an unwelcome amphibian - and it isn't the sub-mariner...? *lol*

Biologist sounds battle cry against unwelcome amphibian
Last Updated Mon, 21 Feb 2005 11:26:32 EST
CBC News

VANCOUVER - A conservation biologist is urging an all-out assault on the American bullfrog in British Columbia this spring, saying the amphibians are a threat to aquatic ecosystems.

Stan Orchard says the bullfrog has a varied diet. Snakes, turtles and birds have been prey. Even cats aren't safe from the invaders, which can grow to the size of a dinner plate.

American bullfrog -
The American bullfrog was imported as a delicacy for the dinner table, but now they're doing the dining in increasing numbers. They'll eat just about anything that will fit into their mouths.

At greatest risk are other species of frogs and small ducks. The bullfrogs are blamed for wiping out the Cranberry Lake duck population.

"There's no question about the ecological impact of bullfrogs on the region," Orchard says. "It's going to change water chemistry in some areas, and it's certainly going to remove some species from the local ecosystems."

For years, local biologists have studied the population boom; now Orchard says it's time to act.

"We don't have the luxury of time to really get numbers on the population. What we'll be doing is what's called the removal technique – you simply keep removing them and removing them until your numbers drop off to zero."


FROM AUG. 14, 2001: American bullfrogs hungry for ducklings and cats (YIKES!)

Once the ice thaws, Orchard hopes to get to work, zapping the frogs with an electrical charge to stun them and make trapping easier.
Local governments have chipped in cash, but so far, Orchard says it's not nearly enough to win the war.


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Biologist sounds battle cry against unwelcome amphibian
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ORIGINALLY FROM CBC.CA - again!
(And no - no more Namor here, on aqua musings!) *lol*

''Rrrrrrr - what's yer problem... HUH? 

I just wanna... live! 

Shame as you!'' 

hell freezes over as oceans warm up... it fits together!

Greenhouse gases 'do warm oceans'
By Paul Rincon
BBC News science reporter, in Washington DC

Scientists say they have "compelling" evidence that ocean warming over the past 40 years can be linked to the industrial release of carbon dioxide.
US researchers compared the rise in ocean temperatures with predictions from climate models and found human activity was the most likely cause.

In coming decades, the warming will have a dramatic impact on regional water supplies, they predict.

Details of the study were released at a major science meeting in Washington DC.

The conference is the annual gathering of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

'High confidence'

"This is perhaps the most compelling evidence yet that global warming is happening right now and it shows that we can successfully simulate its past and likely future evolution," said lead author Tim Barnett, of the climate research division at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California.

"If you take this data and combine it with a decade of earlier results, the debate about whether or not there is a global warming signal here and now is over at least for rational people."


Unless we know what we're dealing with, I think it's going to be pretty hard to fix it
Dr Tim Barnett, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

The team fed different scenarios into computer simulations to try to reproduce the observed rise in ocean temperatures over the last 40 years.
They used several scenarios to try to explain the oceanic observations, including natural climate variability, solar radiation and volcanic emissions, but all fell short.

"What absolutely nailed it was greenhouse warming," said Dr Barnett.

This model reproduced the observed temperature changes in the oceans with a statistical confidence of 95%, conclusive proof - say the researchers - that global warming is being caused by human activities.

'Political action'

Regional water supplies will be dramatically affected by climate change in the decades immediately ahead, say the team.

The western US is already experiencing water shortages and research suggests that the region could face a water crisis within 20 years.

In the South American Andes and western China, millions of people could be left without adequate water during the summer due to accelerated melting of glaciers.

"If the snow pack melts sooner, and if societies don't have the ability catch all of that water, they're going to end up with water shortages in the summer," Dr Barnett explained.

According to the Scripps researcher, political leadership was now needed to avert a global disaster.

"Hopefully we can get the US cranked around in that direction. I think the first thing to do is figure out the global warming-related problems we have ahead of us around the world.

"Unless we know what we're dealing with, I think it's going to be pretty hard to fix it."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/4275729.stm

Published: 2005/02/17 23:49:01 GMT

© BBC MMV

not seven seas but... seven pagodas?!? O-kaaaaaay... *lol*

Tsunami unveils part of ancient city off India
Last Updated Fri, 18 Feb 2005 20:36:43 EST
CBC News
MAHABALIPURAM, INDIA - The tsunami that devastated the shores of the Indian Ocean also uncovered what appears to be part of an ancient city off the coast of what is already a United Nations world heritage site.

Mahabalipuram, a Hindu pilgrimage town just south of Madras on India's southeast coast, was heavily battered by the tsunami on Dec. 26.


Archeologists investigate an ancient artifact uncovered by the tsunami at Mahabalipuram, India.

FROM DEC. 30, 2004: World Heritage Sites damaged by tsunami: UN

When the giant waves receded, they washed away sand that had covered three rocky structures near the town, whose ancient, intricately carved temples are visited each year by thousands of pilgrims and tourists.

The structures include a bas-relief with elaborate carvings of animals that appears to be part of a temple wall or a portion of a seventh-century port city, T. Satyamurthy, a senior archeologist with the Indian government, told the Associated Press. Early British travel writers described the Mahabalipuram area as the home of seven pagodas, six of which were submerged by the sea.

One of the two-metre structures uncovered by the tsunami shows is an elaborately carved head of an elephant or a horse in flight. Another has a reclining lion carved on it.

Lions, elephants and peacocks were often used to decorate walls and temples during the Pallava period in the seventh and eighth centuries.

"These structures could be part of the legendary seven pagodas," Satyamurthy said. "With the water receding and the coastline changing, we expect some more edifices to be exposed."

Archeologists and Indian navy divers began shoreline and underwater excavations of the area on Thursday.


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Marines, Iraqi forces surround Ramadi
Sri Lanka rebuilds washed-out rail line


THE PRECEDING ORIGINATED FROM CBC.CA

aqua aficionado - MUCHO better than a mere penthouse pet or any playful playmate