- Issues
- AIDS
- Climate Change
- Conflict
- Corruption
- Debt Relief
- Development
- Disabilities
- Education
- Employment
- Environment »
- Gender
- Globalization
- Health
- Infrastructure
- MDGs
- Trade
- Urbanization
 |
|||
|
|
||
|
|||
Watch the LAO PDR's Wildlife Treasures slideshow.
Webitorial: Local Language Field Guides
Rarely Asked Questions
April 20, 2009—Impress your friends with these not-so-commonly-known facts about the environment.
Q: Who are charismatic species?
A: I'm not talking about Tom Cruise or Angelina Jolie. Or your cute neighbor. Charismatic species are, in the lingo of biodiversity conservationists, animals such as pandas, gorillas, elephants, tigers, whales, and so on. They might be large and cuddly-looking or beautiful, they might look like they're smiling or whimpering or have other traits that make us empathize with them. But even though these are the kinds of animals that get most TV time, many other animals (even the ones you might think look "ugly") need our help too.
Q: What's the connection between ozone depletion and climate change?
A: None really, but neither of the two is good news. To start with, climate change refers to a phenomenon that occurs in a layer of the Earth's atmosphere near its surface, called the troposphere. Ozone depletion, on the other hand, is occurring higher up, in the stratosphere. Reduced levels of ozone in the stratosphere aren’t causing global warming or climate change, but do result in more ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the Earth's surface (some of which is harmful for us). Sometimes, ozone can form in the troposphere (e.g., as a result of photochemical smog), and this ozone acts as a greenhouse gas. But it has nothing to do with the ozone higher up in the stratosphere, which is getting patchy and letting more UV radiation in.
More on climate change.
Q: How do birds help get me my morning coffee?
A: Shaded coffee farms owe a big thanks to certain hungry, migratory birds. These voracious visitors (clearly fans of the local cuisine) feed on insects that would otherwise damage the foliage of the trees. So, the birds help protect the trees and end up improving the farmers’ crop yields. It’s a win-win situation, because shade-grown coffee makes a nice habitat for migratory birds. In fact, the shaded system also helps prevent soil erosion, and shelters an array of other animals including small mammals, and reptiles. Get more info on migratory birds and their shady habits.
Q: Are volcanoes a big cause of global warming?
A: Volcanoes do release some greenhouse gases when they erupt, but this contribution to global warming is dwarfed by another phenomenon: their cooling effect on the atmosphere. That’s right. According to NASA:
"As volcanoes erupt, they blast huge clouds into the atmosphere. These clouds are made up of particles and gases, including sulfur dioxide …. These sulfate particles reflect energy coming from the sun, thereby preventing the sun's rays from heating the Earth."
So, nice try. Humans are still the biggest culprits of global warming, more than both volcanoes and farting cows.
Photo: Queensland Environmental Protection Agency
Q: I heard Australia invited some toads in and is now upset with them. What gives?
A: Yeah. It all started with some beetles that were destroying sugarcane crops in Australia. A type of toad called Cane Toad was brought in from Hawaii, with the hope that they would eat the beetles and solve the problem. Well, the toads left the beetles alone but pretty much ate everything else, becoming full-fledged pests in their own right. Now they’re running amok, preying on small animals and poisoning larger ones that dare to try eating them. Scientists are still trying to figure out what to do. More on invasive alien species.
^ top