The+Biosphere

Everything living, basically.

Article I: A new study, sparked by the giant squid that washed up on Spanish shores in 2001 and 2003, has shown a connection between low frequency noise and damage to the balancing organs of cephalopods. The low frequency sounds in question are those produced by sonar, oil exploration, and modern shipping methods, and they appear to be causing damage to the statocysts, the cephalopod balancing organ located in the head of the animal. An experiment in which captive squid, octopi, and cuttlefish were exposed to low frequency sound for 2 hours and then had their statocysts examined post-mortem. In all cases, the statocysts showed seemingly permanent and debilitating damage, with damage only increasing with exposure. This highlights a need to regulate the amount and type of noise pollution we put into the ocean.

Link: Coghlan, Andy. "Shipping noise pulps organs of squid and octopuses." //NewScientist//  (2011): n. pag. Web. 16 May 2011. < [|__http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20364-shipping-noise-pulps-organs-of-squid-and-octopuses.html__] >.

Question I: Do you think, that with information like this, new regulation should be put in place to minimize damage such as this, or should the problem be ignored. Jake's Article: Summary: Link:

Kayla's Article: Summary:

In the article “Mining to blame for islands to sink beneath waves” the major claim is coral reef mining is creating disasterous effects to the islands in the Gulf of Manner. Scientists originally thought the island disappearance was due to the rising sea levels. However, studies have shown that the sea level in the Gulf of Manner region has been rising slower then the global average. Thus, the submergence of the two islands in the Gulf of Manner is due to other reasons, such as mining the coral reefs. This article displays the warnings of coral reef mining and the future effects of the ecosystems in the Gulf of Manner.

Link: Parameswara, Sivaramakrishnan. "Mining to blame for islands to sink beneath waves" .

Trey's Article: Summary: Finally Figured out how to navigate the blackboard page! NASA satellite data and Google Earth imaging at Purdue University have found that North Korea may be logging illegally in a protected United Nations forest preserve. The mountain is very important for some species of animas and plants and is also very rich in biodiversity. Since the images are from satellite and since North Korea is a Communist, exclusive country, United Nations ecologists cannot investigate the site. It has been speculated that these foresets have been used for agriculture since North Korea suffers from food shortages. Shao a forester for the UN estimates that 75 percent of the forest has been cut into strips and has been deforested, and forest on China's side are losing pines due to overcultivation of pine seeds. Questions have been posted right down here Mrs. Collins? What should/can the United Nations do to stop the massive decrease in biodiversity? By being inactive, does the UN lose its credebility much like the Legue of Nations in the face of Totalitarian aggression? Should the United Nations threaten an aggresive country on the basis of incomplete assumptions?

Link: Wallheimer, Brian. "NASA, Google Data Show North Korea Logging in Protected Area". ScienceDaily 2010. n.p. n.d. 1 June 2011. < []>.