4 ms·

If care is taken to ensure that none of the genetically altered species members make it back to their native region (Asia), then we wouldn't extinguish the ent

by fouric 8y ago

If care is taken to ensure that none of the genetically altered species members make it back to their native region (Asia), then we wouldn't extinguish the entire species, just the ones over here, where they're not part of our natural ecosystem.

quotemstr 8y ago
Another option is to look for genetic markers in the invaders. When a population expsndd from a small base, whatever allelee common in that base become common in the expanded population even when these alleles are uncommon in the species as a whole. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founder_effect https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founder_effect
tptacek 8y ago
That's an almost tautological argument, since the premise under which we'd be exterminating them is that we weren't able to prevent that kind of migration from happening.
- fouric 8y ago
  While any migration of an invasive species generally situates the species in its new region permanently until something kills it off (and as such you must continually guard against invasive species entering), we would only have to prevent re-migrations of the "tainted" species back to their native regions for the amount of time that it would take them to die out due to the sterilization. Much easier. Edit: relaxed claims.
aarongough 8y ago
Care was taken to make sure these invasive species didn't get imported in the first place, but clearly that didn't work... What makes you think preventing the altered species from being transported back will be any more successful?
- fouric 8y ago
  Because we somehow managed to _not_ import them for several decades/centuries before one finally slipped through, and we only have to avoid exporting them until they die out, which sounds like it would only take a few years.
  - tptacek 8y ago
    Obviously, we managed to _not_ import them during eras where travel and trade between continents was far rarer.

by fouric 8y ago

quotemstr 8y ago

Another option is to look for genetic markers in the invaders. When a population expsndd from a small base, whatever allelee common in that base become common in the expanded population even when these alleles are uncommon in the species as a whole. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founder_effect https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founder_effect

tptacek 8y ago

That's an almost tautological argument, since the premise under which we'd be exterminating them is that we weren't able to prevent that kind of migration from happening.

fouric 8y ago
While any migration of an invasive species generally situates the species in its new region permanently until something kills it off (and as such you must continually guard against invasive species entering), we would only have to prevent re-migrations of the "tainted" species back to their native regions for the amount of time that it would take them to die out due to the sterilization. Much easier. Edit: relaxed claims.

aarongough 8y ago

Care was taken to make sure these invasive species didn't get imported in the first place, but clearly that didn't work... What makes you think preventing the altered species from being transported back will be any more successful?

fouric 8y ago
Because we somehow managed to _not_ import them for several decades/centuries before one finally slipped through, and we only have to avoid exporting them until they die out, which sounds like it would only take a few years.
- tptacek 8y ago
  Obviously, we managed to _not_ import them during eras where travel and trade between continents was far rarer.