This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Friday, 24 February 2023
A Tipping Point For Ecosystems?
The UK Environment Secretary should note that a healthy ecosystem depends on a complex interplay between plants, predators and prey. A Chinese study of fossil species, found that 50% of species in the Permian-Triassic 'Great Dying' became extinct, with virtually no change in ecosystem functioning. This was true, so long as there were some plant, predator and prey species in the ecosystem. Once, however, all the organisms in any of the three roles died out, a 'tipping point' was reached, with rapid ecosystem collapse (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/24/ecosystem-collapse-wildlife-losses-permian-triassic-mass-extinction-study). The scientists believe the current huge, planetary-wide biodiversity losses (greater than in any of the Earth's previous 5 mass extinctions) mark the start of an inevitable collapse of all ecosystems. They feel this collapse can only be averted, by reversing biodiversity losses. Reintroductions of the Eurasian lynx and the Timber wolf to the UK, might be part of such an exercise?
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