Our world is burning because of air pollution and greenhouse gasses. As a result, some species will face extinction. One way to prevent a total collapse of the food chain is to move certain species away from their native homelands to cooler places. While this may seem like a good idea, if we play a wrong move, then it could lead to the destruction of entire ecosystems and make everything much, much worse. So, should we accept the risk and try to save things before the world turns into an apocalyptic hell?
The advantages of moving species to cooler lands include the chance of preserving the food chain, giving the animals more time to adapt to warming environments, and humans could create artificial biomes. When the species at the bottom of the food chain goes extinct, so does the one on top, then the next, until the whole ecosystem is dead. However, if we move the chain away from hot places, then they might have a chance at survival. Doing so will also buy humans some time to figure out what to do to resolve the problem of global warming. After all, even if we somehow suddenly cut emissions by 75 percent, the carbon budget would still be used up by 2100, which is just 78 years from now. In the best case scenario, moving species could potentially buy us a few more crucial decades. But that’s not all. Humans could literally engineer their own ‘perfect’ ecosystem because they would have total control over which animals go where, and they can create an environment with the right ratio of each species. That way, we can eliminate existing cases of invasive species which are a huge thorn in the side for environmentalists.
Side effects of assisted removal include the creation of new invasive species, increased competition for food, resulting in more deaths, and something could go very wrong because humans do not fully understand how certain species react to the presence of each other. Because of evolution animals who have not inhabited a place will have no natural predators there. So, when an animal is introduced to a region it’s not supposed to be in, there will be havoc. If a species has no threat to its survival, then it will multiply uncontrollably. Eurasian Zebra Mussels for example, have invaded the Great Lakes and are clogging pipes and taking the rightful habitats of native species. Also, because assisted migration will start clamoring animals into tighter spaces, while environments still generate the same amount of resources per square mile, there will suddenly be a lot more competition for food. The common belief “Survival of the fittest” can be said about nature, as altruism is not a choice. Therefore, some species will have to face extinction either way. Additionally, scientists may mistakenly believe that two groups go well together, when in reality, they do not, as so little is known about nature.
In the end, it would be best to accept the risk and migrate species away from their natural homelands. It might promote a new field that would benefit humanity. Animals that had recently experienced a natural disaster could immediately be relocated to other shelters. A minor benefit would also be increased tree population, as scientists are also experimenting with greens other than animals. Eventually at some point, there will be too little space for too many animals, so assisted migration could encourage humans to look outwards to the moon and beyond. Additionally, as the globe heats up, natural disasters become more common, so species which have recently endured one will be conveniently moved elsewhere. Finally, assisted migration would result in the planting of more saplings, because they will always be the first test subjects when scientists are starting a new artificial ecosystem. Trees are known for absorbing harmful gasses, so assisted migration would also reduce net emissions by a bit.
The earth seems like it might collapse because of us, humans. Thankfully scientists and conservationists are recognizing the danger and are actively trying to assist the environment. One part of this effort is assisted/controlled migration. This is already happening in experiments.The benefits of assisted migration include the preservation of the food chain, the possibility of making an engineered ecosystem, and etc. The only major disadvantages would be that some species might not get along well when we don’t realize it, and some animals would become invasive. However, it is necessary to take the risk as there are no other viable options left that could solve the problem quickly enough. Thankfully, humanity has already considered this, and is on the way to get rid of climate change for good.
Comments