We reclaimed the word Skeptic — next we reclaim the word Scientist « JoNova: Science, carbon, climate and tax

So go forth, all your sticklers for accurate language and guardians of science, take no prisoners, let the world know, we are independent scientists, and they are fakes. The name-calling thugs who break tenets of science, hide data and throw logic out the window don’t deserve to use the term “scientist”.

Atikokan already showing the signs of global climate change

the duration of measurable snow cover has remained constant at around 20 weeks over the past 50 years.

[Do warm, short winters really cause moose calves to die?]

(Nine collared moose have died in the two years – some from parasites and some of unknown causes because they were consumed by animals before they could be retrieved from their remote location.)

While the 20% moose population decline in Minnesota “seems to be related to heat”, project lead Ron Moen hopes to identify the factors that are at play, particularly in the low survival rates for calves; warmer summers, warmer, shorter winters, (or both), habitat change (especially the loss of browsing areas of new tree growth), and others are being examined.

The state conducts yearly surveys which have shown that while the average cow to calf population ratio starts out around one calf per cow in May’s birthing season, by the following January about two-thirds of the calves have died

Moose numbers up here, down to the west

In 12B, observers counted 334 moose in 30 plots, which translates into a moose population of 2,450 in the 5,500 sq.km. management unit. That’s up from the 2006 survey (estimated population then: 2,150), and is the most observed in the WMU since surveys started in 1982.

Of concern is that far fewer moose were observed to the west of Atikokan.

“We did the plots to the east of Atikokan first, and when we went to the west, even the pilot noticed the difference,” said Jackson.

There could be several factors behind this, he said. Deer are more common as you move west of here, and the overall decline of moose numbers in the Northwest has been linked to growing numbers of deer. (Deer spread a parasite that they are immune to, but that kill moose.)