Thursday, May 24, 2012

Global warming winner: Once rare butterfly thrives | Washington Examiner

Global warming helping the brown Argus is unusual compared to other species and that's why scientists are studying it more, said study co-author Jane Hill, a professor of ecology at the University of York.

Biologists expect climate change to create winners and losers in species. Stanford University biologist Terry Root, who wasn't part of this study, estimated that for every winner like the brown Argus there are three loser species, like the cuckoo bird in Europe. Hill agreed that it's probably a three-to-one ratio of climate change losers to winners.

As the world warms, the key interactions between species break down because the predator and prey may not change habitats at the same time, meaning some species will move north to cooler climes and won't find enough to eat, Root said.

"There are just so many species that are going to go extinct," Root said.

Bloomberg Isn't The Only One With A Helicopter Problem | The Measure

Earlier this week, Mayor Bloomberg's helicopter activities caused a flap when neighbors of the 34th Street helipad complained of "choking exhaust and intolerable noise" after the landing area's curfew. The word "hypocritical" was even leveled at the mayor, a man who has made it a priority to "green" the city and wipe out smoking fumes from its parks. But Mike Bloomberg isn't the only one with a helicopter problem tarnishing his public image this week. On Monday, the Black Eyed Peas Will.i.am showed up to a climate change modelling meeting at Oxford University in a chopper, a vehicle (as the Guardian points out) that only gets one mile to the gallon.

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