Forums before death by AOL, social media and spammers... "We can't have nice things"
| calgary.general | A very nice Canuck city, no libtard BS | 176,774 messages |
[ << oldest | < older | list | newer > | newest >> ]
| Message 175,246 of 176,774 |
| " (ಠ_ಠ)Раиса" <" (_ to All |
| Coyotes will flourish, amphibians will d |
| 25 Jun 14 13:21:54 |
XPost: can.politics, ab.politics, edm.general XPost: bc.politics, sk.politics, man.politics From: "@nyet.ca Aren't coyotes and crows scavengers that feed off the dying and dead? Albertans, take the hint. ______________________________________ Calgary Herald - June 25, 2014 10:58 AM Coyotes will flourish, amphibians will die off in hotter, drier Alberta A first-of-its-kind report suggests Alberta’s amphibians will be most vulnerable to climate change, while coyotes and crows could actually benefit. The report, Climate Change Vulnerability of Alberta’s Terrestrial Biodiversity: A Preliminary Assessment, by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, studied the sensitivity of amphibians, birds, insects, mammals and plants to the average predicted temperature increase of between 2.5 C to 3.5 C in the next 40 years. Click to view graphic. Vulnerable animals: Click above. “Our challenge was to understand which species may be most affected by climate change, either negatively or positively,” said Chris Shank, lead author of the report. They found that amphibians such as the Northern Leopard Frog, which is already threatened, would be negatively affected by warmer and drier environments. “The characteristics of amphibians themselves make them vulnerable,” explained Amy Nixon, the report’s co-author, noting their need for moist habitat for reproduction. “Many of the species, especially in the south part of the province, but throughout the province that rely on wetlands or temporary wetlands for reproduction . . . are likely to be negatively affected.” Difference between winter low and summer high temperatures, and mean annual precipitation: Plants that could be vulnerable to climate change include the purple pitcher plant, a rare, carnivorous plant found in the boreal forest, and the larch tree, found at higher elevations in the Rockies and in central and northern Alberta. “They also occupy a wet environment in Alberta and has a limited capacity to disperse,” said Nixon. “It’s also generally associated with cooler locations in the province.” She said they also expect forest fires to increase in the province, which would also hurt larch trees. Other animals that could be affected by climate change include the Ord’s kangaroo rat — a nocturnal rodent that lives in arid environments — and wolverines, which rely on snow for their den sites. The report also found that widespread species such as the coyote and the American crow could benefit from climate change. In general, it suggested birds are among the least vulnerable species because they would simply move with a changing climate. The report highlights the importance of considering climate change risks and opportunities in managing species at risk, addressing barriers to movement such as cultivated lands and roads, and long-term monitoring of species. A renowned climate scientist said it’s important work. “The well-being of the terrestrial ecosystem is very important for other forms of life, like humans,” said Jim Bruce, who helped form the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change during his time with the World Meteorological Association. “If we see changes, in many cases migration northward or upward into the mountains of some of the key species, it would change the environment for many people, especially in the southern parts of the province.” He said there’s not yet a strong understanding of exactly how the survival of certain species would affect communities and their well-being. “It’s a little less obvious than more floods and more droughts as far as impacts on humans are concerned,” said Bruce, “but if we are at all . . . interested in protecting the wild creatures of this world, we have a real responsibility to try to ensure they survive.” Climate change vulnerability of Alberta’s terrestrial biodiversity: A preliminary assessment --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2) |
(c) 1994, bbs@darkrealms.ca