[NatureNS]Invasive aliens: was re unauthorized vs. OK plants lists

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2010 12:36:33 -0300
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Hi Gerald,
On 3-Nov-10, at 12:22 PM, naturens@zdoit.airpost.net wrote:

> May I share my personal humour on this subject? I think there is  
> danger describing something done by people as non-natural. It  
> encourages the belief that people are not part of nature. I even  
> find humour in the idea that a bird bringing an alien seed to Nova  
> Scotia natural, but a human doing the same thing otherwise.

There's that, but its also useful to be able to distinguish between  
the impact that human activity has on the planet, and that which  
arises from other causes. This is so because we recognize that the  
former and latter are qualitatively and quantitatively very different.  
Both a person and a bird could transport a seed, but a bird can't  
build a highway, a bridge to PEI, consume vast quantities of fossil  
fuel, or cause an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. :->

"Non-natural" may not be a particularly good or precise term for this.  
Scientists use terms like "anthropogenic" which are much more precise  
but may be a tad jargon-ish for lay people to adopt.

As to whether humans are part of "nature", the answer depend on what  
point you are trying to convey. On the one hand, of course, we are a  
species like every other; on the other hand (see above) as a species  
we do things that no others do. So, its useful to be able to  
distinguish.

Cheers!

Chris

Christopher Majka  <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca> | Halifax, Nova Scotia,  
Canada

* Research Associate: Nova Scotia Museum | http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm
* Review Editor: The Coleopterists Bulletin | http://www.coleopsoc.org/
* Subject Editor: ZooKeys | http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index
* Associate Editor: Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society | http://www.acadianes.org/journal.html
* Editor: Atlantic Canada Coleoptera | http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html

"Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old  
war-horse at the sound of a trumpet." - Charles Darwin


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi&nbsp;Gerald,<div><div>On =
3-Nov-10, at 12:22 PM, <a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@zdoit.airpost.net">naturens@zdoit.airpost.net</a> =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div>May I share my personal humour on this subject? I =
think there is danger describing something done by people as =
non-natural. It encourages the belief that people are not part of =
nature. I even find humour in the idea that a bird bringing an alien =
seed to Nova Scotia natural, but a human doing the same thing =
otherwise.<br></div></blockquote><br></div><div>There's that, but its =
also useful to be able to distinguish between the impact that human =
activity has on the planet, and that which arises from other causes. =
This is so because we recognize that the former and latter are =
qualitatively and quantitatively very different. Both a person and a =
bird could transport a seed, but a bird can't build a highway, a bridge =
to PEI, consume vast quantities of fossil fuel, or cause an oil spill in =
the Gulf of Mexico. :-&gt;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>"Non-natural" =
may not be a particularly good or precise term for this. Scientists use =
terms like "anthropogenic" which are much more precise but may be a tad =
jargon-ish for lay people to adopt.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>As to =
whether humans are part of "nature", the answer depend on what point you =
are trying to convey. On the one hand, of course, we are a species like =
every other; on the other hand (see above) as a species we do things =
that no others do. So, its useful to be able to =
distinguish.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br></div><div>Chr=
is</div><br><div apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
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