> Collectively, with it's tributaries, it actually drains more water than
> the
> Amazon, as stated in the book "Native Roots" by: Jack Weatherford.
Moon Says:
> This is true, lots of water does flow through the Mississippi but the fish
> population is not anywhere near as diverse as the Amazon.
>
Rob Carillio replies:
The point I am making is that just because one eco-system in place "x" is
"less diverse" than another in place "Y", does not dismiss the "less
diverse" as being any less significant in the whole living organism called
earth.
Damage and neglect to this entire river system can have adverse domino
effects on other eco-systems in the world, much like a melting polar ice cap
can affect global climate.
The planet is one living organism. The Amazon and Mississippi are analogous
to it's individual "organs" (heart, kidneys, liver)....affect one organ, and
perhaps the whole organism can live for a while, but in the long haul,
continued abuse means harm to the whole organism, much like smoking can
affect lungs... then heart.. and so forth.
It is the allure of 'all that is so diverse and pretty eye candy' in nature,
to humans, that fosters this "let's just protect all that is pretty"
attitude, while-in-the same time, dismissing other constituents of nature
which may be far less attention getting, BUT may play an important role
locally, and perhaps even globally, that really gets to me.
It reminds me of a story I once heard of a politician wondering why we
needed to protect the California Condor, because it was such an ugly bird
anyway.
What if we felt that the only humans worth protecting were those who are
models? Think about how this mentality is pervasive.
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