biodiversity

Victorian government knowingly driving Leadbeater's Possum to extinction, say scientists

takver — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:43:30 +0000

Two distinguished environmental scientists accused the Victorian Government of forestry policies knowingly designed to drive Leadbeater's Possum, one of the two fauna emblems of Victoria, to extinction.

In a letter to sciencemag.org, the publication of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science, Professors David Lindenmayer and Hugh Possingham say, "Government-sanctioned legal logging of the reserve system will significantly increase the chance of extinction of Leadbeater's possum. To the best of our knowledge, and despite state and national threatened species legislation, this is the first time an Australian government has taken calculated actions to substantially reduce the viability of an IUCN-listed endangered species with full knowledge of the likely consequences." (Read full letter reproduced at end of this article)

Petition: Defer the Bill that would lock-in long-term native forest logging | Help Save Leadbeater's Possum | My Environment Appeal 2013 Leadbeater's Possum | Ethical paper pledge

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Biodiversity decline from climate change affects huge range of common species

takver — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:56:18 +0000

While much scientific and public attention has focussed on the many species endangered or on the brink of extinction like Carnaby's cockatoo, the impacts of climate change on species biodiversity are much larger. A landmark study looking at nearly 50,000 common species with widespread ranges has determined that half of these animals and two thirds of the examined plant species will lose more than half their range in the next 70 years, by 2080, if nothing is done to slow down the rate of global warming through cutting carbon emissions. We are truly in the middle of a biodiversity crisis with habitat loss and climate change causing the 6th mass extinction

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Scientists condemn Queensland land clearing changes, warn of biodiversity loss

takver — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:16:39 +0000

Leading Queensland environmental scientists are up in arms over changes to Queensland's Vegetation Management Act and the Water Act which will enhance land clearing and destruction of native vegetation important for preserving biodiversity values, ecological services such as clean water and flood mitigation, and carbon sink potential.

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WA marine heatwave - Elevated sea surface temps & marine biodiversity

takver — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:38:29 +0000

Dec 29, 2012: High sea surface temperatures (SST) of up to five degrees above normal are currently being experienced off the north-western Australian coast in a marine heatwave event. Like the extreme marine heatwave event in 2011 this will change marine ecosystems causing coral bleaching and fish mortality and impact on fisheries management and biodiversity.

A similar event occurred over several weeks during the 2010/2011 summer which impacted seafood stocks and marine ecosystems and was associated with an extremely strong La Niña event and a record strength Leeuwin Current down the Western Australian coast.

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sea surface temperatures

SST

Carnaby's Cockatoo suffers 37 per cent population decline in one year

takver — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:39:59 +0000

Flocks of Carnaby's Black Cockatoo are iconic sights for the people of Perth, the Swan River Region and the forests of the South west. But comparing two population surveys in 2010 and 2011 showed a 37 percent decline in numbers across the Swan river region. That is a 37 per cent decline in one year.

According to Statistical modelling based on the 2011 Great Cocky Count the population of Carnaby’s cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus latirostris) in the Swan Region was between 5200 and 8600 birds. A year earlier it was estimated that the population was 8000 to 10,000.

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Biodiversity crisis: Habitat loss and climate change causing 6th mass extinction

takver — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:51:52 +0000

Scientists meeting at the University of Copenhagen have warned that biodiversity is declining rapidly throughout the world, describing the loss of species as the 6th mass extinction event on the earth. The world is losing species at a rate that is 100 to 1000 times faster than the natural extinction rate, with the challenges of conserving the world's species larger than mitigating the negative effects of global climate change.

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Biodiversity a crucial climate change buffer for ecosystem and cultural diversity

takver — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:03:04 +0000

A new multi-author scientific study says that preservation of plant biodiversity provides a crucial buffer to negative effects of climate change and desertification in drylands. Preventing ecosystem degredation in a warming world is significant with drylands particularly vulnerable to environmental changes and desertification. Dryland ecosystems cover 41% of the land surface of the Earth and support 38% of the human population.

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Species biodiversity under threat from the velocity of climate change

takver — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:21:39 +0000

Scientists have been able to calculate the velocity of climate change on land and ocean environments using temperature records to determine isotherms and their change in a fifty year period from 1960 to 2009. So how fast are climate envelopes moving? The general median answer is 27.3 km/decade on land, and 21.7 km/decade in the ocean. This equates to a speed needed to outrun climate change on land (2.7 kilometers per year) and in the oceans (2.2 kilometers per year). This rate of movement of thermal climate envelopes poses problems for species facing a high speed migration, or a difficult and abrupt adaptation or extinction.

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Logging East Gippsland old growth forests destroys wildlife refugia in a warming climate

takver — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:41:21 +0000

Environmental activists have been out in old growth Forests in East Gippsland this week attempting to stop more rape of our natural environment and protecting important refugia habitats for endangered species. Logging operations on Survey Rd on the Errinundra Plateau were halted by a tree-sit attached to five logging machines and suspended 40 metres up in the tree canopy.

"In the face of recent Baillieu government moves to weaken the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, conservationists have again taken their message to logging sites where important wildlife habitat continues to be logged for woodchips", said Ms Amelia Young, spokesperson for the conservationists of the Goongerah Environment Centre (GECO) (Facebook).

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Ya want Koala chips with that, Ms Parker? Whaddaya mean hold the quoll paste?

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:01:10 +0000

Media Release - Opinion - Environment updated
28 October 2011

Ya Want Koala Chips with That Ms Parker? Whaddaya mean hold the Quoll Paste?

By now everyone knows of NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage, Robyn Parker's Budget Estimates Committee alleged gaffe on Thursday 27 October 2011 that koalas are 'protected by logging'.

The "Logging saves Biodiversity" line is not unfamiliar. Forests NSW has run similar arguments frequently for decades. Take a look at this story they ran on ABC radio 6 days ago:

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/10/17/3341453.htm

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Platypus feeling the heat of climate change

takver — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 05:08:00 +0000

Some of Australia's most iconic animals are feeling the heat of climate change and global warming. New scientific research shows the Platypus is under threat due to increasing summer temperatures. The scientific paper - Early response of the platypus to climate warming - is to be published in the international scientific journal 'Global Change Biology' later this year.

Related: Scientists have already reported that Koalas face starvation, extinction due to climate change

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A dangerous sting for agriculture: climate change implicated in bee decline

takver — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 14:48:08 +0000

The first in depth national study of wild bees in the US has established that several species have suffered a severe decline in population and range. Honey bees are important for commercial crop pollination of fruit, nut, vegetable and seed production in the United States, indeed globally.

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Environmental and anti-globalisation activist awarded Sydney Peace Prize

takver — Mon, 10 May 2010 06:33:50 +0000

Physicist, environmentalist and anti-globalisation activist Dr Vandana Shiva has been awarded the Sydney Peace Prize for 2010 for her commitment to social justice, her advocacy of human rights, empowerment of women, and her scientific contribution to environmental sustainability.

The City of Sydney Peace Prize lecture will be delivered by Vandana Shiva at the Sydney Opera House on November 3 followed by an award ceremony on November 4.

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Tassie forest activists shut down Weld Valley to loggers

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:32:22 +0000

Tasmania’s Logging onslaught in Weld Valley Halted
Media Release - 5th August 2009

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