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 *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html