Nematode Herders and Climate Change
Saturday we talked about how global warming may be negatively impacting species around the world. Here's a story from the New York Times (log in required - but free) about how regional cooling in Antarctica may be threatening a species of nematode. Since Antarctica is such a cold and barren place, it's fairly easy for scientists to study exactly how each species contributes to the carbon cycle in the region. Turns out this tiny little critter is responsible for 10 percent of the carbon processed in the Dry Valleys soil ecosystem.
So what in the world does this have to do with global warming? I guess I could see it one of two ways. The skeptic in me wants to point to this and say, "Aren't the most significant temperature changes supposed to occur in the Upper Latitudes? Why is it cooling in this part of Antarctica?" And the other part of me says "It's a regional effect, and it's impossible to infer anything about the global climate from a regional effect."
Comments (2)
The Dry Valley story is unique. The ozone hole has a large affect on East Antarctica. Solar radiation that would normally be trapped (heating the region), however, the ozone hole allows this radiation to escape- this along with changes in circumpolar circulation are now being extensively studied by Antarctic researchers. Consider reading Peter Doran's OP Ed in the NY Times. Doran works alongside the wormherders in the Dry Valleys and has reported the Dry Valley climate data--- he says:
"Our study did find that 58 percent of Antarctica cooled from 1966 to 2000. But during that period, the rest of the continent was warming. And climate models created since our paper was published have suggested a link between the lack of significant warming in Antarctica and the ozone hole over that continent."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/27/opinion/27doran.html?ex=1311652800&en=8749569e24bf5101&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Thanks,
Sarah Fortner
PhD Candidate researching the Dry Valleys
Posted by Sarah Fortner | November 29, 2006 9:22 AM
Thanks for the interesting info, Sarah - and the good link.
Posted by Laura Hannon | November 29, 2006 11:57 AM