While, I know aspen is not a common wood for everyone the latest reports on stands of aspens dying should be troubling to us all that cherish wood.
The scientists are not sure what's causing the stands to die off, but they are also not sure if this is a one time thing or not. Let's hope it's a one time thing!
We are losing oaks here in the Pacific West, another variety of wood dying off is very disturbing.
We too have trees dying, although the cause is known. Gypsy moth caterpillars. A healthy tree can handle 2-3 years of defoliation, but after that it'll die. We're now in year three and sure 'nuff, trees are dying.
JP
and in S.E. Michigan, most of the ash trees are dead or dying.
What I've read, that's primarily owing to a new borer--I forget now how it got here.
And in TN/VA and up the Appalachian, as somebody else noted, there's the gypsy moth that's the prime problem for the oaks.
Up in the higher elevations of the Smokey Mtn's, the Fraser firs are being decimated from the balsam woolly aphid.
All of the above are imported pests from various sources as if there weren't enough native. :(
I witnessed something similar in Arizona maybe 15 years ago. I thought I was being too observant but there were a *lot* of dead trees.
I know it won't apply to anyone in here but if the lard assed yanks used their legs (things on the bottom of the torso for those that have forgotten) rather than a 4 ton SUV and wore less clothing at home/in the office rather than turning up the aircon then maybe, just maybe the trees might start growing again. As it is, and with the blinkered "lets have carbon trading as its never uncle sams fault" the whole planet is royally f*cked.
It's probably way too late as when you already have evidence of massive releases of methane from formerly permafrosted ancient marshland in Siberia, followed by a similar state of affairs when tropical rainforests leaf litter decomposition overtakes the ability of large trees to use it. Meltwater from Greenland and Antarctica will rapidly raise sea levels making Katrina seem like a storm in a teacup the lost ice sheets will alter the albedo of the earth's surface and make it even hotter. Crops will massively fail worldwide for years on end, wars will be fought over water and the human race could die out faster than the dinosaurs.
Honk, honk, keep on driving and have a nice day :)
Perhaps it could be in part be due to warming - at least in the future, that could certainly play a role in these types of insect infestations. As I recall, the insect and small bug populations are the quickest inhabitants to adapt or die off due to changing environmental shifts.
How many fractions of a degree of warming on a mountainside allows the lower elevation bugs to climb higher for more food supply? How many fractions of a degree brings more or less moisture which perhaps supports larger survival rates for these bugs?
The liberal KOOKS blame everything on Bush. Why not blame this on Bush too?
How does warming relate to the importation of exotic pests, pray tell?
Most of the large-scale loss of trees going back to the American Chestnut and American Elm as well as the above listed present-day occurrences are primarily the result of the arrival of hitherfore unknown pests or diseases for which there were/are no native controls or resistance. My hypothesis is that a similar situation will be discovered here.
Warming can allow _migration_ of pests. That's already happening in some parts of the world. Not just pests, of course, but all manner of critters. Also, some imported pests will survive in a warmer clime today compared to a cooler past.
Absent relevant facts, an equally plausible hypothesis.
Mike
O.K. Mike, so what's the bad news?
Yes, but then the converse is also true. My reading is that such is typically a much less prevelant mode of introduction of an exotic species from (say) the Orient to NA than them hitching a ride on products being imported or simply brought in as an experiment (either initially controlled and accidentally released or actually introduced) or by individual travelers.
Yep, plus I had intended to note that the Rockies (particularly the more southern ranges) have been under drought conditions for several years so it is quite possible it is simply a result of that and when we/they get a few years of near or above normal snowpack the "problem" will fix itself.
Tsk, tsk. A tad touchy, eh Tom?
So you, too, heard Bush was offering these bugs guest status and having secret meetings with their bug queen, instructing them to infest our forests! Ooooo, maybe he's double-crossing them and has developed a back room "Apollo" project which has discovered a way to wean the US off our "addiction" to foreign oil by fattening these bugs... invented engines powered by renewable bug juice. Gotta love an inquisitive man of science!
Your loving liberal kook,
I seem to recall that one of the theorized outcomes for warming will be a wetter northwest N. America and a drier southwest. If warming is truly occurring then a few wetter years may relieve the problem temporarily, only to resume when dry years follow.
BTW, the dryness of the southwest has been going on for upwards of 10 years. Lake Powell is practically a pond compared to a decade ago.
I cannot believe no one has thought to suggest that this tree calamity may be the result of a new human to tree STD.
Seriously, think about it. Never before have there been so many tree huggers on this planet. Statistically speaking, it was only a matter of time before the hugging let to heavy petting, and on to more intimate contact.
--Hedley
--Binge in Moderation
PS - My SUV is only two and a half tons. I'm of the opinion that I am doing the world a favor by speeding up the process of ending our reliance on oil as an energy source. I'm simply using it all up. If you guys in Europe didn't pay the equivalent of 6$ a gallon, you'd be driving in comfort as well - instead of in little motorized metal gerbil cages.
SNIP
I read an Oregonian news article in the last 6 months or so which indicated Europeans are paying very similar prices for gas as we in the US do - the difference adds up from taxation.
I believe that to be true. While we only pay a fraction of our cost in taxes, the EU folks pay a multiple around 2-3 times their "wholesale" price.
$6 a gallon? Get real, due to the "light" composition of North Sea crude and the subsequent ease of distillation the UK and Norway have just about the cheapest petrol prices on the planet - maybe around 50 cents per US gallon. The difference is the tax that is added meaning that recently its been nearer US$8.50 retail.
But, when you live in Europe, you can drive proper cars rather than something resembling an HGV's that have been left out too long in the rain. Cars with properly engineered chassis dynamics that enable you to go round corners as well as in a straight line, cars that don't have any cup holders, nor aircon, nor airbags, cars that weigh around 0.7 tonnes and made of aluminium - yes aluminium is how it is spelt. Cars powered by puny 1.8 litre (call it 110 cubic inches) engines producing 120bhp - But with the car being so lightweight this
110 cubic inches gives acceleration of 0-60 in around 5 seconds and 130mph while also giving 45mpg in regular, more restrained use. Plus you can drive it to the shops, put in a full weeks worth of shopping in the boot, yes the boot, a trunk being something on the front of an elephant, yet commute every day in perfect comfort and then race it on the track on a weekend.Quite simply an SUV is an overgrown planet destroying turd in disguise. The civilised world knows what an utter abortion they are both for other road users, and the future of human life on the planet. As usual the majority of Americans sadly haven't got a clue. But there are also a few brain dead Europeans who think an SUV is a "status symbol" rather than what it really is - an indication of inherent gross stupidity.
So from the part of the world that does give a toss, thanks for f*cking up the planet for ever, just so you can drag your lard ass down the burger joint to eat your hormone infested, antibiotic laden "pure" beef......with fries of course :)
Have a nice day, the way the Americans are destroying the planet it could be your last.
SNIP uninformed stereotypical rant about how Americans are sooo fat and wasteful.
Whatever it takes for you to be happy driving little disposable aluminium death traps, it's fine by me. I do wonder, though, why you don't go the rest of the way and just drive scooters? The power/weight ratio is even better for them and you may even be able to carry more in the boot. I've seen families of 4 on scooters in Malaysia and they seemed happy as clams.
Me? I prefer to have one vehicle in my three car garage that can carry the wood I need for projects and also be able to carry me, the missus, the kid, the dog, and all our luggage comfortably across country. It's also nice to be able to fit furniture, big-box electronics, and whatever I please in the cargo area. Hell, I 've taken 8 folks down to the Chicago lakefront for festivities several times. Try that in one of the little engineering marvels of which you're so fond.
I wasn't brought up in a minimalistic environment, so I can't relate to your passion about tiny cars, although the teenagers here seem to love them. I've lived in several European countries and I have to say the cars, the roads, the homes (flats?), and even the stores make me claustrophobic. It's sad you don't have the room to breathe that we have here, but don't insult us for it.
When then time comes (8.50$ gas is one of those times), I'll move from my 14mpg GAZHOG to a more fuel efficient vehicle. Until then, I do what I can afford and be comfortable with. The last thing on my mind is my contribution to greenhouse gasses and the THEORY of global warming. Wthat horse manure. Just because it's repeated enough does not make it true.
Fast forward a few years, you're been walking with your family for weeks in the hope of finding a green land over the horizon. You're now sheltering in a rusting SUV in the middle of nowhere, the military have only a few weeks fuel and water reserves left and many of them are deserting and going back to try and look after their families.
There is a dust storm outside and you have a dry throat, you've not had a cold coke or beer for months. You're trying to explain to your grandchildren why there is dust everywhere, no food and no water. You finally admit that It's because many years ago you, along with all the other fools ignored the signs. You and your government did jack shit about global warming, as they thought it wouldn't affect them and doing anything would hurt the economy.
The sea levels have since risen and flooded every coastal city, across the continent soil blows away in the wind, grain harvests have failed every year for the past decade and new seed is in short supply. Wars have been fought worldwide for years over water, the wars over oil are now a distant memory. Everywhere is turning back to desert. Bodies are lying everywhere. The scenes of famine common in Africa for many years are on the doorstep of every single American. Disease is rampant, flies are everywhere and you know its only time before you and your family become the next victims.
At the start of the 21st century 4000 people a day were dying due to the lack of fresh water and good sanitation, more than died in the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001, but conveniently those 4000 deaths a day were conveniently out of sight overseas and never on the nightly news. Now the deaths are 1000 times that and increasing.
4,000,000 a day dying worldwide and increasing every day, but nothing can be done, the coin has flipped and although the cockroaches may ultimately survive there seems little hope for humans.As your life and that of your grandchildren ebbs away you reflect back to the time many years ago when you drove your gas guzzling SUV down to the shore of Lake Michigan where there was always a refreshing breeze. It's not rained or snowed on the shores of Lake Michigan for years, now that lake bed is a vast desert, all the water has gone, over 1000 cubic miles of fresh water used to try and support the grain harvest and quench mouths. It's unbearably hot by day, bitingly cold by night. If only you had the sense, the balls and the common decency as a human being to do something about it back then. If you had then things could have been different. But instead you followed the ignorant crowd, the herd of those that couldn't be bothered at all about what happened many years down the line.
Think about the legacy you are leaving for future generations. If all you leave are footprints, offspring and good memories that last forever then be proud, any other legacy will not be appreciated by future generations - if there are any future generations that is.
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