Birds and wind farms/climate change

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
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Michael Szabo
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Underwater 'storms' may hold key to melting Antarctic ice

Postby Michael Szabo » Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:20 am

Scientists using robotic ocean gliders to wander frigid Antarctic waters say they may have discovered a mechanism behind the melting of polar ice shelves – miniature submarine "storms" that are lobbing packets of warmer water toward the continent. The findings, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, shed light on the complicated currents that could potentially be contributing to the loss of West Antarctic ice:
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencen ... story.html
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Michael Szabo
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BTO study says seabirds 'steer clear' of offshore wind farms

Postby Michael Szabo » Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:25 am

"Research by the British Trust for Ornithology and the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland, published this week, found most gannets would avoid even entering a wind farm area, while gulls do enter the area but then avoid flying near the spinning blades. The study, which was carried out on behalf of the Scottish government, suggested more than 99% of seabirds would change direction to avoid colliding with wind farms, although a small proportion would not."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... wind-farms
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Michael Szabo
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Global warming 'doubles risk' of extreme weather - BBC News

Postby Michael Szabo » Wed Jan 28, 2015 9:43 am

"Extreme weather arising from a climate phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean will get much worse as the world warms, according to climate modelling. The study, in Nature Climate Change, adds to a growing body of evidence over climate change and extreme weather."

Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30985039
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Michael Szabo
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Climate change will hit Australia harder, CSIRO study says

Postby Michael Szabo » Thu Jan 29, 2015 6:46 pm

"Australian science agency CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology predict temperature rises of up to 5.1 Celcius in Australia by 2090 in their most comprehensive forecast yet. The report stated there was “very high confidence” that temperatures would rise across Australia throughout the century, with the average annual temperature set to be up to 1.3 Celcius warmer in 2030 compared with the average experienced between 1986 and 2005."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... tudy-shows
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Michael Szabo
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Australian fish moving south as climate changes, says study

Postby Michael Szabo » Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:02 am

University of Tasmania researchers have found 35 fish species face shifts in their ranges and egg-laying patterns as the waters off south-east Australia warm faster than average. The research, led by the University of Tasmania’s institute for marine and Antarctic studies, analysed the climate sensitivity of fish found off the south-east coast of Australia. The region is one of more than a dozen global ocean “hotspots” – others include off Brazil, in the Indian ocean and the North Sea – where the water is warming much faster than the global average for the world’s oceans."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... esearchers
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Michael Szabo
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1 in 6 species faces extinction due to climate change

Postby Michael Szabo » Fri May 01, 2015 8:54 am

"One in six of the planet’s species will be lost forever to extinction if world leaders fail to take action on climate change, according to a new analysis. The stark warning comes before nearly 200 governments meet for UN climate talks in Paris in an attempt to forge a global deal on cutting carbon emissions. Conservationists said such a large loss would be a tragedy with serious ramifications for people as well as ecosystems.

Creatures in South America, New Zealand and Australia will be hit much harder than in North America and Europe, due to a high number of endemic species. Relatively small land masses in New Zealand and Australia mean that many species there will be unable to migrate to cope with rising temperatures, found the study, published in the journal Science."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... ange-study

Study link: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6234/571
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Birds and wind farms/climate change

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Mon May 04, 2015 7:36 pm

I meant to post this ages ago. Oops.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/scien ... ds-mid-air
I had heard of this some time before the article was written but wasn't sure how much truth there was in it. And the destruction of deserts and tortoise habitat is just unbelievable. Apparently there are often degraded sites that could be used, but the more natural sites are 'cheaper'. Once again big business takes low impact distributed generation and ruins it by scaling it up for their profit and control.
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Michael Szabo
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Wind turbines with owl wings could silently make more energy

Postby Michael Szabo » Sat Jun 13, 2015 6:42 pm

"Moving silently through the air is not just for the birds. Wind farms inspired by the stealthy flight of owls could generate more energy without annoying those who live nearby, say researchers."

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2 ... XvQDlK2Ur0
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Birds and wind farms/climate change

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Sun Jun 14, 2015 11:05 am

Curiously, no mention of what effect quieter turbines are likely to have on bird strike.
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Amber Calman
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Re: Birds and wind farms/climate change

Postby Amber Calman » Sun Jun 14, 2015 11:07 am

would it have more as the birds will not hear them so easily?
(*)> Amber Calman, Age 15
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