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Archive for November 12th, 2010
Floods, climate change challenge Thailand’s orchid export success
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 12th, 2010
CNN: At Excel Orchid Farm in Ratchaburi province, one of the largest orchid nurseries in Thailand, Piyada Sanguthai says global warming and climate change is already having an affect on Thailand's orchid production.
“The changing weather patterns are pushing the crops out of their ideal humidity and temperature ranges for optimal growth and also resulting in an increase in crop-damaging insects. We try and use the minimal amount of pesticide as possible, but the increase in insects has forced us to...
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Businesses concerned by water use
Posted by BBC: Roger Harrabin on November 12th, 2010
BBC: Future water shortages are a growing concern for business, according to a global survey published today.
The research shows that more than half of the 147 firms responding expect problems with water in the next 1-5 years.
It says 60% of firms have already set performance targets on the way they use water.
The report predicts that the issue will get much worse as the world demand for water is projected to soar over the next few decades.
The UK's chief scientist John Beddington has warned...
Environmentalists ‘exaggerated’ threat to tropical rainforests from global warming
Posted by Daily Mail: David Derbyshire on November 12th, 2010
Daily Mail: The threat to tropical rainforests from climate change may have been exaggerated by environmentalists, according to a new study. Researchers have shown that the world's tropical forests thrived in the far distant past when temperatures were 3 to 5C warmer than today. They believe that a wetter, warmer future may actually boost plants and animals living the tropics. The findings, published in the respected journal Science, come from a study of pollen trapped in rocks during a natural period of...
Invading weed threatens devastation to western rangelands
Posted by Science Centric: None Given on November 12th, 2010
Science Centric: A new field study confirms that an invasive weed called medusahead has growth advantages over most other grass species, suggesting it will continue to spread across much of the West, disrupt native ecosystems and make millions of acres of grazing land almost worthless.
The research, by scientists from Oregon State University and the Agricultural Research Service, was one of the most comprehensive studies ever done that compared the 'relative growth rate' of this invasive annual grass to that of...