_A Walk Through Time_ and the "Recovery" of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology Discussion Group
Sidney Liebes
Elisabet Sahtouris
Brian Swimme
Re: A Walk Through Time and the "Recovery" of Biodiversity
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Gentlepersons:
You have created a work of art! I have never seen such
a beautiful book, and that includes books on art. It is a
pleasure to look at, a pleasure to read, and a pleasure to
learn from.
As an environmentalist, I am constantly looking for
"ammunition" - facts and ideas that can help convince
people to protect the treasure that is wild nature. In
particular, I want to convince people to care about
preserving biodiversity and endangered species. That is one
reason I bought and read your book.
Therefore, I am peeved to see you use the word
"recover" in relation to the aftermath of an extinction
event. (E.g. on page 132, "It takes 25 million years for
Earth to recover its biodiversity, much of it with new
creatures".) It gives the reader the impression that
extinction is "not so bad" after all, because the Earth can
"recover". The word hides several misconceptions. First,
extinct species cannot "recover". They will most likely
never appear again, no matter how long we wait. So where is
the "recovery"?
Second, you seem to imply that biodiversity is
measured by the number of species that exist. There are
actually at least two different quantitative aspects to
biodiversity: the number of species, and their degree of
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divergence. This was pointed out by Stephen Jay Gould in
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his wonderful book, Wonderful Life: there used to be
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several distinct groups of arthropods; after an extinction
event, only four survived. We may have more species now,
but we may never regain the amount of diversity
(divergence) that we once had. So where is the "recovery"?
Third, even if we somehow regained the same degree of
diversity among living things, would it really compensate
for what was lost? Personally, I like the species that we
have now. I don't care that after their extinction we may
gain some new ones. So where is the "recovery"? How would
you feel if I said that you had lost your spouse, or child,
but then you "recovered"?
I know that this term is commonly used in this regard,
but I think that you will agree that it is a misnomer.
Other than that little quibble, I love your book.
Thank you for writing it!
Sincerely,
Michael J. Vandeman, Ph.D.
References:
Liebes, Sidney, Elisabet Sahtouris, and Brian Swimme, A
_
Walk Through Time - From Stardust to Us - The Evolution of
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Life on Earth. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., c.1998.
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Vandeman, Michael J., http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande,
especially "Wildlife and the Ecocity" and "Wildlife Need
Habitat Off-Limits to Humans".
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I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande