Global Change Biogeography: On Thin Ice

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

On Thin Ice

The final episode of the stunning Frozen Planet series, entitled 'On Thin Ice' have been broadcasted today on BBC. Written and narrated by Sir David Attenborough, this episode explores the wide-ranging impact of rising global temperature on the most badly impacted regions of our planet, the Arctic and Antarctic. It touches on most major issues, such as the response of wildlife, the impact on Inuit communities, melting of glacier, and sea level rise. It features stunning images on the recent break-up of the Wilkins Ice Sheet on the Antarctic peninsula, and on the meltwater lakes and drains of Greenland. The whole series, and this episode in particular is I think a fine example of how scientists could and should communicate issues like global warming to the public. It's both entertaining and scientific at the same time, hopefully it will make many of us realise the impact we make on our very own Frozen Planet. The episode is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Enjoy!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Conservation News

Ocean Acidification
It is a well known fact that increased acidity of oceans prevents coral growth, but new studies suggest that it also jeopardise fish reproduction. Science news reports on two studies, which showed that survival of young fish and hantching success of newly fertilized eggs decreased dramatically with higher acidity. In one study, CO2 levels as high as 1000ppm, which may be reached by 2100, decreased silverside egg survival from around 50% (at current CO2 elvels) to only 10%. The other study looked juvenillye cod growth in acidic water, and found that despite cods grew faster, they matured later and suffered higher mortality. If these findings hold true for other fishs species as well, it could mean that fish populations, both with commercial and conservation importance are doomed by increasing CO2 emissions.

Starving Polar Bears Cannibalise Cubs
Due to melting sea ice, polar bears are trapped on shore and are exposed to extended period of starvation. Lacking other alternative, they sometimes cannibalise juveniles. Such incidents become more and more frequent, and now for the first time one has been photographed. The issue of starving polar bears is also covered in the final episode of the Frozen Planet series (see blogpost).

Black Rhinos Declared Extinct
Remainig unrecorded for the past six years, black rhino (Diceros bicornis) was declared extinct by IUCN. It's highly valued horn in chinese medicine, slow life history, and a generally poor law enforcement throughout it's range in West Africa are thought to be the main drivers of it's decline and extinction. R.I.P.

White Nose Syndrome
Earlyer this year, Science news reported on the 'worst wildlife disease of recorded history', an alien fungus caused epidemic that kills tens of thousands of bats in North America. Interestingly, while Geomyces destructans leaves european bats unaffected, it causes 'white-nose syndrome' in the USA and Canada, and have devastating effect. Recent findings suggest that despite the process is long, recovery may be possible.