Me No Nemo
Premium Member
Interesting discussion on reef demise
- Thread starter Me No Nemo
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Me No Nemo
Premium Member
"Rather, if one examines the fossil record, as several participants suggested, coral reef acclimation and recovery may occur over the course of thousands or more years, i.e., on geologic time scales..."
"...Thus, coral reefs “as we know them†are perhaps on their way out, and possibly will be replaced by a different kind of dominant coral reef community able to adapt to the new conditions, according to several participants."
I found the article interesting as it approached the problem from many angles.
"...Thus, coral reefs “as we know them†are perhaps on their way out, and possibly will be replaced by a different kind of dominant coral reef community able to adapt to the new conditions, according to several participants."
I found the article interesting as it approached the problem from many angles.
"Don't get me wrong, I read and understood the article. I just find it amusing that when you really dig deep into the GW hysteria the ones that are screeming the sky is falling the loudest tend to have a stake (monetary) in the "cure".
I guess you can look at it as those who are making the BIG money now want to dismiss the problem and do nothing?? Is that amusing also?
I guess you can look at it as those who are making the BIG money now want to dismiss the problem and do nothing?? Is that amusing also?
mrcrab
In Memoriam
Ahhhh...a non koolaid drinker. Now if you had said arguing for "man made global warming" I could agree with you even more as there is no "scientific consensus" as the proponents like to say.
Promotion of less pollution is a very good thing. We need to start with Mother Nature and get her on our side though as that broad is actually the largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet...think volcanoes and other geothermal events.
I just don't like the hypocrites that are flogging this to death, the ones that make a bigger "carbon footprint" than I could ever imagine making, have no intention of even thinking about changing their lifestyle and have a financial interest in the "carbon offset" companies trying to ram it down MY throat.
We will not have a true "scientific consenses" with the current Administration lawyers editing all the scientist reports on the subject. Our government is run by business as our leaders can't get elected without their contributions.
Anyone who doesn't see the effects of global warming, melting artic ice shelves, servere and abnormal weather patterns, etc, must have their head in the sand and needs to do some more research from non governmental and business influenced sources.
I don't mean to turn this into a political discussion. If over $900 Billion was instead invested to convert all our diesel engines (tractor trailers, buses) to burn biodiesel our polution levels and dependency on Dino fuels would be cut by more than half.
Anyone who doesn't see the effects of global warming, melting artic ice shelves, servere and abnormal weather patterns, etc, must have their head in the sand and needs to do some more research from non governmental and business influenced sources.
I don't mean to turn this into a political discussion. If over $900 Billion was instead invested to convert all our diesel engines (tractor trailers, buses) to burn biodiesel our polution levels and dependency on Dino fuels would be cut by more than half.
dugg
New member
Nothing we could do will cut greenhouse gasses in half. The earth puts out 90% of the greenhouse gasses it's self. Massive amounts of co2 and methane are released into the atmosphere every day by natural occurances that we have no control over. We should worry more about the things we can fix, like the way people treat each other and our drug problems, and stop worrying about things we have no control over. If you really have to stop greenhouse gasses, invent a plug for cows butts. Now that will cut down on some serious greenhouse gas releases lol.
mrcrab
In Memoriam
Wow talk about needing to do some research. I guess George Bush actually pushed the plunger that brought down the World Trade Center too.
To make enough biofuel to replace the amount of oil we currently use ALL of the farmlands we now use to produce food PLUS another 20% more land would need to be used to produce the required amount of crops. Not to mention the fact that biofuel is no more environmentally freindly than petroleum products, takes more energy to make than it produces and is without government subsidies much more expensive to produce than oil. It still burns and causes emissions. Biofuel is not the answer.
This is a long term problem that cannot be fixed over night. In my opinion the first thing we need to do is cut our depenence on Middle Eastern oil so that we can't be held hostage by people that would rather see us dead. We do that by tapping our oil here but the environmentalists won't let us. There are enough reserves in ANWR, the continental shelf and oil shale deposits here in this country to fill our needs while we do the research needed to come up with a better solution. Think hydrogen cells that emit water.
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Me No Nemo
Premium Member
Wow, I really wasn't looking to start a political war! I was more interested in the adaptivity of coral to be able to "relocate" to cooler waters.
Me No Nemo
Premium Member
No problem! I agree with you on researching for yourself. I worked as a journalist for years and can tell you some stories that would knock your socks off. Anyway, that's how I came across that story, never can get enough reading. I've watched many corals morph, but some of the theories mentioned in the article I found fascinating. 
A similar theory applies to sessile land species such as plant and tree life. As weather patterns fluctuate, and temperature increases, individuals who manage to grow in slightly more tolerable conditions survive at higher rates than those in less favorable conditions. On a "geologic timescale", you see a shifting of the species as a group, into the more favorable geographic location. Of course, the other side of that concept is that the species who were already as far into the favorable region as they could penetrate, and who's most favored environment is no longer accessible (for instance because they've already reached the furthest edge of the land mass) have nowhere to go, and die off.
The question really isn't whether global warming occurs. Over the course of hundreds of thousands and millions of years, shifts in global temperature have occurred repeatedly. The questions really are 1) how much of the current apparent change is due to human activity. If humans are to blame 2) what if can be done about it? Are we locked into a pattern of culture and behavior from which we can even effect the necessary changes? 3) If humans aren't involved and we're just witnessing an inevitable global fluctuation, what steps, if any, can be taken to ensure the survival of our species (thinking of us adapting to change, rather than trying to forestall the change, though for some reason I can see mad scientists with weather machines).
Heather
55semireef
Moved On
Everytime I read an article like that I become saddened. What makes me mad though is when ignorant people believe that this change is natural and that humans have nothing to do with it despite how much we pollute the ocean. 
Me No Nemo
Premium Member
Another article, this one from AIMS (Australian Institute of Marine Science, a highly respected institution often found in internet searches of fish and corals).
Although Greenhouse Gases have been around since time began, I think we have to realize that we are certainly adding to the phenomena as populations grow, civilization progresses and one of the greatest filters of these gases...trees and plants...decline in number globally.
No matter what we beleive, I do think that continued research from all angles allows us to filter through the bunk and come to terms with reality.
http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/about/communications/issues/coral-reefs-and-climate-change-2007.html
Although Greenhouse Gases have been around since time began, I think we have to realize that we are certainly adding to the phenomena as populations grow, civilization progresses and one of the greatest filters of these gases...trees and plants...decline in number globally.
No matter what we beleive, I do think that continued research from all angles allows us to filter through the bunk and come to terms with reality.
http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/about/communications/issues/coral-reefs-and-climate-change-2007.html
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