The natural role of the human species on the Earth

So only you have the instructions on how to be human eh? you are a kick dudette!

 

What are you talking about?

 

Actually, it probably benefits species of birds, for example , the cattle egret. That's the first creature that popped up in my mind, but tehre are numerous other examples. I'm sure there are a lot of cattle parasites that love it, as well as scavengers that live off of cow dung.

 

Those coral reefs are war zones. Animals go to war as well. For example, corals are known to sting and kill other corals from other species that get too close.

We produce habitats that numerous other creatures live in, sometimes for that very reason. Have you heard of artificial reefs? Also, human habitations are often used by creatures to live in.

Please explain how humans can be anything BUT natural. We are a part of nature, like it or not. There are other creatures that can change their environments (you mentioned a couple) we are just the ones that do it at the largest scale.

 

Yes, and i'm sure without the domesticated cow those same animals would be fine, however, the impact that the meat industry and massive farms and man-made pastures that sustains the industry does far far far more harm to the ecosystem and many more forms of life. Without that industry, and others, there would be a better natural balance AND less wasted resources. Do you know how much food and water are used just to maintain domesticated livestock for mass consumption? It's selfish and egotistical on our part to pretend that we are doing good things with this.

 

Yes war zones that do not affect us or that vast majority of all other life on Earth. Our wars destroy entire habitats, they kill thousands of plants and animals, including our own species, and leave behind a trail that takes years to recover from naturally. Coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean. Both the rain forest and the reef do more for this planet to maintain life than a human ever will or could. Fact.

I never said we weren't part of nature. You guys are going off the topic. I am simply asking what our role as a species is on this planet, and how are role benefits the planet without it solely benefiting us or without it being an accidental benefit. For example a tree produces oxygen, it does it every day and benefits all life, what do we do? Is our species more of a benefit to the planet or a virus to the planet? We create an artificial reef because of the trash we leave behind in a war or by accident or because we think we are helping in some way by discarding something we no longer need for us. Our actions on this planet with pollution, spills, boat traffic, runoff, and just plain apathy towards the Earth in general among many other things do far more harm to coral reefs than any sunken boat meant to create an artificial reef will ever substitute.

You mention that human do "it" at the largest scale, yes they do, and we are the most destructive species on this planet. Is that what our species is here to do then? Less humans and a smaller footprint from our species would do more for the planet that sustains us then any of our ideas or egos could ever do in my opinion. We as a species talk about animal overpopulation and how to "fix it", like white-tail deer and so on, but yet we never look in the mirror and consider the sheer amount of food, water, and resources we waste, discard, abuse, and ignore solely for our own selfish benefit, and we never consider that our species needs to be reduced. Why is that?

 

It harms terrestrial critters who's habitats get flooded, while it provides habitats for aquatic creatures. Zero sum gain.

 

And they can warm water causing it to be too warm for some fish species. They also spread disease--Giardia and blastomycosis.

 

You're acting as if animals purposefully help ecosystems. They don't. They are just trying to survive. There is nothing magically positive about what they are doing.

Farmland with fallow brush borders is an ideal habitat for a lot of creatures. We do help some animals at the expense of others--just like most other animals capable of changing habitats. Beavers are good for some trees, bad for others. Their ponds are good for some things to live in, bad for others.

 

Because our species doesn't need to be reduced.

 

You sincerely don't believe that our species and the planet as a whole would be better off if our population were reduced? You don't believe that our footprint typically causes more damage than benefit and that increasing our numbers isn't a good thing? The amount of resources needed to maintain our current population and the lack of living space in most populated areas is of no concern? The expansion of concrete jungles, pollution, and neglect is something the Earth needs more of?

 

How do you know that many animals aren't acting in the benefit of the planet? It's the height of arrogance to believe that only humans can understand things. While most animals may live a more simplistic life in comparison to ours their actions typically do not impact others on such a large and selfish scale. To act like farmland is good because it provides habitat is an excuse to build to farms on land that ALREADY provided habitat but now that farm is primarily there to benefit one species.

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Yeah I think the Earth would happily take a beaver over the harmful affects of most human activity. Comparing the two species is like comparing a spit ball to a nuclear bomb.

 

This planet does not belong to humans. We are one of billions of species that live on the surface of one massive organism. We can choose to be a virus or a benefit to that organism, and currently our species is showing all characteristics of a virus. Sad truth. That does not mean that we can't change though.