globalbriefs


News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.


Big Book Encyclopedia of Life Update


The second edition of the Smithsonian Institution’s free, online collaborative Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is now easier to use. It also has been vastly expanded, offering information on more than one-third of all known species on Earth, includ- ing hundreds of thousands of images and videos.


With the updated format, users can easily find species of interest; create per- sonal collections of photos and information; find or upload pictures, videos and sounds; and share comments, questions and expertise with users worldwide that share similar interests. EOL.org seeks to become a microscope in reverse, helping users to discern large-scale pat- terns. By aggregating for analysis information on Earth’s estimated 1.9 million known species, scientists say EOL could, for example, help map vectors of human disease; reveal mysteries be- hind longevity; suggest substitute plant pollina- tors for a swelling list of places where honeybees no longer provide the function; and foster strate- gies to slow the spread of invasive species. All EOL information is available for reuse and is licensed under Creative Commons and other Open Access free licenses.


Natural Wonders Virgin Forests are


Irreplaceable


Analysis by an international team of researchers of more than 100 studies comparing wildlife in forests that had been modified with those that had not confirms the crucial role that virgin forests play in conserving the natu- ral world. The researchers conclude in the journal Nature that, “When it comes to maintaining tropical bio- diversity, there is no substitute for primary forests.”


The worldwide meta-study found that most species, notably birds, do much better in virgin tracts than in areas that have been cleared for agri- culture, plantations or agro-forestry or selectively logged for certain types of trees. In all but the latter, the overall impact on biodiversity was marked. In all cases, the variety of plants and ani- mals was depleted more severely than the sheer number of organisms present. Surprisingly, total mammal


02/29/12


populations may do better under some kinds of forest modification, although this may be because opportunistic animals such as rats multiply even as the diversity of mammals drops. Birds, insects and plants experience an un- equivocal loss.


The study addresses how best to specifically preserve nature across the tropics, where most human popula- tion growth and rapid development is occurring. It compares the effects of “land-sharing”, where farming and other development enables wildlife to share the same space, and “land-spar- ing”, which provides entitlement areas to wildlife while humans use other segments as intensely as they like.


Source: BBC News 12 Central PA NaturalCentralPA.com


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