Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Carnivora. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Have mosquitoes earned the wrath of humanity?
Topic Started: Feb 27 2015, 07:32 PM (668 Views)
snap
Autotrophic Organism
[ *  * ]
Mosquitoes have been the bane of all land animals for millions of years. The death toll on humans historically from horrible mosquito-borne diseases is staggering.

There have been a few scientific articles about a new technique called genetic hacking. Basically scientists have created male mosquitoes who's genes pass on to create flightless females. The females drown and the males fly away to create more flightless females and so on.

They also discuss that this would affect specifically proboscis-wielding mosquitoes. No creature depends on specifically mosquitoes with proboscis' to sustain its self and the ecological void it leaves will be filled in quickly.

I doubt there is a single person here who hasn't been harassed by mosquitoes before. Who will chain themselves to a tree to save this pest?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
maker
Member Avatar
Apex Predator
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
http://www.gizmag.com/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-aegypti-mosquito/20668/

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100721/full/466432a.html
Edited by maker, Feb 27 2015, 07:42 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Grimace
Kleptoparasite
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Except mosquitos perform an important function in taking nutrients from large species, and redistributing them lower on the food chain.

Also there -are- species that entirely depend on the mosquitos in question.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Mesopredator
Member Avatar
Disaster taxa
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I used to think that species extinction would result in ecosystem collapse, but that rarely happens. So, my opinion has changed. I think it is okay to eliminate some pests, but there is a boundary.

But wouldn't it be better to make the mosquitoes harmless instead of eradicating them? They are the carriers of the disease, they are not the one who cause the deaths but the parasites or viruses that they carry. Or is this impossible, or more difficult? How do these parasites or viruses respond to elimination of mosquitoes?

I myself still carry the attitude of being suspisious of these kind of actions. There have been numerous times when our actions resullt in unintended consequences. Think of introducing the cane toad to Australia, the use of DDT and the current issue with plastic.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Zoological Debate & Discussion · Next Topic »
Add Reply