All you need for a life of action
Gaze upon ‘art of nature’, as artist Sonja Hinrichsen draws circles in the snow using the impression left behind from her snowshoes. This short film captures the creative talents of an eco-artist in the slopes of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Stunning panoramic visuals project in grand scale, an overview of the icy canvas filmed by aerial photographer and filmmaker Cedar Beauregard of Steamboat Aerials.
Global warming has forced alpine chipmunks in Yosemite to higher ground, prompting a startling decline in the species’ genetic diversity, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
The study, appeared Sunday, Feb. 19, in the advance online publication of the journal Nature Climate Change, is one of the first to show a hit to the genetic diversity of a species because of a recent climate-induced change in the animals’ geographic range. What’s more, the genetic erosion occurred in the relatively short span of 90 years, highlighting the rapid threat changing climate can pose to a species.
With low genetic diversity a species can be more vulnerable to the effects of inbreeding, disease and other problems that threaten species survival, the researchers said.
“Climate change is implicated as the cause of geographic shifts observed among birds, small mammals and plants, but this new work shows that, particularly for mountain species like the alpine chipmunk, such shifts can result in increasingly fragmented and genetically impoverished populations,” said study lead author Emily Rubidge, who conducted the research while a Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley’s Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management. “Under continued warming, the alpine chipmunk could be on the trajectory towards becoming threatened or even extinct.”
Read the Full Report by Sarah Yang, Media Relations for Berkeley News Center.
From the journals of Hilton Pond a beautiful collection of photos illustrating the diversity of ‘butterflies’ found roadside in Costa Rica.
On a field trip to Tropical Paradise, the citizen scientists at Hilton Pond Center discovered a rich ecosystem filled with colourful characters. Against a backdrop of iridescent botanicals the group captured a delightful selection of natural species – of colours varied in shade and intensity.
You can view the images and read about the expedition here.
Established in 1982, Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History provides is a non-profit research & education organization in York, South Carolina USA; phone (803) 684-5852. Directed by Bill Hilton Jr., aka The Piedmont Naturalist, it is the parent organization for Operation RubyThroat (The Hummingbird Project).
YOU can help support the work of Hilton Pond, allowing them to continue writing and photographing the secrets of nature – for all to share!
In this weeks edition of Nature, Jeff Tollefson investigates the ancient discoveries being unearthed in South Africa’s Southern Cape, which reveal how climate change shaped culture.
At nearby Blombos cave, archaeologist Chris Henshilwood has found some of the oldest evidence of symbolic thought by humans. The remains reflecting insight that relates to climate change and human development.
Tollefson’s account provides readers with an in-depth look at the project, investigating the relevance of ancient remains with detailed images of the site and some of the more significant findings. Noted historical references adjacent inferences from the remains found at the dig which suggest climate change played an important part in the demise of Stone Bay. (See Crucible of Culture)
Help to Mobilize the Earth™ for Earth Day 2012.
Earth Day Network is inspiring A Billion Acts of Green®, and they need YOU to help push the number over 500 million.
Make it Count – register your act of green now!
Or Join thousands of other Bare Essentials readers and take our pledge to ‘Seek adventure and Save Wildlife’.
Pledge to plant a garden, bike to work, use energy efficient light bulbs, wash your clothes in cold water or do any other environmentally-friendly action. And if you’ve pledged before, you can pledge again!
All these little things add up to something big. A Billion Acts of Green is now the world’s largest environmental service campaign and is being called a global referendum on the environment.
Earth Day Network plans to take all of your actions to world leaders to show just how many people support acting now to secure a sustainable future. It’s hard to ignore a billion actions. So, stand up and be counted!
Once you’ve registered your act of green, click here to learn about all the exciting things happening for Earth Day 2012 (April 22) and how you can get involved.
