only factor within that environment. Other species have just as much right to exist on
this earth as do humans. Another concept that must be considered is the fact that the
earth has maintained a balance of biological systems that house various species
including humans. As the latter increase excessively in number, they crowd out the
other species. This may result in a biological imbalance in which humans may
ultimately destroy themselves by overpopulation. It may be necessary to control
population so that the earth can continue to support a limited number of human
beings. This concept of course rankles many people. Each person feels that he or she
has a right to propagate as much as seems desirable and to fill the earth with his or her
progeny. Certainly we do not want to have a dictator or government body dictating
who may have how many children, when, and where. On the other hand, human
beings must take responsible positions and realize that in the total environment,
population control is essential. To accomplish this will take a considerable amount of
education. It is made more difficult by the fact that traditions and religious beliefs
have fostered the concept that humankind is the center of the universe. Thus, we can
do whatever we want and everything was made for us. Even though everything may
indeed have been made for us, if we utilize everything made for us there will be no
more left and of course we will decline. It would be far better for us to control our
own numbers than to have these numbers controlled by a large famine, pestilence, or
other noxious factors.
In terms of the concept that the environment should be controlled for the benefit
of society, there arises the concept that complete pollution elimination may not be a
desirable situation. For example, an oligotrophic lake is very unproductive, particularly in terms of producing the large amounts of fish that could provide food for
many. Just as adding fertilizer to the land increases the productivity of the terrestrial
crop, adding nutrients to a lake will increase the total productivity of that lake. This
will result in increased plant growth and ultimately increased animal (fish and
shellfish) production. Obviously, limits of productivity are controlled in the aquatic
environment by the amount of dissolved oxygen that is available. Here again, in
terms of benefits to humans, we could install aerators in all lakes and use them to
their maximum productivity. This may even be necessary 1 d if the population
continues to increase as it has. Thus, a different set of goals would have to be
established if all of the environment were to serve humankind directly.
There is probably some middle ground that offers the best solution. It is certainly
desirable to maintain some wilderness areas undisturbed. It is desirable to have some
bodies of water that are highly oligotrophic. The problem seems to be that, if these
are preserved in their pristine purity, how will humans get to appreciate them.
Possibly here limited access will have to be provided to some oligotrophic lakes.
Other lakes however may be maintained at higher productivity levels. This will
provide greater production of fish and similar related business and recreational
activities. Thus, there could be a balanced, diverse environment that would satisfy
both phases of the pollution control concept. A problem that arises here, of course, is
how does one establish whether a particular area or lake or stream is to be preserved
292
D. B. Aulenbach et al.
this earth as do humans. Another concept that must be considered is the fact that the
earth has maintained a balance of biological systems that house various species
including humans. As the latter increase excessively in number, they crowd out the
other species. This may result in a biological imbalance in which humans may
ultimately destroy themselves by overpopulation. It may be necessary to control
population so that the earth can continue to support a limited number of human
beings. This concept of course rankles many people. Each person feels that he or she
has a right to propagate as much as seems desirable and to fill the earth with his or her
progeny. Certainly we do not want to have a dictator or government body dictating
who may have how many children, when, and where. On the other hand, human
beings must take responsible positions and realize that in the total environment,
population control is essential. To accomplish this will take a considerable amount of
education. It is made more difficult by the fact that traditions and religious beliefs
have fostered the concept that humankind is the center of the universe. Thus, we can
do whatever we want and everything was made for us. Even though everything may
indeed have been made for us, if we utilize everything made for us there will be no
more left and of course we will decline. It would be far better for us to control our
own numbers than to have these numbers controlled by a large famine, pestilence, or
other noxious factors.
In terms of the concept that the environment should be controlled for the benefit
of society, there arises the concept that complete pollution elimination may not be a
desirable situation. For example, an oligotrophic lake is very unproductive, particularly in terms of producing the large amounts of fish that could provide food for
many. Just as adding fertilizer to the land increases the productivity of the terrestrial
crop, adding nutrients to a lake will increase the total productivity of that lake. This
will result in increased plant growth and ultimately increased animal (fish and
shellfish) production. Obviously, limits of productivity are controlled in the aquatic
environment by the amount of dissolved oxygen that is available. Here again, in
terms of benefits to humans, we could install aerators in all lakes and use them to
their maximum productivity. This may even be necessary 1 d if the population
continues to increase as it has. Thus, a different set of goals would have to be
established if all of the environment were to serve humankind directly.
There is probably some middle ground that offers the best solution. It is certainly
desirable to maintain some wilderness areas undisturbed. It is desirable to have some
bodies of water that are highly oligotrophic. The problem seems to be that, if these
are preserved in their pristine purity, how will humans get to appreciate them.
Possibly here limited access will have to be provided to some oligotrophic lakes.
Other lakes however may be maintained at higher productivity levels. This will
provide greater production of fish and similar related business and recreational
activities. Thus, there could be a balanced, diverse environment that would satisfy
both phases of the pollution control concept. A problem that arises here, of course, is
how does one establish whether a particular area or lake or stream is to be preserved
292
D. B. Aulenbach et al.