This is getting monotonous. John Foster writes (but seems to be unable to
read):
> May I add that even if local changes are "only"
> environmental, as John Foster suggests, that is also a basis for ethical
> concern.
That would be consistent with the fact that environmental changes include
ecosystem changes. After all an ecosystem is a subset of the environment.
(snip)
Bissell: Didn't you say just the opposite?
(snip)
Foster continues:
I believe the challenge that Bissell has before him is obvious. He needs to
see the small disturbance as a phase or sere in a sucession of events that
are all part of the same ecosystem.
Bissell: You are saying that the transition from an ocean bottom to a
montane grassland at 5000+ feet is a "small disturbance" or a sere in the
same ecosystem? That is absurd!
Foster goes on:
Bissell is clearly confused on how ecosystems function, and maintain their
stability over millions of years. It is no conincidence that the most boreal
tree species are wind pollenated, and disperse easily by wind over
relatively great distances. These are the only tree species, except for a
few zoogamous species, that inhabit the boreal forest. This makes the boreal
forest very adaptive to large, rapid environmental changes like glaciations.
Bissell:
If anyone understands this last statement by Foster, please let me know.
Foster seems intent on using the Boreal Forest as an example of an
ecosystem. It is not, it is a landscape level classification that probably
includes hundreds of sub-systems that can be properly called ecosystems.
Foster wants to show that ecosystems do not change, are stable over time,
have climax states, and on and on. All of these are old ecological concepts
that are deterministic and have been largely discarded (under the covert
influence of the mining and timber industry). Since no-one is able to get
through to Foster on these points, I'm going to quit trying.
Steven
Nothing is true, all is permitted, nothing
is true, all is permitted, nothing is true,
all is permitted, nothing is true. . .
The Adventures of Omar Khyyam
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