[NatureNS] Climate Change

From: Henk Kwindt <cbatl@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <20120130122303.EPNS25576.torspm04.toronto.rmgopenwave.com@angus-5332f6e04.ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:52:31 -0400
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hemisphere?&lt;br&gt;Angus&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt
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Thanks Paul for sharing this level headed approach!
I was also wondering whether the seed eating birds, the ones not chasing =
the "insects on the move" , had moved northward too?
Henk Kwindt, Cow Bay, NS.
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Paul S. Boyer=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 3:34 PM
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Climate Change


  Oh my!  More global warming stuff.  With its serious tone, it almost =
sounds humorous.  I guess a researcher must keep a straight face when =
reporting results like this, if he wishes to keep the grant-money =
flowing.


  There is no evidence that birds have to evolve in order to change =
their geographic range.  That is what the author implies.  Does he think =
that birds actually evolve a map of their territory in their wee brains? =
 One thinks of the European Starling, introduced once into New York =
City, and now (little more than a century later) covering much of the =
continent.  That is not evolution, but just a population spreading into =
opportune habitat.


  The obvious reason the birds in this study have not moved north as =
fast as the researchers expected, is probably that the birds are finding =
enough food where they are.  It is as simple as that.  It is not =
computerized climate charts which influence bird behavior, so much as =
food supply.


  Birds found the feeders in our yard in hours or days.  They did not =
need to evolve to adapt to the new food source: they are opportunistic, =
and always on the lookout.  They also learn: that is why we noticed the =
birds lurking close to the house as the weather cooled this fall, =
looking for the feeders which we had not yet set up for the season.


  It is simply ridiculous to suggest that the insects are moving north =
faster than the birds because the insects are evolving faster.  And, the =
author implies, the birds will not now be able to find those insects who =
have outpaced them in the race to move northward!  No, the birds can =
find their food: they even learn new food supplies, as the chickadees =
have learned to eat the caterpillars of the Gypsy Moth.  I have seen =
birds exploit new food sources merely by watching birds of other =
species.  How long did that take?  In some cases, but a few minutes!


  (Lund University, by the way, is normally regarded as one of the most =
renowned in Sweden.)


  Birds are fun to study, but any honest ornithologist must admit that =
they are not a good index of climatic change.  As climatologists have =
known for over a century, plants are the best index of climate, because =
they cannot migrate and move about: they are stuck where they are =
growing.  We know from pollen studies that shifting climates of the past =
are well documented by changes in plant distribution.


  Birds are very mobile, and most of them are really quite adaptable.  =
They are about the poorest group of organisms to study for hints about =
climatic change.




  On 30 Jan 2012, at 7:23 AM, Angus MacLean wrote:


    This describes a study by Swedish researchers re birds & =
butterflies:

    http://www.world-science.net/othernews/120117_warming

    Have there been similar studies in this hemisphere?
    Angus




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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks Paul for sharing this level =
headed=20
approach!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I was also wondering whether the seed =
eating birds,=20
the ones not chasing the "insects on the move"&nbsp;, had moved =
northward=20
too?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Henk Kwindt, Cow Bay, NS.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dpsboyer@eastlink.ca =
href=3D"mailto:psboyer@eastlink.ca">Paul S.=20
  Boyer</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 01, =
2012 3:34=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Climate =

  Change</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>Oh my! &nbsp;More global warming stuff. &nbsp;With its =
serious=20
  tone, it almost sounds humorous. &nbsp;I guess a researcher must keep =
a=20
  straight face when reporting results like this, if he wishes to keep =
the=20
  grant-money flowing.
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>There is no evidence that birds have to evolve in order to change =
their=20
  geographic range. &nbsp;That is what the author implies. &nbsp;Does he =
think=20
  that birds actually evolve a map of their territory in their wee =
brains?=20
  &nbsp;One thinks of the European Starling, introduced once into New =
York City,=20
  and now (little more than a century later) covering much of the =
continent.=20
  &nbsp;That is not evolution, but just a population spreading into =
opportune=20
  habitat.</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>The obvious reason the birds in this study have not moved north =
as fast=20
  as the researchers expected, is probably that the birds are finding =
enough=20
  food where they are. &nbsp;It is as simple as that. &nbsp;It is not=20
  computerized climate charts which influence bird behavior, so much as =
food=20
  supply.</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>Birds found the feeders in our yard in hours or days. &nbsp;They =
did not=20
  need to evolve to adapt to the new food source: they are =
opportunistic, and=20
  always on the lookout. &nbsp;Th