Man, a being of mass destruction

2018/05/28 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia
• Biologia
• Etika

In more than one place they have mentioned that our species is a plague: we have colonized all corners of the planet and the population growth is continuous. However, of the total of living beings, we are only 0.01%. Now, if we look at the ability to destroy other species, then yes, we have no choice but to accept that we are pests then: we have eliminated 83% of the wild mammals and 50% of the plants.

These data have been provided in the scientific journal PNAS in the article entitled “Distribution of biomass on Earth”. It is the largest and most complete study to measure the weight of each species, according to the authors, and has served to clarify some false convictions. For example, it is very widespread that many living things are marine. Research, however, places 1% of living beings at sea. Most living things are terrestrial and many of them are bacteria that live underground.

At the same time, research has revealed the enormous influence our species has on others. Example of this are the farm chickens, which represent 70% of the birds of the whole planet and represent only 30% of the total. The numbers are even more significant in the case of mammals: 60% of mammals are animals (mainly bovine and pigs), 36% are human beings and only 4% are wild mammals.

Scientists have already warned that we are living the sixth great destruction. The previous great extinctions were caused by both life and life. It is well known, for example, what happened 65 million years ago, when an asteroid hit the Earth: in addition to dinosaurs, 15% of marine families were lost. Although it is assumed that the “guilty” of this loss was asteroid, it is still unclear to what extent other factors like volcanoes participated. But in the present great destruction there is no doubt that we are the agents.

The study of biomass has deepened this idea and has revealed the importance of our food habit in other living beings. In this sense, the researchers have warned that the consumption of meat has a great incidence in the environment and in other living beings, both in plants and animals.

Paradoxically, our species has little weight compared to other living beings: three times less than viruses and worms, 12 times less than fish and 200 times less than fungi. We are small, but with a great capacity for destruction.

Published in Berria