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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>An article in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Nature</i> reports indications that a sixth great extinction is in process, with ¾ of animal species (and others) likely to disappear unless we take effective action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/03/are-we-in-the-middle-of-a-sixth-.html?etoc"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/03/are-we-in-the-middle-of-a-sixth-.html?etoc</font></a></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>As CO2 increases, plants constrict their stomata and transpiration of moisture to the atmosphere diminishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Further increases in CO2 could halve the return of moisture by land plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/11030461-rising-co2-is-causing-plants-release-less-water-the-atmosphere-researchers-say.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/11030461-rising-co2-is-causing-plants-release-less-water-the-atmosphere-researchers-say.html</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>As evaporation from water surfaces increases with temperature, the overall effect of increased temperature on precipitation is not clear to me, though I guess that evaporation would trump the narrowed stomata.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Perhaps one of the list members has some information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>A second question: what difference would it make to precipitation patterns if relatively more moisture came from oceans and less from land?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://news.discovery.com/earth/plants-retaining-water-as-carbon-dioxide-rises-110307.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://news.discovery.com/earth/plants-retaining-water-as-carbon-dioxide-rises-110307.html</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Contributions to sea level rise from the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets are accelerating more rapidly than expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The study concerns melt and is said not to address ice sheet disintegration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></font><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110308150228.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110308150228.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>A Texas study found metal, concrete, and cool roofs most suitable for rainwater collection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>(Cool roofs have been coated with some reflective material, usually white paint.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/11030831-rainwater-harvest-study-finds-roofing-material-affects-water-quality.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/11030831-rainwater-harvest-study-finds-roofing-material-affects-water-quality.html</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>By placing ocean life forms in increasingly acidic water we are learning that the reactions vary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Mussels, for example, seem to be able to manage carbon usage, at least when they are well fed; many other organisms are more vulnerable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>More work needs to be done, particularly with sets of stressors such as varying temperature and pollution levels acting in concert with growing acidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110307/full/471154a.html?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20110310"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110307/full/471154a.html?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20110310</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>New investments in clean energy worldwide rose 30% from 2009 to 2010, reaching $243 billion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Investments have increased five-fold in the last six years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://bnef.com/PressReleases/view/141"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://bnef.com/PressReleases/view/141</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The European Union and China are moving ahead with plans to control greenhouse gas emissions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The EU names its partners as China, Brazil, and Korea; the US is no longer at the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Offstage, Rep. Michele Bachmann can be heard calling for a return to incandescent light bulbs with her Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act, and Governor Rick Scott can be seen dismantling planning and regulation in Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/2011/03/china_and_the_european_union.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/2011/03/china_and_the_european_union.html</font></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>South Africa is undertaking an energetic program to educate its people on climate change.
</font><a href="http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Huge-climate-change-programme-launched-20110309"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Huge-climate-change-programme-launched-20110309</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></font></p>
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