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Ants actually serve a purpose in the ecosystem. Mosquitoes are unique in that many ecologists believe mosquito eradication would not adversely affect other spec
by scythe 8y ago
Ants actually serve a purpose in the ecosystem. Mosquitoes are unique in that many ecologists believe mosquito eradication would not adversely affect other species.
- senorjazz 8y agoDragon flies love to eat them.
- thaumasiotes 8y agoHumans love to eat wheat, but we wouldn't starve if all the wheat was gone.
- retbull 8y agoAwe :( no more good bread
- HillaryBriss 8y agosomeone would no doubt start a company called Beyond Bread to make artificial bread from beef
- mr_toad 8y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye_bread https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye_bread
- soperj 8y agoMost rye bread you get would be a mix of rye flour with wheat flour, and it's mostly wheat flour.
- chopin 8y agoThe rye breads I make regularly contain 2/3 rye flour and 1/3 wheat flour. This is a "mixed" bread, a real rye bread would contain even less wheat flour. A pure rye bread would be more difficult to bake as it binds water differently but I think its doable. It might not be as tasty but you wouldn't starve in front of it.
- retbull 8y agoWhich is why I said "good bread" Sure you can make lots of other ones but without wheat it isn't as tasty.
- Amezarak 8y agoFire ants in the US are an invasive species, like aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
- Gustomaximus 8y agoThe comment referred to fire ants specifically. These have become introduced to countries outside their homeland. For these regions While fire ants offer no purpose, create large economic costs and other issues including killing people.
- IllogicalLogic 8y agoStrong suspicion every member of the ecosystem plays a role in sustaining the ecosystem. Mosquitos are still the deadliest animal as far as humans are concerned, makes me wonder what other populations they are keeping under control.... Ecologist hubris and ignorance of 2nd and 3rd order effects is marching with misplaced confidence towards the death spiral. *Buys more SpaceX bonds....
- muxator 8y ago> Buys more SpaceX bonds. Write me when the Martian ecosystem will have reached equilibrium between mega-worms and killer super-bacteria imported from Earth :)
- maxerickson 8y agoPlaces with endemic disease tend to have higher fertility rates. Mosquitoes aren't keeping the human population under control. The ones most harmful to humans are also fairly specific about what species they bite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anopheles#Preferred_sources_for_blood_meals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anopheles#Preferred_sources_fo...
- PeterisP 8y ago"every member of the ecosystem plays a role in sustaining the ecosystem" is not entirely true - there are many members of the ecosystem (including this particular species of mosquitoes) that provably are not required to sustain the ecosystem, because they're invasive species who clearly weren't needed to sustain that ecosystem which was just fine before they arrived. In many cases (though not this one) the invasive species actively contributes to destruction of the ecosystem, so preserving the ecosystem may require to fully eliminate a particular species from it. Most members of an ecosystem play a role in sustaining it, but certainly not all.
- gascan 8y agoAccording to whom? That now-famous intern from 8 years ago?
- fipar 8y ago> Mosquitoes are unique in that many ecologists believe mosquito eradication would not adversely affect other species. With all due respect, I read that as “many ecologists can’t imagine how mosquito erradication...” seems like naive interventionism where benefits are known and hence measured but risks are unknown and hence ignored.