Abstracts » Zoology and wildlife conservation

Time to champion global data

Article Abstract:

The study of environmental degradation shows the need for increased monitoring of fundamental geophysical parameters on a global scale through pooling of scientific and technical resources, and redistribution of global networks. The lack of systematic measurements is a handicap in judging the behavior of the Earth and the monitoring activities are mostly concentrated in Europe and the US. The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics is trying to fill observational gaps, but lack of funds and the inability of individual countries to look beyond national priorities are causing problems.

Analysis, Environmental policy, Environmental monitoring, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics

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Life and the rock cycle

Article Abstract:

Cyclical changes in carbon-isotope data from Proterozoic sediments suggests that the biochemical basis of life has tended to remain constant despite the geological and ocean-atmospheric evolution of the Earth system. This model of early Earth history, put forward by David J. Des Marais and colleagues based on analysis of the isotope data, contrasts with the usual model which holds that the inorganic world that has remained unchanged while the biosphere evolved. However, the existence of a specific isotope signal may not always indicate a period of rapid biological evolution.

Carbon, Carbon isotopes, Natural cycles, Geology, Historical geology, Rock cycle

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Loophole for snowball Earth

Article Abstract:

Research challenging the 'hard' snowball Earth hypothesis is presented. New energy-balance and general-circulation climate models permit open water in equatorial regions to coexist with snowball Earth conditions in other places.

Earth, Atmosphere

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