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Archive for July, 2011
United States: Warming climate could give exotic grasses edge over natives
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 28th, 2011
ScienceDaily: California's native grasses, already under pressure from invasive exotic grasses, are likely to be pushed aside even more as the climate warms, according to a new analysis from the University of California, Berkeley.
In the study, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Global Change Biology and is now available online, UC Berkeley biologists catalogued the ranges of all 258 native grasses and 177 exotic grasses in the state and estimated how climate change -- in particular, increased...
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on United States: Warming climate could give exotic grasses edge over nativesUnited States: Hordes of hungry bats both delight and darken Austin
Posted by Reuters: Karen Brooks on July 28th, 2011
Reuters: There are 1.5 million bats living under a bridge in downtown Austin, and a historic Texas drought is making them hungrier than ever.
That's bad news for the bats in the world's largest urban bat colony. But it is good news for the humans who gather each evening just a few blocks from the state Capitol building to watch their spectacular nightly trips into the nearby Hill Country to find food.
The drought has killed off crops in Texas, and that in turn has killed off those delicious pests the...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on United States: Hordes of hungry bats both delight and darken AustinUnravelling a few of Australia’s climate change myths
Posted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Richard Lambert on July 28th, 2011
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: The heat that's now being generated by the climate change debate in Australia seems truly amazing to an outsider.
Here are five myths that I've heard being repeated during my stay.
1. Climate change policymaking is driven primarily by tree huggers and socialists.
In fact, Mrs Thatcher was one of the first world leaders to call for urgent action more than 20 years ago. The three largest countries that already have a fully-fledged carbon price system in operation - Germany, France and the...
United States: Climate Change Could Erode Quality and Quantity of Water in LA Area
Posted by San Fernando Valley Sun: None Given on July 28th, 2011
San Fernando Valley Sun: The Los Angeles region is likely to face rising sea levels, increased flooding and impacts to the quality and quantity of its water supply, but is making progress in preparing for the effects of climate change, according to a study released today.
The Natural Resources Defense Council report, "Thirsty for Answers: Preparing for the Water-related Impacts of Climate Change in American Cities," analyzes the impacts of climate change on water supplies and waterways in the Los Angeles area and across...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on United States: Climate Change Could Erode Quality and Quantity of Water in LA AreaNorwegians Concede a Role in Chilean Salmon Virus
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 28th, 2011
New York Times: A virus that has killed millions of salmon in Chile and ravaged the fish farming industry there was probably brought over from Norway, a major salmon producer has acknowledged.
Cermaq, a state-controlled Norwegian aquaculture company that has become one of the principal exporters of salmon from Chile, has endorsed a scientific study concluding that salmon eggs shipped from Norway to Chile are the "likely reason' for the outbreak of the virus in 2007, according to Lise Bergan, a company spokeswoman....
Republicans Seek Big Cuts in Environmental Rules
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 28th, 2011
New York Times: With the nation's attention diverted by the drama over the debt ceiling, Republicans in the House of Representatives are loading up an appropriations bill with 39 ways -- and counting -- to significantly curtail environmental regulation.
One would prevent the Bureau of Land Management from designating new wilderness areas for preservation. Another would severely restrict the Department of Interior's ability to police mountaintop-removal mining. And then there is the call to allow new uranium prospecting...
Biotech Food as a Necessity in a Warming Planet
Posted by GreenBiz: Marc Gunther on July 28th, 2011
GreenBiz: Climate change is here, folks, and I'm not saying so because it's hot outside. This is a big worry, or at least it should be.
But big problems create big business opportunities: A California biotech company called Arcadia Biosciences has set out to help farmers do their part to slow down the process of global warming and adapt to a resource-constrained world -- by developing crop varieties that require less water, tolerate salty conditions and use less nitrogen fertilizer.
This photo shows...
How to fight organized wildlife crime in East Asia
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Mongabay: Slow lorises, like these caged individuals, are imperiled in Southeast Asia for the illegal pet trade. In the wild, traders kill loris parents to take their babies. Pet lorises have their teeth pulled out to make them appear 'cuter'. Photo courtesy of the Wildlife Conservaiton Society (WCS).
Organized criminal syndicates are wiping out some of the world's most charismatic wildlife to feed a growing appetite for animal parts in East Asia#8212;and so far governments and law enforcement are dropping...
Climate Change And Forest Fires Linked In New Study
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Huffington Post: A study released this week predicts a grim future for the ecosystem in and around Yellowstone National Park.
The study, by researchers at the University of California, Merced, concluded that rising temperatures associated with climate change could result in many more severe forest fires in the coming decades. Professor Anthony Westerling and his team found that by 2050, forest fires “would likely cause a major shift in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” and “affect the region's wildlife, hydrology,...
In Western Water Wars, Fighters and, Yes, Peacemakers
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
New York Times: Writing about water in a region where water is scarce can be a daunting business. In a graduate program, the prerequisites would be geology, hydrology, chemistry, law and engineering - especially law and engineering. The people involved in the issue (who call themselves "water buffaloes," not without pride) tend to be defined by their fights as much as their accomplishments. In fact, when they are won, the fights are synonymous with their accomplishments.
Thanks to the movie "Chinatown" and histories...