Moose - Clone or Not?

A few months ago I posted a report entitled 'Jaguar Clones' Jaguar Clones referring to species in the tropical regions dying out. I outlined plans to create clones of the effected animals. There is now new talk over an animal in the colder regions of the Earth dying out - the moose. The case is so bad that experts think that the race could be extinct within 10 years.

The effects are worst and most obvious Minnesota, this is where ecologists base their claim that the population could be gone by 2023. This pattern of extinction reaches to the southern most regions of the animals kingdom, thus populations are dwindling as far south as Sweden.

Ron Moen from the University of Minnesota realised that the position was worse than most thought saying, "It's broader than I thought when I started looking into it,".

Global warming seems to be the most likely cause of the looming extinction. The moose is very susceptible to heat stress, which restricts their immune system thus making them more prone to parasites.

Research can't yet prove any link to global warming although many think it likely. If prof emerges that global warming is the cause of the reduced population, then cloning is not, or probably isn't an option, simply because it suggests that the moose is not suited to it's environment and isn't evolving fast enough. Many biologists and ecologists do think that the looming extinction of certain populations is down to global warming and that they simply can't evolve fast enough. The alternative is that their population is reducing because they are evolving. It's a bit far fetched, but it's possible.

It seems that in the case of the moose, it is probably down to global warming, because there is not much action in Alaska etc. as far as felling and other forms of purposeful environment change. However if prof emerges otherwise, then cloning may be an idea that is put on the table.

A report will be presented by Minnesota University at the next Moose Health Conference in Uppsala, Sweden (the conference will be held later this week).

Other effected species include the lynx and the snowhorse hare. These seem to be declining most in the southerly most regions of their range, thus strengthening the case of those who think global warming is to blame.

We're Really Very Green - A new Twist on Carbon Emissions

Although we are releasing carbon emissions, there is a green view of what's happening. Although the deserts are growing and the planet temperatures are on the rise, people still argue how much of it is all down to us, but regardless of how much we have donated to the carbon emissions, new views are always emerging and here is a particularly intriguing one.

Carbon dioxide is used by plants in the process on photosynthesis and, of course we are producing huge amounts of it. In theory, the number of plants per unit of rainfall should stay the same if levels of all the other factors of photosynthesis remain the same too. This is the case though, research shows that the ratio between rainfall and number of plants is rising and it's not exactly rising slowly, statistics suggest that the density of vegetation has risen by 11% between 1982 and 2010.

Randall Donhue (who conducted the research) from Australia's national research institute says that the results give "strong support" to the concept of global warming making the planet a lusher place, or to put it simply carbon dioxide fertilization.

There will, of course be knock-on effects of having more plants around, for a start the more plants there are, the more carbon dioxide they use and thus the less carbon dioxide for the next generation of plants. The mere fact that the general climate change is occurring is problematic, it is causing difficult weather patterns, more rain and hotter climates and Donhue is unsure what will happen to our environment over the coming years.

Although the 'greening effect' won't spread to the driest corners of the planet and although deserts are thought to be getting bigger and drier it's interesting to see how our enviroment will react to such bashing and weather it will be up to the coming decades.

EGS

Disturbing volcanoes Seattle based Alta Rock energy are on course to tempt fate!The US have given the 'all clear' to start an eruption, (only a possibility). Alta Rock have started pumping water into a network of cracks, that lead 3 km down to Oregon's Newberry Volcano.

Alta Rock will appear to be using the volcano as a supper-sized kettle, which they are to a certain extent, because the water that is injected into the volcano will eventually return to the surface as water vapor.

However, the real energy is to be gained from naturally convecting water, under the Earth's surface. There is one drawback to this, and that is that most of this geothermal energy is found within impermeable, hot rocks!The Newberry project is known as an EGS, or enhanced geothermal system. This basically means that they will use high pressured water to try to wear away the impermeable layers of rock, to release the vapor from within. once the vapor reaches the surface, it will drive turbines, thus creating household energy at a competitive price.

If all goes well, the testing period will end in 2014, and they will go ahead with the plans.