Which Species To save?
A: List the major ideas, concepts or key points- point by point
B: Summarize the AUTHOR’s main point or idea- at LEAST 1-2 paragraphs
The term triage is used in battlefield medics to determine who could be saved who would have to be let go of. Those soldiers were forced to let go of due to time, expertise of the medic, and supplies. The triage is now being used when talking about conservation. Many species are endangered and we cannot protect them all, forcing a triage among the specie. Many previous triage have been based on a "function first" basis where species who had a large role in the ecosystem were first priority. An alternative was the "evolution first" basis where species with a high change for diversity were first priority. Since then, the idea of conserving ecosystems rather than individual species on the triage was a good idea, but no longer. Now, the triage focuses on all three of those factors as well as cost, benefit, and likeliness of success .
C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific citations from the article to support your views
I didn't know what the word triage meant until reading this article. Now that I know what it meant, I can see why it is being used for decision making. In a perfect world, no species would be endangered, but our world is not perfect. Something must always be sacrificed for the greater good of the future whether we like or not. I can see why the triage is being used, I do not like it, but I understand why it is in effect. I feel that we must get a better alternative to this method, however until we can do so, we're stuck with the triage.
- Scientists are being forced to decide which species can be saved and which must be "let go"
- Some species were decided based on ecosystem importance, economic, cultural value, and potential
- These decisions were very tough and took a tool on many scientists, breaks were often required after a few votes
- As budgets shrink while environmental stress grows, politicians and regulators begin to favor the economy over the environment
- Triage is known as the decision making for battlefield medics often used to determine who could be saved base on time, expertise, supplies, or combinations of these factors
- Noah principle: all species can be should be saved regardless of its importance to humans
- Problems arose in the 1980's when species who were on the list interfered with economical interest
- To many, the environmental triage is similar to the abandonment of moral responsibility of nature
- "We live in a world of unconscious triage" currently
- Some scientists believe "umbrella" species or species which are essential to other species should be first priority before other species whose roles are more "redundant"
- The pro to those is scientists are basing it on ecological importance instead of just raw numbers. The con is that this process for decision making will only work for ecosystems completely understood
- An alternative is the EDGE program which favors species with the most genetically unusual threatened specie
- The evolution first approach emphasizes genetic diversity allowing species to survive in rapidly changing environments. However, this would also miss broader threats that could lead to the extinction of entire species
- The Wildlife Conservation Society combined different triage to: give priority to threatened species that have a large body size, wider geographic range, the reasoning being these creatures would also provide economic benefits to other plants and animals
- The line where a specie is "dying with dignity" or surviving is unclear. The California Condor numbers at one point was 22, but has since climbed to 217 from a heavy amount of money, time, and expertise
- Not many people want to go down the road for the extinction of a specie
- A "Too-hard" basket has been created for species where it would cost too much to save
- For the greater good of many other species, society will most likely have to forgo the most expensive and least promising rescue/conversation efforts
B: Summarize the AUTHOR’s main point or idea- at LEAST 1-2 paragraphs
The term triage is used in battlefield medics to determine who could be saved who would have to be let go of. Those soldiers were forced to let go of due to time, expertise of the medic, and supplies. The triage is now being used when talking about conservation. Many species are endangered and we cannot protect them all, forcing a triage among the specie. Many previous triage have been based on a "function first" basis where species who had a large role in the ecosystem were first priority. An alternative was the "evolution first" basis where species with a high change for diversity were first priority. Since then, the idea of conserving ecosystems rather than individual species on the triage was a good idea, but no longer. Now, the triage focuses on all three of those factors as well as cost, benefit, and likeliness of success .
C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific citations from the article to support your views
I didn't know what the word triage meant until reading this article. Now that I know what it meant, I can see why it is being used for decision making. In a perfect world, no species would be endangered, but our world is not perfect. Something must always be sacrificed for the greater good of the future whether we like or not. I can see why the triage is being used, I do not like it, but I understand why it is in effect. I feel that we must get a better alternative to this method, however until we can do so, we're stuck with the triage.