Ecology & Natural History At Fontbonne Academy

CaraM Assignment 06 Draft

In this chapter of the Future of Life, Wilson says that the rain forests are like the world’s “headquarters of global diversity’ because of the high amount of diversity that exist in this rich land even though the amount of land is very little. However, because of the ideal location of their habitat, these species’ homes are being destroyed for human purposes such as housing and paper.

    The over population of humans is causing the destruction of the rainforests and extinction of many exotic animals and plants. The fact that humans need homes and a quicker route from point A to point B pressures the governments of these nations to support the destruction of the rainforest. At the rate deforestation, Wilson stats that by 2100 there will be no rainforests left in the world. Also without the rainforest, one must think about the much needed air supply of the world. So not only we could lose these beautiful and exotic animals, but we can start dropping in our own population numbers and may even lead us to our own extinction.

     One of the problems with our society is that we do not want to take the time and effort and most importantly money to save the Earth. Brazil is a country that is protecting their rainforest little by little but in the future, those little steps will have a huge affect on Earth and the populations of those species. If we do more than what is needed then we could save endangered species and maybe even reverse the harm that we have caused to our environment.  

CaitlinD, Assignment 06, Draft

    In this chapter of the Future of Life, Wilson calls rain forests the headquarters of biodiversity for the world. Rain forests cover six percent of the worlds surface. Due to several HIPPO factors, forty-five percent of the rain forests have already been destroyed. They have been destroyed for various reasons, the main one being space for humans.

    Many efforts have been made to preserve the rain forest, but as an area gets smaller and shrinks, the number of species drops rapidly. An example of how the rain forest is shrinking, is deforestation, mainly for agricultural, logging, and timber companies. These companies are not only destroying one part of the rain forest, but they are making a more devastating effect. These companies need roads in order to reach the forests need roads, which leads to more deforestation and destruction. Also the trucks create pollution, which in turn adds into the destruction of the rain forests.

In order for governments around the world must apply the area-species principle. This is the only productive way of saving the rain forest. It may take a lot of effort and time, will help end or ease the destruction. For example, Brazil is protecting thirty five percent of its rain forest. This is a fraction of what needs to be saved in order to preserve the natural beauty and importance of the rain forest. The preservation of the world's rain forests must be taken into deep consideration. These ecosystems are complex and diverse, and contain many important species that are exclusive to the ecosystems. In order to save all aspects of the rain forests of the world, the area-species principle should be mandatory.

 
 

The sun shining down on the Rain forest in Brazil. Kim MacQuarrie's Peru&South America Bloh

nadaE Assignment06 Draft

Nature’s Last Stand is the chapter in which Wilson describes the downward spiral of progress in the world’s rainforests. Having almost fifty percent of the worlds rainforests wiped out, the battle to repopulate and maintain what the rainforests are left is not an easy task. Brazil, one of the countries widely known for it’s vast rainforests, is only willing to save a mere ten percent of what is left. These “headquarters of global diversity” are starting to look more and more toward the dim future of becoming headquarters of mass extinction and endangerment of what little species are left.

            While rainforests only cover about six percent of the world and are concentrated in only a few areas, they have a massive impact on life worldwide. Rainforests are known as ‘the lungs of the planet’ because their densely packed woods are major suppliers of oxygen. This, however, is not important to economists. Economists see the rainforest as a cash-cow for lumber, land, and settlement. When loggers enter the forests and start clearing land, they go further and further into the woods. After so far, roads need to be made to travel there and back. After that, stores, hotels and food markets appear near the roads, to bring convenience to the workers. When the work booms, demand sinks in, and more forest is ravaged. The vicious cycle has no end, until chunks of rainforest start vanishing.

            Brazil has set out laws to protect certain species and areas of rainforest, but it does very little to help. More and more charities, workers and volunteers are banding together to help save the rainforests and their inhabitants. Animals of the rainforests are becoming more scarce because their habitats and niches are being torn down and they have nowhere left to go. Competition arises when animals recede into already dominated areas, so what little rainforest is left is loaded with animals at each other’s throats competing for territory, mates and resources.

            The future of the rainforests does not look bright, but it has potential to change. Reconstructing the rainforests is time consuming and costly, but knowledge, legal action and a plan of action is what acts as the backbone of the entire process. The overall success of the rainforest pulling through the bottleneck of regrowing is heavily dependant on assistance of humans and the complete halt in the decimation of the land by overharvesting.

felicia.f, assignment 06, draft

As Wilson expands on the idea of the rain-forests as the world's "headquarters of biodiversity". This is true, seeing as they contain more than half of all know species but sadly only cover six percent of the world. As a global "hot spot"  these are the areas with the most risk for animal exstiction, total there are twenty -five; out of this fifteen are in rain-forests. Unfortunately forty -five percent of the topical rain forest habitat have already been destroyed. This habitat is slowly going to exstiction. We do see pieces of  the rain forest being preserved, this "habitat island" is not simply acting as a microcosms of the original habitat. In order to save the topic rain forest is so much more than just saving this small pieces.

As one may or may not know, a small section of the rain forest is not just a miniature version of the entire rain forest. Being as the rain forest is such a complex habitat there is no way to shrink it and keep all the species it contains. So, as one shrinks the habitat the number of species significantlydecreases. A great example of this is the edge effect, this is when a rain forest is cut into the edges can not survive. This is because of a strong wind that blows inward and dry out one hundred meters or more in towards the center. Another example of destruction of the rain forest is the selling and harvesting of timber. The commercial logging business is much more than just cutting down the actual trees they want to sell. One needs to take into account the area destroyed by the roads and resources necessary to sustain the workers, machinery ect. This how easily diminishing of the rain forest ecosystem happens.

Brazil is a great example of how preservation of the rain forest is a step in the right direction. Brazil so far has only protected three to five percent of its total rain forest. This is one small step. But any step in preserving requires a lot of over seeing on the part of government and conservation agencies to ensure all the proper measures are taken. Even with Brazil making this small step,  this definitely does not guarantee that the rain forest we know of now will be saved. Due to the large diversity  of the ecosystem, it can not all be contained in this limited space. It will take much more to preserves the whole complexity of the rain forest for generation to come.

BetsyO assignment 06

    To Wilson the rainforests are the “headquarters of global diversity” it’s easy to see why. The tropical rainforests have some of the most unique plants, animals and weather patterns. Also about six percent of the world is made up of these forests and what is terrifying is the forests are getting smaller and smaller each year, they are said to decrease about one percent each year. While looking at the rainforest it is important to understand why these forests are depleting and what many workers are doing to the land and it is also important to understand how the area species principal applies to these forests and many islands.

    What many natives are doing to the rain forest is clearing away parts of the forest to build roads and forestry. In many nations in which the rain forest is located the locals are unaware of the damage being done when they chop down a few hundred trees, they are seeing it as business and a pay check. Not as an ecosystem for animals in which they are destroying. Many of these nations are third world and thus becoming modern cities and what every modern city needs is a system of roads to get people from point A to B. With roads being build many trees have been cut down or over harvested to make way for new developments, but instead of planting new trees, people are continuing to cut more and more down.

    With the destruction of the rainforest it is easy to understand why many animals are dying, for when trees are chopped down and not replaced an animal’s home and food source are destroyed. It is almost assumable that the amount of space once used by the animals in the forest is nearly gone and many species which need each other are gone the rainforest is on a ride to extinction. When one member of an ecosystem the whole ecosystem is affected in one way or another, many animals die out because they are attacked by animals which never had hunted them before.

    The destruction of the rain forest has caused many animals to go extinct much more than any other ecosystem in the world, with the need of new houses and roads on the rise, the want of humans are taking over the need of the animals. Without conservation many animals will be killed and soon the rainforest will be a figment of the imagination.

marlok, assignment6, draft1

   In "Nature's Last Stand", Wilson describes the rain forests as the "headquarters of global diversity". Tropical rain forest cover only six percent of the world but have the highest diversity of land and water animals in the world. The rain forest provide a home for these species but it is also a place where most animals are at risk of extinction. 

    Over forty five percent of the world's tropical rain forest has already been destroyed. Over harvesting is one of the many reasons that animals in the rain forest are going extinct. The demands for homes made of wood in Brazil are high and it is also a huge selling industry, so people are continuing to cut down trees in large masses. The government in Brazil is willing to save only ten percent of the rain forest, a number that will only save half of the species already inhabited of the rain forest. There are also many laws protecting the animals and making hunting of rain forest animals illegal. Another reason for the destruction of the rain forest is its poor soil, the wind drys the soil out making it harder for more trees to be planted and be grown. These factors are slowly destroying the rain forest and the small attempts to save them will not go far.

    The number of people realizing the danger the rain forest is in is rising, and people are taking strides to save it. But in order for the rain forest to be saved completely people need to step up more- saving only ten percent of the rain forest will do no good. In order for the whole rain forest to survive, all of the species and other factors need to survive too. We today have the power to save the rain forests, but the originally beauty will never be restored. Wilson describes the tropical rain forest as the "headquarters of global diversity" but if people are not willing to go all the way to save the rain forest, half of the species diversity will go extinct.

marlok, assignment6, draft1

   In "Nature's Last Stand", Wilson describes the rain forests as the "headquarters of global diversity". Tropical rain forest cover only six percent of the world but have the highest diversity of land and water animals in the world. The rain forest provide a home for these species but it is also a place where most animals are at risk of extinction. 

    Over forty five percent of the world's tropical rain forest has already been destroyed. Over harvesting is one of the many reasons that animals in the rain forest are going extinct. The demands for homes made of wood in Brazil are high and it is also a huge selling industry, so people are continuing to cut down trees in large masses. The government in Brazil is willing to save only ten percent of the rain forest, a number that will only save half of the species already inhabited of the rain forest. There are also many laws protecting the animals and making hunting of rain forest animals illegal. Another reason for the destruction of the rain forest is its poor soil, the wind drys the soil out making it harder for more trees to be planted and be grown. These factors are slowly destroying the rain forest and the small attempts to save them will not go far.

    The number of people realizing the danger the rain forest is in is rising, and people are taking strides to save it. But in order for the rain forest to be saved completely people need to step up more- saving only ten percent of the rain forest will do no good. In order for the whole rain forest to survive, all of the species and other factors need to survive too. We today have the power to save the rain forests, but the originally beauty will never be restored. Wilson describes the tropical rain forest as the "headquarters of global diversity" but if people are not willing to go all the way to save the rain forest, half of the species diversity will go extinct.

GillianM, Assignment 06, First Draft

In the chapter, Nature's Last Stand, Wilson refers to the tropical rain forests of the world as the "headquarters of global diversity".  This is because six percent of the land surface contains more than half of the land and water animals that are known to live in the area.  Despite the diversity within the rain forests, it is also an area known for the fast extinction of the animals.  In the world there are twenty-five areas that researchers have determined to be places with the most species at risk of extinction.  Fifteen of these areas are located within the tropical rain forests.   

The rain forests are also the unfortunate sites of over harvesting.  Over the years, people have continually cut down the trees in the forests.  As Wilson points out, "...they are being removed at the rate of half the state of Florida annually" (60).  As a result of over harvesting, the rain forests have lost many indigenous trees and plants, that can never be recovered.  Many of these trees are being cut down to make room for roads.  Even though these roads serve a purpose, to help get people from one area to another, they are being created at the expense of the rain forests.

Many people have become aware of the fact that the rain forests are in extreme danger.  They have taken steps to help prevent the further destruction of the forests by creating laws preventing people from killing the animals of the area, and cutting down trees and plants within the forests.  Despite people's efforts, some things will never be the same.  The forests will never be as beautiful as they first were, before people butchered the area.  More people need to realize the natural beauty of the rain forests, along with other areas too, and stop the destruction of them, because at this rate, someday they may be gone forever.

DanielleQ, Assignment06, First Draft

The tropical rainforests are described "headquarters of biodiversity" by Wilson. They contain vast amounts of species and are the leading sources for raw materials. However, the species that make the rainforests their homes are slowly losing their land because of just what the rainforests are.

    At the time that Wilson writes his novel forty-five percent of the tropical rainforests has already been destroyed. He further elaborates that out of the twenty five hot spots on the globe the rainforest contains fifteen. The destruction of the rainforests is due to the need of lumber that make up the houses of the people of Brazil. Other factors include making paths for roads, the soil of the rainforest being extremely susceptible to damage, and the work of the loggers who make their living off cutting down trees. It is because of these factors that a large number of the species of the rainforests have already been lost forever.

    In order to compensate for this damage Brazil has set a goal that they will protect at the highest ten percent of the tropical rainforests in a reserve. Wilson notes that ten percent is not enough to protect the rainforests and all those who inhabitant it. The damage is too great for ten percent to make any sort of difference; only about half of the species would survive with just ten percent. The real problem is that the rainforests has nutrient-poor soil that can easily be destroyed by heavy rainfall. With the lack of trees the soil is washed away, bacteria eat away the dead vegetation, and any left over nutrition is taken away by underground shrubs.

    To save the tropical rainforests the area- species principal must be included in the plan of action. It is because the rainforests contains an extremely complicated ecosystem that all factors need to be reviewed before any action is taken. It is not how much should they save, but how much they should use.

 

Rainforest

KatieG, Assignment 06, Draft

Rainforests, as Wilson details, are the world's "headquarters of biodiversity". Although they cover only about six percent of the world's land surface they contain more than half of all known species. Unfortunately, forty-five percent of the tropical rainforest habitat has already been destroyed. Of twenty five global "hot spots", areas with the most species risking extinction, fifteen are in rainforests. The need for timber and homes for the rural poor has led to the destruction of much of this biologically diverse and valuable land. Although fragments of the rainforest are being preserved these "habitat islands" do not simply go on as microcosms of the original habitat. Saving the tropical rainforest means much more than haphazardly preserving fragments.

Small areas of rainforest are not just large areas miniaturized. As an area shrinks, the number of species drops by the sixth to third root of the area. Saving ten percent of a habitat equals the preservation of only about half of that area's species. The rainforest is too complex to be shrunken. For example when rainforests are cut into, the edges of the rainforest often cannot survive. Known as the edge effect, winds blow in and dry out the forest to a depth of one hundred meters inward or more. The dangerous fragmentation of the rainforest is often a result of deforestation for purposes of harvesting and selling timber. At first glance it would seem that commercial logging would only destroy the area where the trees were being cut down. However, when one takes into account the roads built to facilitate logging and the resources necessary to sustain the workers it is clear how easily fragmentation of this ecosystem occurs.

Although any preservation of the rainforest is a positive step, government agencies and conservationists must look to the area-species principle in order to ensure the measures they take are not in vain. Brazil has only guaranteed protection for three to five percent of its rainforest. Unfortunately this does not guarantee that three to five percent of the rainforest as we know it now will be saved. The immesnse diversity and complex ecosystems of the rainforest cannot be contained in such a limited area. In order to rescue all the rainforest’s diverse flora and fauna the area-species principle must be considered and more drastic measures taken.

 

  

 

 

 

 

(Personal Photo)   

ClaireC, Assignment 05, final

The Hawaiian Islands are one of the world’s most beautiful places. Each year thousands of people go there on vacation and leisure for their beautiful weather and variety of beaches. To most people, these islands seem perfectly natural and unspoiled. However, this is not the case. The Hawaiian Islands have been tampered, and are not the same as they once were thousands of years ago.

            Around the year 400 A.D. Polynesian voyagers landed upon Hawaii. At this time, Hawaii’s forests and lands contained no mosquitoes, ants, stinging wasps, venomous snakes, or spiders. In addition, few plants had thorns and/or were poisonous. However, due to human introduction either deliberately or accidentally, these species are all now abundant in Hawaii.

            Before humans were introduced to Hawaii, it was abundant with life. There were even as much as 145 species of birds that could not be found anywhere else in the world. There were thick forests where owls and eagles made their homes. There was also goose sized flightless birds and beautiful ibis birds that inhabited the land. Unfortunately, almost all of these species are nearly extinct. Only 35 of the 145 species of birds still exists, and even so, 24 of these birds are endangered with a dozen that may be beyond recovery. Hawaii also had large stretches of lowlands and plantations of bananas, breadfruit, and sugarcane covered interior mountain foothills. When the Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found it very easy to hunt the flightless birds. They eventually hunted these birds to extinction, which is why they no longer inhabit Hawaii. Later on, in 1778 Captain James Cook founded Hawaii and from there on American explorers hunted the Hawaiian lands viciously for their bananas, breadfruit, sugarcane, and pineapples. Today, barely one quarter of the Hawaiian land has remained untouched, which is an alarming number. In relation to the HIPPO factors, it is clear that there has been invasive species, habitat destruction, pollution, and population that have severely hurt Hawaii’s species diversity. The invasive species were the Polynesian settlers who destroyed the lands of Hawaii and stripped them of their species and abundant plant life. As population of humans grew, Hawaii became more commercialized and lost the uniqueness it had in America.

Hawaii today still has a very abundant biodiversity. However, it is nowhere near as rich as it once was many years ago. Most of the plants and animals one can find in Hawaii, they can find practically anywhere else. There are skylarks, mockingbirds, strawberry finches, ricebirds, red-crested cardinals, mynahs, and many more. Plant life today is also still beautiful. Because of human introduction to the Hawaiian Islands, they are not today near as beautiful as they were thousands of years ago. Though we see them are beautiful, had they remained untouched their life and diversity would have been one of the most spectacular in the world.

 

CaitlinD, Assignment 05, Final

 One thousand years ago, the Hawaiian Islands were nothing like that are today. The islands were populated with many different arrangements of indigenous animals and plants. Due to the immigration of humans and introduction of invasive species to Hawaii, the Islands changed dramatically. Before the arrival of humans to Hawaii, there were an abundant amount of birds, 145 different species. Today, only 34 of those original species still exist today, and 24 of them are endangered.

    The changes to the islands' environment began with the arrival of humans. The first humans to settle in Hawaii were the natives of Polenesia. It is said that these people stumbled across these islands and thus resulted in living there permanently. With the humans that went to Hawaii, also came invasive species. In most cases, when people come to a new or foreign land, they bring diseases with them, but since Hawaii was vacant of human life, disease was not brought with these migrants. The deadly diseases were brought to the islands by the European settlers.

    Along with the humans, came other species. These attributed to the HIPPO factors of the islands'. Those that were brought along are known as invasive species. An example of an invasive specie of Hawaii are Fire ants. These ants rapidly destroyed the islands' vegetation, which in turn created a gap in the ecosystems' food webs, which ultimately wiped out the population of the native species and organisms. Another example used by Wilson are the pigs. The pigs rapidly over populated. Like the fire ants, the pigs also destroyed vegetation by uprooting and toppling tree ferns. This also creates a defect in the food web which will disturb all the living organisms in that ecosystem. The humans brought the pigs for food, and they did not know that they were subconsciously destroying the ecosystems and environments of the Hawaiian Islands. Sadly, today none of the original species of plants and animals are living in Hawaii, all of these organisms are invasive species.

    Like many of the organisms that were affected by human invasion, the Vancouver Island Marmot is in dire need of help. It is endangered because of the rapid demand of ski slopes. Like the Marmots, panda bears in China are also being harmed by the demands of humans. As the world becomes more and more over populated, the habitats, ecosystems, and environment of organisms are at high risk. With the "need" for more industrialization and urbanization, humans tend to look past the huge damaging effects that are happening in the environment. This reinforces Wilson's bottle neck theory. That with the new technologies humans are destroying the environment in a permanent way.

    Now that some people are beginning to recognize the damage that has taken place, they are advocating to save the animals. In order to save the organisms, we must in turn save their habitats. It is easier said than done. Trying to save just one animal, requires saving a whole food web chain, and the habitat. So it ends up being an entire ecosystem that needs to be saved. National parks must understand this concept of the area-species principle. In order to save the organisms efficiently, they must set aside an ample amount of land to let the ecosystem flourish.

    Humans in this day and age control the future of the environment. With the amount of damage that has already taken place, it is going to take a tedious effort and hard work to replenish the environment. Although the damage is huge, it can be reversible, it just will take a serious amount of effort. The fait of the ecosystem lies in the hands of the humans.

feliciaf, assignment05, final draft

    Hawaii’s luscious and beautiful island was not always what we think of it as today. It took a lot of change and moving of people, animals and plants to get it to this point. Hawaii was first discovered in 400AD by Polynesian settlers and then rediscovered in 1778 by James Hook. It was not until the second discovery that the island of Hawaii truly became populated. These settlers brought a lot of newness to the island, intentional and unintentional. These invasive species included plants, animals, diseases and parasites.

    E. O Wilson states in The Future of Life that most all of the species that inhabit Hawaii are not native to the island. This is partially because of fierce currents; many bugs and birds were removed and landed in Hawaii, also gained a habitat there. This is not the only way new species came to be on the island. Most came to be by settlers bring animals and such, when they did not know that it was an invasive species. How could they have not known they were bringing an invasive species to the island? This is because of parasites that their animals were holding and also new diseases that obviously an island with no humans, has never seen before.

    The Polynesian settlers in 400 AD were the first human life form to inhabit the island. Before this Hawaii was bare, no invasive species; no bugs or mosquitoes. However there were many plants that over grew and were taking over the island as well as flying and walking birds. Hawaii became a completely changed place as soon as these humans arrived. A major effect of the Polynesian people coming to Hawaii was on all the walking birds; they were easy prey. An example is the flightless ibis; the people hunted these animals to the point of extinction. At this moment Hawaii has one quarter of the island untouched this is partially because, most all of the lush lands were where fertile crops could grow easily were cleared away. Now a majority of the soil lacks nutrients.

    As we see from all these changes that a majority of the HIPPO factors had a substantial effect on the island of Hawaii over time. First off the habitats have been completely changes by clearing three fourths of the lush forests. Invasive species is probably the most major thing that happened to Hawaii. Most all of the island livestock, diseases and parasites are all invasive species, brought there by settlers. Pollution is one of the bigger effects it affect the water, soil and marina coast. This is heading in the direction that sooner or later animals and crops will not be able to survive in these heavily polluted soils and waters. Hawaii has not yet gotten to the point where population is a huge issue, but sooner or later the island will get to the point. The HIPPO factor of over harvesting is not so much a problem now as it was when the Polynesians settlers arrived, and they hunted the flightless birds down to extinction.

        The island of Hawaii has changes drastically between 400 AD and now. Most people never realized how things came to be on such a remote island. But now many people do not realize that Hawaii is slowly becoming over populated and that soon many of its original plants will be extinct. Because of all the HIPPO factors the island of Hawaii will soon not be able to with stand the human, plant and animal growth in population.

marlok ,assignment5, final

   In Wilson's The Future of Life he discusses the changes over a long period of time of the beautiful island of Hawaii. Hawaiian Islands are a vacation destination for most, it is a peaceful and beautiful getaway for people around the world. But it is not the same as it was from a thousand years ago, the Polynesians and HIPPO factors changed the islands drastically when they immigrated to the islands not knowing that their effects on the island would change it forever in both a positive and a negative way. Although Hawaii is still a beautiful island only are small percentage of the original species still live there, and most are endangered.

    When the Polynesians first sailed to the Hawaiian Islands from most likely central and southern Africa, they intentionally brought many species of animals and insects to the islands, but some invasive species were brought accidentally: Fire Ants and Japanese White eyes. At first they were brought because the Polynesians thought they would better the islands, which at first they did, but as time progressed they had many negative effects on the islands ecosystems. The invasive species started off as a positive thing, but soon they started taking out the other species that were on the islands first, these invasive species destructed Hawaii's ecosystems. They destroyed the vegetation, and wiped out many of the other species that depended on the vegetation for survival. The worst destruction of Hawaii though was the settlement population of humans. Although they brought civilization and culture to the islands their ways eventually shaped Hawaii into the nation it is today, they distributed Hawaii's peace and brought many diseases over from Africa. Between the humans and the invasive species Hawaii's habitat was being destroyed.

    These factors make up the HIPPO factors, invasive species, habitat destruction, over harvesting, and population. Hawaii was intentionally suppose to be a series of beautiful islands, but many HIPPO factors changed Hawaii into what it is today. Habitat Destruction from the humans, made Hawaii a nation but while doing so destroyed it peacefulness and they also brought many diseases to the islands. Invasive species such as the ants and insects wiped out many other species that were first on the island. Population of the humans ended up destroying Hawaii's peacefulness and causing more harm to the environment then it did helping it. Over harvesting of the vegetation also harmed Hawaii's original state. Although the Hawaiian Island are still beautiful, their previous beauty was no comparison to its current state, due to the HIPPO factors.

   In Wilson's The Future of Life he discusses the changes over a long period of time of the beautiful island of Hawaii. Hawaiian Islands are a vacation destination for most, it is a peaceful and beautiful getaway for people around the world. But it is not the same as it was from a thousand years ago, the Polynesians and HIPPO factors changed the islands drastically when they immigrated to the islands not knowing that their effects on the island would change it forever in both a positive and a negative way. Although Hawaii is still a beautiful island only are small percentage of the original species still live there, and most are endangered.

    When the Polynesians first sailed to the Hawaiian Islands from most likely central and southern Africa, they intentionally brought many species of animals and insects to the islands, but some invasive species were brought accidentally: Fire Ants and Japanese White eyes. At first they were brought because the Polynesians thought they would better the islands, which at first they did, but as time progressed they had many negative effects on the islands ecosystems. The invasive species started off as a positive thing, but soon they started taking out the other species that were on the islands first, these invasive species destructed Hawaii's ecosystems. They destroyed the vegetation, and wiped out many of the other species that depended on the vegetation for survival. The worst destruction of Hawaii though was the settlement population of humans. Although they brought civilization and culture to the islands their ways eventually shaped Hawaii into the nation it is today, they distributed Hawaii's peace and brought many diseases over from Africa. Between the humans and the invasive species Hawaii's habitat was being destroyed.

    These factors make up the HIPPO factors, invasive species, habitat destruction, over harvesting, and population. Hawaii was intentionally suppose to be a series of beautiful islands, but many HIPPO factors changed Hawaii into what it is today. Habitat Destruction from the humans, made Hawaii a nation but while doing so destroyed it peacefulness and they also brought many diseases to the islands. Invasive species such as the ants and insects wiped out many other species that were first on the island. Population of the humans ended up destroying Hawaii's peacefulness and causing more harm to the environment then it did helping it. Over harvesting of the vegetation also harmed Hawaii's original state. Although the Hawaiian Island are still beautiful, their previous beauty was no comparison to its current state, due to the HIPPO factors.

EGarcia,Assignment 05,Final Draft

During the past 1,500 years the Hawaiian islands have gone through many changes, and become an excellentexample of magnitude of which humans impact the natural world. Through a quite natural procession what began as "new land" became home to unique species only found in Hawaii. However HIPPO factors rooting from human interferance have wiped out many of those species.

Although Hawaii is now known for its gorgeous terrain habit destruction is a major part of its history. Humans, seeking to use land for agricultural purposes, cleared much land in the Hawaiian islands. Consequently the habitats of many of the native species were drastically changed. Something tragic and fatal since these species had evolved for so many years in isolation and had grown in a way to that made them unique to a certain habitat. Now that these habitats were being altered evolution could not keep up.

Native species were also victims to the invasive species that humans infected their habitat with. Some scientists hold that in 400 A.D. Polynesian settles were the first to reach the shores of Hawaii. In attempts of ensuring their survival and a food source they brought with them domestic pigs. The effect that these pigs first had was not negative but as time went on these pigs and future generations of pigs managed to cause huge changes. The pigs, not being controlled and native to a different land did much damage to tree ferns and plants as they uprooted them. This change at first is difficult to see as what it truly is but the results it yielded show it. The lack of trees and plants in areas lead to a shift in the shade and sunlight that had previously kept the undergrowth and soil a certain way. Another invasive species most likely benefiting from this change was the fire ant, yet another invasive species. Like the pig it changed the habitat as it destroyed plants. Both these invasive species were added to Hawaii'sfood webs by unnatural processes. Changing the natural equilibrium that had been flourishing thus far.

Other HIPPO factors that lead to unfortunate changes include over harvesting,population, and pollution. Humans who at the time may or may have not needed to hunt to that extent over harvested native Hawaiian birds,especially those who did not fly like the Ibis. As the population of humans has since increased so as the industrial arena inHawaii. Hazardous waste and toxins come with that, and faulty disposal and lack of understanding the effects have allowed pollution to harm Hawaii even further yet.

Wilson states that after contact with humans Hawaii has been harmed, like so many other ecosystems in the world. Humans have stretched their HIPPO factors to almost all corners of Hawaii, leaving only about one fourthuntouched. While there is still beautiful life on Hawaii out of the 22,070 species currently inhabiting it, roughly 4,300 are invasive species. The most prominent invasive species to ever reach the shores of Hawaii were homo sapians, the human race. From the first humans to they colonists that came latter like the English, all have added to the HIPPO factors in their own way. The acts of"self-preservation" taken by humans has had exactly the opposite effect on natives in Hawaii. The HIPPO factors affecting Hawaii has stems from humans and they have therefore stolen the chance to continue to evolve from this Eden.

Assignment05 final LovingI.

Assignment 05 First Draft LovingI.

  Wilson has stated over again that overpopulation and environmentally ignorant development have been leading factors in the shrinking of natural habitats and biological diversity. Hawaii, one of America’s most beautiful states is a prime example of the struggle against over population and environmentally ignorant developments. In Chapter Five of the novel The Future of Life, Wilson discusses factors that have caused the downfall of a once naturally beautiful island.

  Hawaii was first inhabited by the Polynesian voyagers around A.D. 400 seeking a fortress as close to “Eden” as possible, and Hawaii fit the description with its luscious forests and fertile valleys exempt from mosquitoes, ants, wasps, and even venomous snakes. But human invasion has now led to an abundance of these unwanted creatures now overpopulating Hawaii’s land. The HIPPO factors came into play with the invasion of different species and increasing population of humans that took over the land. Animals such as pigs were brought over to inhabit the land and insects such as ants as well. Pigs were brought to Hawaii intentionally by pig hunters which caused a major disrupt in Hawaii’s natural ecosystem. Polynesians also added to the destruction of the land, cutting down and clearing out vegetation in order to establish living quarters to survive.

  Before the arrival of humans, Hawaii was biologically diverse and unique. It teemed with hundreds of species of rare birds and native eagles but now almost all original species are endangered, while others fortunately still remain. Despite the decrease in species dwelling in Hawaii, the biodiversity within this island is still rich. But the richness is synthetic with trees and plants originating from other locations. The plant life in Hawaii still remains beautiful as well, but very few of the species that are in the lowland vegetation are among those through which Polynesian colonists first cut their way.

  It is sad that Ancient Hawaii today is just a faint memory that has left our earth only poorer from its disappearance. This began with the early Polynesians who found the flightless birds so easy a prey, they hunted them to extinction. Colonists eliminated other plant and animal species when they cleared forest and grasslands for agriculture and fields and terrain have been taken over in order to accommodate exporting of major crops. Habitat destruction was the chief destroyer of the Hawaiian fauna and flora, but today the greatest threat is nonnative organisms.

  Many factors led up to the destruction of a once naturally beautiful island. The invasion of its lands by foreign species as well as humans caused it to lose it natural beauty. This is happening all over the world today with the overpopulation of areas not only by humans, but animals as well. Wilson enlightens us through his example of Hawaii and helps us to see that humans need to in fact do more to preserve Earth’s beauty.

 (Hawaii tropical forest moist:Image from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/1497668450_9de688546e.jpg)

KatieG, Assignment 05, Final

The Hawaiian Islands and the changes they have undergone in the past 1,500 years clearly demonstrate just how great an impact humans can have on the natural world. Once teeming with unique flora and fauna, many native species have been wiped out; victims of habit destruction and invasive species that now constitute much of the wildlife. Pre-human Hawaii was home to at least 125 and as many as 145 species of birds found nowhere else. Today only thirty four of the original species exist and twenty four of them are endangered. Humans and the HIPPO factors they have created are responsible for this and many other ecological tragedies that have befallen the islands.

   Habit destruction has played a large role in endangering Hawaii’s native species. Barely one-quarter of the Hawaiian Islands remain untouched. The clearing of land for pineapple and sugarcane fields has displaced many species. However, perhaps the most destructive HIPPO factor for Hawaii has been the arrival of invasive species. Because of its geographic location, Hawaii’s native species developed in isolation. They developed no defenses to the invasive species that would be thrust upon them. An example of just how destructive an invasive species can be would be the introduction of the domestic pig. Arguably one of the first invasive species, the Polynesian settlers of Hawaii brought them over when they arrived. While not initially harmful, the wild descendents of these pigs have wreaked havoc on the islands. They are a prime example of how one species can affect an entire ecosystem. As these pigs forage in the woodlands they uproot plants and topple tree ferns. The destruction of the small trees allows for too much sunlight and alters the soil ecosystem.  Also, the seeds carried in the pigs droppings often results in an over growth of plant life that crowds native species. Another invasive species whose arrival rippled up the food chain is the African big-headed ant.  This species of ant is responsible for the extinction of many of Hawaii’s native insects. The insects the ant has exterminated include many of those that served as pollinators of the native plants. Also, the disappearance of certain insects may have contributed to the extinction of some bird species whose diet included those insects. Other invasive species such as rats, mongooses, feral house cats and ants have also upset the ecosystem of Hawaii.  Of the total of 22,070 species currently living in Hawaii, 4,373 are alien.

The arrival of invasive species, however, has not been the only factor that has changed the islands. The other HIPPO factors have also caused negative changes in the environment of Hawaii. Pollution, population and overharvesting have all contributed to its destruction. Before many of the invasive species even arrived, overharvesting had already caused the extinction of Hawaii’s flightless birds. Because these birds were more or less defenseless, the early Polynsesian were able to hunt them easily and cause their extinction.

For those who argue that humans have had no or minimal impact on the planet, the changes that have occurred in Hawaii, serve as evidence to the contrary. Wilson contrasts the Eden Hawaii once was, no ants, mosquitoes, stinging wasps, venomous snakes or spiders, to the place it is today; beautiful but not extraordinary. And we, the destroyers of this unique beauty, responsible for the steep drop in biodiversity, are the ones who will suffer for it. Once a species is extinct, as has happened to many of Hawaii’s native species, such as the flightless ibis and moa nalo, it can never be brought back. Because of human action, not always intentional but often destructive, Hawaii has lost much of what made it so unique.

BetsyO 05 final

Hawaii is said to be one of the most beautiful islands, with the abundance of tourism and population it is hard to believe that Hawaii has a problem with its inhabitants. It is said to have started when the Polynesian settlers arrived on the island in 400AD. Also it is because Hawaii was not re discovered until 1778 by Captain James Cook, after the rediscovery the island was soon populated with people, but the squatters of Hawaii brought unwanted guests with them;- invasive species of plants and animals also diseases in which much of the population were exposed; the most notorious disease in Hawaii was leprosy, for Hawaii houses the largest Leper colony in the world.

    In 400 AD the first Polynesian settlers arrived to the island of Hawaii. The settlers were the first arrival of human life on the island. Before their arrival Hawaii was said to have looked like the Garden of Eden, there were no invasive species; also there were no mosquitoes or poisonous bugs or bugs with stingers. Many plants were thriving and many birds walked or flew about the island. This all changes soon because of the Hawaiian settlers, the flightless ibis, and these birds roamed the earth and because they were flightless the settlers saw them as easy prey, the Polynesians hunted these animals and many others to extinction. The lands were lush and fertile crops we easily grown but soon much of the natural forest has been cleared and much of the soil lacks vital nutrients. In Hawaii barely one quarter of the islands land remains untouched

    When visiting Hawaii it is expected for one to look in awe of the islands natural beauty, what many people don’t know is much of the animals and plants are not native to the islands. It is stated in The Future of Life By E.O Wilson that because of the strong currents of the coast of many nations’ birds, and dangerous bugs were swept away and landed and reproduced in Hawaii. Many settlers also brought animals along with them and introduced them to the island not knowing they were introducing invasive species.

    The HIIPO factors seen in Hawaii are substantial the habitat destruction on the island has become a major problem. Once the island was covered in lush green forests today three fourths of the islands land has been cleared and because of this many animals are losing their habitats thus becoming extinct. The problem with invasive species has also become a larger problem in Hawaii, much of the islands livestock such as pigs were introduced to the island as invasive species most of the invasive species were introduced by the Polynesians pigs are an excellent example because, they were brought to Hawaii as livestock, just in case there was no food on the island. The pigs soon reproduced and ran rampant throughout the island. Pollution is affecting the fresh water, marine costal water and much of the soil in the island, soon no animals and no crops will be able to maintain because of the heavy polluted soil and water. With the increase of population land is running out soon all the HIPPO factors will become to prominent that the island will no longer be able to control human life. Overharvesting has not been as big as a problem in Hawaii, but when the Polynesians first arrived many of the flightless birds were hunted to extinction.

    The change in Hawaii is becoming more and more dangerous many people are unaware that Hawaii is being overpopulated and much of its original plant life are dying and will soon be extinct. Soon because of the HIPPO factors the island of Hawaii will soon not be able to control the growth of humans.

NinaF, Assignment 5, Final

   

 

 

The species diversity of the Hawaiian Islands has changed since the arrival of humans.  Invasive species are a part of the change. The Polynesians were responsible for changes in the population and different species living in Hawaii. While traveling to find new land they unintentionally and intentionally brought things with them. Some were negative others positive.

Hawaii before humans came was biologically diverse and unique with many species of birds. It had many other organisms that have become extinct since man came in to play. When the Polynesians came they found some of the birds as easy prey and as a result the birds went extinct (45). The Polynesians had brought along insects, spiders, mites, and other arthropods unintentionally in cargo (47).  Many of the Polynesians had leprosy and brought it while landing. Hawaii had one of the largest Leper colonies. 

Pigs were an example of one of the HIPPO factors that had affected Hawaii. They were brought over innocently for a source of food, but ended up reproducing and overpopulating the area with pigs. The pigs work back and forth across the floor, eating bark and roots of plants resulting in the uprooting and toppling tree ferns (49). They also dig wallows that collect pools of water that are the breeding grounds of mosquitoes that carry and transmit diseases to native birds (49). The African big-headed ant was another hindrance to Hawaiian life. The ants eat out a large amount of fellow insects in their path.  It had lead to the disappearance of smaller birds that eat insects due to its destruction of other insects. Water and soil from the islands were also contaminated and eliminated some species (50).

The Polynesians were not the only ones. Zoologists discovered a species of frog in the 1980s. The changes of habitat had brought a decline in various types of amphibians such as the Golden Toad. Humans of today are trying to save endangered species. At the same time they are being destructive and tearing down forests and example of the H in HIPPO standing for Habitat destruction.  Hawaii’s forests being destroyed by humans has caused species of organisms to be wiped out.

The result of humans coming into the picture and colonizing Hawaii has harmed the diversity of different species native to the islands. If the Polynesians had known of the things that they could have done to prevent species dying out and the ecosystem being harmed, there might have been a chance for the life from that time to continue to flourish. The humans of today are trying to fix the mistake but in the end they are still doing damage.

GabriellaM, assign 5, final draft

Hawaii is an isolated set of islands in the Pacific Ocean and have been greatly affected by humans over the years. Due to habitat destruction and invasive species, natural cycles of the Hawaiian Islands have been disturbed and although the Islands are now abundant with wild life and beautiful rainforests, there is only a small percentage which are the original species on the islands, and an even smaller percentage is the number of them which are endangered.

Habitat destruction is one of the main reasons for the shifting in species and their struggle to find homes. Clearing of pineapple and sugarcane fields force the species to relocate and start new lives in a foreign place. The biggest struggle for the species of Hawaii has been adapting to the invasive species ways of life. Among the HIPPO factors, invasive species have been the greatest cause of bothering the original species of the islands. Since Hawaii is a set of isolated islands, all of the species there have developed over time. Once these new species were brought upon the original species, they did not know how to react to them. Examples of invasive species are the domestic pig or goat. When the Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they brought pigs and goats for food where ever they ended up. In time, these animals ran wild hunting the native species of Hawaii and causing chaos among the fields and gardens. The Polynesians are the group of people responsible for bringing these animals over. Back then, invasive species were not a popular problem. They did not distinguish the pig or goat as an "invasive specie", but looking at the affects of bringing them to Hawaii, they changed and altared food chains and the way other animals chance of survival.

As humans populated the new found islands of Hawaii, they brought their livestock in order to thrive in their new community. No one expected that breeding in the new environment would destroy the natural cycles among the birds, plants, insects, and animals of Hawaii. Due to the new animals and other species, the Ibis, a flightless bird, went extinct because of its disadvantage of not being able to fly. Because of the humans populating Hawaii with their old ways of the old countries, Hawaii was no longer Hawaii, but it was starting to become a mixture of all different countries which were taking over the untouched and natural Hawaii.

nadaE Assignment05 Final

Hawaii was a different world today than it was a thousand years ago. There was a concentration of indigenous animals and plants; but as time passed, the island changed greatly. Much of this change was thanks to immigration and the introduction of invasive species.

            The start of this change was the arrival of humans. While the theory of how people began populating Hawaii is constantly being debated, the two most reasonable theories are that inhabitants of Polenesia sailed and happened upon the islands, or that the people of Central or South America were the ones to sail and find the islands. While both these theories are believable, the most logical is the voyage of those who originated from Central or South America. The coast of Southern America is parallel to ocean currents that flow directly toward the islands; making it easier to sail on solely muscular strength and wind assistance, without modern engines. More invasive species to Hawaii (besides humans, of course) would be Pigs, Goats, Fire Ants and Japanese White-Eyes.

            While introducing a new species to a foreign area seems like a good idea in theory, it usually results negatively when practiced. The invasive species of Hawaii, particularly the Fire Ants and Japanese White-Eyes have majorly deterred the islands’ plant growth, bird  and bug population. Fire Ants, when brought to the islands, instantly made it their home. They started ravaging the vegetation, leaving other organisms vulnerable or out-of place. The pigs and goats were brought as a food source. However, the pigs quickly became accostomed to the area and began uprooting plants along with the goats. Rats, which were unintentionally brought on ships, began infesting the island and eating bird eggs, insects, and some vegetation. The Japanese White-Eyes, a type of Japanese bird, were the animals that started wiping out the bug population. Having the aggressive advantage over the indigenous foul, the Japanese White-Eyes made local bird populations drop drastically, not being able to compete with the Japanese White-Eyes for food. All of these happenings compromised the organsims of the island and shifted it's growth into a different direction.

            The overall worst invasive species to Hawaii were the humans. They brought over the organisms that influence Hawaii today, leaving it with a multitude of problems. When Europeans joined the Polanesian/South American inhabitants, they brought along education, the greed for land, and religion. Hawaii was starting to be settled, and the people originally there were brought into what was then-civilization. The influence the Europeans had on the original inhabitants have shaped Hawaii into the nation it is today.

CaraM assignment 05 Final

In chapter three of Edward O. Wilson’s The Future of Life, Wilson talks about the history and destruction of the lush islands of Hawaii. Hawaii is theorized that either Polynesians or Central Americans are the decedents of the Hawaiian natives. These settlers brought with them species, such as the pig or goat, so that they have food in case wherever they ended up, they will be able to eat. When they arrived at Hawaii, the flightless bird, ibis, was over hunted because of the bird's disadvantage leading it into extinction. The setters chopped down exotic plants which eventually became extinct due the habitat's destruction. Over a thousand years later, Hawaii was rediscovered by English explorers and was colonized by the English creating more pollution and population stressors for the island.

    Since the colonization of humans, Hawaii has been greatly affected by what ecologists call the HIPPO factors. The HIPPO factors stand for habitat destruction, invasive species, population, pollution and over-harvesting. When humans came to Hawaii, they need a place to live, so they would destroy lush areas to build their homes. They brought their homeland animals to breed and eventually their livestock would end up messing up the Hawaiian food web. Also with invasive species comes invasive diseases that harm the native species. As the ppopulation of human goes up there is more habitat destruction so the island can fit everyone. The Polynesians over harvested the plants and animals of this island causing many to become extinct. As the people develop so does pollution, especially pollution that is caused by developing industries. When humans first inhabited the island, they did not know that all these factors would end up destroying the fabulous paradise and putting all of its wonderful creatures at risk.

    Although Hawaii looks beautiful and lush, about 35% is not native, which means this island is not in its natural state. The HIPPO factors destroyed the natural beauty of the island, as it has been doing for many other ecosystems. The world is changing because of our neglectfulness to the natural beauty of our world. If one thinks Hawaii looks lush and beautiful now, imagine how rich it was with exotic species before humans.  

DanielleQ, Assignment 05, Final Draft

A thousand years ago Hawaii seemed like the ideal place to begin a new nation. To the Polynesians coming from the small islands near the pacific, Hawaii was the blank slate needed for them to begin anew. However what the Polynesians did not know was what they were bringing with them would change Hawaii forever.

The Polynesians brought new species of animals and insects, both intentionally and accidentally. While pigs were brought for the sake of food they began to reproduce in such away that there was an overpopulation that has lasted to this day. Species of African and Argentine ants have taken over the territories that had previously held flies and beetles. Other animals like goats and cattle graze away at what little vegetation is left to the islands, while cats and mongooses chose to set their sights on the native birds.

    In some cases overpopulation is not the problem.  It is actually the complete opposite when the snail species is taken into view. The rosy wolfsnails has unexpectedly consumed fifteen species of banded tree snails native to Hawaii. Combined along with rats, shell collectors, and the ever-declining forests it is safe to assume that the snail species of Hawaii will begin to lose its diversity.

    The changes to Hawaii’s species diversity are due to the HIPPO factors. Habitat destruction, invasive species, over harvesting, and the human population are certainly some of the factors that has caused Hawaii to become unrecognizable from its previous state. When the Polynesians first made this humid island their home they had every intention of making the island suit their needs.  They did not have the intention of completely destroying the ecosystems that would lead to Hawaii’s species diversity plummeting.

gillianm, assignment 05, final draft

On the surface, Hawaii is seen as a tropical paradise whose beauty allows people to escape from their everyday lives.  However, thousands of years ago when the Polynesians first arrived on the small cluster of islands, Hawaii began to lose aspects of its natural beauty.  Hawaii has gone through manny hardships brought on by humans, including invasive species, diseases, and the destruction of habitats.  All of these factors have and will continue to contribute to the downfall of Hawaii.

Most historians are in agreement that the Polynesians were most likely the first inhabitants of Hawaii.  This is somewhat hard to believe because it would have been such a long and dangerous trip to get from the Polynesian islands to the Hawaiian islands, but because these people were well known for their navigation and sea skills, it is easy to make the assumption that they did in fact inhabit the islands first.  Along with bringing a civilization to the islands, the Polynesians also brought a religion, culture, and problems to the islands. 

Some of the issues that Hawaii has faced were brought on by the HIPPO factors.  The factors that have contributed most to Hawaii's destruction are invasive species, habitat destruction, and pollution.  Over the years as more humans spent time on the islands, they brought with them animals and plants that were not native to the islands.  These species including skylarks, barred and spotted doves, hill robins, mockingbirds, bush warblers, mynahs, strawberry finches, and ricebirds, were completely foreign to the islands before humans came.  Some of these organisms had bad effects on the environment like the fire ants.  When they were introduced to the island they helped by getting rid of some insects, but they also hurt the area because it acts as "a major pest of agriculture and households and a threat to wildlife" (72).  The invasive species also pushed native animals off of the island.  In a way one could say that humans themselves were invasive species to the islands, because before they got there Hawaii was lush and filled with native animals and plants, but the Polynesians arrived and hunted many of the animals and destroyed many of the plants. Some plants that were introduced to the island by humans overtook areas and wiped out native Hawaiian plants.  This is an example of invasive species that cause habitat destruction.  Because the plants take over they prevent animals and insects from living around the plants that they once called home.  Another factor is pollution.  As the years have gone on, and Hawaii has become more industrialized, toxins have been released on the island, polluting its environment.

Before the Polynesians arrived there were no people at all on the Hawaiian islands, so one could argue that humans could not have brought diseases to the islands because there was no one to give the diseases to.  However, once more people began to inhabit the islands, disease became more prevalent.  The most well known disease associated with the islands is leprosy.  It is unclear whether leprosy was introduced to the islands by the Polynesians or the European settlers that later came to the island, but it is clear that at a certain point in time Hawaii became better known for its rate of lepers rather than its beauty.

Once the Europeans arrived in Hawaii, they treated the Polynesians much like the way the pilgrims treated the early Native Americans.  tHey kicked them off of the land, and claimed the island as their own.  As time went on, society on the islands advanced and the Europeans introduced technology to the islands that helped in a lot of ways, but it also polluted the area too.  

In the chapter Natures Last Stand in The Future of Life Wilson refers to Hawaii as "deceptively beautiful".  This is because humans have knowingly and unknowingly destroyed the islands natural biodiversity.  People have in many ways completely stripped Hawaii of what made it so alluring.  There really is no way to bring Hawaii back to its original state because over the years it has adapted to the new species it is now home to,  and it would not be able to support the plants and animals that were originally found there.  However we can do our best to preserve the way it is today.  In order to do that we need to be sure to keep as many original aspects of the island as possible alive and well.  If we take better care of the island we surely can keep Hawaii as one of the tropical wonders of the world. 

GabriellaM, assign 05, first draft

Hawaii is an isolated set of islands in the Pacific Ocean and have been greatly affected by humans over the years. Due to habitat destruction and invasive species, natural cycles of the Hawaiian Islands have been disturbed and although the Islands are now abundant with wild life and beautiful rainforests, there is only a small percentage which are the original species on the islands, and an even smaller percentage is the number of them which are endangered.

Habitat destruction is one of the main reasons for the shifting in species and their struggle to find homes. Clearing of pineapple and sugarcane fields force the species to relocate and start new lives in a foreign place. The biggest struggle for the species of Hawaii has been adapting to the invasive species ways of life. Among the HIPPO factors, invasive species have been the greatest cause of bothering the original species of the islands. Since Hawaii is a set of isolated islands, all of the species there have developed over time. Once these new species were brought upon the original species, they did not know how to react to them. Examples of invasive species are the domestic pig or goat. When the Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they brought pigs and goats for food where ever they ended up. In time, these animals ran wild hunting the native species of Hawaii and causing chaos among the fields and gardens.

As humans populated the new found islands of Hawaii, they brought their livestock in order to thrive in their new community. No one expected that breeding in the new environment would destroy the natural cycles among the birds, plants, insects, and animals of Hawaii. Due to the new animals and other species, the Ibis, a flightless bird, went extinct because of its disadvantage of not being able to fly. Because of the humans populating Hawaii with their old ways of the old countries, Hawaii was no longer Hawaii, but it was starting to become a mixture of all different countries which were taking over the untouched and natural Hawaii.

 

 

EGarcia,Assignment 05, 1st Draft

During the past 1,500 years the Hawaiian islands have gone through many changes, and become an excellentexample of magnitude of which humans impact the natural world. Through a quite natural procession what began as "new land" became home to unique species only found in Hawaii. However HIPPO factors rooting from human interferance have wiped out many of those species.

Although Hawaii is now known for its gorgeous terrain habit destruction is a major part of its history. Humans, seeking to use land for agricultural purposes, cleared much land in the Hawaiian islands. Consequently the habitats of many of the native species were drastically changed. Something tragic and fatal since these species had evolved for so many years in isolation and had grown in a way to that made them unique to a certain habitat. Now that these habitats were being altered evolution could not keep up.

Native species were also victims to the invasive species that humans infected their habitat with. Some scientists hold that Polynesian settles were the first to reach the shores of Hawaii. In attempts of ensuring their survival and a food source they brought with them domestic pigs. The effect that these pigs first had was not negative but as time went on these pigs and future generations of pigs managed to cause huge changes. The pigs, not being controlled and native to a different land did much damage to tree ferns and plants as they uprooted them. This change at first is difficult to see as what it truly is but the results it yielded show it. The lack of trees and plants in areas lead to a shift in the shade and sunlight that had previously kept the undergrowth and soil a certain way. Another invasive species most likely benefiting from this change was the fire ant, yet another invasive species. Like the pig it changed the habitat as it destroyed plants. Both these invasive species were added to Hawaii'sfood webs by unnatural processes. Changing the natural equilibrium that had been flourishing thus far.

Other factors that lead to unfortunate changes include over harvesting,population, and pollution. Humans who at the time may or may have not needed to hunt to that extent over harvested native Hawaiian birds,especially those who did not fly like the Ibis. As the population of humans has since increased so as the industrial arena inHawaii. Hazardous waste and toxins come with that, and faulty disposal and lack of understanding the effects have allowed pollution to harm Hawaii even further yet.

Wilson states that after contact with humans Hawaii has been harmed, like so many other ecosystems in the world. Humans have stretched their HIPPO factors to almost all corners of Hawaii, leaving only about one fourthuntouched. While there is still beautiful life on Hawaii out of the 22,070 species currently inhabiting it, roughly 4,300 are invasive species. The most prominent invasive species to ever reach the shores of Hawaii were homo sapians, the human race. The acts of"self-preservation" taken by humans has had exactly the opposite effect on natives in Hawaii, stealing the chance to continue to evolve from this Eden.

KatieG, Assignment 05, Draft (retry)

The Hawaiian Islands and the changes they have undergone in the past 1,500 years clearly demonstrate just how great an impact humans can have on the natural world. Once teeming with unique flora and fauna, many native species have been wiped out; victims of habit destruction and invasive species that now constitute much of the wildlife. Pre-human Hawaii was home to at least 125 and as many as 145 species of birds found nowhere else. Today only thirty four of the original species exist and twenty four of them are endangered. Humans and the HIPPO factors they have created are responsible for this and many other ecological tragedies that have befallen the islands.

   Habit destruction has played a large role in endangering Hawaii’s native species. Barely one-quarter of the Hawaiian Islands remain untouched. The clearing of land for pineapple and sugarcane fields has displaced many species. However, perhaps the most destructive HIPPO factor for Hawaii has been the arrival of invasive species. Because of its geographic location, Hawaii’s native species developed in isolation. They developed no defenses to the invasive species that would be thrust upon them. An example of just how destructive an invasive species can be would be the introduction of the domestic pig. Arguably one of the first invasive species, the Polynesian settlers of Hawaii brought them over when they arrived. While not initially harmful, the wild descendents of these pigs have wreaked havoc on the islands. They are a prime example of how one species can affect an entire ecosystem. As these pigs forage in the woodlands they uproot plants and topple tree ferns. The destruction of the small trees allows for too much sunlight and alters the soil ecosystem.  Also, the seeds carried in the pigs droppings often results in an over growth of plant life that crowds native species. Other invasive species such as ants, rats, mongooses, feral house cats and ants have also upset the ecosystem of Hawaii.  Of the total of 22,070 species currently living in Hawaii, 4,373 are alien.

The arrival of invasive species, however, has not been the only factor that has changed the islands. The other HIPPO factors have also caused negative changes in the environment of Hawaii. Pollution, population and overharvesting have all contributed to its destruction. Before many of the invasive species even arrived, overharvesting had already caused the extinction of Hawaii’s flightless birds. Because these birds were more or less defenseless, the early Polynsesian were able to hunt them easily and cause their extinction.

For those who argue that humans have had no or minimal impact on the planet, the changes that have occurred in Hawaii, serve as evidence to the contrary. Wilson contrasts the Eden Hawaii once was, no ants, mosquitoes, stinging wasps, venomous snakes or spiders, to the place it is today; beautiful but not extraordinary. And we, the destroyers of this unique beauty, responsible for the steep drop in biodiversity, are the ones who will suffer for it. Once a species is extinct, as has happened to many of Hawaii’s native species, such as the flightless ibis and moa nalo, it can never be brought back. Because of human action, not always intentional but often destructive, Hawaii has lost much of what made it so unique.

KatieG, Assignment 05, Draft

The Hawaiian Islands and the changes they have undergone in the past 1,500 years clearly demonstrate just how great an impact humans can have on the natural world. Once teeming with unique flora and fauna, many native species have been wiped out; victims of habit destruction and invasive species that now constitute much of the wildlife. Pre-human Hawaii was home to at least 125 and as many as 145 species of birds found nowhere else. Today only thirty four of the original species exist and twenty four of them are endangered. Humans and the HIPPO factors they have created are responsible for this and many other ecological tragedies that have befallen the islands.

   Habit destruction has played a large role in endangering Hawaii’s native species. Barely one-quarter of the Hawaiian Islands remain untouched. The clearing of land for pineapple and sugarcane fields has displaced many species. However, perhaps the most destructive HIPPO factor for Hawaii has been the arrival of invasive species. Because of its geographic location, Hawaii’s native species developed in isolation. They developed no defenses to the invasive species that would be thrust upon them. An example of just how destructive an invasive species can be would be the introduction of the domestic pig. Arguably one of the first invasive species, the Polynesian settlers of Hawaii brought them over when they arrived. While not initially harmful, the wild descendents of these pigs have wreaked havoc on the islands. They are a prime example of how one species can affect an entire ecosystem. As these pigs forage in the woodlands they uproot plants and topple tree ferns. The destruction of the small trees allows for too much sunlight and alters the soil ecosystem.  Also, the seeds carried in the pigs droppings often results in an over growth of plant life that crowds native species. Other invasive species such as ants, rats, mongooses, feral house cats and ants have also upset the ecosystem of Hawaii.  Of the total of 22,070 species currently living in Hawaii, 4,373 are alien.

The arrival of invasive species, however, has not been the only factor that has changed the islands. The other HIPPO factors have also caused negative changes in the environment of Hawaii. Pollution, population and overharvesting have all contributed to its destruction. Before many of the invasive species even arrived, overharvesting had already caused the extinction of Hawaii’s flightless birds. Because these birds were more or less defenseless, the early Polynsesian were able to hunt them easily and cause their extinction.

For those who argue that humans have had no or minimal impact on the planet, the changes that have occurred in Hawaii, serve as evidence to the contrary. Wilson contrasts the Eden Hawaii once was, no ants, mosquitoes, stinging wasps, venomous snakes or spiders, to the place it is today; beautiful but not extraordinary. And we, the destroyers of this unique beauty, responsible for the steep drop in biodiversity, are the ones who will suffer for it. Once a species is extinct, as has happened to many of Hawaii’s native species, such as the flightless ibis and moa nalo, it can never be brought back. Because of human action, not always intentional but often destructive, Hawaii has lost much of what made it so unique.

CaraM assignment 05 first draft

    In chapter three of Edward O. Wilson’s The Future of Life, Wilson talks about the history and destruction of the lush islands of Hawaii. Hawaii is theorized that either Polynesian or Central Americans are the decedents of the Hawaiian natives. These settlers brought with them species, such as the pig or goat, so that they have for food in case wherever they end up they will be able to eat. When they arrived at Hawaii, the flightless bird ibis was over hunted because of their disadvantage. Over a thousand years later, Hawaii was rediscovered by English explorers and was colonized by the English creating more pollution and population for the island.

    Since the colonization of humans, Hawaii has been greatly affected by what ecologists call the HIPPO factors. The HIPPO factors stand for habitat destruction, invasive species, population, pollution and over-harvesting. When humans came to Hawaii, they need a place to live so they would destroy areas to colonize. They brought their homeland animals to breed and their livestock would end up messing up the food web in Hawaii. Population goes up with all the new species cause more habitat destruction so they can fit everyone. As the people develop so does pollution caused by developing industries. When humans first inhabited the island, they did not know that they would be putting the island and all of its creatures at risk.

    Although Hawaii looks beautiful and lush, about 35% is not native, which means this island is not in its natural state. The HIPPO factors destroyed the natural island as it has been doing for many other ecosystems. the world is changing because of our neglectfulness to the natuaral beauty of our ecosytems. If one thinks Hawaii looks lush and beautiful now, imagine how rich it was before humans.  

Assignment 05 First Draft LovingI.

  Wilson has stated over again that overpopulation and environmentally ignorant development have been leading factors in the shrinking of natural habitats and biological diversity. Hawaii, one of America’s most beautiful states is a prime example of the struggle against over population and environmentally ignorant developments. In Chapter Five of the novel The Future of Life, Wilson discusses factors that have caused the downfall of a once naturally beautiful island.

  Hawaii was first inhabited by the Polynesian voyagers around A.D. 400 seeking a fortress as close to “Eden” as possible, and Hawaii fit the description with its luscious forests and fertile valleys exempt from mosquitoes, ants, wasps, and even venomous snakes. But human invasion has now led to an abundance of these unwanted creatures now overpopulating Hawaii’s land.

  Before the arrival of humans, Hawaii was biologically diverse and unique. It teemed with hundreds of species of rare birds and native eagles but now almost all original species are endangered, while others fortunately still remain. Despite the decrease in species dwelling in Hawaii, the biodiversity within this island is still rich. But the richness is synthetic with trees and plants originating from other locations. The plant life in Hawaii still remains beautiful as well, but very few of the species that are in the lowland vegetation are among those through which Polynesian colonists first cut their way.

  It is sad that Ancient Hawaii today is just a faint memory that has left our earth only poorer from its disappearance. This began with the early Polynesians who found the flightless birds so easy a prey, they hunted them to extinction. Colonists eliminated other plant and animal species when they cleared forest and grasslands for agriculture and fields and terrain have been taken over in order to accommodate exporting of major crops. Habitat destruction was the chief destroyer of the Hawaiian fauna and flora, but today the greatest threat is nonnative organisms.

  Many factors led up to the destruction of a once naturally beautiful island. The invasion of its lands by foreign species as well as humans caused it to lose it natural beauty. This is happening all over the world today with the overpopulation of areas not only by humans, but animals as well. Wilson enlightens us through his example of Hawaii and helps us to see that humans need to in fact do more to preserve Earth’s beauty.

 (Hawaii tropical forest moist:Image from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/1497668450_9de688546e.jpg)

feliciaf, assignment 05, draft

Hawaii’s luscious and beautiful island was not always what we think of it as today. It took a lot of change and moving of people, animals and plants to get it to this point. Hawaii was first discovered in 400AD by Polynesian settlers and then rediscovered in 1778 by James Hook. It was not until the second discovery that the island of Hawaii truly became populated. These settlers brought a lot of new things to the island, intentional and unintentional. These invasive species include plants, animals, diseases and parasites.

 

E. O Wilson states in The Future of Life that most all of the species that inhabit Hawaii are not native to the island. This is partially because of fierce currents; many bugs and birds were removed and landed in Hawaii, also gained a habitat there. This is not the only way new species came to be on the island. Most came to be by settlers bring animals and such, when they did not know that it was an invasive species. How could they have not known they were bringing an invasive species to the island? This is because of parasites that their animals were hold and also new diseases that obviously an island with no humans, has never seen before.

 

The Polynesian settlers in 400 AD were the first human life form to inhabit the island. Before this Hawaii was bare, no invasive species; no bugs or mosquitoes. However there were many plants that over grew and were taking over the island as well as flying and walking birds. Hawaii became a completely changed place as soon as these humans arrived. A major effect of the Polynesian people coming to Hawaii, was on all the walking birds; they were easy prey. An example is the flightless ibis , the people hunted these animals to the point of extinction. At this moment Hawaii has one quarter of the island untouched this is partially because, most all of the lush lands were fertile crops could grow easily was cleared away. Now a majority of the soil lacks nutrients.

 

As we see from all these changes that a majority of the HIPPO factors had a substantial effect on the island of Hawaii over time. First off the habitats have been completely changes by clearing three fourths of the lush forests. Invasive species is probably the most major thing that happened to Hawaii. Most all of the island livestock, diseases and parasites are all invasive species, brought there by settlers. Pollution is one of the bigger effects but it does affect the water, soil and marina coast. This is heading in the direction that sooner or later animals and crops will not be able to survive in these heavily polluted soils and waters. Hawaii has not yet gotten to the point where populations is a huge issue, but sooner or later the island will get to the point. The at HIPPO factor of over harvesting is not so much a problem now as it was when the Polynesians settlers arrived, the hunted the flightless birds down to extinction.

 

    The island of Hawaii has changes drastically between 400 AD and now. Most people never realized how things came to be on such a remote island. But now many  people do not realize that Hawaii is slowly becoming over populated and that soon many of its original plants will be extinct . Because of all the HIPPO factors the island of Hawaii will soon not be able to with stand the human, plant and animal growth in population.

ClaireC, Assignment 05, rough draft

    The Hawaiian Islands are one of the world’s most beautiful places. Each year thousands of people go there on vacation and leisure for their beautiful weather and variety of beaches. To most people, these islands seem perfectly natural and unspoiled. However, this is not the case. The Hawaiian Islands have been tampered, and are not the same as they once were thousands of years ago.

            Around the year 400 A.D. Polynesian voyagers landed upon Hawaii. At this time, Hawaii’s forests and lands contained no mosquitoes, ants, stinging wasps, venomous snakes, or spiders. In addition, few plants had thorns and/or were poisonous. However, due to human introduction either deliberately or accidentally, these species are all now abundant in Hawaii.

            Before humans were introduced to Hawaii, it was abundant with life. There were even as much as 145 species of birds that could not be found anywhere else in the world. There were thick forests where owls and eagles made their homes. There was also goose sized flightless birds and beautiful ibis birds that inhabited the land. Unfortunately, almost all of these species are nearly extinct. Only 35 of the 145 species of birds still exists, and even so, 24 of these birds are endangered with a dozen that may be beyond recovery. When the Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found it very easy to hunt the flightless birds. They eventually hunted these birds to extinction, which is why they no longer inhabit Hawaii. Later on, in 1778 Captain James Cook founded Hawaii and from there on American explorers hunted the Hawaiian lands viciously for their bananas, breadfruit, sugarcane, and pineapples. Today, barely one quarter of the Hawaiian land has remained untouched, which is an alarming number. In relation to the HIPPO factors, it is clear that there has been invasive species, habitat destruction, pollution, and population that have severely hurt Hawaii’s species diversity.

Hawaii today still has a very abundant biodiversity. However, it is nowhere near as rich as it once was many years ago. Most of the plants and animals one can find in Hawaii, they can find practically anywhere else. There are skylarks, mockingbirds, strawberry finches, ricebirds, red-crested cardinals, mynahs, and many more. Plant life today is also still beautiful. Because of human introduction to the Hawaiian Islands, they are not today near as beautiful as they were thousands of years ago. Though we see them are beautiful, had they remained untouched their life and diversity would have been one of the most spectacular in the world.

CaitlinD, Assignment 05, Draft

    One thousand years ago, the Hawaiian Islands were nothing like that are today. The islands were populated with many different arrangements of indigenous animals and plants. Due to the immigration of humans and introduction of invasive species to Hawaii, the Islands changed dramatically.

    The changes to the islands' environment began with the arrival of humans. The first humans to settle in Hawaii were the natives of Polenesia. It is said that these people stumbled across these islands and thus resulted in living there permanently. With the humans that went to Hawaii, also came invasive species. In most cases, when people come to a new or foreign land, they bring diseases with them, but since Hawaii was vacant of human life, disease was not brought with these migrants. The deadly diseases were brought to the islands by the European settlers.

    Along with the humans, came other species. These attributed to the HIPPO factors of the islands'. Those that were brought along are known as invasive species. An example of an invasive specie of Hawaii are Fire ants. These ants rapidly destroyed the islands' vegetation, which in turn created a gap in the ecosystems' food webs, which ultimately wiped out the population of the native species and organisms. Another example used by Wilson are the pigs. The pigs rapidly over populated. Like the fire ants, the pigs also destroyed vegetation by uprooting and toppling tree ferns. This also creates a defect in the food web which will disturb all the living organisms in that ecosystem. The humans brought the pigs for food, and they did not know that they were subconsciously destroying the ecosystems and environments of the Hawaiian Islands. Sadly, today none of the original species of plants and animals are living in Hawaii, all of these organisms are invasive species.

    Like many of the organisms that were affected by human invasion, the Vancouver Island Marmot is in dire need of help. It is endangered because of the rapid demand of ski slopes. Like the Marmots, panda bears in China are also being harmed by the demands of humans. As the world becomes more and more over populated, the habitats, ecosystems, and environment of organisms are at high risk. With the "need" for more industrialization and urbanization, humans tend to look past the huge damaging effects that are happening in the environment. This reinforces Wilson's bottle neck theory. That with the new technologies humans are destroying the environment in a permanent way.

    Now that some people are beginning to recognize the damage that has taken place, they are advocating to save the animals. In order to save the organisms, we must in turn save their habitats. It is easier said than done. Trying to save just one animal, requires saving a whole food web chain, and the habitat. So it ends up being an entire ecosystem that needs to be saved. National parks must understand this concept of the area-species principle. In order to save the organisms efficiently, they must set aside an ample amount of land to let the ecosystem flourish.

    Humans in this day and age control the future of the environment. With the amount of damage that has already taken place, it is going to take a tedious effort and hard work to replenish the environment. Although the damage is huge, it can be reversible, it just will take a serious amount of effort. The fait of the ecosystem lies in the hands of the humans.

This gorgeous picture of Hawaii is from Majorchange Academy website.

marlok, assignment5, draft1

   Hawaiian Islands are a vacation destination for most, it is a peaceful and beautiful getaway for people around the world. But it is not the same as it was from a thousand years ago, the Polynesians changed the islands drastically when they immigrated to the islands not knowing that their effects on the island would change it forever in both a positive and a negative way.

    When the Polynesians first sailed to the Hawaiian Islands from most likely central and southern Africa, they intentionally brought many species of animals and insects to the islands, but some invasive species were brought accidentally: Fire Ants and Japanese White eyes. At first they were brought because the Polynesians thought they would better the islands, which at first they did, but as time progressed they had many negative effects on the islands ecosystems.

    These species destructed Hawaii's ecosystems. They destroyed the vegetation, and wiped out many of the other species that depended on the vegetation for survival. The worst destruction of Hawaii though was the settlement of humans. Although they brought civilization and culture to the islands their ways eventually shaped Hawaii into the nation it is today, they distributed Hawaii's peace and brought many diseases over from Africa.

    Hawaii was intentionally suppose to be a series of beautiful islands, but many HIPPO factors changed Hawaii into what it is today. Habitat Destruction from the humans, made Hawaii a nation but while doing so destroyed it peacefulness and they also brought many diseases to the islands. Invasive species such as the ants and insects wiped out many other species that were first on the island. Over harvesting of the vegetation also harmed Hawaii's original state. Although the Hawaiian Island are now beautiful, their previous beauty was no comparison to its current state, due to the HIPPO factors.

GillianM, Assignment 05, Draft 1

On the surface, Hawaii is scene as a tropical paradise whose beauty allows people to escape from their everyday lives.  However, thousands of years ago when the Polynesians first arrived on the small cluster of islands, Hawaii began to lose aspects of its natural beauty.  Hawaii has gone through manny hardships brought on by humans, including invasive species, diseases, and the destruction of habitats.  All of these factors have and will continue to contribute to the downfall of Hawaii.

Most historians are in agreement that the Polynesians were most likely the first inhabitants of Hawaii.  This is somewhat hard to believe because it would have been such a long and dangerous trip to get from the Polynesian islands to the Hawaiian islands, but because these people were well known for their navigation and sea skills, it is easy to make the assumption that they did in fact inhabit the islands first.  Along with bringing a civilization to the islands, the Polynesians also brought a religion, culture, and problems to the islands. 

Some of the issues that Hawaii has faced were brought on by the HIPPO factors.  The factors that have contributed most to Hawaii's destruction are invasive species, habitat destruction, and pollution.  Over the years as more humans spent time on the islands, they brought with them animals and plants that were not native to the islands.  These species including skylarks, barred and spotted doves, hill robins, mockingbirds, bush warblers, mynahs, strawberry finches, and ricebirds, were completely foreign to the islands before humans came.  They also pushed native animals off of the island.  In a way one could say that humans themselves were invasive species to the islands, because before they got there Hawaii was lush and filled with native animals and plants, but the Polynesians arrived and hunted many of the animals and destroyed many of the plants. Some plants that were introduced to the island by humans overtook areas and wiped out native Hawaiian plants.  This is an example of invasive species that cause habitat destruction.  Because the plants take over they prevent animals and insects from living around the plants that they once called home.  Another factor is pollution.  As the years have gone on, and Hawaii has become more industrialized, toxins have been released on the island, polluting its environment.

Before the Polynesians arrived there were no people at all on the Hawaiian islands, so one could argue that humans could not have brought diseases to the islands because there was no one to give the diseases to.  However, once more people began to inhabit the islands, disease became more prevalent.  The most well known disease associated with the islands is leprosy.  It is unclear whether leprosy was introduced to the islands by the Polynesians or the European settlers that later came to the island, but it is clear that at a certain point in time Hawaii became better known for its rate of lepers rather than its beauty.

In the chapter Natures Last Stand in The Future of Life Wilson refers to Hawaii as "deceptively beautiful".  This is because humans have knowingly and unknowingly destroyed the islands natural biodiversity.  People have in many ways completely stripped Hawaii of what made it so alluring.  There really is no way to bring Hawaii back to its original state because over the years it has adapted to the new species it is now home to,  and it would not be able to support the plants and animals that were originally found there.  However we can do our best to preserve the way it is today.  In order to do that we need to be sure to keep as many original aspects of the island as possible alive and well.  If we take better care of the island we surely can keep Hawaii as one of the tropical wonders of the world. 

nadaE Assignment05 Draft

            Hawaii was a different world today than it was a thousand years ago. There was a concentration of indigenous animals and plants; but as time passed, the island changed greatly. Much of this change was thanks to immigration and the introduction of invasive species.

            The start of this change was the arrival of humans. While the theory of how people began populating Hawaii is constantly being debated, the two most reasonable theories are that inhabitants of Polenesia sailed and happened upon the islands, or that the people of Central or South America were the ones to sail and find the islands. While both these theories are believable, the most logical is the voyage of those who originated from Central or South America. The coast of Southern America is parallel to ocean currents that flow directly toward the islands; making it easier to sail on solely muscular strength and wind assistance, without modern engines. More invasive species to Hawaii (besides humans, of course) would be Fire Ants and Japanese White-Eyes.

            While introducing a new species to a foreign area seems like a good idea in theory, it usually results negatively when practiced. The invasive species of Hawaii, particularly the Fire Ants and Japanese White-Eyes have majorly deterred the islands’ plant growth, bird  and bug population. Fire Ants, when brought to the islands, instantly made it their home. They started ravaging the vegetation, leaving other organisms vulnerable or out-of place. The Japanese White-Eyes, a type of Japanese bird, were the animals that started wiping out the bug population. Having the aggressive advantage over the indigenous foul, the Japanese White-Eyes made local bird populations drop drastically, not being able to compete with the Japanese White-Eyes for food.

            The overall worst invasive species to Hawaii were the humans. They brought over the organisms that influence Hawaii today, leaving it with a multitude of problems. When Europeans joined the Polanesian/South American inhabitants, they brought along education, the greed for land, and religion. Hawaii was starting to be settled, and the people originally there were brought into what was then-civilization. The influence the Europeans had on the original inhabitants have shaped Hawaii into the nation it is today.

 

Image of the Japanese White-Eye in Hawaii.

Image taken from Explore Biodiversity

NinaF, Assignment 5, Draft 1

 

The species diversity of the Hawaiian Islands has changed since the arrival of humans.  Invasive species are a part of the change. The Polynesians were responsible for changes in the population and different species living in Hawaii. While traveling to find new land they unintentionally and intentionally brought things with them. Some were negative others positive.

Hawaii before humans came was biologically diverse and unique with many species of birds. It had many other organisms that have become extinct since man came in to play. When the Polynesians came they found some of the birds as easy prey and as a result the birds went extinct (45). The Polynesians had brought along insects, spiders, mites, and other arthropods unintentionally in cargo (47).  Many of the Polynesians had leprosy and brought it while landing. Hawaii had one of the largest Leper colonies. 

Pigs were an example of one of the HIPPO factors that had affected Hawaii. They were brought over innocently for a source of food, but ended up reproducing and overpopulating the area with pigs. The pigs work back and forth across the floor, eating bark and roots of plants resulting in the uprooting and toppling tree ferns (49). They also dig wallows that collect pools of water that are the breeding grounds of mosquitoes that carry and transmit diseases to native birds (49). The African big-headed ant was another hindrance to Hawaiian life. The ants eat out a large amount of fellow insects in their path.  It had lead to the disappearance of smaller birds that eat insects due to its destruction of other insects. Water and soil from the islands were also contaminated and eliminated some species (50).

The result of humans coming into the picture and colonizing Hawaii has harmed the diversity of different species native to the islands. If the Polynesians had known of the things that they could have done to prevent species dying out and the ecosystem being harmed, there might have been a chance for the life from that time to continue to flourish.

DanielleQ, Assignment 05, First Draft

A thousand years ago Hawaii seemed like the ideal place to begin a new nation. To the Polynesians coming from Central America, Hawaii was the blank slate needed for them to begin anew. However what the Polynesians did not know was what they were bringing with them would change Hawaii forever.

The Polynesians brought new species of animals and insects, both intentionally and accidentally. While pigs were brought for the sake of food they began to reproduce in such away that there was an overpopulation that has lasted to this day. Species of African and Argentine ants have taken over the territories that had previously held flies and beetles. Other animals like goats and cattle graze away at what little vegetation is left to the islands, while cats and mongooses chose to set their sights on the native birds.

    In some cases overpopulation is not the problem.  It is actually the complete opposite when the snail species is taken into view. The rosy wolfsnails has unexpectedly consumed fifteen species of banded tree snails native to Hawaii. Combined along with rats, shell collectors, and the ever-declining forests it is safe to assume that the snail species of Hawaii will begin to lose its diversity.

    The changes to Hawaii’s species diversity are due to many factors. Habitat destruction, invasive species, over harvesting, and the human population are certainly some of the factors that has caused Hawaii to become unrecognizable from its previous state. When the Polynesians first made this humid island their home they had every intention of making the island suit their needs.  They did not have the intention of completely destroying the ecosystems that would lead to Hawaii’s species diversity plummeting. Rosy Wolfsnails

BetsyO Assignment 05 draft

 
Hawaii is said to be one of the most beautiful islands, with the abundance of tourism and population it is hard to believe that Hawaii has a problem with its inhabitants. It is said to have started when the Polynesian settlers arrived on the island in 400AD. Also it is because Hawaii was not re discovered until 1778 by Captain James Cook, after the rediscovery the island was soon populated with people, but the squatters of Hawaii brought unwanted guests with them;- invasive species of plants and animals also diseases in which much of the population were exposed; the most notorious disease in Hawaii was leprosy, for Hawaii houses the largest Leper colony in the world.

    In 400 AD the first Polynesian settlers arrived to the island of Hawaii. The settlers were the first arrival of human life on the island. Before their arrival Hawaii was said to have looked like the Garden of Eden, there were no invasive species, also there were no mosquitoes or poisonous bugs or bugs with stingers. Many plants were thriving and many birds walked or flew about the island. This all changes soon because of the Hawaiian settlers, the flightless ibis, and these birds roamed the earth and because they were flightless the settlers saw them as easy prey, the Polynesians hunted these animals and many others to extinction. The lands were lush and fertile crops we easily grown but soon much of the natural forest has been cleared and much of the soil lacks vital nutrients. In Hawaii barely one quarter of the islands land remains untouched

    When visiting Hawaii it is expected for one to look in awe of the islands natural beauty, what many people don’t know is much of the animals and plants are not native to the islands. It is stated in The Future of Life By E.O Wilson that because of the strong currents of the coast of many nations’ birds, and dangerous bugs were swept away and landed and reproduced in Hawaii. Many settlers also brought animals along with them and introduced them to the island not knowing they were introducing invasive species.

    The HIIPO factors seen in Hawaii are substantial the habitat destruction on the island has become a major problem. Once the island was covered in lush green forests today three fourths of the islands land has been cleared and because of this many animals are losing their habitats thus becoming extinct. The problem with invasive species has also become a larger problem in Hawaii, much of the islands livestock such as pigs were introduced to the island as invasive species. Pollution is affecting the fresh water, marine costal water and much of the soil in the island, soon no animals and no crops will be able to maintain because of the heavy polluted soil and water. With the increase of population land is running out soon all the HIPPO factors will become to prominent that the island will no longer be able to control human life. Overharvesting has not been as big as a problem in Hawaii, but when the Polynesians first arrived many of the flightless birds were hunted to extinction.

    The change in Hawaii is becoming more and more dangerous many people are unaware that Hawaii is being overpopulated and much of its original plant life are dying and will soon be extinct. Soon because of the HIPPO factors the island of Hawaii will soon not be able to control the growth of humans.

NinaF, Assignment 4, Final Draft

  A bottle neck is when a system is limited by one or more resources. The bottleneck is a result of conflict between advances in science and technology. Advances in technology and science are used towards gaining economic wealth. On the other hand the advances also bring problems into our environment.

An example of a bottleneck is the pollution brought by airplanes and cars. Another is found with animals such as the cheetah. The population decreases so some of them end up breeding within their bloodline.

Wilson presents arguments from two different perspectives: The economist and the environmentalist. The economist sees the environmental problems as easily fixable. They only focus on how everything is growing. The environmentalist believes that even with ups there are a lot of downs that we have to take caution too. Our society takes advantages of all these advances. If something were to happen it would be harder to fix. The environmentalist says that Earth has lost its ability to regenerate unless global consumption is reduced.

Both the economist and the environmentalist believe that there is an increase in things but the environmentalist thinks more about how resources could be wiped out and how it will be dangerous if it changes. The economist believes there are problems but believes that the economy is more important and that the troubles we have caused to the world can be changed as we move along.

This all relates because it in hopes of benefitting the earth. Wilson states that we should combine the values for the environmental dilemma and that way life can be safely conducted through the bottleneck that humans have made a hole in.

EGarcia,Assignment 04, Final Draft

The bottleneck which E.O. Wilson discusses pertains to modern day humans, their lifestyle and the consequences of it. He repeatedly stresses the seriousness of the present situations that humanity has put it in. Population and scientific advance, both continually increase and exponentially high rates. Rates that are so high in fact that the earth and its natural resources, on which all life depends can not keep up.

As the human population, currently over 6 billion individuals, continues to grow the amount of space and necessitates required to sustain them also increases. In order to reach these needs that the growing population has people, especially the scientists and businessmen of the world stay at work improving old ideas and coming up with new ones. There are advances in all fields of study and commerce. Even beyond that, changes in those areas create changes in human culture and their life. Technological and medical advances, like antibiotics, refrigeration, vaccinations, purified water, and planes make it possible for humans to live longer, travel further, and be more “productive” in their lifetime.

These oh-so-wonderful advances make enrich culture but they come at a high price to the environment and its resources. This involves the obliteration of entire ecosystems and the deterioration of many others and the species residing there. While the economist argues that these occurrences are merely part of a phase that is to be expected, is normal, and will pass the educated mind of an ecologist knows better.

Such an ecologist or even a high school student can infer that that economist might be correct about certain things that were part of such a statement. These occurrences are to be expected. Why not? The treatment of the earth by humans could not truly yield any other result except destruction. Those advances in aviation are wonderful for increasing the efficiency of business, and even aids in medical treatment. But the environmentalist points out that the pollution of such technology that has been so cherished like planes and cars hurts the earth and humanity in the long run. Wilson refers to studies that found that Earth’s capacity was exceeded years ago in 1978. So while the people who are already crowding the Earth continue with their advances, while helpful the Earth can not withstand their effect. While the economist deems these situations as normality, the ecologist can see that they are not but can agree that the economist is right in saying that this will pass.

Time can not be stopped, and continually presses on. Stating that this is all a phase might be true. If so, however it would be a phase of the world not of humanity. For if such a “phase” is allowed to continue it will be the last humans ever act on. Eventually this “bottleneck” will pass, or hopefully something will pass survive passing through. Despite the economist’s argument, supported with all the benefits of technology the ecologist understands that the important question remains is who will be left when it does, and what will they be left with?

 

ClaireC, Assignment 04, Final draft

The bottleneck effect can be extremely detrimental to an ecosystem. Though it is possible to happen to humans, we see it happening to animals much more; for example the cheetah. When a bottleneck occurs it means that a large community dwindles down to a small community. This can keep dwindling down to near extinction. This has been evident in animals, but Wilson is now saying that humans should be careful because we also face a bottleneck.

            Wilson starts the second chapter by talking about how humans have changed so much from the twentieth century to now, the twenty first century. In the twentieth century we were dark and savage and accepted the destruction of ecosystems and million year old species. Now we have changed a substantial amount. In the twenty first century we have been “awakened from our delirium” and now are providing more for our Earth. Wilson says that this happened because in the twentieth century we had science and technology combined with lack of self-understanding and Paleolithic obstinacy. Now in the twenty first century science and technology are combined with foresight and moral courage and this will get us out of the dilemma we are in. In class we discussed some forms of technology, which have helped us advance. We now have vaccines and antibiotics, which prevent and heal us from disease. We also are educated more on how we can keep ourselves healthy and live longer and reproduce in the world. We have a waste management system and clean water which keep us free of bacteria. In addition, we have transportation, such as refrigeration of products through trucks or airplanes. But we do not use this technology to all of our advantage. Technology such as transportation has even hurt our world more because of the air pollution is causes. Yet, we still use transportation even though it hurts our world so much. This is because we are getting economic growth from it, and we have become a world that cares more about wealth gain than the own health of our world.

            Wilson also discusses the differing views between economists and environmentalists. Wilson clearly does not agree with the economists. Their view is that it does not really matter what we are doing wrong to our world now, because we will fix everything later. It is kind of a lazy point of view and will eventually hurt the Earth very badly. Wilson uses the green revolution as an example for the economists. The green revolution raised crop yields in the developing countries and can be repeated with new technology. The economists see this as human entrepreneurship will nourish the world. They are much more into the ideology that human’s dominance is the world’s destiny. Wilson says that this attitude is due to political mismanagment, rather than actual calculations. They support their idea by saying that with the green revolution, which dramatically rasied crop yields in the developing countries, new technology can be repeated so why should we doubt that humans can keep us flourishing forever. The environmentalists have a completely different point of view, they want to preserve the health of our planet. They understand that the problems of our world need to be solved now and cannot be left until later. Environmentalists believe that “The appropriation of productive land—the ecological footprint—is already too large for the planet to sustain and it’s growing larger”. Wilson talks about how a recent study that says that the Earth’s capacity was exceeded around the year 1978. And by 2000, it was 1.4 times that capacity. The environmentalist’s point of view also talks about as harvesting and processing techniques improved, the hunt for whales increased. Whale populations continually declined and are now close to extinction. This includes several different species, one being the blue whale. They extend this argument to falling ground water, drying rivers, and shrinking per capita arable land., The environmentalist reinforces the idea through this concept that something needs to be done now because the problem is becoming unbearable.

            Our world is growing at an alarming rate. Countries like China have amazingly high populations that their land is just not able to support. Though we have come a long way from the twentieth century, Wilson stresses that we all need to pay more attention to the things around us. We need to take charge of our planet and make use of the science and technology provided to us so that our world can be prolonged for many more centuries.

Assignment 04 Final Draft LovingI.

 

 

  In Chapter Two of The Future of Life, Wilson begins to discuss in a more serious matter some of the issues surrounding our Century of the environment. We are introduced to the “bottleneck effect”. The bottleneck effect deals with a small number of organisms trying to cope. This is the case with our immediate environment. We as a people are in fact contributing to some problems that have arisen especially the over population of our Earth in a century where we as humans are indeed trying to cope with the outcomes of this increase in population. Wilson uses points of views from an economist focused on production and consumption and an environmentalist who is focused themselves on unsustainable crop yields, overdrawn aquifers, and threatened ecosystems. These two perspectives differ in their opinions, but also are comparable in some ways.

  Wilson discusses how science and technology along with foresight and moral courage will and must see us through the bottleneck presenting his opinion through the views of an  economist and environmentalist .The economist argues that although our environment suffers from its own problems, they can be solved and that our environment is prosperous in itself. The economist says that the national products of industry all over the world continue to rise and puts a positive view on the world stating that even though the world population has greatly increased, while it has increased, the food and crops has managed to keep up and increase as well. But the economist does mention some negatives saying that fibers are declining steeply in most parts of the world, but agriforestry (a method and system of land management involving the simultaneous cultivation of far crops and trees) has managed to provide aid to the declining fibers seeing as to how more than 20% of industrial wood fiber now comes from tree plantations. he/she believes that Human dominance is Earth’s destiny” and that harmful disturbances humans have inflicted can be moderated and reversed as time goes on. He states that is is  "genius and effort" that have transformed the environment to work in faveor for humans. This can be anything from electricity, to cars, computers, cellphones,etc. all things created to  be beneficial to  human life today.

  The environmentalist on the other hand has a different way of seeing things. He agrees that “humanity has learned how to create an economy driven paradise”, but says that is only true on a large flexible planet. The environmentalist believes that we should not look to GNPs (Gross National Products) and corporate annual reports for an accurate view of our world’s economic future. The environmentalist also argues that what counts in the long term is the content of economic growth with natural resources accounted for, not just the income in products and currency. He/she stresses that the earth has lost its ability to change and that global exhaustion needs to be reduced and global production elevated or both.Negative effects he states would include natural resources such as fresh water especially and arable land dinimishing and causing the economy lose its steam as well as the effort to enlarge productive land wiping out a large part of the world's fauna and flora. 

   Both the environmentalist and economist agree that there has been an overwhelming increase in population. While the economist sees this as something that will be positive for our Earth, the envrironmentalist believes that this will affect the Earth negatively.  Both present views on the issue that help us to see the factors that are involved in our Earth’s  future and through their opinions we see the affect that the bottleneck will continue to have on our Earth’s growing population and what we must do to help in the future of our planet Earth.

KatieG, Assignment 04, Final

    The “bottleneck” Wilson refers to is the critical time in the near future when the human population will either slow its growth rate and begin preserving the earth or increase exponentially and likely run out of natural resources. As Wilson relates, the statistics are staggering. In 1950 there were 2.5 billion people on earth. Now there are over six billion. Advances in science and technology have enabled this rise. Medical advances, such as the invention of antibiotics and vaccines as well as lifestyle changes like increased literacy and cleanliness have all increased the average lifespan. This progress however, comes at a price. The world’s resources are finite and there are limits to how much stress the environment can handle. Whether these advances and the increased lifespan can be used for the earth’s good or whether the human race has already pushed the planet too far is the subject of much debate.

   Wilson relates the viewpoints of an archetypical economist whose main concerns are production and consumption. He believes the planet is “perpetually fruitful” and that technology can be used to reverse damage to the earth. According to him, human progress, both social and economic is what is important. The environmentalist, however, sees the world’s resources as limited. If population growth and consumption are not curtailed the earth’s resources will essentially be used up. The environmentalist feels immediate action must be taken. To legitimize the feelings of the environmentalist, Wilson points out that the average American requires twenty-four acres to live (this includes the average amount of land appropriated in bits and pieces from around the world for water, food, energy, transportation, housing, commerce and waste absorption) while the average person in a developing country requires just two and a half acres. If every person in the world reached American levels of consumption, four more planet earths would be required. Unlike the economist, the environmentalist does not believe these issues will resolve themselves. The environmentalist sees the earth not as a playground to be used recklessly but as a fragile ecosystem that needs immediate care.  

   Although the viewpoints differ greatly, Wilson comments that the majority of people have both a little of the economist and the environmentalist inside them. Both care about human progress. The environmentalist, however believes that human progress is now coming at a price that is much too high.    

 

 

marlok, assignment4, finaldraft

   Wilson describes in chapter two the term bottleneck, and what the world may soon be facing. The bottleneck Wilson describes is how technology helped the population of the world grow to a huge number, a number that without technology the world would not have reached, but at the same time how the technology will not be able to erase of the problems it caused the world. Cheetahs are also facing a bottleneck of their own, the poaching and lack of food is causing the cheetahs number to decrease; human technology is killing already endangered species.

    The world's population has reached past six billion, a number that would not have been obtainable without advancements in technology. Sewage systems, refrigeration, vaccines/ medicine are little improvements that has brought the worlds population to the number it is today. The technology today is also increasing the world's population, cures for diseases and research advancement in the science world are saving people's lives. But with this advancement in technology, wealth and power plays a role. There comes a point when people are more concerned with the money they would make then the change they would bring. The technology we have available today, is now becoming a demand in society rather than a luxury. The advancement in technology is causing more problems in the world then it is solving, transportation is an advancement in technology but the pollution it is causing, in some eyes could be seen as a bigger problem rather than a good advancement.

    In his text, Wilson shows both an economist and an environmentalist's view on the bottleneck. Both agree that a bottleneck occurred and the world's population is a high as it is due to the advancement in technology. But the economist would argue that the advancement in technology is something that should keep going. They believe that the success we have as human being should be used to advance in the world and the advancement in technology we are seeing should not stop. On the other hand, environmentalist would argue that the advancement needs to slow down or stop because it is causing more problems in the world then it is solving.

     The environmentalists know the world is in a crisis due to the advancement in technology, the people who are listening to the environmentalists are the ones making a difference in the world. While the economist would encourage the poaching of cheetahs to increase the fur trade and meat, the environmentalists is trying to stop the killing of endangered animals. Over all the environmentalists are the people who will be saving the world. They are the people who are trying to stop the advancement in more technology, they see that it has done more damage to the world that it has helped. With the bottleneck the human population is facing, the world according to Wilson will only survive if we follow the ways of the environmentalists.

CaraM Assignment 4 Final Draft

    In this chapter of The Future of Life, Wilson uses the term bottleneck to describe how species survive when faced with harsh lifestyles. For instance, cheetahs are trying to make it through the bottleneck by committing incest because they are being over hunted and their only solution is to mate with their own family to survive. Another species that made it through the bottleneck is the human race. However, is our new technology and increased population destroying the earth?

    Although the new technology that humans have discovered has dramatically improved our lives and increase the life span for humans technology may be what is killing the earth. Technology, such as water treatment plants, helps us live healthier by cleaning the water supply that may be contaminated by waste bacteria that may have seeped into the ground. Refrigerators are also a technology that has helped humans keep food from spoiling. This has also helped prevent illnesses caused by bacteria from spoiled food. But all of these examples are hurting our earth by cutting down forest to build factories and polluting our planet.

    Wilson refers to the economist and environmentalist to show the positive and negative sides to the advancements of technology.  The economist believes that the environment will be fine despite the growing industries that have benefited the world's economy and help with world literacy. The Economist states "Human rule is Earth's destiny" (Wilson 26). meaning humans have control on the Earth's state of environmental health. On the other hand, the environmentalist acknowledges the improvements of human life, but also sees how the environment around us is in a decline and we won't be able to afford to clean up the mess we have made. the enviromentalist believes we are in way over our heads to fix all the problems and stress that we put on our planet. Although the economy will be great in our future, the earth’s resource will probably not be available because of the over use of technology.

    China is a great example to how the environment cannot keep up with an increased population because China relies on a watering system for crops. If the watering system fails then they will not be able to feed everyone and wouldn't be able to borrow food because of their surplus population. As the increase of technology and population keeps growing, the earth is unfortunately starting to decline due to overusing resources. So perhaps the human race was a little too successful going through the bottleneck. 

CaitlinD, Assignment 04, Final Draft

    In the second chapter of the Future of Life, Wilson describes the bottle neck theory. Many species undergo this bottle neck, even humans. The bottle neck theory is that as population increases, we damage the environment. Society has a race to improve technology, which in turn destroys the environment. Our ability to fix the environment will be overwhelmed by the damage that has already been done. Some examples are agriculture, transportation, and energy. The bottleneck is described by Wilson is an effect that occurs when a population gets decreasingly smaller and smaller to the point of extinction.  Because of this bottle neck effect, the population becomes so small that often species are forced to mate with members of their own family in order to maintain and sustain life.

    Wilson compares the different views of the 20th and 21st centuries in this chapter.  He describes the twentieth century as a "dark and savage age of world wars, genocide, and totalitarian ideologies" which clearly shows his opinion of their treatment of the natural world during this period of time.  In the text he says that all of these natural resources were wasted.  For the 21st century, Wilson states that "we may be ready to settle down before we wreck the planet." He shows how in this day and age, society is beginning to realize that in time man will completely ruin the natural world, and society will have nothing left of it. He shows how society became aware of the damage that has been done in the past, and that it is crucial to repair what has been broken.

    For every species that goes through the bottle neck, they must come up with technological advances, in order to survive. Over the past several hundred years humans have greatly increased their rate of survival, life expectancy, and health with the introduction of new technologies. Some examples are vaccines/antibiotics, sewage regulation, education, industrial advances, and refrigeration. These technological advances allow more people, but rapidly destroys the environment. , Wilson suggests, and in a sense, fears, that one day we will no longer have the ability to fix our damaged environment with technological advancements because our technology is what damaged the environment in the first place. In the bottle neck, each of the HIPPO factors become more and more severe. An example of this happening is Global warming.

    Wilson also talks about the differences between environmentalists and economists in this chapter. Wilson specifically compares and contrasts their differences in terms of the environment.  Economists are "focused on production and consumption." They are more focused on specific numbers. Wilson states that the economists ask these two questions "How much resources do we have left?  How long will it take us to get more resources?"  Although these are important and necessary questions to be asked in order to save the earth's resources, Wilson believes that rather than asking, they should be doing. Wilson believes in spreading the word about this issue to society in order to fix the problem. Wilson favors the ideas and work of the environmentalists, they work diligently to come up with solutions, and to them, it is the main purpose, they believe in the outcome, for the better of the environment. The environmentalist says that  " the planet...is exhausted and in trouble. The environmentalist understands that the earth's resources are limited. They know that if keeps population growing and consumption keeps happening, the earth’s resources will essentially be completely used up. Wilson states that he believes that the majority of society obtain a little bit of both of these ideologies. Although their opinions differ, both are concerned about human progress. The environmentalist however believes that human progress is now coming at too high of a cost and Wilson agrees. The economists plan for the future which demands overuse of the planet’s resources with the hope the hope that advances in technology could undo the damage, which Wilson says is naive.  Both the environmentalists and economists argue over what the earth needs most, and what are more sufficient ways to handle the problems.

    In today's complex world, where everything seems possible, it is hard to ignore the damage society has caused for the environment. With each technological advance, more wreckage is built up. The environment is a main, necessary, and vital part of the lives of humans. Our natural resources should not be taken for granted, because if the society does not start a plan of action to save them, one day, they will no longer exist. 

GabriellaM, assignment 4, final draft

    Bottleneck is a term used within the animal kingdom when a specific group of species is being over hunted and their only way of survival and reproduction is through incest mating. A good example of this is the cheetah. The second largest specie in the cat family, the cheetah is the fastest recorded land mammal. Due to over hunting of cheetah fur, they are becoming desperate for mates. The cheetah is aware of one thing: in order to keep the population growing, they must mate. Due to separation and dominant males taking over one another’s groups, two sibling cheetah’s mating is something they have been obligated to do lately because of the sudden disappearance of the cheetah population.

    In The Future of Life, E.O. Wilson discuss’ why the bottleneck effect is occurring with the human population. Due to over population with humans and the way we are using the natural resources from the Earth, the bottleneck is happening to us since the Earth is not replenishing itself immediately. Over population is the outcome of more and more couples deciding to have bigger families. Wilson blames medicine and technology for the baby boom because the improvements and discoveries of antibiotics, vaccines, purified water and humane living conditions elongate and promote healthier lives. Women now often use birth control contraceptives so the population is better under control, but for a long while bottleneck was facing the human population because we were hastefully using the Earth’s natural resources.

    Although improvements in technology and medicine are the cause for bottleneck to the Earth, medicine and technology have upgraded the health care so the life expectancy of children has been tripled so they can live until a ripe old age. One hundred years ago, children would die after a couple years old because they were diagnosed with tuberculosis or hay fever; diseases which were incurable and lethal to one’s health. With the vaccinations for nearly every disease known to man kind (not every disease, but most), tuberculosis and hay fever are not even apparent to the United States any longer.

    Wilson takes two sides on the issue of bottleneck; an economist and an environmentalist. The economist is similar to the business man. He believes that technology is a great thing and without technology we would not be as advanced as we are today. He believes we should continue the use and improvements of technology. The environmentalist has a different point of view; he believes that although technology has helped us up until this point, we should halt from using it at this point and forward because it will cause severe side effects with the earth. Air travel is a controversial issue between economists and environmentalists. An economist would say they love avionics! And there is nothing like a face-to-face business meeting. It transports food, flowers, mail, and it is now said that air travel is safer than using a car! But, an environmentalist would say the noise can psychologically harm people, and the pollution damages the o-zone layer and contributes to green house gasses. Although the economist and environmentalist do share different beliefs, they do have one thing in common: technology has helped our country’s development tremendously, and with out technology our country would not have some of the best medical and health care systems in the world. 

 

 

   

 

    An air plane preparing

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nadaE Assignment04 Final

  The bottleneck that Wilson is trying to portray for the reader in this chapter is that of the current human life struggle. Humans are going through a bottleneck of their own, trying to cope with the massive damage they’ve wrought upon the organism inhabitants of earth, the atmosphere itself, and worldly resources with new technology. The only way to solve such an issue is to look into two points of view; the view of the economist and the view of the ecologist, for guidance on resolving such issues.

            The economist argues that what the world is currently going through is a byproduct of success. Such a rediculas claim is only supported by money earned by consumption. The economist feels that the earnings of such success are mostly benefitial and argues that the human race consumes so many resources, that the damage taking place to our single most important biome is a healthy phase that will blow over. The only similar notion the economist shares with the ecologist is that this ‘phase’ that out world is undergoing has the ability to be dynamic, or change.  

            The ecologist, on the other hand, naturally disagrees with almost everything brought up by the economist. While the economist measures in consumption and benefit, the economist focuses on the overall being of one thing; this case being the earth. The ecologist knows that the earth is in a crisis, and that the ever-rising population of humans is not helping whatsoever. The only way the earth can ever recover from such a massive blow to it’s resources and atmosphere is for it to be nurtured and assisted. The ecologist, having less power than the economist, can only inform others on right decisions to help repair the damage done to the earth. The people who chose to listen to the ecologist over the economist are the ones who are really making the most difference.

    Both of these points of view can be directed toward the bottleneck of the cheetahs. As discussed in class, cheetahs are going through their own population struggle. Excessive poaching and environmental destruction make food scarce and difficult to obtain. In the case of the cheetahs, poachers would be the economists, saying that the cheetahs were fine and could suffice on their own. Reserve rangers or just sympathetic people in general would be the ecologist, saying that the environment and human technology are to blame.

            Overall, the bottleneck has also been extremely influenced by both positive and negative upgrades in technology. While vaccinations, sewage treatment, water treatment and modern transportation all benefit humans by keeping them safe and making life convenient, they actually damage the earth itself. All of these advances in technology help keep humans alive and healthier longer, which is what assists in population growth, disease eradication (which is good in the worldly sense, since it increases natural selection/population control), atmospheric damage, and resource damage. With all these new technologies that need to be fueled and running, people have raped the earth of resources, and it would have to take 4 more planet earths just to keep up with the growth and consumption of the American standard of living. While the economists in us keep looking to the bright and happy future at the end of this ‘phase’, the ecologist in us all knows that action has to be taken now to steer technology in the direction of controlling how the earth as a whole further evolves.

DanielleQ, Assignment04, Final Draft

A bottleneck is a phenomenon where the performance or capacity of an entire system is limited by a single or limited number of components or resources. What Wilson means is while there is an increase in the human population there is a decrease in the environment.  While an economist studies how society distributes resources an environmentalist studies the concerns for the environment.   

The conflict of this bottleneck is that while the advances in science technology benefit the human population, it has a harsh and long term effect on the surrounding environment. In an economist perspective the worries of the environment are not as important of the worries of the humans because, even though it is at a slightly slower pace, the regeneration process of the forests is happening at around the same time of their destruction. Their argument is that it is necessary to make some sacrifices in order to benefit society as it has lead to some of greatest achievements in history such as vaccines and technology.

In an environmentalist perspective just because the regeneration process is happening, it does not mean that the natural resources should be squandered so easily. Eventually an area will run out of fresh water and arable land and the only other option will be to move the research to another area. It is just not worth using up all of the natural resources on an experiment that might have little to no effect on current science technology. Their argument is that it is some of that technology’s fault that we now face threats like global warming and loss of habits of important species of animals.

Both of these perspectives have the idea to use some of the natural resources to benefit science technology in order to make life better for the human species. However, these perspectives vary greatly when it comes to how much of the resources should be used. While economist desires to use as much resources for research as possible an environmentalist only desires to use what is needed and not a drop more. While both groups have a common goal, their plans of action could not be more different.