Species flee warming faster than previously thought
By Jennifer Carpenter Science reporter, BBC News
Animals and plants are shifting their natural home ranges towards the cooler poles three times faster than scientists previously thought. In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers looked at the effects of temperature on over 2,000 species.They report in the journal Science that species experiencing the greatest warming have moved furthest. The results helped to "cement" the link between climate change and shifts in species' global ranges, said the team. Scientists have consistently told us that as the climate warms we should expect animals to head polewards in search of cooler temperatures. Animals like the British comma butterfly, for example, has moved 220km northward from central England to southern Scotland in the last two decades. There is also evidence that more species seem to be moving up mountains than down, explained conservation biologist Chris Thomas from the University of York, UK, who led the study.
On Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, Dr Thomas' graduate student, I-Ching Chen, has been following the movement of Geometrid moths uphill as temperatures increase. Their natural ranges have shifted by 59m in 42 years.These moths "don't have options; they are being forced up, and at some point they will run out of land," reflected Dr Thomas.
Read rest here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14576664
What does this mean for the indigenous populations ,will they die out or be overrun by other species? And what of the Yeti, will it run out of land too? Will there be more sightings of mountain dwelling cryptids as scientists move in to investigate? I do hope so!
How often have I said on this blog that where ever people report cryptid sightings there are often other things of strangeness reported. UFO’s have been reported around the Loch before and quite recently too:
Loch Ness search for mysterious balloon-like object
The emergency services undertook a night-time search of Loch Ness after reports a balloon-like object had fallen from the sky. The police, coastguard, lifeboat and an RAF search and rescue helicopter scoured the area but found nothing.The alarm was raised at 20:00 on Saturday after members of the public said they saw a blue object fall on the south of the Loch, near Dores. Police thought it might have been a hang glider or microlight.However, following a three-hour search the emergency services could find "nothing untoward".Loch Ness RNLI crew member, Vivian Bailey, said: "Speed of arrival on scene was essential and we were able to link our search efforts with those of the Coastguard and RAF, something we practise regularly."We believe the reports were based on sightings causing genuine concern and we commend the actions of the members of the public that contacted the emergency services."
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