Interesting thread!

I've always considered biodiversity to indicate a matured ecosystem, with a
greater number of niches created and filled.  And as Stan suggests, the
more diversity, generally the more resilient the system.

But to me biodiversity is more about ethics than numbers.  As humans
terraform the planet to our wants, I consider it ethical to consider the
"right" of other species to exist.  True, species evolve and go extinct all
the time.  But I personally do not feel it ethical to *cause *the
extinction of a species in order that I can pay a little less for something
from the grocery store.  It saddens me to know that my grandchildren will
inherit an Earth with far fewer fascinating species than there were when my
grandfather lived.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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