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#1 |
Avalon Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northern Norway
Posts: 59
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![]() A view from the world of amphibians ![]() Many scientists argue that we are either entering or in the midst of the sixth great mass extinction. Intense human pressure, both direct and indirect, is having profound effects on natural environments. The amphibians—frogs, salamanders, and caecilians—may be the only major group currently at risk globally. A detailed worldwide assessment and subsequent updates show that one-third or more of the 6,300 species are threatened with extinction. This trend is likely to accelerate because most amphibians occur in the tropics and have small geographic ranges that make them susceptible to extinction. The increasing pressure from habitat destruction and climate change is likely to have major impacts on narrowly adapted and distributed species. Salamanders on tropical mountains are particularly at risk. A new and significant threat to amphibians is a virulent, emerging infectious disease, chytridiomycosis, which appears to be globally distributed, and its effects may be exacerbated by global warming. This disease, which is caused by a fungal pathogen and implicated in serious declines and extinctions of more than 200 species of amphibians, poses the greatest threat to biodiversity of any known disease. Dr. David B. Wake and Vance T. Vredenburgs data for frogs in the Sierra Nevada of California show that the fungus is having a devastating impact on native species, already weakened by the effects of pollution and introduced predators. A general message from amphibians is that we may have little time to stave off a potential mass extinction. http://www.pnas.org/content/early/20...21105.abstract Last edited by Professor Nordheim; 10-02-2008 at 06:54 PM. |
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#2 |
Avalon Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northern Norway
Posts: 59
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Science News
Earth In Midst Of Sixth Mass Extinction: 50% Of All Species Disappearing ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2008) — The Earth is in the midst of the sixth mass extinction of both plants and animals, with nearly 50 percent of all species disappearing, scientists say. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1020171454.htm |
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#3 |
Avalon Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 372
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Professor Nordheim's research:
A new and significant threat to amphibians is a virulent, emerging infectious disease, chytridiomycosis, which appears to be globally distributed, and its effects may be exacerbated by global warming. This disease, which is caused by a fungal pathogen and implicated in serious declines and extinctions of more than 200 species of amphibians, poses the greatest threat to biodiversity of any known disease. __________________________________________________ ___________ Fungal pathogens in plants and amphibians, mycoplasmas in humans...where does it all end? My theory is that some of this ties in directly with Chemtrails. The research has shown that Chemtrails contain Barium, Aluminum, toxic and biological materials. This aerosol spraying is being done around the Globe and has been ongoing since the late 1990's. __________________________________________________ ____________ Kick at the Darkness until it bleeds daylight...Bruce Cockburn |
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#4 |
Avalon Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lunar Base II
Posts: 3,093
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I'm attempting to save this thread from extinction. Here's an interesting interview with a paleontologist named Peter Ward regarding extinctions. http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/7431
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