Insects Summary
Mr. Frainer wanted to look at new found high rates of extinction, particularly in insects. He wanted to look at an ecosystem and see the affect extinction would have on it. He noticed that in order to maintain clean water and the inhabitants, insects were vital; if the bottom rung goes they all go. Frainer concluded that this rapid extinction is mainly from farm runoff and other toxins leaking into the water. This just goes to show how important it is to contain chemicals and not underestimate the importance of insects.
Extinction of Insects Affects Water Conditions
"Extinction of Insects Affects Water Conditions
Dec. 9, 2013 — Biologist André Frainer shows in his thesis how important aquatic species richness is to the functioning of northern stream ecosystems. He defends his results at Umeå University in Sweden on December 6.
Because of the large effects that humanity has on nature, species are already being extinct at rates never seen before due to increased farming, urbanization, and industrialization. Even protected natural areas of Västerbotten are suffering the risks of species extinction.
André Frainer asked himself if all species are really necessary to maintain nature working properly. Perhaps, as some might say, with a handful of species and some technology we could survive in the future as well as we do now.
In his study he chose to survey a number of stream ecosystems of Umeå, Lycksele, Hörnefors, Vindeln, Botsmark, Robertsfors, and several other localities in Västerbotten.
In these streams, common aquatic insects as stoneflies and caddisflies play important roles in maintaining freshwaters working properly. These little insects are the basic food items for many fish and, also, they help decomposing the leaf litter that falls into the streams in autumn. By feeding on litter, they turn leaves into smaller particles, 'cleaning' the streams from this dead material. Although this role does not sound very sophisticated, it has large implications to the health of our streams, lakes, and coastal waters. The decomposition of leaf litter is a natural fertilizer to freshwaters, as it makes all nutrients found in the leaf available to other aquatic organisms, being fundamental to life in streams.
André Frainer found that several disturbances in the ecosystems affect the number of insect species present, or at least the type of species present.
One example is reduced riparian vegetation and increased land fertilization around streams that run through farmland, which affects the quality and quantity of stoneflies and caddisflies. Another typical disturbance in Västerbotten is the stream channelization for log transport, which happened many decades ago. The dredging and channelization of streams still affects the composition and the role of the aquatic insects.
As a consequence, the leaf litter in the streams is not decomposed efficiently, which may affect the cycling of nutrients, the water quality and the health of the streams.
Although the water conditions in Västerbotten are good compared to the streams in southern Sweden or most of Europe, we can still do more to help maintaining the diversity of aquatic insects and therefore the health of the stream, André Frainer emphasizes.
"Healthy streams have boulders and dead trees across its channel. These structures enhance the habitat conditions for insects, allowing the insect decomposers to flourish. Large restoration efforts including such features can already been seen in Västerbotten. The riparian vegetation should also be as large as possible, helping both with the input of leaf litter, and as a natural absorbent for the excess fertilization that may occur in farmlands," says André Frainer." (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131209105017.htm)
Dec. 9, 2013 — Biologist André Frainer shows in his thesis how important aquatic species richness is to the functioning of northern stream ecosystems. He defends his results at Umeå University in Sweden on December 6.
Because of the large effects that humanity has on nature, species are already being extinct at rates never seen before due to increased farming, urbanization, and industrialization. Even protected natural areas of Västerbotten are suffering the risks of species extinction.
André Frainer asked himself if all species are really necessary to maintain nature working properly. Perhaps, as some might say, with a handful of species and some technology we could survive in the future as well as we do now.
In his study he chose to survey a number of stream ecosystems of Umeå, Lycksele, Hörnefors, Vindeln, Botsmark, Robertsfors, and several other localities in Västerbotten.
In these streams, common aquatic insects as stoneflies and caddisflies play important roles in maintaining freshwaters working properly. These little insects are the basic food items for many fish and, also, they help decomposing the leaf litter that falls into the streams in autumn. By feeding on litter, they turn leaves into smaller particles, 'cleaning' the streams from this dead material. Although this role does not sound very sophisticated, it has large implications to the health of our streams, lakes, and coastal waters. The decomposition of leaf litter is a natural fertilizer to freshwaters, as it makes all nutrients found in the leaf available to other aquatic organisms, being fundamental to life in streams.
André Frainer found that several disturbances in the ecosystems affect the number of insect species present, or at least the type of species present.
One example is reduced riparian vegetation and increased land fertilization around streams that run through farmland, which affects the quality and quantity of stoneflies and caddisflies. Another typical disturbance in Västerbotten is the stream channelization for log transport, which happened many decades ago. The dredging and channelization of streams still affects the composition and the role of the aquatic insects.
As a consequence, the leaf litter in the streams is not decomposed efficiently, which may affect the cycling of nutrients, the water quality and the health of the streams.
Although the water conditions in Västerbotten are good compared to the streams in southern Sweden or most of Europe, we can still do more to help maintaining the diversity of aquatic insects and therefore the health of the stream, André Frainer emphasizes.
"Healthy streams have boulders and dead trees across its channel. These structures enhance the habitat conditions for insects, allowing the insect decomposers to flourish. Large restoration efforts including such features can already been seen in Västerbotten. The riparian vegetation should also be as large as possible, helping both with the input of leaf litter, and as a natural absorbent for the excess fertilization that may occur in farmlands," says André Frainer." (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131209105017.htm)
Illegal
Putting a stop to these fisheries is definitely a step in the right direction for aquatic life. Stopping this means trying to end the actual act of illegal fishing and all of the dangers that come with it. It ends danger for other fishermen in the surrounding areas accidentally ending up in dangerous waters. It also means that there are more honest jobs now. This act is not only beneficial for the ocean but Indonesia too.
"13 Illegal Fishers Jailed in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat Archipelago"
"Back in September, the navy headquarters in Sorong, West Papua received information from the community marine protected area (MPA) patrol group that a Philippine fishing boat had entered Indonesian waters and was fishing illegally in the Ayau Asia MPA. During the night, the boat proceeded toward the Ayau Asia islands in search of fish and other marine life in shallower waters.
Upon receiving this news, the following day several MPA patrol teams, which are strongly supported by CI, set out to sea in search of the vessel. It wasn’t long before one of the teams captured the boat and arrested its 13 crew members, who were brought back to Sorong and detained for legal prosecution. Among the illegal catch found on the ship were Napoleon wrasse and green turtles, which were used as evidence for the subsequent court case. The boat had been underway for only two days before it was seized, giving fishermen little time to poach within these protected waters.
It took the official court in Sorong just over a month to complete the prosecution process and charge the arrested fishermen. Each was sentenced to eight months in prison, while the boat and all its equipment was confiscated and destroyed.
While it is not uncommon for illegal fishermen to be caught by MPA patrol teams in the Bird’s Head Seascape, the formal prosecution processes following their arrest are often ineffectual. This case’s successful prosecution represents a significant milestone for the Raja Ampat government in its fight to protect these beautiful, vital waters — and without the strong cooperation of local communities, this result would not have been possible.
Ayau Asia — where the illegal fishers were caught — is one of six MPAs officially established in the Raja Ampat archipelago since 2008. Raja Ampat is known to be one of the most diverse habitats on the planet for marine species.
Raja Ampat’s communities directly depend on these waters for a variety of uses, including fishing, coastal protection and a rapidly expanding dive tourism industry. Yet illegal fishing continues to threaten the long-term sustainability of all these benefits.
Illegal fishing is driven by the insatiable global demand for fish — and poor fishermen are driven by high profit margins to practice it. Shark fin soup and threatened species of tuna are in especially high demand, particularly in China and Japan.
Shark fishing is a lucrative pursuit worldwide — a brutal process in which fishermen cut off the shark’s fins and often discard the finless animal alive to sink and die. Unfortunately, Indonesia still ranks as the world’s largest supplier of shark fin. One kilogram of dried shark fin goes for anything from 1.8 million to 3 million rupiah (US$ 200–300).
According to the average reported catch between 2002 and 2005, which amounted to 4.7 million metric tons of fish and shellfish (excluding illegal and unreported catch), Indonesia ranked as the sixth most-important fishing nation in the world.
The rate of illegal fishers entering Raja Ampat’s waters remains steady, but law enforcement agencies have made significant progress in dealing with the issue since the program began eight years ago. Earlier this year, the Raja Ampat government declared its entire seascape Indonesia’s first shark sanctuary, a key step in protecting one of the ocean’s most essential and astounding predators.
The MPA patrol teams, comprised of community volunteers, continue to guard Raja Ampat’s waters to monitor activity and apprehend illegal vessels. Just three days after the capture of the boat in Ayau Asia, a team of MPA patrol teams captured two more illegal vessels in the waters of the Western Waigeo Islands, between the islands of Pam and Penemu. On board, illegal fishing gear including a diving compressor and nylon longlines were found and confiscated — items indicating that these fishermen were out to catch sharks, lobsters and sea cucumbers.
The patrol team’s work is never done; indeed, as stocks elsewhere are reduced, Raja Ampat’s marine bounty becomes increasingly attractive to illegal fishers. But CI-Indonesia is confident that with our support, the local government and communities can continue to effectively enforce the marine environmental laws necessary to protect Raja Ampat’s marine wealth for the benefit of future generations.
However, in order to successfully discourage illegal fishing, the strict but appropriate sentence in the Ayau Asia case must become more of a rule than an exception.
Carla Kerstan is an intern for CI-Indonesia.
- See more at: http://blog.conservation.org/2013/11/13-illegal-fishers-jailed-in-indonesias-raja-ampat-archipelago/#sthash.veJ9DTJW.dpuf"
Upon receiving this news, the following day several MPA patrol teams, which are strongly supported by CI, set out to sea in search of the vessel. It wasn’t long before one of the teams captured the boat and arrested its 13 crew members, who were brought back to Sorong and detained for legal prosecution. Among the illegal catch found on the ship were Napoleon wrasse and green turtles, which were used as evidence for the subsequent court case. The boat had been underway for only two days before it was seized, giving fishermen little time to poach within these protected waters.
It took the official court in Sorong just over a month to complete the prosecution process and charge the arrested fishermen. Each was sentenced to eight months in prison, while the boat and all its equipment was confiscated and destroyed.
While it is not uncommon for illegal fishermen to be caught by MPA patrol teams in the Bird’s Head Seascape, the formal prosecution processes following their arrest are often ineffectual. This case’s successful prosecution represents a significant milestone for the Raja Ampat government in its fight to protect these beautiful, vital waters — and without the strong cooperation of local communities, this result would not have been possible.
Ayau Asia — where the illegal fishers were caught — is one of six MPAs officially established in the Raja Ampat archipelago since 2008. Raja Ampat is known to be one of the most diverse habitats on the planet for marine species.
Raja Ampat’s communities directly depend on these waters for a variety of uses, including fishing, coastal protection and a rapidly expanding dive tourism industry. Yet illegal fishing continues to threaten the long-term sustainability of all these benefits.
Illegal fishing is driven by the insatiable global demand for fish — and poor fishermen are driven by high profit margins to practice it. Shark fin soup and threatened species of tuna are in especially high demand, particularly in China and Japan.
Shark fishing is a lucrative pursuit worldwide — a brutal process in which fishermen cut off the shark’s fins and often discard the finless animal alive to sink and die. Unfortunately, Indonesia still ranks as the world’s largest supplier of shark fin. One kilogram of dried shark fin goes for anything from 1.8 million to 3 million rupiah (US$ 200–300).
According to the average reported catch between 2002 and 2005, which amounted to 4.7 million metric tons of fish and shellfish (excluding illegal and unreported catch), Indonesia ranked as the sixth most-important fishing nation in the world.
The rate of illegal fishers entering Raja Ampat’s waters remains steady, but law enforcement agencies have made significant progress in dealing with the issue since the program began eight years ago. Earlier this year, the Raja Ampat government declared its entire seascape Indonesia’s first shark sanctuary, a key step in protecting one of the ocean’s most essential and astounding predators.
The MPA patrol teams, comprised of community volunteers, continue to guard Raja Ampat’s waters to monitor activity and apprehend illegal vessels. Just three days after the capture of the boat in Ayau Asia, a team of MPA patrol teams captured two more illegal vessels in the waters of the Western Waigeo Islands, between the islands of Pam and Penemu. On board, illegal fishing gear including a diving compressor and nylon longlines were found and confiscated — items indicating that these fishermen were out to catch sharks, lobsters and sea cucumbers.
The patrol team’s work is never done; indeed, as stocks elsewhere are reduced, Raja Ampat’s marine bounty becomes increasingly attractive to illegal fishers. But CI-Indonesia is confident that with our support, the local government and communities can continue to effectively enforce the marine environmental laws necessary to protect Raja Ampat’s marine wealth for the benefit of future generations.
However, in order to successfully discourage illegal fishing, the strict but appropriate sentence in the Ayau Asia case must become more of a rule than an exception.
Carla Kerstan is an intern for CI-Indonesia.
- See more at: http://blog.conservation.org/2013/11/13-illegal-fishers-jailed-in-indonesias-raja-ampat-archipelago/#sthash.veJ9DTJW.dpuf"
Sea Level Summary
Measuring global warming and the rise of the ocean is important. There was a record summer temperature in Greenland that caused much of the ice sheet to melt and at a rapid pace. So we need to carefully monitor this and determine ways to compensate for the high summer temperatures in the off seasons and during the summer so humans can have the least amount of negative involvement as possible.
The attention to the summer months and the inevitable heating up is important to measure but where does this come in contact with the human potion of climate change? It is very important to consider not only the natural parts of sea level on the rise but what humans are doing to speed it up.
The attention to the summer months and the inevitable heating up is important to measure but where does this come in contact with the human potion of climate change? It is very important to consider not only the natural parts of sea level on the rise but what humans are doing to speed it up.
Sea Level Rise Forecasts Helped by Insights Into Glacier Melting
"Studies of the Greenland ice sheet, including during a record warm summer, are helping scientists better understand how summer conditions affect its flow. This is important for predicting the future contribution made by melting glaciers to sea level rise.
Ice flows slowly from the centre of the Greenland "Ice Sheet towards its margins, where it eventually melts or calves into the ocean as icebergs. Knowing how fast this movement occurs is essential for predicting the contribution of the ice sheet to sea level rise.
In summer, ice from the surface of a glacier melts and drains to the bed of the ice sheet, initially raising water pressure at the base and enabling the glacier to slide more quickly. It can, at times, move more than twice as fast in summer compared with winter, they found.
In 2012, an exceptionally warm summer caused the Greenland Ice Sheet to undergo unprecedented rates of melting. However, researchers have found that fast summer ice flow caused by significant melting is cancelled out by slower motion the following winter.
Scientists found that this is because large drainage channels, formed beneath the ice by the meltwater, helped to lower the water pressure, ultimately reducing the sliding speed.
The discovery suggests that movement in the parts of the ice sheet that terminate on land are insensitive to surface melt rates. It improves scientists' understanding of how the ice sheet behaves and curbs error in estimating its contribution to sea level rise in a warming world.
Scientists led by the University of Edinburgh gathered detailed GPS ice flow data and ice surface melt rates along a 115 km transect in west Greenland and compared ice motion from an average melt year, 2009, with the exceptionally warm year of 2012.
The study, carried out in collaboration with the Universities of Sheffield, Aberdeen, Tasmania and Newcastle, was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and supported by the Natural Environment Research Council.
Professor Peter Nienow of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who led the study, said: "Although the record summer melt did not intensify ice motion, warmer summers will still lead to more rapid melting of the ice sheet. Furthermore, it is important that we continue to investigate how glaciers that end in the ocean are responding to climate change."
(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131122103859.htm)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)