on nectar and help to pollinate different plants. Not all bees and wasps can pollinate or do pollinate every type of flowering plant that is where other insects come into play.

Actually mosquitoes don’t live long anyway though they do produce large amounts of offspring. Mosquitoes feed an even larger number of other species in the ecosystem, not only as adults but as larva and pupa too. Destroying mosquitoes completely would hurt populations of animals from different areas of the food chain and work its way up.

Here is a link that will go into simple detail for even the simplest minds to understand the need to mosquitoes.
www.sciencenewsforkids.org...
And from that link:

Nature's balance
As annoying as mosquitoes are, Willott argues, they are an essential part of the web of life.
If mosquitoes were to disappear completely, animals that eat them might have trouble getting enough food. The list of mosquito eaters includes frogs, bats, birds, and fish.
Even as disease carriers, mosquitoes have a natural function. "They are one of those things whose job it is to keep [populations] in check," Willott says.

Here are a few more facts on mosquitoes.
www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us...

A simple fact that they are able to keep you from feeling the bite until after they are done or nearly done feeding is a great reason to study them. Just think of what they could teach us about pain relief or other medicines or even some viruses.

According to this:
www.nps.gov...
Humans only make up about 1% of the blood meal of mosquitoes.
And this state’s how some people produce a natural repellent odor to mosquitoes.
www.newscientist.com...


And though I really hate Wiki go here and check out some more reading on them.
en.wikipedia.org...


Raist


[edit on 1/16/08 by Raist]

I would like to suggest that the mods please close this thread as I can just imagine someone is gonna get really upset and say something they will regret and get banned.

The kid obviously hasn't got a clue so please consider this.

Originally posted by andre18
Look Look Look…..this getting weird……

one more time on the George Carlin - Saving the Planet thing….

www.youtube.com...

This is very close to my frame of mind…I don’t see why we are so different from nature…if nature over millions of years is able to completely kill off every single creature on the planet…then why can’t we… but to a very small compared particular group..?

In case you hadn't already been informed: "if nature over millions of years is able to completely kill off every single creature on the planet…then why can’t we… but to a very small compared particular group..?"

Man is the first 'animal' that affects the whole planet. So we're a little different.

reply to post by andre18


Glad you accepted the challenge. In the interest of scientific integrity please follow the instructions to the letter. It's prudent that we make this experiment as accurate as possible. All ideological views aside, this is now a science project aimed squarely at ending the debate on this forum.

It doesn't matter to me what the outcome is. I have my expectations based on data I've gathered already throughout my life. However, a controlled experiment, seeking to observe the effects of CONSCIENCELY bringing several species to extinction, as opposed to natural extinction events which I assume would have different effects on the environment.
Because of the very nature of this debate, the circumstances of the experiment are vastly different from that of an experiment observing nature.

Because the mechanics are different. And for further clarification. Tell me what the preferred method of extermination would be...This is important because of the potential effect it could have on the environment. i.e. pesticides, incendiaries and so on...Pick one and stick with it and I'll crunch the numbers as I said.

I would prefer to receive all the data in an orderly fashion all at once. just cause it'll make the process easier on me.

This is not meant in any way as an insult, but this is elementary school education. It's called THE FOOD CHAIN. I am shocked that you do not know this, Andre18.

Goodness me the troll has been fed, I think it should be closed too, it's just too bizarre, even for ATS!

[edit on 16-1-2008 by mattguy404]

In the interest of scientific integrity I humbly ask any and all mods in this thread to keep it open until I've compiled all the data that Andre provides and allow me a few days to finish the experiment. The point of this site, since I joined a days ago, it seems, is to educate and bring forth truth with as much accuracy as we can muster. I'd like the chance to do this. Not to prove the kid wrong, but to provide a clear example to him and others of his mind on this site(if there are any) of the consequences of meddling with nature in such a way. I do not agree with Andre on any level. But there is scientific merit to this debate. Human caused extinction events are vastly different in scale and mechanics than natural events. This makes my proposal scientifically valid, and in my opinion should be allowed to take place within the context of this thread.

I thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Originally posted by dracodie
reply to post by Wildbob77

 

Does anyone have a good reason that misquitos exist?

So Aliens don't have to abduct people to get blood samples! :p

First, there is no *reason* why anything exists.

What mosquitoes to provide however is a large portion of the Bats food supply. Each bat can eat several pounds of mosquitoes a night.

Please do not tell me you have become so sensitive that you can't even deal with a few insects and creatures in your home?
Your not the only animal on this planet. Think deeply about what your saying and implying and if your ideas would really work were they put into practice.

reply to post by andre18


are you really this unenlightened??? Or is this a windup?