There is a third problem which is at least equal to consumption and population
as a cause of environmental degradation - inequitable access to economic
opportunity. In most developing countries inequity is the major cause of
deforestation. The poor clear forests to carry on subsistence agricul
International trade agreements would probably prevent us from putting taxes on
imports.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist
-- Original message from Kelly Stettner
: --
> Hmmm, Amartya...you bring up lots of good points again!
> Isn't Sony a Japanese corporation
For some reason, my response to the postings on GM trees was rejected. Could
you post it for me?
Bob Mowbray
Despite reassurances from APHIS there seems to be a possibility, perhaps very
remote, that these GM Eucalyptus can become invasive. Considering there is a
possibility that this propo
The fact that increased concentrations of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere
are causing global climate change, much more serious than just global warming,
should not be controversial. The pace at which it is occurring, what climate
changes will occur where and when, what the impacts of these
The large majority of life in a mature rain-forest is in the canopy and many of
these species are endemics with very small ranges. When the forest is removed
for conversion to agriculture, "sustainable timber management", or other uses a
unique habitat is removed and there is high risk of extin
For me, and, I suspect, for many of us, our interest in biology and ecology
started as a love for nature. That love made us want to learn more. As the
learning went on, the love extended to the "ugly" members of ecosystems as we
learned that they play key roles in ecosystem function.
We nee
I won't get involved in the larger philosophical questions in this discussion -
there are too many nuances, and I don,t have the time right now, but I do want
to say something about burning bush.
Are there any woodlands near the burning bushes you mention? If so, take a
walk through them this
"Actually, I think it is the Department of Energy that has recently taken the
lead on switchgrass:
http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/switgrs.html
although the US Department of Agriculture has been working on the grass for
quite some time now: http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/bioen98/vogel
Stephen Johnson wrote
"Is it really only money that matters and how did switchgrass make the cut?"
Easy, it was adopted by "the Decider" or one of his brilliant advisors - just
like all the rest of the senseless decisions of the past 6 years.
Bob Mowbray
Forest Ecologist
But there is no solution to global climate change either, and it could turn out
to be an even longer term problem than nuclear waste. Many experts are
suggesting that climate change will result in mass extinctions, possibly
including man.
I am not suggesting that nuclear energy is the solution
I congratulate IWAC on this event, but would like to suggest that in
educational programs for the general public that the emphasis should be on
invasive exotics which are often planted in gardens or landscapes - english
ivy, Bradford pear, burning bush, butterfly bush, bamboo, daylily, autumn
o
In most tropical soils adding mineral fertilizers to soil is not likely to have
much impact. Since these soils have very low cation exchange capacity,
cations, such as potassium, added to soils will be leached away very quickly.
Phosporus is most likely to be fixed as iron and alluminium phosp
Chris:
Excuse me if this looks like self-promotion, but I thought you might be
interested in an alternative which I have not seen described here.
I spent most of my life working for Peace Corps and the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) developing and implementing programs and
s
Is 500 acres enough to protect this bird? It's better than nothing I guess,
but I doubt that it is enough. Might not even be better than nothing if it
makes people think that the bird is protected and that nothing more needs to be
done.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist/Natural Resource M
I have no idea why, or if, yellow flowers predominate in the fall but I would
like to ask the taxonomists among us to clarify a point from Steve Brewer's
posting.
Steve refers to the "Astereae" as a subfamily of composites. It is my
understanding that Asteraceae is now the accepted name for w
"Sustainable" forest management is a good example of this. It usually means
sustainable production of timber products and may or may not include other
environmental values (water, soil, wildlife, biodiversity) associated with
forests. This is expecially true of "sustainable" management of trop
I agree with the postings below. A purely scientific approach to conservation
of natural resources is unlikely to go anywhere without a thorough
understanding of the socio-economic causes of natural resource degradation.
However, NGOs do not always have the answer or the understanding needed t
The U.S. Agency supports capacity building in natural resource management but
this rarely, if ever, includes construction of buildings.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist
Natural Resource Management Specialist
I suggest yu take another look at the Yale program. It used to be more
forestry than environmental when I went there, but most of the graduates I have
met during the past 15 years or so or read about in the alumni magazine are
environmentalists, not foresters.
I agree that having the right adv
Yale and Duke have very good programs.
I will not claim they are the best because I am not familiar with others.
Certainly Yale graduates are over represented, as a ratio to the number of
graduates, in responsible positions in the DC area.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist
--
Apparently I responded too quickly without choosing my words carefully enough.
I do believe that by saying that a species evolves in response to the
environmental factors within an ecosystem, I allowed for migration of an
ecosystem or parts of an ecosystem in response to stresses such as global
I don't believe there is a "scientific" answer to this question. "Native"
means to me that a species has evolved in a particular ecosystem or ecosystems
in response to environmental factors in that/those ecosystems. If we accept
that definition, it is my opinion that no species introduced by m
Betty -
We had a long discussion on this topic right here about a week or so ago. The
discussion went on for about 10 days. I assume that this listserve has an
archive which members can access. If so, you might want to take a look at the
archives for the month of April (perhaps even the last
I'm not sure that the fossil record is particularly relevant to the current
situation where man is the principal actor in introducing invasive exotics into
environments which have already been greatly disturbed by man.
In any event it might not be extinction we should be concerned about as much
-- Original message from Teresa Woods <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--
[snip]
> So my query still stands -- is there empirical evidence supporting the
> sense that most of us have that invasives are causing native
> extinctions? I'd love to have evidence to contradict the NYTim
-- Original message from Elizabeth Leger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--
[snip]
"If I measure 90-99% cover of exotic species in a system (totally the
norm in California's central valley grasslands), I'm not supposed to be
upset about the impacts of invasive species impacts b
Teresa -
Intuitively, I would agree that the most serious problems associated with
invasive plants would be ecosystem disruption, but there is a group of
scientists at Smithsonian Institution studying invasives who claim that
invasives are the second most important cause of extinction. Unfortu
Make sure that, whatever text you use, you spend some time discussing the
dangers of using invasive exotics in landscaping.
An invasive exotics expert from Smithsonian recently gave a talk at the U.S.
Botanic Garden, where I do volunteer work. During his talk he stressed that in
the opinion o
All naturally occuring orchids are listed as threatened or endangered under
CITES. Therefore it is illegal to collect them and transport them across
international boundaries.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist
-- Original message from Wayne Tyson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
---
Looks like a good definition. I would add one covenant - in most, if not all,
cases we should speak of more sustainable practices rather than sustainable
practices. This is certainly true when speaking of tropical agriculture or
forestry.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist
Natural Resourc
I am pleased to see the proposed increase in the NSF budget, but that same
budget proposes to sell nearly 800,000 acres of our public Forest Service and
Bureau of Land Management lands to finance the budget. If I had to choose
between the two I would forgo the increase in the NSF budget. Of co
Nile perch, Tilapia nilotica, are raised in ponds in many parts of Latin
America. Most of the nile perch in the markets and restaurants in the
Washington, DC, area are from Costa Rican fish farms. It is my understanding
that Tilapia are vegetarians but that they reproduce rapidly and may devou
Laura Smoot did her dissertation research (Yale school of Forestry and
Environmental Studies) in Quintana Roo. I don't know if she did a vegetation
classification in connection with her research, but suspect that she found a
useful classification somewhere. The last I knew of her whereabouts s
I'm surprised no one has mentioned hydro power. Certainly not THE best, but
one of the many whcih should be considered.
Bob Mowbray
-- Original message from Luis Gutierrez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--
> Leslie Mertz wrote:
>
> > I got an interesting question yesterday.
Holdridge did his PhD dissertation (Univ. of Michigan) in Haiti, "The Pine
Forest and Adjacent Mountain Vegetation of Haiti, considered from the
Standpoint of a New climatic Classification of Plant Formations" in 1947.
According to "Life Zone Ecology" revised edition (Aug. 1967) by L.R. Holdridg
The Holdridge system has been used for ecological mapping in most of Latin
America. I am sure that a map using this system must exist for the Dominican
Republic. I believe that Holdridge developed the system in the Dominican
Republic.
Bob Mowbray
Tropical Forest Ecologist
- Origin
I don't know. Does copywright law recognize the concept of "fair use"?
I am sure that the copy can be made and no one will be the wiser.
Bob Mowbray
-- Original message from "Lusk, Jeffrey J" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--
> But since the book is no longer commercially ava
When I was in grad school, we were told NOT to copy away - especially anything
like an entire book.
Bob Mowbray
-- Original message from "Dresser, Brian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--
> If that were the case, wouldn't every student be guilty of this when
> photocopying jour
-- Original message from "L. Brian Patrick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--
[snip]
> 1 person was quite adamant about not photocopying/scanning the book,
> saying it is a "blatant violation of copyright" and I would "be stealing
> right from [the authors'] pockets." Is it okay for me
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