Bugs, bees and beasties- Bio-diversity matters

[David Humphries]

Quality shots sean, well captured.

 

 

 

 

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[nepia]

Peak predators like the eagle owl are essential in maintaining healthy populations. We have rabbits squirells and foxes coming out of our ears, the owl is the perfect balancer.:thumbup1:

 

But aren't buzzards preying on squirrels? The birds are spreading fast - at least they have along the south coast - and they're native (I think!)

Granted no bird currently preys widely on foxes but is it worth the risk of protecting the eagle owl just so it can take some foxes when it will take a load of other wildlife too, presumably including just about any bird it can catch?

 

Genuine questions asked from a position of ignorance; I'm not trying to shoot you down.

[WeeDee]

I think the problem with species being introduced into an established ecosystem is that we just don't know what the outcome will be. If it proves to be a mistake - it's too late.

 

Even with the best of intentions and the most accurate scientific forecasts, we are still making a 'guess'.

 

The cane toad's and european fox's introduction into Australia comes to mind.

[sean]

The moth picture made me remember this very engaging encounter a month os so back between me and a magpie ~ Gymnorhina tibicen when the monochromic chap thought I was going to take away his mothy meal...

 

brilliant......that 2nd shot is awesome.......

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

But aren't buzzards preying on squirrels? The birds are spreading fast - at least they have along the south coast - and they're native (I think!)

Granted no bird currently preys widely on foxes but is it worth the risk of protecting the eagle owl just so it can take some foxes when it will take a load of other wildlife too, presumably including just about any bird it can catch?

 

Genuine questions asked from a position of ignorance; I'm not trying to shoot you down.

 

I think the problem with species being introduced into an established ecosystem is that we just don't know what the outcome will be. If it proves to be a mistake - it's too late.

 

Even with the best of intentions and the most accurate scientific forecasts, we are still making a 'guess'.

 

The cane toad's and european fox's introduction into Australia comes to mind.

 

I would think the eagle owl stands little chance of becoming an issue, for one thing, shooting estates will legally or illegally remove them if numbers cause an issue! the British isles have received countless foreign species over many many centuries, in time nature finds its own balance, and nature is constantly evolving. The reality is, that the creatures that survive the next 100 years of human intervention will be what is right, and not the fragile balance once held when man was but just another predator on the scene.

 

I would love to think we are able to preserve the living planet as it is, but i think this is now a very unlikely pursuit, man is far too self absorbed to really act on the issues facing the natural world.

 

but we live in hope:sneaky2:

[nepia]

I would think the eagle owl stands little chance of becoming an issue, for one thing, shooting estates will legally or illegally remove them if numbers cause an issue!

 

 

A bit hard on the owls introducing them then so let's not.

[WeeDee]

The reality is, that the creatures that survive the next 100 years of human intervention will be what is right,

 

These creatures will not necessarily be what is right - only what is left.

 

100 years is too short a time in which to expect adaptive evolution to come up with a solution to a human-propelled change that over-takes the humans themselves.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

A great example of why biodiversity, including gene, diversity is so important.

 

The TREE Fund - Newsletter

 

This is why its so important to preserve old growth woods, and also why we must maintain avenues of re connection between old growth. We must give genetic diversity as much of a chance as biodiversity itself.

[Ross Winchester]

i like this thread ,and will start making a note of what i find in the insect world,i also have found a lot of lesser stag in rotting ash.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

i like this thread ,and will start making a note of what i find in the insect world,i also have found a lot of lesser stag in rotting ash.

 

Fraxinus would appear to be like bacon and eggs to the lesser stag, every old ash ive ever worked is riddled with their galleries.