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The reference to the experiment involving an ant colony established by humans on a small Finnish island surviving thanks to a single tree reminded me of another

The reference to the experiment involving an ant colony established by humans on a small Finnish island surviving thanks to a single tree reminded me of another fantastic insect survival story from the Pacific. Via the NPR account of the 2001 discovery: What's more, for years this place had a secret. At 225 feet above sea level, hanging on the rock surface, there is a small, spindly little bush, and under that bush, a few years ago, two climbers, working in the dark, found something totally improbable hiding in the soil below. How it got there, we still don't know. Read the story and check out the pictures of the island. It's amazing. Story: https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2012/02/24/147367644/six-legged-giant-finds-secret-hideaway-hides-for-80-years/ https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2012/02/24/147367644/s... Discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3651551 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3651551

strogonoff 5y ago
For another story of how ship-borne rats wreaked havoc on an island’s ecosystem, see SG&SS islands[0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Georgia_and_the_South_Sandwich_Islands#Mammals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Georgia_and_the_South_Sa...
- virgulino 5y ago
  Same story on Gough Island, a few miles to the north: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Island#Invasive_species https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Island#Invasive_species At this very moment, there is a scientific sailing expedition: https://youtu.be/DSulas1b6aw https://youtu.be/DSulas1b6aw Part of "Saving species from extinction: The Gough Island Restoration Programme": https://www.goughisland.com/ https://www.goughisland.com/
marcod 5y ago
You had me at "another fantastic insect survival story" :) Thanks for sharing!
- daveslash 5y ago
  Well then - I have "another fantastic insect survival story" for ya. Movile Cave in Romania. "Discovered in 1986, it is notable for its unique groundwater ecosystem abundant in hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, but low in oxygen. Life in the cave has been separated from the outside for the past 5.5 million years and it is based completely on chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis. The cave is known to contain 57 animal species. Of these, 37 are endemic" ~Wikipedia. https://geoera.eu/blog/movile-cave-romania/ https://geoera.eu/blog/movile-cave-romania/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movile_Cave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movile_Cave
foo92691 5y ago
Update: Wikipedia says: "In 2018 it was announced that the CEO of the Lord Howe Island Board was had approved a plan to exterminate the black rat population on Lord Howe Island and reintroduce D. australis." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryococelus_australis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryococelus_australis Also: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lord+Howe+Island/ https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lord+Howe+Island/

strogonoff 5y ago

For another story of how ship-borne rats wreaked havoc on an island’s ecosystem, see SG&SS islands[0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Georgia_and_the_South_Sandwich_Islands#Mammals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Georgia_and_the_South_Sa...

virgulino 5y ago
Same story on Gough Island, a few miles to the north: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Island#Invasive_species https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Island#Invasive_species At this very moment, there is a scientific sailing expedition: https://youtu.be/DSulas1b6aw https://youtu.be/DSulas1b6aw Part of "Saving species from extinction: The Gough Island Restoration Programme": https://www.goughisland.com/ https://www.goughisland.com/

marcod 5y ago

You had me at "another fantastic insect survival story" :) Thanks for sharing!

daveslash 5y ago
Well then - I have "another fantastic insect survival story" for ya. Movile Cave in Romania. "Discovered in 1986, it is notable for its unique groundwater ecosystem abundant in hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, but low in oxygen. Life in the cave has been separated from the outside for the past 5.5 million years and it is based completely on chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis. The cave is known to contain 57 animal species. Of these, 37 are endemic" ~Wikipedia. https://geoera.eu/blog/movile-cave-romania/ https://geoera.eu/blog/movile-cave-romania/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movile_Cave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movile_Cave

foo92691 5y ago

Update: Wikipedia says: "In 2018 it was announced that the CEO of the Lord Howe Island Board was had approved a plan to exterminate the black rat population on Lord Howe Island and reintroduce D. australis." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryococelus_australis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryococelus_australis Also: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lord+Howe+Island/ https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lord+Howe+Island/