Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Tue, 3 Jul 2007 20:06:16 GMT |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
>>With ice floes the size of Rhode island breaking off; with
the ice that gives the polar bears a conduit to food melting...
The above hits the spot. The melting polar caps is key in this
discussion. The polar caps reflect a good chunk of solar radiation
back into space. With the ice gone the earth is expected to absorb a
lot of this heat leading to quicker warming up. The ice in Greenland
is melting at some double the rate predicted 5-10 years ago. [The
melting ice is uncovering new islands. :)] Clearly, we don't have
good algorithms to predict the speed of warming.
The permafrost in Siberia is receding. It's a verifiable fact. If
it continues or accelarates it will release vast amounts of trapped
methane into the atmosphere which is expected to warm up the
atmosphere.
There are paradoxical developments possible, too. With the north
pole area warming, the critical ocean water temperature difference
that drives the North Atlantic conveyor may disappear. The Gulf
stream, that warms Europe, is the result of this massive water
movement. If, and it may be a big if, the NA conveyor and the Gulf
stream stop, northern Europe (British Isles, Scandinavia) may
experience a rapid cooling possibly leading to an ice age. You won't
be able to grow palm trees in Ireland anymore.
So we may see deserts advance around the equator and an ice age in
the north. But, at least for a while, beekeeping will continue since
honey bees are so adaptable to different climates. We humans with
our overpopulation are not as likely to fare as well.
Waldemar
Long Island, NY (expected to be mostly under water if most of the ice
melts and ocean levels rise 100-200 ft)
******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at: *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm *
******************************************************
|
|
|