Why Does It Matter if a Species Becomes Extinct? Via African Wildlife FoundationThe “butterfly effec
Why Does It Matter if a Species Becomes Extinct? Via African Wildlife FoundationThe “butterfly effect”—the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings can set in motion a series of events that result in massive change halfway around the world—is a pretty apt way to describe our increasingly global and connected world. We could also call this the rhino effect.In the United States or China, the imminent disappearance of the African black rhino may not appear to have much impact at first blush, but like the wind generated from a butterfly’s wings, losing the black rhino can have a global effect on everything from local ecosystems and economies to international politics and global markets.Close to HomePerhaps the most obvious impact the loss of the black rhino will have is its effect on nature. Functioning ecosystems are carefully balanced such that species keep each other in check. While populations may ebb and flow as conditions change, in the scheme of history the alterations are small.Removing an entire species can dramatically change this calculus. In the American West, many scientists link theextermination of wolves to a spike in the elk population, their main prey. This has cascading effects: More elk means more pressure on aspen trees and their other food sources. Fewer elk being killed by predators means fewer carcasses for scavenging species. While nature is often too complicated to draw direct links, it’s clear that change begets change, and species and ecosystems that cannot adapt suffer.Continue reading on African Wildlife Foundation -- source link
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