It All Boils Down To?

A recent report suggests that climate change could eliminate 1 in 6 of the current species on this planet (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/30/one-in-six-of-worlds-species-faces-extinction-due-to-climate-change-study). Pretty obviously, the species most likely to go are a) those that are relatively temperature intolerant b) those that, because of their life-style and/or location, are unable to migrate (laterally or upwards) to curtail the effects of the changed conditions. A mass extinction on this scale would clearly pose serious problems for human populations and this is without even considering the impoverishment of species diversity.

A Hole in the Accounts?

George Monbiot has become very excited by proposals for open cast coal extraction in South Wales that seemingly leave the tax payer with the most of the expense of remediation i.e. 'clearing up' after the process has finished (http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/28/big-coal-keep-it-in-the-ground-energy-opencast-mines). It is certainly the case that local communities can be left with gigantic holes in their adjoining environment, unstable masses of land and contaminated water courses. He claims that the companies who push for such developments often are required to post bonds that only pay for a fraction of the 'clean up' but exert pressures on planning bodies by making claims about local employment. Only rarely do the environmental costs seem to feature much. This seems to have a long tradition as many old quarries leave holes in many parts of the world. I have also worried about whether activities as diverse as the current hydroelectric developments in the Indian Himalayas (an earthquake zone) or the 'lagoon' proposed for Swansea Bay have adequate remediation costs built in if they eventually prove to be non-viable?

When It's Gone, It's Gone!

A sad little story about further collapsing of the populations of endangered sub-species of rhinoceros, largely due to poaching (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/27/ol-pejeta-kenya-sudan-worlds-last-male-northern-white-rhinoceros). This includes an account of a 'pampered', 42-year old male from a Czech zoo who is the last surviving member of his sex among the Northern white rhinos. I do think that, when one gets down to this level in populations of such animals, that extinction is inevitable. Even if breeding is possible, the amount of genetic diversity in any resulting populations is likely to be too low for viability. It might be better to put resources into animals with better chances of avoiding the grim reaper's scythe.

Seeing the Changes 962

Around Penclacwydd, spotted Silverweed (Potentilla anserina); Field mouse-ear (Cerastium arvense); Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna); Red campion (Silene dioica) and Common cleavers (Gallium aparine) in bloom. The surfeit of Cuckoo flowers now attracted Orange tip butterflies (Anthocharis cardamines).

Seeing the Changes 961

In Bynea, Sea raddish (Raphanus raphanistrum maritimus); Sea pea (Lathyrus japonicus) and Red clover (Trifolium pratense) were all in flower. A Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata) desired aphids and a Common shrew (Sorex araneus) was an ex-shrew.

Seeing the Changes 960

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) and Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) were blooming in Bynea.

The Wind of Change for Malaria?

News that there is now a vaccine for the mosquito bite-transmitted disease of malaria which can offer partial protection to young children (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/24/malaria-vaccine-breakthrough-partially-effective-scientists-children). The jabs offer limited protection (>30%) but maximal efficiency involves a) children receiving treatment at an age (5-17 months) which is later than when they receive other routine vaccinations, b) a series of 3 injections and c) a later booster dose. These factors will make it difficult to run an effective treatment campaign in some parts of the world (getting people in place for repeated injections and even refrigerating the vaccine can be challenging). It was noted that this 'partially effective vaccine' has taken 20 years to develop at a cost of around £330m. This might seem a lot for partial effectiveness but considerably more has been spent on developing treatments for male baldness over the same period! Malaria kills many young children each year.