The Future of LifeThe Future of Life

By: Edward O. WilsonBy: Edward O. Wilson

Presented by: Jennifer Shea Presented by: Jennifer Shea

About the Author About the Author

• Edward O. WilsonEdward O. Wilson– Two time Pulitzer Prize winnerTwo time Pulitzer Prize winner

• On Human NatureOn Human Nature

• The AntsThe Ants

– One of the world’s most important scientistOne of the world’s most important scientist– Currently a Pellegrino University Research Currently a Pellegrino University Research

ProfessorProfessor– Honorary Curator in Entomology of the Honorary Curator in Entomology of the

Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University University

Letter to Henry Thoreau Letter to Henry Thoreau

• Addresses the current state of the Addresses the current state of the World World

• Walden PondWalden Pond– Nature Reserve Nature Reserve – In the same state as when Thoreau was In the same state as when Thoreau was

alivealive•Second- growth trees Second- growth trees

– American Chestnut American Chestnut No longer present due to a fungus No longer present due to a fungus

Purpose of the letter Purpose of the letter

• To inform Thoreau of the current To inform Thoreau of the current state of the World state of the World

• Wilson says “the living world is Wilson says “the living world is dying, the natural economy is dying, the natural economy is crumbling beneath our busy feet.” crumbling beneath our busy feet.” (xxiv) (xxiv)

• Humans are self-absorbedHumans are self-absorbed– We think about the here and now not We think about the here and now not

the future the future

To the Ends of the Earth To the Ends of the Earth

• Two views of lifeTwo views of life– Scientists see the world as a biosphere Scientists see the world as a biosphere – Theologians see the world as creation Theologians see the world as creation

• Every human knows that life exists Every human knows that life exists on Earth on Earth – Oceans, Rainforests, SLIMES (subsurface Oceans, Rainforests, SLIMES (subsurface

lithoautotrophic microbial ecosystems), lithoautotrophic microbial ecosystems), etc. etc.

Biodiversity Biodiversity

• Three levelsThree levels– Top LevelTop Level

• EcosystemsEcosystems– Rainforests, coral reefs, and lakes Rainforests, coral reefs, and lakes

– Middle LevelMiddle Level• SpeciesSpecies

– Live in the ecosystemsLive in the ecosystems

– Bottom Level Bottom Level • GenesGenes

– Heredity of individuals Heredity of individuals

The Bottleneck The Bottleneck

• Universal Environmental ethicUniversal Environmental ethic

• Environmentalist Environmentalist – Concerned with “unsustainable crop Concerned with “unsustainable crop

yields, overdrawn aquifers, and yields, overdrawn aquifers, and threatened ecosystems” (24) threatened ecosystems” (24)

• EconomistEconomist– Concerned with production and Concerned with production and

consumptionconsumption

Nature’s Last Stand Nature’s Last Stand

• Wealth of the world is risingWealth of the world is rising

• Biodiversity is decreasing Biodiversity is decreasing – Rainforest deforestation, greenhouse Rainforest deforestation, greenhouse

gases, ozone depletion, etc. gases, ozone depletion, etc. – Endangered species and extinct species Endangered species and extinct species

Growing Human Population Growing Human Population

• Humans occupy the entire habitable Earth Humans occupy the entire habitable Earth

• Lifespan is increasingLifespan is increasing

• Birth rate is decreasing Birth rate is decreasing

• Technology allows scientist to cure diseases Technology allows scientist to cure diseases and genetically modify organismsand genetically modify organisms

• Genetic diversity is increasing through Genetic diversity is increasing through interracial marriage interracial marriage

• Why is the biodiversity continuing to Why is the biodiversity continuing to decrease? decrease?

HIPPO HIPPO

• Habitat Destruction Habitat Destruction

• Invasive species Invasive species

• PollutionPollution

• PopulationPopulation

• Overharvesting Overharvesting

The Planetary Killer The Planetary Killer

• Wilson labels Humans as the Wilson labels Humans as the planetary killer planetary killer – Extinction of species is correlated to Extinction of species is correlated to

human arrival human arrival •Example-Example-

– Sumatran Rhinos- being poached for their tusks Sumatran Rhinos- being poached for their tusks (valuable/ profitable) (valuable/ profitable)

– Megafauna disappeared to make homes, Megafauna disappeared to make homes, furniture, farmland, etc for humansfurniture, farmland, etc for humans

World Conservation Union RED World Conservation Union RED LISTLIST

• Method to determine endangered Method to determine endangered species status:species status:– The relation between the area of a habitat The relation between the area of a habitat

and the number of species it can support and the number of species it can support – To track the descent of species through the To track the descent of species through the

Red Lists over a period of years Red Lists over a period of years – To analyze the survival possibilities of the To analyze the survival possibilities of the

species in the different Red List categories species in the different Red List categories •Population Viability Analysis Population Viability Analysis

How Much is the Biosphere How Much is the Biosphere Worth?Worth?

• Ecosystems are important for human Ecosystems are important for human existence existence

• Humans have interfered with Humans have interfered with nature’s natural resources nature’s natural resources – Catskill Mountain Catskill Mountain

BIODEPTH BIODEPTH

• Productivity rises with biodiversityProductivity rises with biodiversity

• ““Overyielding”Overyielding”

• Nature has ecosystem engineersNature has ecosystem engineers– Promote harmony within ecosystemsPromote harmony within ecosystems

• Humans are also ecosystem engineersHumans are also ecosystem engineers– Eliminate more niches than we create Eliminate more niches than we create – ““We drive species and ecosystems into extinction We drive species and ecosystems into extinction

at a far higher rate than existed before and at a far higher rate than existed before and everywhere diminish productivity and stability.” everywhere diminish productivity and stability.” (112) (112)

Bioprospecting Bioprospecting

• ““Exploration of wild biodiversity in Exploration of wild biodiversity in search of useful resources” (124) search of useful resources” (124)

• Means for discovering new products Means for discovering new products

• Way of the futureWay of the future

• Native people from the tropical Native people from the tropical rainforests contribute to the richness rainforests contribute to the richness of biodiversityof biodiversity– Low technology and local knowledge Low technology and local knowledge

The Solution The Solution

• Although capital wealth is rising, the Although capital wealth is rising, the natural nonrenewable resources are natural nonrenewable resources are decreasing essentially causing decreasing essentially causing decapitalizationdecapitalization

• To save the biodiversity, Wilson To save the biodiversity, Wilson recommends investigating human recommends investigating human ethicsethics– Humans think in short term while we need Humans think in short term while we need

to focus on the long term effects we are to focus on the long term effects we are having on the Earth having on the Earth

Patriarch Bartholomew Patriarch Bartholomew

● “● “For humans to cause a species to become For humans to cause a species to become extinct and to destroy the biological extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation, for humans to diversity of God’s creation, for humans to degrade the integrity of the earth by degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests, or destroying the earth of its natural forests, or destroying its wetlands, for humans to contaminate the its wetlands, for humans to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air and its life earth’s waters, its land, its air and its life with poisonous substances, these are sins.” with poisonous substances, these are sins.” (158) (158)

The Solution The Solution

• Global Conservation requires three agents Global Conservation requires three agents to work together:to work together:– Private SectorPrivate Sector– GovernmentGovernment– Science and Technology Science and Technology

• Create nature reserves to prevent habitat Create nature reserves to prevent habitat destruction and species extinction destruction and species extinction

• Kyoto Climate ProtocolKyoto Climate Protocol• Reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases Reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases

Nongovernmental agents are Nongovernmental agents are necessary for global conservation necessary for global conservation (NGO)(NGO)

• Conservation InternationalConservation International

• Wildlife Conservation SocietyWildlife Conservation Society

• World Wide Fund for NatureWorld Wide Fund for Nature

• World Wildlife Fund- US World Wildlife Fund- US

• The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy – Devoted to humanitarian and/or Devoted to humanitarian and/or

environmental causes environmental causes

Wilson’s Solution Wilson’s Solution

• NGOs and the government work NGOs and the government work together to save the planet together to save the planet

• Wilson says that the planet can be Wilson says that the planet can be saved based on ethical decisions saved based on ethical decisions