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> If this is successful, the ecological niche left by Aedes aegypti will be filled by other mosquito species, and no ecological disaster will occur. Isn't that
by davedx 5y ago
> If this is successful, the ecological niche left by Aedes aegypti will be filled by other mosquito species, and no ecological disaster will occur.
Isn't that what people always say before interfering with ecosystems?
I mean you might be right, but how can you possibly make such a huge claim like that?
- ceejayoz 5y agoWe've inadvertently wiped out a whole bunch of species, and nearly done so to a whole bunch more. These have had ecological impact, but one more isn't gonna make or break things, especially having specifically done the research in this case in a way we didn't for most of the extinct species. We've got concrete examples of getting rid of some species with near-zero consequences, like the guinea worm.
- artificialLimbs 5y agoNear zero consequences of which we are aware.
- danans 5y agoPhrases like "near zero consequences" usually implicitly refer to the consequences for human populations, domestic animals, or species that have cultural value to us or are canaries in coal mines (i.e. polar bears). As long as the macro-ecological systems we rely on continue to interface with us in mostly the same way we make the compromise that we are aware enough of the side effects. It's easier to take this perspective with disease carrying mosquitos because of the sheer quantity of human suffering and death they cause. But this view does have pitfalls, like how we initially missed the collapse of pollinator species that we depend on, or the risks we take with genetically cloned fruit like Cavendish bananas which are a single pathogen away from being wiped out.
- ceejayoz 5y ago"We can't ever know anything enough to do anything" isn't a very useful way to go about the world. The same vague, dark hinting can be applied in the other direction - perhaps there are consequences from introducing Aedes aegypti into the Americas via the slave trade we'll resolve by eradicating the invasive species.
- golergka 5y agoThat's a Russel's teapot right here.
- georgia_peach 5y agoCause and effect and caution are for the little people. This is a startup board. We move fast and break things. In this case, Florida Man.
- mjburgess 5y agoI havent heard this claim before. When we build bridges, I dont hear it. Nor roads, or cities; nor houses, nor farms. Actually, I've only ever heard it said about eliminating the single largest source of death in human history. Perhaps I dont get out much.
- andrewclunn 5y ago> I've only ever heard it said about eliminating the single largest source of death in human history. Is this true? I'm not sure if you're being hyperbolic here, but if that is a defensible claim I want to hear how you arrived at that conclusion.
- abathur 5y agoAIUI mosquito-borne illness is estimated to have killed more than 4% of all of the humans that have ever lived https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2019/10/03/has_malaria_really_killed_half_of_everyone_who_ever_lived.html https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2019/10/03/has_malaria...
- BurningFrog 5y ago"Malaria may have killed half of all the people that ever lived" https://www.nature.com/articles/news021001-6#:~:text=Malaria%20may%20have%20killed%20half,children%20in%20sub%2DSaharan%20Africa https://www.nature.com/articles/news021001-6#:~:text=Malaria....
- whimsicalism 5y agoI think people forget quite how long the population tail in Africa is and people also forget that malaria used to be endemic to Europe.
- saalweachter 5y agoAnd that previous attempts to curb the reign of mosquitoes include things like "draining all swamps everywhere". Take a look at the coastline of Long Island on satellite maps, and all the scars left by that time they tried to eliminate all of the salt marshes to get rid of mosquitoes near NYC.
- arbitrage 5y ago> Isn't that what people always say before interfering with ecosystems? In disaster movies, yes, they say that all the time. Maybe that's what you're thinking of? Reality and methodical science are a bit more nuanced.
- ppseafield 5y agoThere is no shortage of mosquitoes in the Keys, this particular species is invasive due to humans, and it's only 4% of the mosquito population there.
- wnevets 5y ago> Isn't that what people always say before interfering with ecosystems? We (humans) are constantly interfering with ecosystems, including wiping out species. However for some reason every single time there is a post about getting rid of this mosquito species there are comments super worried about the ecological impact. I wager the deforestation taking place in Amazon will have a much larger impact than the absence of this species of mosquito
- johnny22 5y agoI think there' a lot of "too good to be true" here. If it seems to be a total net benefit, then it's unlikely to be so to most of us.
- logicchains 5y agoYou don't see a difference between deliberately trying to wipe out a species and accidentally doing it while in pursuit of other goals?
- wnevets 5y agoDo you honestly think the ecosystem or the species cares about our intent? We (humans) are literally fishing entire species to extinction because we like the taste.
- dekhn 5y agoI would say, considering all the facts, Oxitec has been the least irresponsible and most thoughtful of companies addressing this and I believe they've earned their chance at this point because nobody has been able to come up with a solid prediction of negative outcomes that was accurate. This isn't an existential risk and it's worth the experimentation.
- outworlder 5y ago> I mean you might be right, but how can you possibly make such a huge claim like that? People have studied this for a long time and reached the conclusion that no ecological disaster is likely to occur. We can never be 100% sure of anything, of course. But we can make informed decisions.
- sudosysgen 5y agoIt's an invasive species. We wipe them out all the time.