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Definition of a Pest

In Reply to: Adaptability + Proliferation? posted by Pajaro on March 31, 1999 at 12:30:50:

Hmmm... interesting point. I think most naturalists and biologists would argue that the key to being a "successful" species is stability. No species can go on growing forever. Resource depletion has been at the root of every major civilization collapse in human history, and I have faith we, the industrialized, will be no different.

When humans consider other species which are adaptable and proliferate without any natural checks, we label them as "PESTS". Rabbits in australia (is that right?), raccoons in north america, zebra mussels in the rivers, purple loosestrife (sp?) is a "weed", wolves, crows, seagulls, stray cats and dogs. These are all pests, and our solution: shoot 'em and poison 'em. (The list is much more extensive than this, I just haven't done my research.) Do we praise them as superior species? No we call them pests and we kill them. I don't think those characteristics qualify us as superior either.

Follow Ups:

• Cool thread! Floyd Darwin Fan Club Unrepentant Selectionists Assoc. April 08 1999 (0)