The Secret Life of Mountain Lions
M72 dies in the first year after the family is attacked by a pack of wolves.
M80 is killed by a trophy hunter after he leaves his family to find a mate and new home.
F61 has more kittens.
F96 survives to reproduce as well.
Five threats to mountain lions
1. Habitat loss. 2. Predation by other carnivores. 3. Hunted by and harmed by humans (i.e hit by car) 4. The harsh climate in which they live. 5. Disease.
Conservation Organizations
Cougar Rewilding Foundation: To facilitate the recovery of the cougar in suitable wild habitat east of the Rocky Mountains.
Mountain Lion Foundation: The mountain lion is an apex species in which whole ecosystems depend thus conservation of the lions habitat is of the upmost importance.
Trophic Cascade
If keystone species like mountain lions go extinct then the deer, elk and other herbivores that they eat will grow out of check. The overpopulation of these herbivores will lead to destruction of much more vegetation then the ecosystem can handle and other animals that rely on that vegetation for food or shelter will also begin to diminish; overall causing a cascade of species loss.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Siuslaw National Forest - Management Changes
Points from the wonderful thirty-minute film documentary, “Seeing the Forest,”
- Instead of continually fighting with each other all those interested in or benefiting from the forest and formed a council.
- The council focused of environmental restoration, especially restoration of local salmon population, and proper usage of the land.
- The council was able to make quicker decision and work together better then if things were left to bureaucracy.
- Upon working together the forest became healthier, thrived better, and was less impacted by humans and nature.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
The Salmon Life Cycle
The salmon life cycle:
1. The salmons life cycle begins in fresh water where the eggs are laid in the gravel. After they hatch they remain hidden until they are grown into fry.
2. They can stay in their freshwater stream for up to a year, other species can migrate to nearby lakes, before they head out to sea. Depending on how well the streams and estuaries are preserved dictates how many salmon emerge to grow up in oceans.
3. Different species can spend years in the ocean traveling around for food before migrating back to their spawning stream.
4. Traveling back to their spawning stream takes up a lot of energy, their bodies ready for reproducing. Females will build nests once they find their spawning grounds. After a females mates with a male they both die to provide nutrients for the ocean.
I did not know the salmon died after reproducing, that's very fascinating. It really puts into perspective how our fishing of salmon can impact their numbers.
Endangered and threatened species are important to keep track of, the loss of individuals can impact genetic variation causing problems in the long run for a whole species. Dwindling population can lead to the collapse of other species that feed off of or are fed by the failing species. Whole ecosystems can fall from the loss of one species.
1. The salmons life cycle begins in fresh water where the eggs are laid in the gravel. After they hatch they remain hidden until they are grown into fry.
2. They can stay in their freshwater stream for up to a year, other species can migrate to nearby lakes, before they head out to sea. Depending on how well the streams and estuaries are preserved dictates how many salmon emerge to grow up in oceans.
3. Different species can spend years in the ocean traveling around for food before migrating back to their spawning stream.
4. Traveling back to their spawning stream takes up a lot of energy, their bodies ready for reproducing. Females will build nests once they find their spawning grounds. After a females mates with a male they both die to provide nutrients for the ocean.
I did not know the salmon died after reproducing, that's very fascinating. It really puts into perspective how our fishing of salmon can impact their numbers.
Endangered and threatened species are important to keep track of, the loss of individuals can impact genetic variation causing problems in the long run for a whole species. Dwindling population can lead to the collapse of other species that feed off of or are fed by the failing species. Whole ecosystems can fall from the loss of one species.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
6 ways mushrooms can save the world
6 ways mushrooms can save the world
After reviewing this TED talk I feel we are underrating mushrooms as just a pizza topping.
After reviewing this TED talk I feel we are underrating mushrooms as just a pizza topping.
- The same way we use mold to create antibiotics we can use fungus to create more and more powerful medicines. It has been seen that mushrooms can stave off viruses, flu, and pox diseases.
- Adding them to grow boxes or small garden will create better production and cut down of waste and increase recycling of nutrients.
- Mushrooms can be used in their pre-sporing phase as a way to kill off insect colonies that are trying to colonize your house.
- Adding mushrooms to debris creates a filter system that can dramatically cut back on coliform numbers in agriculture and water supplies.
- They have this amazing ability to produce enzymes that remanufactured hydrocarbons into carbohydrates, which basically can take fossil fuel waste and make it into sugar for plant growth.
- Green fuels can even be made using mushrooms as an intermediary.
- They're also really tasty on pizza.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
World Population
World Population
Our planet's resources are not infinite and we need to make a lot of changes to make better practice of accepting that. We need to stop over- running our earth's land and water resources with our farming and contamination. Modern medicine and modern technology lead to a boom in population but it can also help stabilize the growth, through the education of women and the availability of safe contraceptives. We can change the direction our world is heading, but we all need to be a part of the change.
Change!
What resources you use? And how much? Can you decrease it?
See how you can aid other nations?
See how you can start action in your own community? Recycling? Bike sharing? Education?
Our planet's resources are not infinite and we need to make a lot of changes to make better practice of accepting that. We need to stop over- running our earth's land and water resources with our farming and contamination. Modern medicine and modern technology lead to a boom in population but it can also help stabilize the growth, through the education of women and the availability of safe contraceptives. We can change the direction our world is heading, but we all need to be a part of the change.
Change!
What resources you use? And how much? Can you decrease it?
See how you can aid other nations?
See how you can start action in your own community? Recycling? Bike sharing? Education?
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Climate Change
Global warming is occurring because oh humans. We contaminate water and soils. We burn fossil fuels and contaminate the atmosphere. We destroy forest and plant life everywhere. And we constant cut down the biodiversity everywhere.
Because of this warming we not have hotter summers and colder winters, along with rise in ocean levels.
Because of this warming we not have hotter summers and colder winters, along with rise in ocean levels.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Go Local Business Promise
My favorite Go Local businesses that I will continue to give patronage to include: Community Market in Santa Rosa. It is right next to the JC campus so I often go over for snacks or if i need to do a little grocery shopping. I do my main grocery shopping at Oliver's Market in Cotati as I live in Rohnert Park. For my fresh produce I go to Darling Farm's stand In Rohnert Park. I am going to be more aware of where I go out to eat. Through a little research I found out Mary's Pizza Shack is local. One of my favorite restaurants in Santa Rosa: Gaia's Garden, is local. And the best place for dessert in Petaluma; The Petaluma Pie Company is local as well!
The Petaluma Pie Company
Giai's Garden
Mary's Pizza Shack
Darling Farms
Oliver's Market
Community Market
The Petaluma Pie Company
Giai's Garden
Mary's Pizza Shack
Darling Farms
Oliver's Market
Community Market
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Questions to 'Silent Spring'
How 'Silent Spring' Ignited The Environmental Movement
Rachel Carson was a pioneer in the environmental movement. She wrote multiple books, but was most famous for her work: “Silent Spring” published in 1962. Her work instilled into society the idea that when we poisoned the environment, the poison will flow back into us.This idea that industries were poisoning the environment without the general public's knowledge angered the public. Her book came out at a time of widespread distrust, but it finally gave the feeling a researched backing to drive a new idea of ecology.
1. Rachel Carson was born on May 27, 1907.
2. Rachel's first major of study when attending the Pennsylvania College of Women was English.
3. In the 1950's Rachel started to notice the poisoning of the environment, manufacturers made pesticides to kill insects but these pesticides were sprayed across the States causing them to infiltrate livestock and return to poison the humans consuming the livestock.
4. Rachel's book 'Silent Spring' alerted the public to the death of a natural cycle of the Earth's ecosystem through the work of chemical manufacturers spreading pesticides everywhere.
5. After Rachel's observed the signs of the poisoning of the environment she resolved to investigate and report the atrocities of chemical poisoning.
6.Scientists from the chemical companies went public threatening to sue Carson and refuting all her evidence. She was accused of being a communist sympathizer and a crazy old cat lady.
7. If I had to use one word to describe Rachel Carson I would call out her integrity. I would reference the situation in which she observed the poisoning of the environment and went to writers to tackle the subject but when they decline she decided she had to take the task upon herself. And when she was in college and everyone told her that women had no place in science and her voice would never be heard she ignored them and paved her own way.
8. The common treatment of women in science during the 40s and 50s was to shun them. The general census felt that women had no place in such high thinking things and would not be able to analytically and logically come to scientific conclusions.
9. The use of pesticides has not ceased. It is generally understood that chemicals and genetic modification is what allows us to make more food and larger amounts of food. To feed the world population we must use genetic modified foods and to keep our crops healthy we have to use some pesticides. There has been efforts to reduce poisoning the environment with the chemicals we use but we struggle to hold companies accountable. Our policing policies need improvement and until we can regulate our food growth better the unregulated use of chemicals will continue. I also don't see an end to the use of pesticides and chemicals while the world population remains climbing.
10. Rachel knew she had to continue her crusade to end unregulated pesticide use because of the backlash she got. Since she was so harshly criticized she knew if she ever backed down the lies her opponents tried to spread would be taken as truth. She knew if she let them win not only would her name be dragged through the mud but all her research would be too.
11. My title for this story would be What Rachel Carson Knew. Using this as a premonition of where he work would lead and the scientific breakthroughs she was on the brink of that were found later.
12. Rachel's decision to go to school for science was similar to her decision to write 'Silent Spring' in that she was delving into realms that women of the time rarely went. The two scenarios were different in that she wanted to go to school for science wherein she didn't really want to write 'Silent Spring', she looked for other writers to take on the task but when no one would she resolved to write the book herself.
13. Rachel's life started small and poor, she lived on acres of countryside with her small poor family. She went off to college for studies in first English then zoology. She wrote for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Atlantic and Reader’s Digest; all with a subliminal message of protecting the world as it took care of us. Though she wrote multiple books, she was known for 'Silent Spring'. After the uproar this book brought about she became a crusade for environmental awareness. After multiple health problems she died at the age of 56.
14. No other species besides humans have altered the world so much.We have permanently changed every ecosystem on Earth and have made many species extinct. We have desecrated acres of land for our own use and polluted gallons of water. No other species comes close to the destruction we have done. Rachel remarks about this as well saying how only "one species (man) acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.", a point she makes that is irrefutable.
15. My question for you is: What do you think was the hardest feat Rachel Carson had to overcome in here life?
Rachel Carson was a pioneer in the environmental movement. She wrote multiple books, but was most famous for her work: “Silent Spring” published in 1962. Her work instilled into society the idea that when we poisoned the environment, the poison will flow back into us.This idea that industries were poisoning the environment without the general public's knowledge angered the public. Her book came out at a time of widespread distrust, but it finally gave the feeling a researched backing to drive a new idea of ecology.
1. Rachel Carson was born on May 27, 1907.
2. Rachel's first major of study when attending the Pennsylvania College of Women was English.
3. In the 1950's Rachel started to notice the poisoning of the environment, manufacturers made pesticides to kill insects but these pesticides were sprayed across the States causing them to infiltrate livestock and return to poison the humans consuming the livestock.
4. Rachel's book 'Silent Spring' alerted the public to the death of a natural cycle of the Earth's ecosystem through the work of chemical manufacturers spreading pesticides everywhere.
5. After Rachel's observed the signs of the poisoning of the environment she resolved to investigate and report the atrocities of chemical poisoning.
6.Scientists from the chemical companies went public threatening to sue Carson and refuting all her evidence. She was accused of being a communist sympathizer and a crazy old cat lady.
7. If I had to use one word to describe Rachel Carson I would call out her integrity. I would reference the situation in which she observed the poisoning of the environment and went to writers to tackle the subject but when they decline she decided she had to take the task upon herself. And when she was in college and everyone told her that women had no place in science and her voice would never be heard she ignored them and paved her own way.
8. The common treatment of women in science during the 40s and 50s was to shun them. The general census felt that women had no place in such high thinking things and would not be able to analytically and logically come to scientific conclusions.
9. The use of pesticides has not ceased. It is generally understood that chemicals and genetic modification is what allows us to make more food and larger amounts of food. To feed the world population we must use genetic modified foods and to keep our crops healthy we have to use some pesticides. There has been efforts to reduce poisoning the environment with the chemicals we use but we struggle to hold companies accountable. Our policing policies need improvement and until we can regulate our food growth better the unregulated use of chemicals will continue. I also don't see an end to the use of pesticides and chemicals while the world population remains climbing.
10. Rachel knew she had to continue her crusade to end unregulated pesticide use because of the backlash she got. Since she was so harshly criticized she knew if she ever backed down the lies her opponents tried to spread would be taken as truth. She knew if she let them win not only would her name be dragged through the mud but all her research would be too.
11. My title for this story would be What Rachel Carson Knew. Using this as a premonition of where he work would lead and the scientific breakthroughs she was on the brink of that were found later.
12. Rachel's decision to go to school for science was similar to her decision to write 'Silent Spring' in that she was delving into realms that women of the time rarely went. The two scenarios were different in that she wanted to go to school for science wherein she didn't really want to write 'Silent Spring', she looked for other writers to take on the task but when no one would she resolved to write the book herself.
13. Rachel's life started small and poor, she lived on acres of countryside with her small poor family. She went off to college for studies in first English then zoology. She wrote for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Atlantic and Reader’s Digest; all with a subliminal message of protecting the world as it took care of us. Though she wrote multiple books, she was known for 'Silent Spring'. After the uproar this book brought about she became a crusade for environmental awareness. After multiple health problems she died at the age of 56.
14. No other species besides humans have altered the world so much.We have permanently changed every ecosystem on Earth and have made many species extinct. We have desecrated acres of land for our own use and polluted gallons of water. No other species comes close to the destruction we have done. Rachel remarks about this as well saying how only "one species (man) acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.", a point she makes that is irrefutable.
15. My question for you is: What do you think was the hardest feat Rachel Carson had to overcome in here life?
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