“Climate change” is a phrase that’s increasingly being used along with the phrase “global warming” because the concept of climate includes a lot more than just temperature. Climate is also measured according to other meteorological factors such as moisture and wind, as well as the way that life adapts to deal with these factors. Biologists talk about climates according to the plants and animals that live in a particular place as much as they talk about the underlying factors in the weather and terrain that make those life forms suited to the location.
So, among the data that scientists are using to measure climate change is information about the changing ranges of plants and animals. This week, yet more data of this sort has been made available, and it supports the hypothesis that significant changes in climate are taking place.
One article published in by the National Academy of Sciences reports that 48 out of 53 surveyed bird species in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the Western United States have undergone marked shifts in range over the last century, indicating changes in the distribution of climatological conditions to which those birds are suited. The birds that did not undergo a shift in range were those with a generalist strategy for survival, better able than other species to adapt to change. The research was conducted in coordination with California Audubon.
Another new study, conducted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, describes shifts of fish populations along the northeastern coast of the United States, away from ranges that have been typical since historical records began. The researchers conclude that these shifts have coincided with fundamental changes in marine ecosystems in the area.
Climate change is happening, and the animals have been adapting to it for some time now. Isn’t it time that human beings joined them?
Climate change? What climate change? With my head in the sand i can’t see any climate change.
i’m not sure whether you saw this (so i’ll post it again):
http://tomdispatch.com/
In short, it’s about time people woke up to what’s happening both here and around the globe with respect to drought and flooding and the impact it will have on food production and the coming water wars.
i contend it’s too late now to do anything significant about it. As an obese, greedy and stupid species, we’re on our way out, by and large.
For some of us it was easy to see many policies of our government were not climate and environment sensitive, decades ago.
The GOP, has made and continues to make, political hay poo pooing “tree huggers”. In our most recient Presidential elections, a GOP matra was “drill baby drill”.
This web site has many commenters that do everything from defer to God’s will, to ignoring facts and reasons (mostly because of racism or selfishness), for excusing their “nothing to worry about” behavior. Some of the most intransigent continue to make comments that ignore facts and reason. Example: Today’s post by ANONYMOUS’ in this thread.
Some of us also realize (and have understood for years) for our government to make the necessary changes of having and/or developing climate and environment sensitive policies, we need a very powerful political party in power.
Government policies don’t happen by themselves. The anti-climate change, the anti-health care reform, the drill baby drill, the war monger, the money monger, etc. ‘crowds’ know that.
Hopefully, with websites like Irregular Times and other
“progressive” activities, the people that respect life and understand its support structure (earth) will garner enough political power to make things better. I hope it’s not to late.
Even if it is to late, I, live 138′ above sea level, live in the country, live in a semi-tropical area(little heating needs) grow and/or catch (fish/shellfish) much of my own food, am not in debt, do not break the law (or am smart enough not to get caught), am within 50% of being energy independent (better solar panels need to be developed), among other things. I’ve been preparing for the worst for a long time.
The Clinton Administration garnered some optomism, the Bush Administration destroyed it, and the Obama Administration is garnering some optomism but the wingnuts (right & left) seem to be getting the upper hand. Oh well.
America needs changing. I’m not changing, I will still do what I can to make things better.