Owls Change Color to Cope With a Changing Climate

Article:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/02/owls-change-color-to-cope-with-a-changing-climate.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+treehuggersite+(Treehugger)

Summary:

In Finland, the tawny owls with gray feathers are usually more common than the ones with brown feathers. But every year, more and more brown feathered owls are present and are starting to outnumber the gray feathered owls.

Usually the brown ones are less common because they are easier to see in the snow and are therefore unable to survive form their predators as well. But with the climate change, meaning less snow, the gray owls become more visible and prone to predators. This is a concerning issue for the species because of the brown owls are more vulnerable to environmental changes and because the brown owls have weaker immune systems.

Reflection:

This article reminds me of the natural selection lab we did with the peppered moths.

Before this article, I thought that owls were at the top of every food chain mentioned. I never knew that owls are a prey to some species. It's amazing how the owls follow nearly the same concept of the peppered moths and that the camouflage to an animal's ecosystem is extremely significant for their survival. However, since the brown owls are less stable to survive in their given ecosystem, I hope effort is put into helping the gray birds survive.

Questions:

1. How could the brown owls adapt in time to survive?

2. Should we get biologists to help this issue? Why?

3. How many other species deal with this type of natural selection?

4. How could the gray owls overcome their population deficit?

5. What other animals are affected by the population change?

questions?????????
1) What are the other sharks on the list of not to be hunted?
2) How did these sharks become extince?
3)Of these speices how many are in the oceans now?
4) How likely are these sharks to attack us?
5) Since this law has been passed have there been more shark attacks in the Atlantic?

summary: The articale I found was all about endagered sharks and the things the U.S are doing to help them. There are over half a dozen different speceis that are illegal to hunt here in the Atlantic coast . Four of the six types are the scalloped, smooth and hammer head along with the ocean white tip. These along with two other sharks can not be targetted or kept if accidently caught. Along with this passing we learned that it adds to the only other shark that was preasant on the list before which is the big eye thrasher. Upon learning this we also find that over 50% of all free swiming sharks are endangered. There are however some draw backs to these passings, since these laws are only for the Atlantic this means sharks are know more likely to swim in the Atlantic ocean. Which to be honest is a tad scary. But it is for the best seeing as we do not want sharks to go totally extinct.
review: I was actually really surprised in reading this article. I think it mainly has to do with the fact that you never hear about endagered sharks. I found the articel really infromtive and interasting. But I'm not ggoing to lie i really don't like the idea of more sharks swimming in the Atlantic ocean. It is a really scary thing to think about. Even though there are rarley shark attacks. Another interasting thing was that this was only for the Atlantic ocean. In other oceans it is okay to fish for these sharks. In fact in china they even use them in soups. But it was a really good article.

Biologists Help Endangered Penguins Find True Love

Summary: Biologists are playing matchmaker for the endangered African Penguins. These animals are in danger of becoming extinct within the next twenty-five years. African Penguins need a baby-boom in order to keep their species alive. Biologists are matching penguins at the New England Aquarium so they will reproduce in the hopes of keeping the African Penguins alive. They have recently matched two sets up penguins who are compatable to produce optimal offspring.

Reflection: I think its funny that biologists are becoming eharmony for penguins. I wonder what caused these species to become extinct. Before this article I have never heard of the African Penguin, but now I know they are on the endangered species list. Hopefully biologists will find compatable matches and will be able to keep the African Penguin alive.

Questions:
1. What caused the African Penguins to become extinct?
2. Why are these particular penguins so important to our ecosystems?
3.Where is the African Penguin from?
4. How do biologists determine weither penguins are compatable to produce optimal offspring?
5. How many penguins will it take for the African Penguin to be taken off the endangered species list?

Sea Urchins and Abalone Won't Grow in Warmer Waters

Summary:
     global warming is heating up and acidifying our oceans. a new study from australia shows that sea urchins can create their exoskeletons in warm or acidifyed water. in the experiment scientists raised sea urchins from birth in varying degrees of ocean temperature and acid levels. if the water raised even 2 degrees celcius it presented problems for the urchins. if it rose to 4 degrees the urchins died. other sea forms like coral are having problems growing due to global warming.

Reflection:
     it suprised me about how much of an effect global warming can have on a creature like the sea urchin. it also suprised me how little the temperature needed to change for it to have an effect on the urchins. i didnt know that water temperature could stop an animal from growing, or that globall warming could change acid levels in the water/

Questions:
     1. how long will it take for the urchins to die off?
     2. if urchin population decreased how would this effect the ecyosystem?
     3. can the urchins evolve to become tolerant of warmer waters?
     4. can the urchin population move to cooler waters?
     5. what else is effected by this?

i asked 5 questions about the article.

1. what causes such high amounts of mercury?
2. is there alternatives to using mercury?
3, what else is effected my the high mercury?
4. why were we using mercury in the first place?
5. how much mercury does it take to see these problems?

orange group!: Mercury Affects Polar Bears

There are a few things humans can do to cut down the amount of mercury in the environment, such as using less power plants of eliminating some of the plants that produce chlorine. Many things can cause an excess in mercury, such as incinerators and power plants, but is also exposed during small-scale gold mining. This Mercury is being exposed to the polar bears, which are declining in number because of the plankton they eat that contains the mercury. In addition, Global Warming is also hurting the polar bears by melting of the ice. Unfortunately, the polar bears have to eat the plankton containing Mercury because the ice is melting and it is the only food they can eat.

I also found an article about mercury pollution.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060811191845.htm

This article also talks about the effects of mercury on animals. I had no idea that global warming wasn't the only contributing factor to the polar bears slow decrease in the arctic. This is something we need to monitor this further, to make sure animals will be safe.

Mercury Affects Polar Bears

Study reveals how Arctic food webs affect mercury in polar bears

Published Tuesday, December 8, 2009 in Earth & Climate

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/12/08/study.reveals.how.arctic.food.webs.affect.mercury.polar.bears?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eScienceNews%2Fpopular+%28e%21+Science+News+-+Popular%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Summary:

Global warming is not the only threat to arctic animals. Mercury pollution is almost as threatening. About 150 tons of man-made mercury are put into the environment from coal-burning power plants and chlorine-producing plants, each year. It is then sent onto land or into water where it is absorbed by microorganisms such as plankton. Polar bears are at the top of their food chain and when they eat the smaller animals they consume a large mass of the mercury. Also, sea ice is melting due to global warming it forces polar bears to eat more phyto-plankton based webs. Both of these issues could cause a lot more polar bears to become more exposed to mercury and develop mercury poisoning. As Blum stated in the article,"If you want to understand the potential effects of changing ecosystems on polar bears, you need to be aware of the existence of these two food webs, which may possibly be affected by sea ice."

Opinion/Reflection:

It surprised me that the decline in polar bears was not only due to global warming. I never thought that mercury would be the cause of the decline in the population of polar bears too. I also did not know that humans are the cause of most mercury in the environment. If we stop using things that will release mercury into the air, then polar bears will less-likely die of mercury poisoning.

Questions:

1. What can we do to put less mercury into the environment?

2. What contributes to mercury in the environment?

3. What is the impact of mercury on the Arctic?

4. What are other causes of the decline in the polar bear population?

5. Why are polar bears consuming too much mercury?