Samantha Garvey wants to be a marine biologist and the science-focused 17 year old is now one of 61 finalists from Long Island in the Intel Science & Engineering Fair for her pioneering work with mussels.
But the real story of this scientist-in-training is that she is able to excel in the classroom as an honor’s student without all the creature comforts of home. In fact, the teen and her family are homeless and living in a shelter on Long Island, New York.
Both of her parents were unable to work following a car accident. As a result of falling behind on their rent, the family was evicted from their apartment on December 31. After advancing to the Intel finals, this science rags to riches story garnered national attention and a community banded together to get the family a house.
Samantha Garvey, Intel Science Fair Finalist
Now the science. The enterprising Samantha has been studying inedible marsh mussels for the last two years. But a nagging question kept eating at her and prompted her investigation, which she entered into the Intel science competition. She was studying how mussels settle in salt marshes and noticed mussel concentrations appeared to be higher in areas where there were more crabs, one of the mussels’ primary predators.
She tells Good Day New York, “I thought this was weird. How are they surviving in areas where they are being preyed upon?”
Thinking that observation runs counter to what she would expect she did a little experiment, studying mussels in areas of low and high crab predation. She discovered that that mussel shells were actually thicker in super crabby areas and a bit thinner in less crabby waters.
So she tested her theory by putting crabs and mussels together to see what would happen. She discovered that the mussels adapted to the threat by increasing the thickness of their shells.
Garvey says, “I discovered when you expose a crab to a mussel, they grew thicker, heavier shells to defend themselves.”
Hoping to be selected from 1,500 finalists from 65 countries as a $100,000 scholarship winner of the Intel science competition, Garvey intends to study marine biology at either Brown or Yale, her top two picks for her undergraduate studies. From there she would like to continue studying invasive species.
Full interview (6:54) with Samantha Garvey on Good Day New York. Greg finds out why there are holes in mussels at restaurants.
Recently scientists in Australia discovered that two species of sharks are interbreeding. The common black-tip shark and the Australian black-tip shark have started producing hybrid sharks. Marine biologists in Queensland say they’ve found 57 sharks so far.
The common black-tip shark is found around the world in subtropical and temperate ocean waters while the smaller Australian black-tip shark is more suited to warmer, tropical waters. The combination of the two species — which is extremely unusual — could be a response to climate change.
Lead researcher Jess Morgan of the University of Queensland says, “If it [the Australian black-tip species] hybridizes with the common species it can effectively shift its range further south into cooler waters, so the effect of this hybridizing is a range expansion. It’s enabled a species restricted to the tropics to move into temperate waters.”
The team confirmed the cross-breeding through DNA analysis. The team found the 57 hybrid sharks along 1,250 miles of coastline on the east coast of Australia.
Jennifer Ovenden, one of the co-authors on the paper, which appears in the journal Conservation Genetics says, Hybridization could enable the sharks to adapt to environmental change as the smaller Australian black tip currently favors tropical waters in the north while the larger common black tip is more abundant in sub-tropical and temperate waters along the south-eastern Australian coastline.”
Morgan says, “You’re seeing evolution in action.” Mixing two species of animals like this increases its chance of survival. Animals start interbreeding when their existence is threatened. By combining genetics, these sharks become stronger, making them more able to withstand changes to their environment.
]]>If it’s December it’s time to count the birds. For 112 years the National Audubon Society has been documenting the avian world with its annual Christmas Bird Count. The oldest citizen science (and longest running) project now utilizes the bird-spotting expertise of over 60,000 volunteers from around the country.
The task is simple. Go outside and count birds. Then add your observations the massive bird database, doing your part for science.
In Vermont, the annual Christmas bird count is a time to spot snowy owls and other winter rarities. But for biologist Kent McFarland from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies it’s more about familiar favorites like the tufted titmouse.
He says, “I’m really into whats going on over time with the common birds.”
Tufted Titmouse Forages in the Snow
He says, “The tufted titmouse is giving us an indicator here that yeah there is stuff going on across the landscape.”
The Audubon Society has been tracking the species of bird off and on since 1927 so there is a reliable dataset over a long period of time.
McFarland says, “I knew it was going to be an interesting bird to talk about.”
The annual Christmas count continues through January 5. So if you like birds or are looking for a fun family activity, head outside and start counting birds. Taking time to stop and watch the birds is a great way to appreciate nature this Holiday season.
NOTE: There is a $5 fee to participate in the Christmas Bird Count for all field participants aged 19 or older.
]]>It’s almost Christmas and the value of the gifts of the Three Wise Men is on the rise. For those not remembering the Nativity story the Three Wise Men brought three items, gold, frankincense and myrrh to the birth of baby Jesus. Quite valuable way back when, the three items are still quite rare today.
Boswellia Tree Hangs in the Balance
Dutch forest ecologist Frank Bongers is trying to preserve the fast-disappearing tree that produces frankincense, a tree highly adapted to survive the harsh conditions in Ethiopia. But he says that fires, human encroachment and species are overpowering the dry-land ecosystems.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources includes 10 Boswellia tree species on its Red List of Threatened Species. Eight are listed as vulnerable to extinction.
And Dr. Bongers thinks that the frankincense tree could be 90 percent wiped out in the next 50 years.
He says, “This is a rather alarming message for the incense industry and conservation organizations.”
While frankincense isn’t a major commodity, about 2,500 tons of the Christmas ingredient are purchased in the U.S., Europe, North Africa and China every year.
Bongers is studying the tree’s genetics to better understand its diversity as a means to save it from extinction. One suggestion he has is to stop tapping the tree for its sap after five years.
In another frankincense tree study five years ago, scientists discovered that taking resin from Boswellia trees for frankincense caused them to produce one-third the number of seeds as trees that had never been tapped.
He says, “There’s not a shortage of frankincense, but there’s no regeneration of the forests. There are no young trees anymore.” He also suggests growing saplings in nurseries and planting them where they are safe from fire and animal grazing.
While it would be sad to lose an entire tree species to extinction, Christmas will still have gold and myrrh.
]]>In 2006, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began monitoring the Arctic region, creating an annual report card to mark rapid change occurring there. Five years in and the news isn’t good.
The 2011 Arctic Report Card shows that the entire region is changing dramatically. Ice, both on land and at sea, is melting at record pace. That is upsetting the Earth’s albedo, allowing more of the sun’s energy to be absorbed by dark, open water and not be reflected back to space as it bounces off snow and ice.
2011 Arctic Sea Ice Extent, courtesy of NOAA Arctic Report Card
According to the report card, “The 2011 minimum is the second lowest, only 0.16 million km2 greater than the 2007 record minimum.” Overall, the 2011 minimum reached on September 9 was 31% (2.08 million km2) smaller than the 1979-2000 average. The report says, “The last five summers (2007-2011) have experienced the five lowest minima in the satellite record, and the past decade (2002-2011) has experienced nine of the ten lowest minima.”
All of the newly exposed water is allowing atmospheric carbon dioxide to sink into the Arctic waters and it is changing the chemical makeup of the ocean. As a result, the Chukchi and Beaufort seas have lower pH values. In other words the waters are becoming more acidic, which makes it difficult for tiny sea animals that rely on calcium carbonate shells to survive. The higher acid level makes shell formation more difficult.
The report card says, “The increased amount of open water enhanced the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere and the freshening of the upper ocean decreased alkalinity, inorganic carbon and calcium ion concentrations.” The melting sea ice exposed more water to the open air, allowing more atmospheric carbon dioxide to sink in the ocean, making the ocean more acidic. The report notes, “Although CO2 concentration in surface waters in 2010 and 2011 was not as high as in 2008, these waters have continued to be undersaturated with respect to aragonite.” By monitoring the aragonite levels scientists can determine if phytoplankton is having trouble forming shells.
In addition to watching the ocean and the atmosphere change, NOAA also monitors shorter term weather patterns and tracks the impact they have on the Arctic region as a whole. And the last few years, pressure over the North Pole shifted, pushing the coldest Arctic air far south to the United States and Europe while warmer air filtered over Greenland, rapidly speeding up the melt rate of glaciers there.
For the first time, the 2011 Arctic Report Card measured changes in Greenland. As a result of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) switching from positive to negative, caused unusually warm weather during Winter 2010-2011 and last summer. Those weather conditions in turn sped up the melt rate from the Greenland ice sheet.
The report says, “The area and duration of melting at the surface of the ice sheet in summer 2011 were the third highest since 1979.” According to satellite data, the Greenland ice sheet melted to its third lowest point since 1979 when record keeping began. Only 2010 and 2007 exceeded that ice loss.
NOAA principal deputy under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere Monica Medina says, “This report, by a team of 121 scientists from around the globe, concludes that the Arctic region continues to warm, with less sea ice and greater green vegetation.”
Using a familiar image of a stoplight, NOAA classified the five chapters of the report card according to level of change. The findings show that Atmosphere, Sea Ice & Ocean, Hydrology & Terrestrial Cryosphere have experienced significant change while Marine Ecosystems and Terrestrial Ecosystems have experienced some change. No coverage area received a greenlight, meaning little or no change.
The Report Card tracks the Arctic atmosphere, sea ice, biology, ocean, land, and Greenland. This year, new sections were added, including, greenhouse gases, ozone and ultraviolet radiation, ocean acidification, Arctic Ocean primary productivity, and lake ice.
It concludes, “Sea ice and ocean observations over the past decade (2001-2011) suggest that the Arctic Ocean climate has reached a new state, with characteristics different than those observed previously.”
And, “In 2011 there was continued widespread warming in the Arctic, where deviations from historical air temperatures are amplified by a factor of two or more relative to lower latitudes. This phenomenon, called Arctic Amplification, is primarily a consequence of increased summer sea ice loss and northward transport of heat by the atmosphere and ocean.”
]]>A meta-study in the journal Science says – changing global temperatures are pushing species towards the poles and higher altitudes.
A meta study is a study that rounds up all the other related studies (in this case 54) and analyzes them for trends or patterns that emerge. After looking at the scientific literature on species migration for the last 40 years, it appears that animals and plants are responding to a changing climate by moving further north and to higher elevations.
While it may sound strange that trees are picking up and moving in essence that’s what’s happening. Of course, they can’t uproot themselves and walk up a mountain or further north to a more suitable climate. But researchers have found that 2,000 species of plants and animals are finding new homes thanks to climate change.
And the rate at which the they are moving to a more suitable climate is staggering, much faster than the commonly accepted rates found in the scientific literature.
Chris Thomas, Biology professor at the University of York in England and the meta study project leader says, “These changes are equivalent to animals and plants shifting away from the equator at around 20 centimeters [8 inches] per hour, for every hour of the day, for every day of the year.”
That’s a rate three times faster than scientists thought plants and animals were migrating because of climate change. That amounts to a shift of 10.1 miles to the north per decade. And species are moving higher up hills and mountains as well at a rate twice what scientists thought. On average species are moving at a rate of 36.1 feet higher per decade.
While it may not sound like a lot of movement Dr. Thomas says that there is no other explanation why plants and animals would be permanently shifting their habitats to higher latitudes and higher elevation. He also says the speed at which the change is occurring is very dramatic.
I-Ching Chen, another lead researcher on the meta study says this project shows that global warming is pushing plant and animal species toward the poles and to higher elevations. Dr. Chen says, “We have for the first time shown that the amount by which the distributions of species have changed is correlated with the amount the climate has changed in that region.”
This analysis of the literature spells trouble for animals in Arctic regions where the climate is warming twice as fast as anywhere else. There is nowhere for these species to go. The same holds true for plants that are already perched on mountain tops. They can’t climb any higher.
Dr. Thomas and other scientists fear that many of the species that are unable to adapt by shifting their homes will simply die out.
The meta study focused on the scientific literature in Europe and North America, leaving a gaping hole in what’s happening in equatorial regions, where temperatures are warming much more slowly than higher latitudes. In the tropics moisture not temperature may be having the same overall effect on species. That’s the subject for another meta study.
And while the overall trend pointed toward a warming world forcing the migration of plants and animals toward the poles and to highter elevations, a significant minority of species moved to lower latitudes and lower elevations. Dr. Thomas attributes this to other pressures that have an effect on species distribution. Habitat loss, land use, and other pressures besides climate change do have an impact on species movement.
He told the New York Times, “Land use change, habitat loss — there’s a long list of pressures which must all be balanced. Climate change is a huge pressure, but it’s just one pressure facing species around the world.”
]]>This video from May 2010 tells the tale of a gray whale lost, half a world away from home. Biologists immediately thought it was a hoax but after studying the 43-foot whale more closely they discovered that it must have gotten off it’s north-south Pacific Ocean migration track thanks to an ice-free Arctic a couple of summers ago.
Now, new research stemming from this historic sighting off the coast of Israel in the eastern Mediterranean has scientists suggesting that climate change is opening up the fabled Northwest Passage — not just to boaters and geo-political interest — but to animals and plants.
According to seabed core samples, plankton previously not spotted in the Atlantic for 800,000 first re-appeared in the Labrador Sea in 1999 and then in the Gulf of St. Lawrence two years later. Now it has taken root and spread as far south as New York.
Scientists see this one example of a wayward whale and the proliferation of ocean greenery as a clear sign that something is changing in the Arctic.
In a new report which is part of the larger CLAMER project about oceans and climate change, researchers say the lone gray whale’s presence in the Mediterranean “coincides with a shrinking of Arctic Sea ice due to climate change and suggests that climate change may allow gray whales to re-colonize the North Atlantic.”
During the 1800s the Atlantic population of gray whales was hunted to extinction. Only two populations of the endangered species exist, a small pod in the western Pacific and a larger group in the eastern Pacific, from which the whale in Israel was believed to be a member.
The Northwest Passage is a route through the freezing northern Canadian archipelago and has been sought after for explorers for over 500 years. Until recently it was considered the “fabled Northwest Passage” because it was locked in ice year-round. But in 1998 and again in 2007 the passage was ice-free for a brief time during the summer from end to end. That’s when marine biologists expect the whale went through.
Phillip Reid, a senior plankton research fellow at the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science in Plymouth, England told the Associated Press, “The implications are enormous. It’s a threshold that has been crossed.”
Since the North Pacific and the North Atlantic have been virtually shut off to one another, each has developed its own biosystem. Reid says the last time there was a major incursion from the Pacific to the Atlantic was about 2 million years ago. That had a huge impact on the Atlantic, driving some species to extinction as the new arrivals dominated and won in the competition for food.
Reid’s study on plankton and the gray whale are part of almost 300 papers written over the last 13 years that are being synthesized and published as a book and documentary this year by the CLAMER project.
Right now the migration of one gray whale and two species of plankton is not much of a concern to Reid. But he says, “It’s the potential for further ones to come through if the Arctic opens. That’s the key message.”
Plankton is at the bottom of the food chain and is a major source of nutrients for many fish species. Scientists have studied the relationship between plankton and fish stocks for many years and they note that changes in plankton often coincide with big swings in fish stocks.
In the North Sea, studies have blamed changes in plankton for threats to fish-eating birds and the collapse of some fish stocks.
Katja Philippart from the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research says changes in the ocean’s chemistry and temperature have grave impacts on fisheries, especially as species move northward searching for cooler waters.
Philippart heads the European Union-funded CLAMER project. She says, “We try to put the information on the table for people who have to make decisions.” She told the AP, “We don’t say whether it’s bad or good. We say there is a high potential for change.”
Even though since the mid-1990s intrepid adventurer sailors have tried to penetrate the treacherous trail through the Northwest Passage just a handful of people have successfully navigated their way from end to end when the sea ice retreats enough to allow safe passage. It stands to reason that if people are able to do this with some effort, then animals and plants are too.
After swimming off the coast of Israel for a few weeks, the gray whale who appeared malnourished and “not in good shape” according to researchers, was spotted near Spain 23 days later. But that’s the last report. No one has seen the whale 2010.
]]>For years scientists and politicians have been saying the sea is rising. And it is. But because the amount of sea level rise each year is measured in millimeters for many it seems insignificant and for some it seems downright laughable.
But new research this week confirms that sea levels have risen faster in the last century than they have in the last 2,000 years. By sifting through North Carolina sediment deposits and studying microfossil evidence and then comparing that data with detailed maps of sea levels and coastlines scientists are making the strongest case yet that sea level rise is something we should all think about.
Scientists link the rapid increase in rate of sea level rise to climate change. As the global average temperature inches up the ocean’s temperature also increases. When water heats up it expands. This thermal expansion explains a good chunk of the sea level rise we’ve witnessed in the last 100 years.
But the actual amount the seas have risen in the last century doesn’t amount to much — around 7 inches. That’s about two millimeters a year.
Geologist Benjamin Horton, one of the authors and director of University of Pennsylvania’s Sea Level Research Laboratory says, “Where the temperature goes up, sea level goes up. Where the temperature stabilizes, so does sea level. Where the temperature picks up in the 20th century, so does sea level.”
In the most detailed look yet at sea-level change along the east coast of the U.S., scientists have discovered that waters have risen far faster over the last century than at any time in the previous 2,000 years.
By studying fossils, they found that temperature and sea level rise were in lock step during that time.
The team found that sea level was relatively stable from 200 BC to 950 AD. But beginning in the 11th century, sea level rose by about half a millimeter each year for 400 years during a warm climate period known as the Medieval Climate Anomaly. Then sea level was stable again during a period, called the Little Ice Age, that persisted until the late 19th century. However since then, sea level has risen more than 2 millimeters per year on average, the steepest rate for more than 2,100 years.
Horton says, “Sea-level rise is a potentially disastrous outcome of climate change, as rising temperatures melt land-based ice and warm ocean waters.”
But are Al Gore’s predictions about an inundated Florida and climate refugees in coastal areas true? The short answer is maybe. And it all depends on several unpredictable factors — the rate of land ice melting and contributing to sea-level rise and catastrophic ice sheet collapse either in Greenland or Antarctica.
From studying the past Horton can’t predict the future but he says, “So for the 21st century when temperatures will rise, so will sea level.”
But as sea levels rise so does the volume of water the ocean can hold. Most scientists consider the glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) to be insignificant. GIA explains the slight continental rebound that is ongoing since the weight of the ice during the last ice age has diminished. This land rise is about .3 millimeters per year.
Scientists add this to sea level measurements in order to calculate the true rise or adjusted rise. Steve Nerem the director of the Ice told FoxNews, “We have to account for the fact that the ocean basins are actually getting slightly bigger.” That means the water volume is actually expanding.
However a lawyer for the conservative think tank the Heartland Institute decided to make that tiny measurement into a big deal, calling all the science about climate change into question, saying, “There really is no reason to do this other than to advance a political agenda.”
It begs the question, if most people don’t seem concerned that sea level has risen 7 inches in 100 years, why are a few non-scientists quibbling over .3 millimeters (which can be scientifically explained)?
While Al Gore’s picture of a water-world future entices his detractors to call him an alarmist, history has shown that failure to adapt to the climate spells trouble for people. Take the Vikings.
They inhabited a warmer Greenland during a period of climate anomaly when the temperature was much warmer. They failed to prepare for a cold reality and were forced to flee during the Little Ice Age.
Unless a large land-based chunk of ice collapses and melts, adding immediate increase to global sea levels — which would swamp low-lying islands and nations like Bangladesh — those of us around now probably won’t live to see the harsh presence of major sea level rise.
But that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. Future generations will either look back and thank us or curse us for the action we take now.
While scientists can’t foresee the exact amount of sea level rise, many are saying to prepare for about 36 inches this century. That is five times more than was measured in the 20th Century.
The FoxNews story ends with a snarky statement from the lawyer Taylor, who calls Gore’s suggestion of a flooded New York tomfoolery. “If it were going to happen, he wouldn’t have bought his multi-million dollar mansion along the coast in California.”
I’m sure the Vikings said the same thing.
Though the average sea level rise over the last 100 years was about 2 millimeters each year, since 1993 that rate has increased to 3 millimeters per year, caused largely by thermal expansion and increased melting of Greenland’s ice sheet.
]]>For decades fishermen have been saying there’s no future in fishing. Environmentalists have been warning about overfishing and pollution harming the ocean’s delicate ecosystem. But so far the ocean has been able to absorb everything humans have thrown at it.
The summary of a new international report(PDF) says that we may be quickly reaching the limit of what the ocean will tolerate. The International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) convened the first-ever interdisciplinary meeting of ocean scientists. Their report, which has not been released in full, paints a grave picture of the future of the ocean if something doesn’t change.
The report identified three key stressors to the ocean — overfishing, pollution and climate change. They cause ocean acidification, anoxic areas or oxygen-free marine dead zones and ocean warming which have been associated with mass extinctions in the past.
Many nations are trying to improve their fishing practices so as to not wipe out entire fish species. And pollution standards are changing so that the ocean doesn’t have to take in so much run off that creates dead zones where no fish can live.
It is the third area — climate change — where the scientists unanimously say something needs to be done before an entire oceanic mass extinction begins.
Scientists say we are potentially looking at a mass extinction of marine life, the likes of which haven’t been seen since the dinosaur extinction 65 million years ago.
Chris Reid, Professor as the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth and co-author of the report says, “We are seeing levels of pH inthe oceans now that probably haven’t been experienced for 55 million years.”
The speed at which the ocean is changing is what has scientists concerned. They say that ocean is at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history. And that those changes will be evident in 20-50 years, not hundreds of years in the future as previously thought.
IPSO Scientific Director Alex Rogers, who is also a Professor of Conservation Biology at the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford is struck by the rapid changes the ocean is experiencing.
He says coral reef ecosystems will likely be lost by the end of the century. And to him that qualifies as a mass extinction. Marine biologists believe there are about 9 million species of animals and plants associated with coral reefs.
Already scientists are seeing fish move north and south of their regular habitats. The fish in the tropics and at the polar extremes of the ocean have no place to go. So Dr. Rogers predicts there will be a large loss of fish in low and high latitudes just because of temperature change.
“If the ocean goes down. It’s game over.” — Dr. Alex Rogers, Scientific Director of IPSO
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The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Natural Resources committee held a hearing on wildfire management this week. Fires are burning in California, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida and Oregon. The record-breaking Wala fire in Arizona may have been sparked by a campfire but made worse by a prolonged drought, high temperatures, dry and windy conditions and climate change.
Scientists are careful to separate climate from individual weather events. But trends in the ultra dry desert southwest are pointing to a broader shift.
Rep. Jeff Bingaman, the chair of the House committee released a statement saying, “It’s been a dynamic year of severe weather: intense tornadoes and flooding throughout much of the United States, extreme drought and wildfire activity in the Southwest and much of the South. The overall trend of increasing drought and wildfire in the West and Southwest have been attributed by numerous scientific reports to climate change, including the recent report of our National Academy of Sciences, entitled America’s Climate Choices.”
U.S. Forest Service chief Tom Tidwell testified that he is witnessing longer fire seasons all around the country.
He says, “With this change in climate, we are seeing a much increased frequency in disturbance events such as drought. Not only are droughts more frequent, they are longer in length.”
As a result snow pack in the mountains is melting earlier each year and Forest Service scientists have found the average fire season in the west has been extended about 30 days.
When Tidwell flew over the Wallow fire in Arizona last week he says he was surprised. He’s seen many forest fires but when he saw the west front was a 30-mile stretch of active fire it “topped anything he’d seen before.”
Matt Rollins, who monitors wildfires for the U.S. Geological Survey says, “What we can’t do is definitively tie this to any specific driving factor like climate variability.”
Why not?
Well, fire is a highly complex system that is influenced by a number of variables. Short term weather patterns create dry conditions. Infrequent ground fires allow brush and other fuel to grow so when a fire does arise it’s hot and intense and hard to fight. Windy conditions, insect infestations that kill trees and changes in land use all contribute to making fire hard to pin down.
Some research into big fires has been done. A combined U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological survey effort studied fires that burned more than 1,000 acres. The study found that between 1984 and 1999 2.2 million acres burned nationally each year. But between 2000 and 2008 and acreage destroyed jumped to 6.4 million acres.
Stephen J. Pyne from Arizona State University things overgrazing, logging and fire prevention efforts (remember Smoky Bear?) have provided a lot more fuel for wildfires.
He says, “You don’t even have to involve global warming. It’s hot this time of year and all you need is a couple of weeks of really dry weather.”
According to the Associated Press, so far this year 31,350 wildfires have burned more than 4 million acres of land. That’s up from 27,077 fires at the same time last year which burned about one-third as much acreage.
According to research by Anthony Westerling, an engineer at the University of California, Merced the number of large fires began to grow in the mid 1980s. His paper appeared in Science magazine(PDF) in 2006. He says the big Yellowstone fire in 1988 began the era of big wildfires in the west.
The strong La Nina weather pattern this year that just ended contributed to the severity of an existing drought in the desert southwest, where rain has been infrequent and temperatures have been well above normal. With all the factors at play in making a wildfire, climate may play a subtler role, exacerbating conditions that merely fan the flames.
Congressman Bingaman is convinced there is a connection between fire and climate. He says, “Since climate change will continue into the future, we can expect the incidences of severe weather and the further drying-out of the already arid regions of the West to continue.”
Others are content to pin the blame on short term weather conditions, insect infestations and more people living and camping in the woods.
]]>ABC’s Neal Karlinsky takes a look at the special bond between Polar Bear mothers and their cubs. Outside of Churchill, Manitoba in the high Canadian Arctic, the most well-studied polar bears emerge from their winter dens.
Every year wildlife photographers flock to the frozen north in late spring to watch the new polar bear cubs emerge from their underground snow caves and glimpse daylight for the first time.
Male bears are hundreds of miles away already, feeding on the still-frozen Hudson Bay. So it is up to the mother bears to teach their cubs all they need to know to survive.
World Wildlife Fund biologist Pete Ewins says that mother bears used to have two cubs each year. Now it is much more common to see a mother polar bear with only one. “The bears are definitely in decline,” he adds.
According to the World Wildlife Fund the biggest threat to the bears is climate change. The conservation groups says the Arctic is especially hard hit, with winter temperatures in northeastern Canada now more than 18 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal, and continuing to climb.
The photographers shiver in the minus 40 degree temperatures so the Arctic is still cold. But significantly warmer winter temperatures melt sea ice that polar bears depend on to reach seals and other food. That means malnourished mothers are having to trudge through deep snow longer in search of food, which jeopardizes their ability to bring bear cubs to full term.
]]>Scientists say the growing number of people on the Earth could lead to a food crisis by 2050 and reshape the planet. Now@9 viewers and Actor/Comedian Hal Sparks discuss the idea.
The conversation was sparked by this weekend’s American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Washington D.C. where top scientists gathered to discuss breakthroughs, discoveries and science policy.
Food shortages, rapid population growth and a more affluent developing world all spell resource shortages in the future. That will dramatically change the face of the planet. And scientists are starting to discuss how we can prepare now.
]]>The National Audubon Society has sponsored an annual winter bird count for over 100 years. This year’s Christmas Bird Count will include 60,000 volunteers from all over the country who will look for and record birds for two weeks.
This is perhaps one of the oldest forms of citizen science. It allows people who care about birds and nature to pitch in and help scientists gather immense amounts of data that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to collect.
Jim Shallow at Audubon Vermont says, “The great thing about citizen science is that you add a lot more data points to your data and you have a lot more eyes out on the landscape.”
This information has helped scientists study the effects of climate change.
Shallow says that in New England, in particular, things have warmed up over the last 40 years. And that shows up as birds adapt by moving their ranges northward.
Noting that and other avian trends would not be possible without citizen scientists who are helping the Audubon Society count birds. You can participate in this time-honored Holiday tradition by visiting the society Christmas Bird Count get involved page.
]]>New findings spark hope that endangered species are more abundant than previously thought.
Until recently scientists have been limited in their exploration of the ocean by depths SCUBA divers can safely travel. And deep water submersible vehicles tend to focus on the deep ocean, below 500 feet. So the in between areas of 200-500 feet remain largely unknown.
But recent advances in technical diving and rebreathers is allowing a new glimpse at low-light reefs, where much to scientists surprise life is thriving. In fact, rare and endangered species are doing well deeper down than those in shallow waters.
Scientists caution that the excitement of this discovery is tempered by looming threats of pollution, overfishing and climate change that could begin hurting this healthy ecosystem. They say that fish may be retreating to deeper depths as their habitats become inhospitable.
]]>21 papers produced from scientists in different fields released a report this week saying that technology may be one of the best fixes for a growing problem. Members of Britain’s Royal Society concluded that artificial meat — created in giant vats using vegetable protein — may be one of the best solutions to reducing future food shortages created by a growing global population and climate change.
The papers were released ahead of an international climate change meeting in Cancun, Mexico at the end of the year.
Other solutions to the future food crisis — feeding livestock nano-enhanced medicine to make them produce better meat, improving refrigeration in developing nations and just consuming less by reducing food waste.
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Many scientists are disappointed after two weeks of climate change negotiations resulted in a toothless agreement that didn’t limit carbon dioxide, the main culprit of global warming. The new Copenhagen Accord(PDF) did not cut emissions as previously thought, dimming some hope that a global treaty would help improve the climate.
Some are calling for Plan B just in case reducing emissions ends up being too little, too late. Intervening in the climate is considered a last-ditch effort if we find ourselves in dire climate straits. But now geoengineering is starting to get some attention as several top scientists are calling for new research initiatives and its inclusion as part of broader climate solutions.
Even former Microsoft technology guru and physicist Nathan Myhrvold thinks we need to start preparing for every eventuality.
Owning the Weather, panel discussion on geoengineering, from COP 15 in Copenhagen.
Artist rendering of blimps spewing sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, courtesy of The Atlantic.
]]>They call William Kamkwamba “the boy who harnessed the wind.” At 14, after dropping out of school, the African boy in a rural Malawi village taught himself how electricity works, and built a windmill from scraps and pieces of a bicycle.
Now 22, Kamkwmaba has a book, detailing how he built his windmill and he outlines his plan for his next invention–a steam engine run by a solar oven.
Here’s an interview with the author at Amazon.com.
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A little green frog is causing big problems across Hawaii, where the coqui has become the latest invasive species to get a strong foothold.
But Hawaii may be the only place experiencing a surging frog population. Around the world, frogs are dying in droves from a fungus called a chytrid.
What can we learn from the little coqui?
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President Obama Addresses UN Climate Summit
In what could be considered his most strongly-worded warning about the threat of climate change, U.S. President Barack Obama told the United Nations that there is little time to act before permanent environmental damage is irreversible.
In a stirring speech, he called upon Congress, scientists, engineers and citizens to take climate change seriously and work toward solutions to prevent the worst and adapt to the inevitable.
He also announced that the U.S. would begin tracking greenhouse gas emissions across the country and work toward eliminating long-standing fossil fuel subsidies.
Video of President Obama’s UN climate speech:
British naturalist Dr. James Lovelock has some strong words for the world. The futurist warns that the Earth is a living organism that is undergoing massive changes.
He believes the Earth is sick and in order to heal itself it may need to get rid of a few billion people. But Dr. Lovelock delivers his dire message with a charming accent and the wisdom befitting his advanced years.
Some will be terrified by what he and other scientists are observing as the Earth gets remarkably warmer but Dr. Lovelock sees hope and opportunity to adapt.
Photo: Dr. James Lovelock, Town Hall Seattle, by Michael Bradbury
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As the Arctic heats up, indigenous people seem to bearing the brunt of global warming. The village of Kivalina, in northwestern Alaska is the latest victim and is being forced to relocate in a safer spot.
The village is suing the largest oil companies in the world–blaming the warming world on them. And, they are suing for damages in excess of $100 million. The lawsuit also includes conspiracy as one of the charges, which sets this suit apart from others that have tried to sue for global warming damages.
Greenpeace International has built a Web site called ExxonSecrets.org to show how the energy companies conspired against the American people to create a false scientific debate.
]]>Disney’s goal is going to plant one tree for every ticket sold. Disney will oversee the planting of the trees in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is considered the most endangered rain forest in the world. Today, only 7 percent of the Atlantic Forest remains. Disney is committed to ensuring the trees are planted and cared for to provide the greatest long term benefit for the planet.
Tickets are now on sale for opening weekend. Tickets are available through the film’s website at www.disney.com/earth and via phone at 1-888-DISNEY6.
]]>The public is looking for films like ‘EARTH’ that are entertaining, educational, show nature’s beauty and are environmentally conscious. What better way to celebrate the opening of this epic film than by planting trees on behalf of our moviegoers! — Jean-François Camilleri, executive vice president and general manger of Disneynature
Scientists just met in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss the state of science surrounding the climate. The prognosis–we’re in serious trouble unless we change course, fast.
The news was pretty grim for the most part, with each bit of science raising dire prediction after dire prediction.
The one bright piece of science is that Greenland may not lose its ice sheet unless the world warms twice as much as previously thought.
But the science overall, painted a picture of a hot, somewhat habitable planet in the future, with acid oceans at much higher levels than today.
Just as the science raises concerns, the economists in attendance see an opportunity. They want to stimulate the global economy and tackle climate change at the same time–by making greenhouse gas emissions targets more stringent.
The Guardian newspaper has a special section on the Copenhagen Climate Congress, the three-day science meeting that served as the warm up to a policy meeting in December, where the successor to the Kyoto Protocol will be fashioned.
Scientists, policymakers and great thinkers are trying to work on ways to maintain those critical 11 degrees of separation. What are your ideas?
Listen here.
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Don’t just read about climate change, get outside and watch it in action. And, help scientists gather data about seasonal pattern changes in many different plant species.
Join the Project BudBurst volunteer network to monitor climate change in your neighborhood. And, watch spring unfold across the country on real-time phenology maps.
]]>2009 is Darwin year, the bicentenary of the British naturalist’s birth, and 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work “The Origin of Species.” An exhibition has opened in London’s Museum of Natural History.
The major milestone was to have begun the Year of Evolution but the idea itself evolved into the Year of Science. Charles Darwin’s birthday is Feb. 12.
Here’s the official list of Darwin-related events.
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From Oregon to Mexico, brown pelicans are dropping from the sky and scientists are puzzled. They say it could be exposure to a chemical, a disease or even frost bite after being caught too far north when winter began.
Wildlife experts are trying to figure out why sick, disoriented and bruised California brown pelicans are being found in record numbers along the Oregon and California coastline.
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The 14th annual United Nations Conference on Climate Change gets underway in Poznan, Poland this week. The two-week long conference will focus on ways the world can adapt to the changing Climate. And, for the first time a world exhibit on Technologies for Climate Protection is looking at inventions that will help reduce carbon emissions and prepare for sea level rise, drought, electricity shortages and other consequences of global warming.
Four solutions are leading the innovative way to help reduce the effects of climate change and adjust to the realities of a warmer world.
From hanging gardens in easily inundated Bangladesh to an eletricity-generating dance floor, 120 exhibits from 20 countries are trying to create useful solutions to the global warming problem.
Club Watt uses movement of dancers to power the club.
Science is facing some big questions, like how will we capture excess atmospheric carbon dioxide or how will we overcome antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections?
But, a one-celled organism that lives in the sea may have the answers to health and environmental issues living inside.
Cyanobacteria and bacteriophages are knocking down barriers in biology and could even help the environment down the road. But first, scientists need to figure out how these tiny sea creatures tick.
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The jury is still out on whether the Navy’s use of sonar is hurting whales or other marine mammals. But a 5-4 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday lifted part of a moratorium on using sonar in military testing when whales are in the vicinity.
Scientists have been studying the problem for years. They observe that shortly after a significant use of Naval sonar, whales and porpoises tend to beach themselves. But there is no conclusive evidence showing that sonar is harming or killing whales.
Several studies are underway to show the effects of man-made sonar on whales. Do they rise too rapidly from the deep ocean thinking they are tracking a tasty squid or are they performing dangerous diving maneuvers because they mistake the sonar for a predator?
Well, that’s what science is trying to figure out. It’ll be a few years until anything definitive can be proven. But the high court has given the Navy a partial exemption when it comes to using sonar near whales.
Watch the video Lethal Sounds: Deadly Sonar Harms Whales narrated by Pierce Brosnan.
Listen to the podcast here.
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The fittest do survive.
But new research from Indiana seems to indicate that what makes a creature fit can be driven by other secondary characteristics.
This can lead to rapid speciation.
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In a warmer world, kidney stone risk will increase. New research shows a connection between geography, temperature and kidney stones.
The kidney stone belt in the U.S. includes all the southern states but it could grow by 2050.
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Are penguins the new canary in the coal mine when it comes to warning the world about global warming?
One conservation biologist at Unviersity of Washington says, Yes.
]]>Plants seem pretty well rooted in the ground where they are planted. But new botanical research is showing that global warming is pushing plants, trees and forests to higher elevations. A long-term study just revealed a major altitude migration among European trees and plants.
Backyard green thumbs have noticed warm-weather plants surviving and thriving in cooler climates. It adds new variety to the garden but could also spell trouble for pine trees and other high-altitude plants that don’t have much further to go before they get pushed off the edge.
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Animals roam across vast expanses, criss-crossing the world. And, now people can follow many different species fitted with satellite tags and tracked online using applications like Google Maps.
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First the polar bears and now the Pacific Walrus are being squeezed off the melting ice and onto the brink of extinction. Could listing the walrus under the Endangered Species Act save the tusked mammal or is global warming making it too hot for the walrus to handle?
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Cycles of booms and busts have plagued the fishing industry forever. Fish suddenly disappear in one area and turn up in another. Now scientists think they have figured out part of the mystery — at least when it comes to sardines and anchovies.
]]>In India, rising sea levels have already swallowed two islands in the famed Sunderbans mangrove region, with dozens more under threat.
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As more and more biologists are worried about mass extinctions, a group of researchers has just discovered a treasure trove of new plant and animal species in an unlikely place–the war-torn Congo.
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For the blue butterfly in Southern California, all is not lost. The species that only months ago was near extinction is making a come back.
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