โ€œWhat is the function of Species X?โ€ Is a question I hear often from non-biologists.

But itโ€™s hard to answer. Species donโ€™t exist to serve a function. They exist because they can. Everything is just trying to find a way to be.

When people say that there is no biological point to the existence of the ticks that transmit Lyme disease, I always reply that if you're a tick then the only point of the entire universe is to provide habitat for ticks.

@alexwild

#ecology

@mrundkvist @alexwild I think the question behind the question โ€œWhat is the function of Species X?โ€ is "Can we just incinerate them all without any negative consequences to us?"