ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate NewsEarth Science News. From earthquakes and hurricanes to global warming and energy use, read the latest research news here.Burmese Pythons Will Find Little Suitable Habitat Outside South Florida, Study Suggests- August 15, 2008 Burmese Pythons may have chosen Florida as a vacation destination, but are unlikely to expand further, according to a new study. Although the United States Geological Survey earlier this year released "climate maps" indicating that the pythons could inhabit up to 32 states in the US, new research indicates that the snakes are unlikely to expand out of Florida.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812213816.htm Antarctic Climate: Short-term Spikes, Long-term Warming Linked To Tropical Pacific- August 15, 2008 Dramatic year-to-year temperature swings and a century-long warming trend across West Antarctica are linked to conditions in the tropical Pacific, according to an analysis of ice cores. The findings show the connection of the world's coldest continent to global warming, as well as to events such as El Nio.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160619.htm Climate Change Caused Widespread Tree Death In California Mountain Range, Study Confirms- August 15, 2008 Warmer temperatures and longer dry spells have killed thousands of trees and shrubs in a Southern California mountain range, pushing the plants' habitat an average of 213 feet up the mountain over the past 30 years, a UC Irvine study has determined.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080811195317.htm Study Shows Continued Spread Of 'Dead Zones'; Lack Of Oxygen Now A Key Stressor On Marine Ecosystems- August 15, 2008 A new study shows that the number of "dead zones" -- areas of seafloor with too little oxygen for most marine life -- has increased by a third between 1995 and 2007. Dead zones are now "the key stressor on marine ecosystems" and "rank with over-fishing, habitat loss, and harmful algal blooms as global environmental problems."http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814154325.htm Hybrid 'Muttsucker' Has Genes Of Three Species- August 15, 2008 In the murky waters of an inconspicuous stream in a remote area of Wyoming, researchers detail the potential impact that an introduced fish, the white sucker, could have on the evolutionary biology of fishes.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723190731.htm Managing the Conch Fishery- August 15, 2008 Massachusetts fisherman once considered the New England whelk or conch as nothing more than bycatch. Although demand existed for the large-shelled snail, traditionally used for cooking in East Asian cultures, it could more easily be trawled in the waters around South America, the Caribbean and Asia, making conch unprofitable in the Northeast. This turned around in the 1980s, however, when overfishing of whelk quickly transformed the small New England conch fishery into a multi-million dollar...http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812135511.htm Call For Better Protection Of Older People From Climate Change Impact- August 15, 2008 A new report calls on Government and public authorities to take action to better protect older people from the future effects of climate change.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814212323.htm Drinking Water In Gaza Strip Contaminated With High Levels Of Nitrate- August 15, 2008 Scientists have recommended to the authorities in the Gaza Strip that they take immediate measures to combat excessive nitrate levels in the drinking water. 90 per cent of their water samples were found to contain nitrate concentrations that were between two and eight times higher than the limit recommended by the World Health Organization.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814091214.htm Oil And Gas Projects In Western Amazon Threaten Biodiversity And Indigenous Peoples- August 15, 2008 According to a new study, over 180 oil and gas "blocks" -- areas zoned for exploration and development -- now cover the megadiverse western Amazon, which includes Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and western Brazil. These oil and gas blocks stretch over 688,000 km2 (170 million acres), a vast area, nearly the size of Texas.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812213814.htm Exploring Sichuan Fault- August 14, 2008 Scientists are to explore the fault lines that caused the May 12th earthquake in China that killed 69,000 people.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814091216.htm |