[JoeAltmaier]

I have similar misgiving. We came to intelligence in a world with essentially a random sample of all the creatures that came before. The 'ecosystem' has reformed itself countless times through prehistory. Why are the creatures around at this instant particularly important, or interesting?

Especially since we're on the verge of creating whatever creatures we desire. If we can make a pink-spotted unicorn tiger than will fetch your slippers and do your taxes, what matters the Siberian albino tiger?

Let's admit, we've taken over nearly every square mile of our planet, essentially remaking all ecosystems already. Its far to late to capture many details of what came before people started creating deserts and clearcutting forests. What remains is a remnant anyway. If its an 'ecosystem', then apparently ecosystems reform themselves continuously. Since we've taken little or no care of them up to now.