Hi Johannes

Your point would be reasonable if ecosystems existed without predators but they don't. Earth has a biosphere but Mars has refugia - it's one big, sterile Atacama desert except for a few hold-outs. If the Mars-bugs are extremophiles then they'd be marginal to an imported biosphere, just like on Earth.

But you're right about the study idea - Mars life needs to be understood before we drastically change Mars. However the idealists are unrealistic to declare the planet off-limits just because of microbes.

Adam

PS tho of course the Greys might be chlorine breathers studying us before they "chloroform" the planet...