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New research finds that “marine reserves” – tracts of ocean where fishing is banned – are protecting fish, the coral reefs where they live and vast undersea "gardens," a lot more than once thought.

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Large-scale commercial fishing has, for years, been depleting fish-stocks in many places around the world - especially in coral reefs in the tropics. In response, several countries have designated certain areas of the sea as "marine reserves," where neither fishing nor other development is allowed. Now, a team of scientists from US and Australian universities has produced compelling new evidence . It shows  these reserves have not only been helping stocks rebound, but are also protecting massive coral "food webs" - beds of sea-grasses and algae - important reservoirs for carbon storage.   by Larry Powell In this satellite photo, "halos" appear as pale blue circular bands  surrounding tiny dark spots. The spots are likely  small patch reefs  or other shelter for small fish and invertebrates  that protect  them  from predators. Each halo is probably  about 10 meters wide.  The more there are, the healthier  marine life there is likely

Pesticide exposure causes bumblebee flight to fall short

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PHYS ORG Bumblebees forage on chives. A PinP photo. Flight behaviour is crucial for determining how bees  forage, so reduced flight performance  from pesticide exposure could lead to colonies going hungry and pollination services being impacted.  More here. RELATED: Scientists cast doubt on claims by the chemical giant, Bayer, that its newest pesticide is safe for bees. By Larry Powell.

The World Lost an Area of Primary Rainforest Last Year, the Size of Ten Riding Mountain National Parks in Manitoba!

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WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE Manitoba's Riding Mtn. Park. The tropics lost 12 million hectares of tree cover in 2018, the fourth-highest annual loss since record-keeping began in 2001. Of greatest concern is the disappearance of 3.6 million hectares of primary rainforest, an area the size of Belgium (ten Riding Mountain Parks). The figures come from updated data from the University of Maryland, released today on Global Forest Watch. More here.

Fungicides move into the headlines. And not in a good way. Letter.

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Dear Editor, A chlorothalonil molecule. Image by Jynto. A month ago, the European Union announced it would ban the widely-used fungicide,  chlorothalonil.    Why?  B ecause experts in its own Food Safety Agency  suspected it was carcinogenic - or cancer-causing.  It just so happens, that very same product is also used right here in Canada, and apparently in no small amounts, either! Yet our own Canadian "regulator," the PMRA, re-assessed the chemical less than a year ago.  While it imposed some restrictions, it will still allow its main use as a treatment for mold, mildew and blight in food crops, to continue. Fast forward to today. The New York Times is now reporting that a new and deadly  fungal infection , Candida aurus,   is moving across the globe, with "numerous cases" reported in many countries, including Canada. The fungus is claiming many lives and proving to be well-nigh indestructible.  Why?  According to experts in the field of anti

A Mysterious Fungal Infection, Spans the Globe in a Climate of Secrecy

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The New York Times The Candidida aurus fungus. A CDC image. The rise of Candida auris embodies a serious and growing public health threat: drug-resistant germs. More here. RELATED? The European Union will soon ban a  fungicide - suspected of being  carcinogenic  -  one which remains in apparently widespread use in Canada today.  Ottawa remains silent -    by Larry Powell

Dark days for science. My latest letter.

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Dear Editor, These are dark days for science. A Gov't. of New Brunswick photo. 2019. Even as violent weather continues to lap at our doorstep, the good people of Alberta have elected yet another climate-denier as their Premier. Soon, Jason Kenney, too will join that merry band of Tory luminaries already conducting a crusade to cripple the most effective way of countering our climate crisis. Knowing that the science is now too compelling to deny it outright, these rebels-without-a-clue, are trying a different tack. They’re taking Ottawa to court, challenging its right to impose a carbon tax. Despite the federal provision for rebates, they seem to think, by dint of saying it often enough, they can reduce this sensible attempt to save our planet, down to some kind of tawdry “tax grab.”

A massive die-off of fish in Shoal Lake, in western Manitoba, has raised the spectre of a huge cleanup ahead.

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by Larry Powell Countless dead fish litter the shores.   The magnitude of the die-off has emerged over the past few days, with spring breakup in full swing. The receding ice is revealing a shocking scene - thousands of fish carcasses piled up along the shorelines. Many more can be seen beneath the ice that hasn't melted yet.  Gulls feast on the remains. (Eagles have also been seen doing the same.) The Mayor of the local government involved -  Mervin Starzyk of  the RM of Yellowhead  - tells PinP , he's waiting for more information from the province on what has happened. He says the Manitoba department of Sustainable Development (SD) has told him it may have been "winter kill." (That's usually a process involving a serious depletion of oxygen in the water.)  The lake shares its name with a town of some 700 people at its north end. (Google map.) Starzyk says any attempt to clean up will be both expensive and - without outside help - b

A Federal Judge Just Nixed Trump’s Attempt to Drill the Arctic and Atlantic

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EARTHJUSTICE The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Photo by Diego Delso. In a ruling issued from Alaska, a U.S. District Court has determined that President Trump overstepped his constitutional authority and violated federal law.  More here.

How To Talk About Climate Change So People Will Listen

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by Katharine Hayhoe CHATELAINE Railway tracks damaged by severe flooding in High River, Alberta, 2013. Photo by Resolute. As a climate scientist, I've been called everything from a charlatan to the handmaiden of the Antichrist.  Here's how I handle the tough conversations. 

"We Love the Earth" A star-studded new video In recognition of Earth Day.

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Corn-farming fouls the air to fatal effect

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Nature - Agriculture Harvesting corn in Canada. A PinP photo. The dominant US crop plant has a voracious appetite for fertilizer, which leads to air pollution and health problems. More here.