Antarctic will melt as carbon dioxide levels rise: scientists

[cal04]

A gathering of leading Antarctic scientists in Hobart has heard alarming predictions about the rate at which the frozen continent will melt as the earth warms.

Experts predict changes on the Antarctic as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise.

Stanford University Professor Robert Dunbar has told the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research it is inevitable atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will double in the next few centuries.

Professor Dunbar says ice sheets in western Antarctica will be particularly vulnerable under these conditions.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1685513.htm

[XemaSab]

1. It'll be interesting to see

what happens to the land claims there if it all melts.

Right now the US recognizes no claims (sort of like the moon) but I would think mineral and petroleum exploration there could set off a big land rush.

[mike_c]

4. as the petroleum spasms get worse, no place will be safe....

ANWR will go in a heartbeat once the price of crude starts to put real strain on world economies. The Antarctic will be pumped like every other corner of the earth. 300 million years of photosynthesis, burned up in a little over a century, gone forever.

Can you tell I'm feeling a bit pessimistic tonight?

[Gloria]

6. But, the oil will stay there if the trucks get bogged down in the mud of

melting permafrost. Gore showed the pics and the chart....from over 200 days of permafrost to now about 75 days when it's cold enough to keep the ground frozen...

[XemaSab]

8. Name some types of riffle beetle please...

I am organizing a scavenger hunt and one of my colleagues joked that we had to look for riffle beetles, so what are some kinds? :shrug:

[mike_c]

9. Elmidae and Dryopidae....

Elmidae are the classic "riffle beetles" and dryopids are the "long-toed riffle beetles." Also Psephenidae, the water penny (as immatures only-- adults are terrestial).

[XemaSab]

10. I'm talking common species names, please

I responded to one of your other posts.

[mike_c]

11. common species names...?

:rofl:

There aren't any that I know of, not in the riffle beetles etc. I mean there might be a few "convenience names" but they're not in common use anywhere as far as I know. Most can't be distinguised beyond family, or in a few cases genus, without keys and microscopes and a decent amount of experience. I don't have notes at hand but we're likely talking about at least 40-50 species in the PNC and CA. BTW, I probably should have added Haliplidae to the list, and maybe Amphizoidae (right habitat, but not common). There are others as well, but they're even less common.

[phantom power]

2. It's melting now, according to the most recent ice-budget measures.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. The next penguin movie

should be a heart breaker.

[Ilsa]

5. I was thinking about that!

My house isn't cold enough for an "Adopt a Penguin" program!

[hatrack]

7. Kind of puts those Coke polar bear commercials in a new light, no?

I mean, let's set aside the penguin/polar bear issue.

Maybe they can come up with a cute ad featuring the bawling of starving walrus pups as they swim up to research ships, hoping that somehow their mothers have returned.

Like you, I'm just a boundless well of levity tonight.

[Nihil]

12. Well the good news from that is ...

... the meltwater will completely f*ck the coastal cities, refineries
and financial centres of the world. This planet has been waiting for
a decent extinction event ...

[dipsydoodle]

13. At the same time -

Temperature increases in Siberia are causing the release of methane hydrates which will further accelerate global warming : http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1546824,00.html

[Javaman]

14. It will hit geometric progression...

As the ice melts it will release it's own C02 that's been trapped inside it for the last several thousand years. So as we try to limit man made C02, the stuff trapped in the ice will be released and continue to make things worse.

I hate to say it folks, be we are fucked.

It takes 5 miles to slow an air craft carrier down enough to make a turn. We as a world are heading for a brick wall and still going full speed and the officers (heads of state) are still deciding whether or not to turn.

All I can say is, brace for impact.

[pberq]

15. Kick & Nominated - Let's get topics like this on the Greatest Page