Serengeti-with a difference

[JohnC6]

I often watch PBS America via Sky. On Friday night I just happen to switch to it at the start of a documentary called The Serengeti Rules. It wasn't your regular documentary but a look back at research that established how nature works from the bottom up and how each species interacts and how humans have disrupted it through hunting causing extinction or near extinction of predator species drastically reducing their effectiveness in eco-systems. Some species are more important than others and they're labelled Keystone species...a concept introduced by zoologist Dr.Robert T Paine in 1969. It also covers under the oceans and the critical role played by star fish...discovered by D3 Paine. An example I can recall was an experiment in which the scientists asked the authorities not to cull wilderbeest when they got to a very high number. They wanted to see if nature stepped in and it did. Wildebeest faeces fertilise the ground as they roam on their migration routes.

It starts at 7.50pm this evening and finishes at 9.10pm. No doubt some on here are aware of the detail of all this but I haven't seen it explained in such detail so I assume many others haven't,either.

PBS America can be viewed on Channels: Sky147 Freeview 91 Freesat 155 Virgin 273

This is a trailer. After watching it I wanted to get the DVD but there's a warning that as the the UK is is 'Region 2' it won't play on most UK players.

NATURE: The Serengeti Rules [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: DVD & Blu-ray

Shop NATURE: The Serengeti Rules [DVD]. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

Re. Gazelles . Because the lions were hunted the Impala population increased dramatically and were able to devour much more foliage which impacted on insects which impacted on creatures eating them,including birds. They re-introduced lions but it wasn't enough so they brought in African wild dog packs. The Impala population reduced but more than that they were now alert to these predators and any sighting of them and they were off so they didn't remain in one location stripping the trees of foliage. It really was a fascinating programme.

Trailer. https://www.theserengetirules.com/trailer

Infact, I tried a Google re the wildebeest experiment and it's here

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HxUnl1Kij8


Having found that I tried 'Keystone species' (Youtube) and got this.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IWw8Ruz8Uo


Next ..Star fish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRGg5it5FMI&t=905s

 

[DG Phototraining]

My (useless) degree is in Environmental Studies and we did study a few cases like this where humans have cocked things right up

I recall the most famous one being after we'd killed all the wolves in Yellowstone and the problems that ensued, then how things are recovering nicely since putting wolves back

We are pillocks

Dave

 

[JohnC6]

My (useless) degree is in Environmental Studies and we did study a few cases like this where humans have cocked things right up

I recall the most famous one being after we'd killed all the wolves in Yellowstone and the problems that ensued, then how things are recovering nicely since putting wolves back

We are pillocks

Dave

Yes...that's right..The Yellowstone wolves were featured. Can't agree that by your degree is 'useless' The more we learn about the environment and how best to deal with it (put it right,even) the better.

As you say, we've really messed up nature. Just from a knowledge pov, back in the day they didn't realise the interconnection but by the time we were aware of keystone wildlife we'd already done immense eco-damage not to mention pollution in it's many forms . I'll always recall a scientist, an astro-physicist, I think, who was being interviewed on tv and was asked if he thought the massive amount of money being spent of space programmes was justified. He had no doubts. Absolutely.It's what he said next that made me shout at the telly...lol. "We owe it to the Universe to colonise other systems(other Mi lky Ways). My reraction was.." No we don't.. we actually owe it to the Universe NOT to take our-destructive-selves anywhere else. .At last IU found that programme uplifting. Hope maybe.