[BCNnet] A Scary Article
judymellin
judymellin@netzero.net
Sat, 30 Mar 2002 19:24:19 -0800
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Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 09:42:12 -0500 To: BlUEBIRD-L@cornell.edu =
(BLUEBIRD-L)
From: Tina Phillips <cbp6@cornell.edu> Subject: Fwd: An interesting =
press release=20
Here is an interesting study using Prothonotary Warblers and their =
nesting cycles to look at global warming.
VCU BIOLOGIST FINDS EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING Sixteen-year study shows =
migratory bird returns earlier every year RICHMOND, Va. - Scientists =
and politicians have debated the existence of global warming for many =
years. Now, a biologist at Virginia Commonwealth University contends he =
has evidence that the earth is indeed getting warming, and he points to =
the migratory pattern of a little yellow bird due to return to its U.S. =
breeding grounds in early April.
Charles R. Blem, Ph.D., currently is preparing more than 300 nesting =
boxes for the return of thousands of Prothonatory Warblers. For the =
last=20
16 years, Blem has studied the birds' migratory patterns and breeding =
habits in a swampy area of Virginia's James River. But what started as =
a basic research study revealed an interesting trend: the bird has =
returned from its winter home in South America and the Carribean an =
average of one day earlier every year.
"We started studying Warbler population changes as a part of neotropical =
migrant bird decline," said Blem. "Only secondarily it turned out the =
numbers were changing with time and reflected a change in climate."
Blem is an ornithologist and ecologist in VCU's Department of Biology.=20
According to Blem, the temperature of the nesting area has increased one =
degree since his study began. The warmer it gets, he says, the sooner =
the birds return.
"I predict that if this keeps up, this bird will become a resident =
species of North America entirely," said Blem.
Along with his team of volunteers and graduate students, Blem has =
amassed one of the most comprehensive data collections on this =
particular bird.
"We know who their mother was. We know who their grandmother was in =
some cases. We know how many eggs they laid so we can get a handle on =
long-term change," said Blem.
The Prothonatory Warbler, also known as the Golden Swamp Warbler, is a =
striking bright orange-yellow color and measures about five inches long. =
It flies only at night during migration and breeds throughout the =
southeastern United States and in southern Canada. Destruction and =
degradation of breeding and wintering areas and competition from other =
birds threaten the warbler's population, which has declined in recent =
years. Blem says nesting boxes, which provide safe shelter from weather =
and predators, are helping to reverse that trend.
Last year, the warblers returned to Central Virginia on April 6. =
Barring a cold spell, Blem predicts the birds will be back in the United =
States around April 5 this year.
About Charles R. Blem: Charles R. Blem, Ph.D., joined the Department =
of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1969 as a professor =
and teaches courses in ecology and ornithology. He received his M.S. =
and Ph.D. in ecology at the University of Illinois. He is an affiliate =
faculty member of the University of Montana, where he teaches a course =
in avian ecology. Dr. Blem is a fellow of the American Association for =
the Advancement of Science and the American Ornithologists Union. He =
has been editor/associate editor of three international ornithological =
journals.
About VCU: Virginia Commonwealth University is ranked by the Carnegie =
Foundation as one of the nation's top research universities. Located on =
two campuses in Richmond, Va., VCU enrolls about 25,000 students in more =
than 150 undergraduate, graduate, professional, doctoral and =
post-graduate certificate degree programs at 10 schools and one college. =
Sixteen graduate and professional programs have been ranked by U.S. =
News & World Reports as among the best of their kind in the nation. The =
VCU Health System is one of the leading academic medical centers in the =
country. VCU recently launched VCU Life Sciences, a comprehensive =
undergraduate and graduate program involving academic and medical =
faculty. In addition, the university is developing the Virginia =
Biotechnology Research Park in collaboration with business, civic and =
government leaders. For more, see www.vcu.edu.
Tina Phillips The Birdhouse Network Cornell Lab of Ornithology=20
159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850 (607)254-2482 cbp6@cornell.edu Join TBN at:=20
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<DIV>Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 09:42:12 -0500 To: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:BlUEBIRD-L@cornell.edu">BlUEBIRD-L@cornell.edu</A>=20
(BLUEBIRD-L)<BR>From: Tina Phillips <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:cbp6@cornell.edu">cbp6@cornell.edu</A>> Subject: Fwd: =
An=20
interesting press release </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Here is an interesting study using Prothonotary Warblers and their =
nesting=20
cycles to look at global warming.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>VCU BIOLOGIST FINDS EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING Sixteen-year =
study shows=20
migratory bird returns earlier every year RICHMOND, Va. - =
Scientists and=20
politicians have debated the existence of global warming for many =
years. =20
Now, a biologist at Virginia Commonwealth University contends he has =
evidence=20
that the earth is indeed getting warming, and he points to the migratory =
pattern=20
of a little yellow bird due to return to its U.S. breeding grounds =
in=20
early April.<BR>Charles R. Blem, Ph.D., currently is preparing =
more than=20
300 nesting boxes for the return of thousands of Prothonatory =
Warblers. =20
For the last <BR>16 years, Blem has studied the birds' migratory =
patterns and=20
breeding habits in a swampy area of Virginia's James River. But =
what=20
started as a basic research study revealed an interesting trend: the =
bird has=20
returned from its winter home in South America and the Carribean an =
average of=20
one day earlier every year.<BR>"We started studying Warbler population =
changes=20
as a part of neotropical migrant bird decline," said Blem. "Only=20
secondarily it turned out the numbers were changing with time and =
reflected a=20
change in climate."<BR>Blem is an ornithologist and ecologist in VCU's=20
Department of Biology. <BR>According to Blem, the temperature of the =
nesting=20
area has increased one degree since his study began. The warmer it =
gets,=20
he says, the sooner the birds return.<BR>"I predict that if this keeps =
up, this=20
bird will become a resident species of North America entirely," said=20
Blem.<BR>Along with his team of volunteers and graduate students, Blem =
has=20
amassed one of the most comprehensive data collections on this =
particular=20
bird.<BR>"We know who their mother was. We know who their =
grandmother was=20
in some cases. We know how many eggs they laid so we can get a =
handle on=20
long-term change," said Blem.<BR>The Prothonatory Warbler, also known as =
the=20
Golden Swamp Warbler, is a striking bright orange-yellow color and =
measures=20
about five inches long. <BR>It flies only at night during migration and =
breeds=20
throughout the southeastern United States and in southern Canada. =20
Destruction and degradation of breeding and wintering areas and =
competition from=20
other birds threaten the warbler's population, which has declined in =
recent=20
years. Blem says nesting boxes, which provide safe shelter from =
weather=20
and predators, are helping to reverse that trend.<BR>Last year, the =
warblers=20
returned to Central Virginia on April 6. Barring a cold spell, =
Blem=20
predicts the birds will be back in the United States around April 5 this =
year.<BR>About Charles R. Blem: Charles R. Blem, Ph.D., =
joined the=20
Department of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1969 as a =
professor=20
and teaches courses in ecology and ornithology. He received his =
M.S. =20
and Ph.D. in ecology at the University of Illinois. He is an =
affiliate faculty member of the University of Montana, where he teaches =
a course=20
in avian ecology. Dr. Blem is a fellow of the American =
Association=20
for the Advancement of Science and the American Ornithologists =
Union. He=20
has been editor/associate editor of three international ornithological=20
journals.<BR>About VCU: Virginia Commonwealth University is ranked by =
the=20
Carnegie Foundation as one of the nation's top research =
universities. =20
Located on two campuses in Richmond, Va., VCU enrolls about 25,000 =
students in=20
more than 150 undergraduate, graduate, professional, doctoral and =
post-graduate=20
certificate degree programs at 10 schools and one college. <BR>Sixteen =
graduate=20
and professional programs have been ranked by U.S. News & =
World=20
Reports as among the best of their kind in the nation. The VCU =
Health=20
System is one of the leading academic medical centers in the =
country. VCU=20
recently launched VCU Life Sciences, a comprehensive undergraduate and =
graduate=20
program involving academic and medical faculty. In addition, the=20
university is developing the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park in=20
collaboration with business, civic and government leaders. For =
more, see=20
<A href=3D"http://www.vcu.edu">www.vcu.edu</A>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Tina Phillips The Birdhouse Network Cornell Lab of Ornithology =
<BR>159=20
Sapsucker Woods Rd.<BR>Ithaca, NY 14850 (607)254-2482 <A=20
href=3D"mailto:cbp6@cornell.edu">cbp6@cornell.edu</A> Join TBN at:=20
</DIV></BODY></HTML>
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