Hillwilliam
Posts: 19394
Joined: 8/27/2008
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY
quote:
ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam
If anyone posting knew fuck-all about population biology, (loong and short tern fluctuations) it would make a lot more sense to you.
Perhaps I know more than you realize, Hill.
Doesn't invalidate the observation.
Bottom line, an interesting article with a propaganda spin:
He said snowy owl populations are believed to be in an overall decline, possibly because a changing climate has lessened the abundance of vegetation like grasses that lemmings rely on.
This winter's snowy owl outbreak, with multiple sightings as far south as Oklahoma, remains largely a mystery of nature.
"There's a lot of speculation. As far as hard evidence, we really don't know," Holt said.
And if Holt, a researcher who has spent two decades in the Arctic studying the owls "doesn't know" and calls it "speculation", then, why does his words, and the end of the article lead the gentle reader to conclude that "global warming" or "AGW" or "Climate Change" or whatever it is called today a factor in this?
Firm
Unless you read a different article, there was no "Global Warming". There was no "AGW" mentioned at all. There was only "Changing climate.
Well noone, not even the oil company execs, has claimed that it isn't changing.
Those who have studied population dynamics are familiar with the ebb and flow of populations of small herbivores realize that they run in cycles. Predators run in cycles that follow them closely. It's called "Boom and bust". The classic example which was first documented in the early 20th century or before was that of the snowshoe hare and the canadian lynx.
Bottom line is this article only presents the fact that lemmings had, for whatever reason, a boom year. Snowy owls followed them closely as per the model and now the juvenile owls are having to go far afield to feed themselves and some are starving as has been documented for well over a century of predator/prey population biology to the point where it is accepted at the grade school level.
Unfortunately, the OP seems to see a liberal behind every tree and seems to have not gotten that far in his studies.
_____________________________
Kinkier than a cheap garden hose.
Whoever said "Religion is the opiate of the masses" never heard Right Wing talk radio.
Don't blame me, I voted for Gary Johnson.
|
Reuters Reeducation Kamp - 
Profile
. 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread