| Speculative biology is simultaneously a science and form of art in which one speculates on the possibilities of life and evolution. What could the world look like if dinosaurs had never gone extinct? What could alien lifeforms look like? What kinds of plants and animals might exist in the far future? These questions and more are tackled by speculative biologists, and the Speculative Evolution welcomes all relevant ideas, inquiries, and world-building projects alike. With a member base comprising users from across the world, our community is the largest and longest-running place of gathering for speculative biologists on the web. While unregistered users are able to browse the forum on a basic level, registering an account provides additional forum access not visible to guests as well as the ability to join in discussions and contribute yourself! Registration is free and instantaneous. Join our community today! |
| Long Term Conservation | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: May 27 2010, 12:40 PM (1,568 Views) | |
| lamna | May 27 2010, 12:40 PM Post #1 |
![]() ![]()
|
I'm not sure if this belongs here but what do you chaps and girl-chaps think about what will happen with conservation if humanity is around for a long time? Let me explain what I'm on about Here in Europe the introduced Ruddy Duck is breeding with native White-headed Ducks and producing fertile hybrids. And some conservationists are worried that eventually there will be no pure White-headed Ducks left. I don't see what the problem with that is, if the hybrids are better at surviving and the white headed genes still continue, what is the problem? I don't see why we are interfering in evolution. Sure Ruddy Ducks aren't supposed to be here, but they are doing no harm at all apart from merging with the White-headed Ducks, and even that is probably a good thing for the White-headed genes, as the Ruddy genes will just help the new duck expand it's range. I see this sort of thing all the time, rare subspecies on the brink and nobody even considering hybridization. This seems more like preservation to me, keeping living museum specimens and not conserving the future of a species. Do you think this might continue into the future, with us trying to keep animals from evolving to preserve the species we have now? |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
![]() |
|
| Replies: | |
|---|---|
| Holben | May 29 2010, 02:35 PM Post #31 |
![]()
Rumbo a la Victoria
![]()
|
The what would we do with these species? Just let them live out their lives until we leave? |
|
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
![]() |
|
| Spinosaurus Rex | May 29 2010, 02:54 PM Post #32 |
![]()
Apex
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
By then we'd probably a lot of other things, too. It's hard as hell to predict the future beyond, say, 10-20 years. Too many variables. Hopefully we could introduce other members of that species to sustain a viable breeding population. |
The Dreaded AOL Dial-Up has left me afraid to spend more than 5 minutes posting at risk of losing it all. Arghhh.
| |
![]() |
|
| Holben | May 29 2010, 02:59 PM Post #33 |
![]()
Rumbo a la Victoria
![]()
|
And what would we do with that? |
|
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
![]() |
|
| Spinosaurus Rex | May 29 2010, 06:07 PM Post #34 |
![]()
Apex
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Um, what? |
The Dreaded AOL Dial-Up has left me afraid to spend more than 5 minutes posting at risk of losing it all. Arghhh.
| |
![]() |
|
| lamna | May 29 2010, 06:39 PM Post #35 |
![]() ![]()
|
I think we should keep a genetic record of them, perhaps preserve a few in captivity if it amuses us or they are useful. But in general I think if a species dies out naturally we should let it go.
The population's still very small, though larger than I thought at about 300. Still that mean's nothing if there were only a small number of founders for the captive population. Also if we used North China leopards you'd be hard pressed to call it unnatural as their historic ranges overlap. I also don't see how it would lead to it's extinction. If the other leopard's genes were not good enough, it would not be able to pollute the population and it's population would crash. Oh and I'd like to clarify that hybridization should be done in captivity, so breeding can be controlled and any problems eliminated. Edited by lamna, May 29 2010, 06:40 PM.
|
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
![]() |
|
| Cynovolans | May 29 2010, 07:20 PM Post #36 |
|
Servant to Empress Min
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
The problem would be if it is too good, the leopard population could grow rapidly and overhunt its prey. We should just assume the worst case scenario if we did that. There is a park of tigers that all or most have some Siberian heritage to them, thanks to a reintroduced Siberian-Bengal tigress to the park. They are larger than the average Bengal tiger, and just imagine if they were too large to hunt their prey. THEY WOULD EAT HUMANS! |
|
I wish I could give the public a true picture of the queen as she appeared at her best, but this would be impossible, even had she permitted a photograph to be taken, for her charming play of expression while in conversation, the character and intellect which were then revealed, were only half seen when the face was in repose. -Lilias Underwood when speaking of Empress Myeongseong "I was born in the dark. I went out into the light, and your Majesty, it is my displeasure to inform you that I have returned to the dark. I envision a Seoul of towering buildings filled with Western establishments that will place herself back above the Japanese barbarians. Great things lie ahead for the Kingdom, great things. We must take action, your Majesty, without hesitation, to further modernize this still ancient kingdom."-Min Young-ik to Empress Myeongseong | |
![]() |
|
| lamna | May 30 2010, 04:40 AM Post #37 |
![]() ![]()
|
But Siberian tigers tend to take smaller prey than their Indian relatives do, what with their more limited menu. |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
![]() |
|
| Ook | May 30 2010, 04:48 AM Post #38 |
|
not a Transhuman
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
and bengal tiger genes can change it |
![]() ![]() ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| lamna | May 30 2010, 09:15 AM Post #39 |
![]() ![]()
|
Change what? |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
![]() |
|
| Cynovolans | May 30 2010, 09:35 AM Post #40 |
|
Servant to Empress Min
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
But sometimes mixing genes could make the tiger dwarf both Bengals and Siberians! The point still stands that we don't know what could've happened had we introduced even more Siberian-Bengal hybrids into the area. |
|
I wish I could give the public a true picture of the queen as she appeared at her best, but this would be impossible, even had she permitted a photograph to be taken, for her charming play of expression while in conversation, the character and intellect which were then revealed, were only half seen when the face was in repose. -Lilias Underwood when speaking of Empress Myeongseong "I was born in the dark. I went out into the light, and your Majesty, it is my displeasure to inform you that I have returned to the dark. I envision a Seoul of towering buildings filled with Western establishments that will place herself back above the Japanese barbarians. Great things lie ahead for the Kingdom, great things. We must take action, your Majesty, without hesitation, to further modernize this still ancient kingdom."-Min Young-ik to Empress Myeongseong | |
![]() |
|
| Ook | May 30 2010, 09:53 AM Post #41 |
|
not a Transhuman
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
|
![]() ![]() ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| lamna | May 30 2010, 11:24 AM Post #42 |
![]() ![]()
|
A tiger's a tiger. Siberians are slightly bigger and a bit fluffier, it's not the end of the world. |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
![]() |
|
| Cynovolans | May 30 2010, 12:08 PM Post #43 |
|
Servant to Empress Min
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
But it's the end for the tigers!! |
|
I wish I could give the public a true picture of the queen as she appeared at her best, but this would be impossible, even had she permitted a photograph to be taken, for her charming play of expression while in conversation, the character and intellect which were then revealed, were only half seen when the face was in repose. -Lilias Underwood when speaking of Empress Myeongseong "I was born in the dark. I went out into the light, and your Majesty, it is my displeasure to inform you that I have returned to the dark. I envision a Seoul of towering buildings filled with Western establishments that will place herself back above the Japanese barbarians. Great things lie ahead for the Kingdom, great things. We must take action, your Majesty, without hesitation, to further modernize this still ancient kingdom."-Min Young-ik to Empress Myeongseong | |
![]() |
|
| lamna | May 30 2010, 01:04 PM Post #44 |
![]() ![]()
|
How? The tigers won't mind if they are not pure. |
|
Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
![]() |
|
| Toad of Spades | May 30 2010, 01:10 PM Post #45 |
![]()
Clorothod
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Subspecies are easy to save because you could breed them with other subspecies until you get a hybrid that resembles and functions like the desired subspecies. Re-release them and when they breed with the original subspecies the offspring should essentially be the same as the original.
Edited by Toad of Spades, May 30 2010, 01:11 PM.
|
|
Sorry Link, I don't give credit. Come back when you're a little...MMMMMM...Richer. Bread is an animal and humans are %90 aluminum. | |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Evolutionary Continuum · Next Topic » |
















7:39 PM Jul 13