[NatureNS] PS Earthworm effects

To: naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
From: Kent Mullin <kmullin@ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 22:05:15 -0400
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I would tend to agree, though not necessarily always, that the  
conditions within which something evolves are likely the best  
conditions for that entities continued survival ( as it currently  
exists).

We should not however lose sight of the fact that conditions change.  
They are modified over time, both with and without the complicity of  
all evolving in the milieu. Change can and does drive evolution, and  
conversely, evolution drives change. Change is constant, in fact  
change is the only thing that is constant (oxymoron ?). Change in our  
world has many agents, not the least of which is man. However, even  
without man, mother nature introduces species to locations where they  
never existed before, driving change.

Today we have no clue as to the number of species that were  
introduced to this area over aeons past, or the number of species  
that became extinct over that same time. We do not know the number of  
species that were originally native to our shores or the number,  
either native or introduced, that evolved here into something else  
entirely. We assume that what we found here when we arrived, and the  
pitiful little that we have found evidence of in the fossil record,  
were indigenous.

There is however one thing that we may be reasonably sure of and that  
is that in the past there will have been species that provided  
threats comparative to those of today's earthworms at large, and our  
woodland changed and survived to become The Great Acadian Forest.
The Acadian Forest that once stood so magnificently proud in Nova  
Scotia has been reduced to just a few localized exemplars, and as  
well, great swaths of what once was a conifer (boreal) forest now lie  
bare, all thanks to one introduced species.

Dr. Ken Harrison once told me that at one time Morel mushrooms grew  
abundantly in Annapolis Valley apple orchards but that man wiped them  
out with his applications of fungicide.

Perhaps it is all in the eye of the beholder. For example, as Halifax  
sprawls, the surrounding natural beauty of the area is being consumed  
and regurgitated as bricks, mortar and asphalt. This is no doubt  
impressive development to some and seen as a blight by others.

In any event, while each must choose the battleground on which he is  
to fight, and while the earthworm can prove detrimental to certain  
trees and woodland plants, perhaps one could be forgiven for thinking  
that a better target for ones energies and efforts might just be a  
mindlessly destructive self introduced species...MAN.

Man is the species that brought in the earthworm. Man is the species  
that is consuming our forests and ripping the viscera out of our  
earth. Man is the species that is reproducing so rapidly and  
fulsomely that the natural splendour around our cities and in our  
country-sides seems to be disappearing overnight. Man is the biggest  
blight on himself and his world. It is population which is the prime  
driver of global warming, yet we, man, seem to be oblivious of that  
fact.

Strangely though, through all of this, I only hear reference to the  
earthworm menace, but then, everybody else is silent.
The earthworms are here, in field and farm, and they are ubiquitous.
Nonetheless the forest will survive.
The earth may yet be lucky, we might not.

K.


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica">I would =
tend to agree, though not necessarily always, that the conditions within =
which something evolves are likely the best conditions for that entities =
continued survival ( as it currently exists).</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: =
14.0px Helvetica">=A0</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica">We should =
not however lose sight of the fact that conditions change. They are =
modified over time, both with and without the complicity of all evolving =
in the milieu. Change can and does drive evolution, and conversely, =
evolution drives change. Change is constant, in fact change is the only =
thing that is constant (oxymoron ?). Change in our world has many =
agents, not the least of which is man. However, even without man, mother =
nature introduces species to locations where they never existed before, =
driving change.=A0</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"4"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 14px;"><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: =
14.0px Helvetica">Today we have no clue as to the number of species that =
were introduced to this area over aeons past, or the number of species =
that became extinct over that same time. We do not know the number of =
species that were originally native to our shores or the number, either =
native or introduced, that evolved here into something else entirely. We =
assume that what we found here when we arrived, and the pitiful little =
that we have found evidence of in the fossil record, were =
indigenous.=A0</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"4"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 14px;"><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: =
14.0px Helvetica">There is however one thing that we may be reasonably =
sure of and that is that in the past there will have been species that =
provided threats comparative to those of today's earthworms at large, =
and our woodland changed and survived to become The Great Acadian =
Forest.=A0</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica">The Acadian Forest that once =
stood so magnificently proud in Nova Scotia has been reduced to just a =
few localized exemplars, and as well, great swaths of what once was a =
conifer (boreal) forest now lie bare, al