Comments on: Discuss the "Drive by Extinction" Radio report http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/ Science, Environment, and Nature in the SF Bay Area Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:18:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Andrea http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/comment-page-1/#comment-864 Andrea Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:12:28 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/#comment-864 Thanks to both Mark and Shannon for their postings. Yes, the butterfly is locally extinct, rather than regional or global. That is the term the ecologists and biologists we talked with used. There is an effort to restore species when they go locally extinct. Because there has been quite a bit of coverage about that effort, known as assisted migration, I didn't get into the semantics, given the amount of information we were trying to convey. It sounds like that would have been helpful. Thanks very much for pointing it out. Thanks to both Mark and Shannon for their postings. Yes, the butterfly is locally extinct, rather than regional or global. That is the term the ecologists and biologists we talked with used. There is an effort to restore species when they go locally extinct. Because there has been quite a bit of coverage about that effort, known as assisted migration, I didn't get into the semantics, given the amount of information we were trying to convey. It sounds like that would have been helpful. Thanks very much for pointing it out.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/comment-page-1/#comment-856 Shannon Fri, 06 Apr 2007 17:53:28 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/#comment-856 While I was glad to hear good news this morning about the Checkerspot Butterfly, I was alarmed when the term extinct was used to describe an animal that has recently returned to an area it once occupied. The correct term to use would be extirpated, or locally extinct. At the very least a distinction should be made between local extinction and global extinction. Extinction is not reversable and the improper use of the term may confuse listeners in this and other discussions about threatened and endangered species. While I was glad to hear good news this morning about the Checkerspot Butterfly, I was alarmed when the term extinct was used to describe an animal that has recently returned to an area it once occupied. The correct term to use would be extirpated, or locally extinct. At the very least a distinction should be made between local extinction and global extinction. Extinction is not reversable and the improper use of the term may confuse listeners in this and other discussions about threatened and endangered species.

]]> By: Mark http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/comment-page-1/#comment-854 Mark Fri, 06 Apr 2007 16:03:08 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/#comment-854 Hmm.. apparently ecologists use "extinction" to refer to disappearance of local communities--which seems to be unfortunate. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction Hmm.. apparently ecologists use "extinction" to refer to disappearance of local communities–which seems to be unfortunate.

see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction

]]> By: Mark http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/comment-page-1/#comment-853 Mark Fri, 06 Apr 2007 15:49:16 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/04/05/discuss-the-drive-by-extinction-radio-report/#comment-853 A fine report: except for one really unfortunate and crucial detail: it misuses the word "extinction" in a very damaging way. A species is extinct when none are left (and certain to be extinct when no breeding pairs are left). The Checkerspot butterfly might have been endangered, or near-extinct, but is was NOT extinct, as shown by its come back. Extinction means, by definition, that the species is good for good--it can NEVER be brought back (assuming genetic scientists can't produce a future near-miracle). This report suggests that you can bring an extinct species back--a terrible idea to spread. If we could bring an extinct species back, why spend so much energy protecting endangered ones? A fine report: except for one really unfortunate and crucial detail: it misuses the word "extinction" in a very damaging way. A species is extinct when none are left (and certain to be extinct when no breeding pairs are left). The Checkerspot butterfly might have been endangered, or near-extinct, but is was NOT extinct, as shown by its come back.

Extinction means, by definition, that the species is good for good–it can NEVER be brought back (assuming genetic scientists can't produce a future near-miracle).

This report suggests that you can bring an extinct species back–a terrible idea to spread. If we could bring an extinct species back, why spend so much energy protecting endangered ones?

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