While we may not want to believe in this scenario literally, and pride ourselves on "Civilizations" stamina, we don't realize what a flash in the pan 1000, or 10,000 < is. Particularly with the volume of consumer oriented products that will break down in 5 minutes. I also have trouble imagining the human race going down without taking of what we know down with it. Would a stone age man recognize the planet today ? Given our accelerated "progress" The earth in a thousand years is bound to be unrecognizable whether we are here or not.

believe it or not, initially there will be less diversity. Man creates and maintains ecologically different niches. When man disappears, a lot of species will experience a decline because their habitat will disappear.

I think this sort of thing is happening in some former USSR countries eg: kryzgastan,and near in and around chernobil

sheeesh, do we need that someone tell us that.