Climate Change: Secondary Source Analysis

The Great Barrier Reef: A catastrophe laid bare.

Slezak, M.

The article ‘Great Barrier Reef: A catastrophe laid bare’, is written by Michael Slezak, an author of the news platform, ‘The Guardian’. The source is written by a third party collaboratively for the news platform and although may be considered somewhat unbiased. The article highlights the effects of climate change in clear correlation with the results of the current environmental issue of coral bleaching along the perimeters of the Great Barrier Reef. The source gathers first person accounts of a diver in the reef, quoting, “the smell of death on the reef”, which can be considered a biased statement by a persona that may not be scientifically equipped to constitute the idea of death within the reef. This particular article is a mixture of fact and opinion, with the interview of a driver through the reef, whilst also referencing a study that recorded the bleaching around Lizard Island through photographic documentation over the past year. Seemingly, this is the first time the author has written about the bleaching project conducted by Richard Vevers, although the this is not the first time the guardian has covered the issue of climate change within their news platform. Whilst the article is semi-biased, the ideas and work conducted by Vevers is understandable as the issue is increasingly present in todays environment.

Resource

Slezak, M. 2016, ‘The Great Barrier Reef: A catastrophe laid bare’, The Guardian, Viewed 28th July, 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/07/the-great-barrier-reef-a-catastrophe-laid-bare>.

Biodiversity steering committee ends three years of work ‘disappointed’

Kao, E.

The article ‘Biodiversity steering committee ends three years of work ‘disappointed’’ was published by the  South China Morning Post in May 2016. Whilst China has some of the most rigorous and compelling projects and plans targeting climate change, global warming and biodiversity in their country as compared to the rest of the world, it was interesting to uncover the news agency platform and the surrounding issues the article covers. Author, Ernest Kao, a writer for the Herald, writes in an non-biased overtone, the article highlights the concerns and sort of discussion within the Biodiversity Action and Strategy Plan (BSAP) professors, members and leaders. The author writes in the context of current events and quotes the various concerns of professors like Jim Chi-yung without commenting or critiquing this primary reference, suggesting the reliability of the writer to be unbiased. The way in which the author has conducted the article is well noted, leaving the reader to decipher their stance for themselves based on experiences in BSAP. It is interesting to note the BSAP’s summary for the extension of protected areas as a means to support the enriching of urban biodiversity, with statistical support for the number of votes, 2,444 submissions of the plan, members and followers of the group are increasingly aware and concerned about issues of biodiversity in Southern China.

Resource

Kao, E., 2016, ‘Biodiversity steering committee ends three years of work ‘disappointed’’, South China Morning Post, Viewed 28th July 2016, <http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1948862/biodiversity-steering-committee-ends-three-years>.

Indigenous rangers on the frontline of coral bleaching in remote Australia

Wild, K.

The article ‘Indigenous rangers on the frontline of coral bleaching in remote Australia’, derives from the news and service program ABC, a highly recommended and reliable source of authors with diverse opinions of which must be noted within the article written and studied by the National Reporting Team’s Kate Wild, in July 2016. This source covers another spectrum of opinion on the issue of coral bleaching studied, that being, the indigenous societies views on the highly coveted issue in the Australian environment. To be commended is the study and report of indigenous opinion on climate change, highlighting a variety of standpoints in the issue, from influential minority groups. The way in which the article is written in is quite biographical, reporting on stories and memories of the indigenous in a none biased way. Personal and eye witness accounts provide a deeper insight into the issue, commenting “I never seen the coral turning to white” or “we need scientists to comer here and do research in the crocodile islands”, quoted by Michael Mungula, an indigenous leader in the Yolgnu area. The article could be considered more interview based, suggestive of indigenous concern, trustworthy in a sense when considering their rich knowledge, appreciation and inextricable connection to the land and its developments.

Resource

Wild, K., 2016, ‘Indigenous rangers on the frontline of coral bleaching in remote Australia’, ABC News, Viewed 28th July 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-11/indigenous-rangers-on-the-frontline-of-coral-bleaching/7557646>.

State of the Climate 2015

Blunden, J. & Arndt, D.

The State of Climate Report is a 2015 study of climate change in a factual and statistical manner. The study is conducted by the American Meteorological Society and edited by Jessica Blunden and Derek S.Arndt. The report is a researched and experimental conducted source of information, completely sourced and documented in a professional anyway and given access to the general public. This allows the source of information to be reliable and non biased. The 300 page report is written and published year by year as a summary of climatic events, processes and statistical changes during that year. Much of the information acquired is visualisation data and graph forms highlighting events of climatic concerns across the world, temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, river discharge, water storage, soil moisture and more across a number of studies and sources collaborated into one annual review. This article of information is rigorous and well researched across all platforms and a reliable source to consider as support for statements and ideas in climate change, global warming and the adverse effects of this following biodiversity and coral bleaching. The professional body to publish this source provides a sense of support when considering the common opinion found within other articles and news platforms, that being that negative and problematic harmful effects of climate change in the environment.

Resource

Blunden, J. & Arndt, D., 2015, ‘State of Climate in 2015’, American Meteorological Society, Viewed 28th July 2016 <http://www.ametsoc.net/sotc/StateoftheClimate2015_lowres.pdf>.

Australia senator Malcolm Roberts calls climate change a UN conspiracy

BBC Network

The BBC article ‘Australia senator Malcolm Roberts calls climate change a UN conspiracy’, is written and published by the BBC platform in August 2015. Whilst the article is published by BBC itself it does not list one specific author suggesting the collaborative body of professionals that may have covered this story. Altering slightly from the other articles studied the report references the idea that climate change could be considered a ‘conspiracy’. This could be considered both a marginal and common view as climate change is a recurring story covered within the BBC news network, but also marginal in the stance of the political persons commentary. Allegations of Malcolm Roberts suggesting ‘United Nations is using climate change to lay the foundations for an unelected global government’, completely suggesting this rigorously studied and proven issue within the environment is political biased as opposed to a realistic issue. The writer of the article does well is remaining an unheard voice within the report, clearly revealing the opposing opinions and statements of Roberts, without any influence on what is being recited. Again, this type of article allows readers to decipher without providing an overarching propaganda deeming the author unbiased and editorial.  The coverage of the storage is well supported referencing the idea of conspiracy of a variety of fronts other than climate change.

Resource

BBC, 2016, ‘Australia senator Malcolm Roberts calls climate change a UN conspiracy ‘, BBC News, Viewed 28th July 2016, <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36972449>.

Biodiversity and Climate Change: What are the Academics saying?

In the previous blog post, ‘Climate Change: A Look Into What The Media Says‘, I found that I was particularly drawn to the articles concerned with the effects of human activity on the earth’s wildlife. I decided that I wanted to explore this issue further, and gain a more academic understanding of some of the known impacts. Chunco’s ‘Hybridisation in a warmer world’ (2014) and Wallace’s ‘Insecticides and Birds’ (1958) are two articles that I found particulalry interesting and that demonstrate the length that humans have been interrupting the natural state of things.

 

Hybridisation in a warmer world

Amanda J. Chunco

Published in Ecology and Evolution, a journal that strives to develop understanding of organisms, their interactions and the environment, Amanda Chunco’s research article focuses on hybridisation as a result of climate change, detailing thoroughly the many environmental situations that might cause within–species hybridisation. Still a relatively new topic of research, Chunco feels that the avenue of hybridisation needs to gain more awareness as it’s occurring more commonly as the earth’s climate changes.

Having conducted research for past publications on hybridisation and environmental suitability, Chunco argues that hybridisation is an inevitable future as species disperse and converge to more comfortable environments. However, Chunco sees this as both a positive and negative outcome. With her ecologist knowledge of sexual selection, she presents the idea that the hybridisation of species could accelerate the rate of evolution, allowing them to adapt quicker to the changing environment. This view has been focused on by other scientists and ecologists as the likeliest outcome of within-species reproduction, although it’s been noted that this rate of evolution may still be too gradual to match the rapidly-warming environments. Chunco’s specialisation in the conservation of rare and endangered species, though, provides an alternative viewpoint; that unique and rare species are more susceptible to extinction as they hybridise with more common taxonomies. Because of this, Chunco does not necessarily view hybridisation as a favourable response to climate change and feels that this is an issue that can’t go “unobserved and unchecked in the wild” (Chunco 2014).

 

Insecticides and Birds

George J. Wallace

George J. Wallace worked in wildlife conservation, with a particular interest in birds, before becoming the Professor of Zoology at Michigan State University in the 1950’s. It is perhaps due to his avid interest in birds that he noticed the number of dead and dying robins on campus, which prompted him to study the reasons for this occurrence. No doubt, this issue was one that was of great alarm for Wallace, who described his study as being incredibly time urgent—it was published in Audubon Magazine (a wildlife conservation magazine) the following year to make others aware about his findings, as any later would be of great detriment to the robin population.

Wallace’s concern for the robins is palpable throughout his article, and he makes it very clear that the reason for this all comes down to the use of insecticides, more specifically an agent known as DDT. He claims that despite reassurance from insecticide companies that their products are not harmful to the birds, the robins in East Lansing were dying of insecticide poisoning regardless. Indeed, Wallace goes to identify how ineffective these insecticides are and moves to argue that there is actually no long–term benefit to their use. He appeals to his readers, stating dramatically that the threat of insecticides is one of the greatest threats North American biodiversity will face (including deforestation, hunting, drought and oil pollution) and that humans will recognise insecticides as the “worst biological blunder” (Wallace 1959, p. 151) ever made in the future.

Given that this article was written in 1958, at a time when there was little research regarding human impacts on wildlife, Wallace’s findings are still extremely relevant today. Despite having written a couple of publications on birds and conservation preceding this one, it wouldn’t be until after ‘Insecticides and Birds’ that Wallace would be recognised as an expert in the field of insecticides and biodiversity. Indeed, Wallace’s findings were cited by many after its release, including multiple references made by Rachel Carson.

Reference List

Chunco, A.J. 2014, ‘Hybridization in a warmer world’, Ecology and Evolution, vol. 4, no. 10, viewed 6 August 2016, <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.1052/full&gt;.

Wallace, G.J. 1958, ‘Insecticides and Birds’, Audubon Magazine, Jan–Feb, pp. 147–151.