Moontanman

I have no idea, various factors including environmental, ecological, and the intensive removal efforts could be to blame but I see no reason to assume that lionfish have negative effects on the reefs of Bonaire. Do you have studies that indicate lionfish are not a problem in the waters around Bonaire? https://reefresilience.org/case-studies/bonaire-invasive-species/#:~:text=Lionfish are a major threat,and macroalgae from overgrowing corals.

The fear/terror of invasive species is mostly based on past experience with non-native species. Things like Zebra Mussels have had an extreme negative impact on ecosystems and industry along the great lakes. Other non-native animals and plants have extreme impacts and some have little to none. Lionfish have all the qualities of a negative impact and this can be seen by their impacts on native fishes in the areas the lionfish has taken over. The lionfish has a negative impact on the diversity of native fishes. This is mostly due to the extreme numbers of these fish and the fact they eat the small native fishes that other native predators eat there by affecting the numbers of native predators like groupers and other native predators who rely on the same food sources. This in itself is enough to show a negative impact. Other invasive have been around so long we have little to no data about what the ecosystem was like before they were introduced. The common Carp is one example of this, they destroy the nests of native species, stir up sediments, and outcompete natives that occupied the same ecological niches. Fishes affected by this range from sturgeon to buffalo to trout with many other species who occupy similar niches. Carp are so ubiquitous they have become tolerated and even loved by fishermen and others, but do not doubt they have reshaped the ecosystems they reside in drastically. The effect any non-native species has on the ecosystems they are introduced into is difficult if not impossible to predict so all are treated as ticking time bombs. Who could have predicted the effect of north american crayfish in European waters? All we can really do is do our best to prevent the introduction of any non-native species into ecosystems worldwide. Sadly, introducing non-native species outside their former range is pretty much what humans do, when humans migrate to a new place they have historically taken their domestic animals with them. Count things like rats in the group as well but things like goats, pigs, dogs, cats, horses, and other domestic animals have gone feral and some cause considerable damage to the environment. Feral pigs are an excellent example. We have taken everything from fish to pigs and more with us as we spread to environments not native to us. We humans are an invasive species extraordinaire, the worst of the worst, but we just keep on doing our thing and then stumbling across the effects and wondering why.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/ecosystems/impacts-invasive-lionfish#:~:text=As lionfish populations grow%2C they,the health of coral reefs. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish.html

https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/ So... if I am reading you correctly you disagree?

I once tried to get NANFA on board to introduce Pseudoscaphirhynchus hermanni into certain small rivers in NA due to its habitat being almost completely destroyed in eurasia but I took quite a beating from the "no exoctics at all" crowd.

Far too much of the reefs biomass is locked up in Lion Fish, they have even appeared in large numbers on reefs local ot my area in NC. They eat anything they can swallow and are seldom preyed upon by native fishes. In many reef areas they are so numerous as to be the only fish in large sections of the reef and occur in huge numbers. I've seen the reports from NOAA and one of my friends works for NOAA and has extensive information on this species. ON the bright side they are good to eat and easily caught or speared. There are quite a few invasive species from around the world, specific to clams and mussels are the asian clam, in my area, and the zebra and quagga mussels from europe that have invaded the Great Lakes region.

I've swam with alligators before but they are not as aggressive as crocodiles.

Yes, I agree with you, I am a member of NANFA, North American Native Fishes Association, freshwater mussels are a real time indicator of the health of freshwater ecosystems. In the ancient past freshwater mussels were an important source of food for Native Americans but pollution and invasive species have degraded the over all populations of mussels and made it necessary for laws protecting most native species.

Welcome to the jungle!

Who suggested that thoughts and beliefs should be illegal?

I only bitch when they try to force their version of reality on everyone else. Actually the Bible allows for abortion and only considers a child to be alive after it takes its first breath. Exactly Beliefs are used to excuse actions demanded by those very beliefs.

The OP was a one hit wonder?

Which religion? I have none and I do not respect the religion of others.

I've had Laser Discs that deteriorated, the reflective layer between the clear plastic plates that make up the disc deteriorates. I see no reason to think CDs or DVDs would be immune to this degradation.

There is a Galactic Habitable Zone or at least such a zone is hypothesised to exist. I see no reason an intergalactic star couldn't have planets that support life.

Excellent! I hadn't thought of that!

I would think space habitats would be easier but I guess your way is doable. A space habitat could be moved out of the way of large objects and smaller objects could be vaporized with a laser point defense system. Mass is the best way to protect from radiation and left over mass ie rocks and such could be attached to the outside of a space habitat surrounding it to the point the habitat would exist inside a hollow shell of left over debris. Or a rotating habitat could be built inside an asteroid. Trace elements could be controlled simply by not using materials that contain them or by refining them out as the build continues.

What would you propose to do about trace elements, trace elements might seem like a trivial problem but they could actually be a deal breaker quite easily. Trace elements such as mercury and arsenic pose threats even here on earth contaminating groundwater and oceans to the extent of making some places dangerous to live or consume foods from. Such minor constituents of a nebula could vary wildly in various locations and there is no reason to assume they would be the same as earth and as i pointed out even earth has problems with them.

That seems fair, generally speaking all we can really know is what we have experienced for ourselves. I'm not sure how this is a privilege, can you elaborate? Can you give us a link to this, I'm not trying to be combative but this would seem to be nothing but a conservative talking point with no basis in reality other than fear mongering. How far is too far and who decides? Again who decides how far is too far? Currently conservatives seem to be claiming that simply acknowledging reality is going too far.

First before anyone loses their mind, I'm not saying it was aliens or anything like that but for real WTF is in this video!

The idea that planets are important to interstellar colonization is rather weak, IMHO, due to trace elements, existing life forms, allergic reactions to weird proteins, and the gravity well that is part of any planet massive enough to have life. Space habitats would be a far better way to colonize space, a completely controlled environment is just one reason. Here in our own solar system space habitats would be able to support trillions of humans even if we didn't cannibalize the Earth.

Yes, E.D.G.E., I must have got the link wrong, thanks.

I looked but didn't see this woman's great channel. Sabine Hossenfelder and I failed to add the links to the two I have already mentioned. Isaac Arthur and Trey the Explainer, another great channel is E.D.G.E There are so many that get little mention for some really good work. Ohh Ohh, one more Cool Worlds

Can you elaborate? What extra privileges are the less privileged being empowered with?