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Hi Jim & All, Oct 23, 2012
I gather from your comments about 'iron fertilization' that another =
trial has run into opposition. Unfortunate if true.
Certainly trying to unscramble the real effects of a broadcast =
application in the open ocean is problematic but the remedy is to devise =
approaches that are amenable to statistical test and refine methods on =
the basis of results as opposed to debate-- e.g. how many phytoplankton =
can grow on the head of an iron pin anyway ?).
Why not e.g. enclose test areas with a polyethylene curtain around =
the perimeter, let them drift, sample fallout at intervals and naturally =
sample phytoplankton and water composition in the upper enclosed layers. =
One could then have real control and test plots replicated as necessary =
based on accumulating experience. With beacons to locate scattered plots =
and automated sampling/recording, a mother ship (or more as necessary) =
could service sufficient plots over time to obtain data amenable to =
statistical tests.
Iron has been entering the ocean, mostly as dust or eroded fines, =
since the dawn of time and, if I recall correctly, areas with high =
natural addition rates are unusually productive.=20
The high productivity of the Bay of Fundy is often attributed to =
deep mixing of nutrients but is iron perhaps one of these or even the =
key nutrient ? Fine soil (iron rich) gets swept down the Bay with every =
falling tide.=20
Which is worse, the potential to make a few mistakes in small areas =
of ocean or the really large mistake associated with contributing to =
permafrost melt, release of methane from methyl hydrate, massive =
positive feedback and runaway global warming ?
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----=20
From: James W. Wolford=20
To: NatureNS=20
Cc: Jim Wolford ; Mike Dadswell=20
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 4:51 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Massive grey seal cull set to get Senate panel's =
approval -- Gulf of St. Lawrence plan makes no sense, Dalhousie =
biologist says -- CBC News N.S., Oct. 23/12
Go to cbc.ca/news/ns/ to find this story and photo & video plus the =
links below to related stories.
Also three cheers for Jeff Hutchings of Dalhousie Univ. Biology for =
speaking out against this cull. Jeff is a champion for marine =
biodiversity, and he maintains, among other things, that marine =
ecosystems are complex, involving many components of food webs etc., so =
the outcome of a cull is unpredictable and will not be measurable in any =
way in any case. This will not be any kind of properly designed real =
experiment -- the same probably applies to the recent controversy on =
"fertilizing the ocean" on the West Coast off the Queen Charlotte =
Islands with powdered iron sulphate, in attempt to cause a bloom of =
phytoplankton to both help wild salmon and absorb some of our massive =
amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. See last Saturday's "Quirks and =
Quarks" show at cbc.ca/quirks/ for some discussion of this attempt at =
geo-engineering or ocean fertilization.
On the radio today, Jeff H. pessimistically guessed that there was a =
good chance that the Canadian Senate will allow this proposed cull of =
grey seals to go ahead. Perhaps their decision has already been =
announced?
Cheers? from Jim in Wolfville.
Related Stories
European seal cull called hypocritical
Gulf grey seal hunt a bust
Scientists call for experimental cull of 73,000 seals
External Links
Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat report on grey seals
Subject: Massive grey seal cull set to get Senate panel's approval =
-- Gulf of St. Lawrence plan makes no sense, Dalhousie biologist says -- =
CBC News N.S., Oct. 23/12
from cbc.ca/news/ns/ , Tues., Oct. 23, 2012
Massive grey seal cull set to get Senate panel's approval
Read 134
comments
134 video
BEWARE: PHOTO shown at the video link is NOT A GREY SEAL, but is a =
YOUNG HARP SEAL!! [When will the media have their files of seal photos =
examined by people who know how to identify the various species, not =
many in this area but having various pelages at different ages and =
sexes??][JW]
Massive grey seal cull set to get Senate panel's approval
Gulf of St. Lawrence plan makes no sense, Dalhousie biologist says
CBC News Posted: Oct 23, 2012 8:48 AM AT Last Updated: Oct 23, 2012 =
2:04 PM AT
Video Content
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hi Jim & All, =
=20
Oct 23,=20
2012</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> I gather from your comments about =
'iron=20
fertilization' that another trial has run into opposition. Unfortunate =
if=20
true.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Certainly trying to unscramble =
the real=20
effects of a broadcast application in the open ocean is problematic but =
the=20
remedy is to devise approaches that are amenable to statistical =
test and=20
refine methods on the basis of results as opposed to debate-- e.g. how =
many=20
phytoplankton can grow on the head of an iron pin anyway =
?).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Why not e.g. enclose test areas =
with a=20
polyethylene curtain around the perimeter, let them drift, sample =
fallout at=20
intervals and naturally sample phytoplankton and water composition in =
the upper=20
enclosed layers. One could then have real control and test plots =
replicated as=20
necessary based on accumulating experience. With beacons to=20
locate scattered plots and automated =
sampling/recording, a mother=20
ship (or more as necessary) could service sufficient plots over time to =
obtain=20
data amenable to statistical tests.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><F