I am not familiar with the website so I cannot vouce for the data contained. I was browsing while researching for an alpine ecology paper I am writing lol.
I read "human activity" at least twice. I don't think this phenomena is restricted to rain forests. I think agricultural practices should be seriously rethought. I, for one, don't use fertilizer. At least not the artificial kind.
I agree as do most experts on agricultural studies. Our current practices are very "toxic" and not sustainable at all. The sad part is there are a vast number of ways to improve. There was some great information on the subject in State of the World 2006 -special focus China & India. With the types of responses to similar topics and those on politics I think a lot of the people in this forum would enjoy the book. It has great unbiased information on current problems and actually gives solutions instead of the typical doomsday ranting with no solutions.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ Aug 21 2006, 12:30 PM) [snapback]306833[/snapback]</div> I hate that of all things. Interesting stuff. It's amazing how much we don't know about carbon sinks and sources.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ Aug 21 2006, 10:24 AM) [snapback]306769[/snapback]</div> Check the INSTAAR and Niwot Ridge LTER web sites, if you have not already.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tochatihu @ Aug 21 2006, 02:24 PM) [snapback]307001[/snapback]</div> I have seen INSTAARs page but not LTER. I saved it in my favorites and will defiantely be checking it out. Thanks a bunch.
fertilizers for gardens/lawns are pretty bad stuff simply because they don't "stay put" where applied. whatever we put on our lawn runs off into sewers or into nearby water retention areas, rivers, lakes, oceans. the components of these fertilizers alters our natural areas. i'm not sure a lot of people know this. i just learned something here in that they can also be carried by wind. it never really occured to me.
I agree. I live near the Sacramento River which carries tons of sediment and non-point source pollution in the form of fertilizers down to the Delta then on to Suisun,San Pablo and San Fransisco Bays. The effects in the Delta are visible to the naked eye with the over abundance of weeds and algae. The effects can be measured in oxygen content and mercury levels. Like I mentioned in another tread. One way to combat this is to plant woody crops in strips near the downhill side of large aggie plots. This has been shown to reduce pollutants by 90% or more as well as sedimentation. The woody crops promote habitat and can be harvested in cycles and used for bio-fuels. On the subject of mercury, that is another toxic substance that is carried by the wind and deposited much like acid rain yet mercury doesnt break down and just accumulates. If you really wanna read some crazy stuff look into nanotechnology and all the potential side effects. Its is quite scary!
