Equal value appointed to all environmental factors

Rolston provides a concise and correct definition of value from a biological standpoint. Rolston’s first point states the complexity of systems developed in nature are ignored by humans because the processes take place on a sub-microscopic level. Since the organization and sophistication of evolutionary pathways within an insect are hard to observe, humans give insects little value, but really are these insects so invaluable to the ecosystem that humans can disregard their right to life? Insects have graced this earth for the better part of 5 million years. If these “pests” were of such low value to their environment then why has nature neglected to exterminate them? The problem of humans assigning the “value of the species” leaves much room for debate. When we assign this value we tend to look at the intrinsic value the organism has upon our immediate pleasures. However we falter in recognizing the real worth of the individual for the biosphere and ecosystem as a whole. Unfortunately, I must disagree with Rolston that abiotic factors of the environment are only valuable when an organism needs them. Every molecule or nutrient that is used in the process of life is constantly being cycled, from the oxygen cycle, to the nitrogen cycle, and even the phosphorous cycle. Microbes are responsible for much of the renewal of our waste products, and thus without them, humans and animals alike would soon deplete the environment of these key nutrients. Thus, value should be placed on all aspects of life, even those abiotic: dirt, the air we breathe, the water we drink, etc. Here insects will be employed to prove their “value.” Dung beetles take balls of manure under the ground to nest but inadvertently take the nitrogen that is contained in the waste. Without being buried, the nitrogen will form N2 and float into the atmosphere. Only when nitrogen-fixing bacteria, in the roots of legumes, fixate N2 will this nitrogen source be reintroduced to the lithosphere. This saves farmers an average of $6 billion annually in the US. Rolston therefore is supported not only in his assessment of value but also backed by economical worth of less valued species.