Posted on 10/03/2013 2:35:43 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Diesel pollution makes it harder for honeybees to find flowers by changing the chemical make-up of their scent, scientists have found.
Honeybees use floral odors to find flowers that will give the best yields of pollen and nectar, but diesel fumes can affect their ability to locate and recognize the plants, potentially affecting pollination and ultimately global food security.
British researchers took eight chemicals found in the odor of oilseed rape flowers and mixed them both with clean air, which had no impact on the scent, and air containing diesel fumes.
When mixed with diesel fumes, six of the eight chemicals reduced in volume and two disappeared completely within a minute, changing the chemical mix of the scent as it reacted with nitrogen oxides (NOx) found in the exhaust fumes. …
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Bees hunt flowers by sight not smell. That is the reason flowers have bright colors.
That is the reason flowers have bright colors.
That is also the reason bees may bother you in the summer if you are wearing certain colors.
The problem is not this.
We’ll just make little signs for the bees.
What a stimulus package that could be!
This sounds like a great federal grant for you.
Well, add sulphur to the fuel and problem solved? :-)
Dusting agricultural ground with “flowers of sulfur” is a practice which predates the adoption of Diesel power for machinery by many years. Essential in the irrigated lands of what was previously arid desert, because of the high alkalinity of the soil. The sulfur dust is converted to sulfate, which mitigates the very low pH of the soil, and enables the cultivation of plant species and varieties which need a more acidic pH for optimal growth.
Sight helps them find nectar I'm close proximity.
Their acute smell helps, them find flowers from a long distance.
They will fly two miles to forage and they can't see a distance of two miles.
Those who say that bees do not use smell to find flowers are incorrect.
Beekeepers use smoke to interrupt their ability to smell and thus communicate via the release of pheromones.
hmm, it is HIGH pH that constitutes alkalinity
Thanks to common-rail pressurized direct fuel injection, diesel particulate filters and injecting urea into the exhaust gas stream to make it easier to remove NOx gases, today’s diesel engines easily meet the Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standard needed to sell a diesel-powered automobile in the USA. In fact, that’s why the Volkswagen Group (Audi/VW) are tremendously expanding their diesel production lineup in the US market. In fact, a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta diesel sedan is capable of over 40 mpg on the freeway at 65 mph easily.
I could also wear a bee costume and apply for an NEA grant for ‘performance art’.
Damn, that was going to be my grant.
OK, acid condition is LESS than pH of 7, alkaline is MORE than pH of 7. Optimal for most crops is higher than 4, but less than 6.8 (It has been nearly 60 years ago when I studied that!)
Quick, which electrode on an electrical cell is the anode, and which is the cathode? (Trick question)
Depends on whether you are Navy or Air Force.
Blind Melon -- No Rain [vimeo link] music vid from '92
Outstanding post.
Thanks! ;^)
Actually the result of this would be blooms in the future that have a more significant scent.
Per Wikipedia, electrons come from the anode i.e. it is the negative terminal.
Which is also where electrons come from a rectifier (tube or solid state).
It sure seems weird all the panic over endangered species that comes from people pretty much madly in love with the idea that “natural selection” brought us the critters we have. Darwinism went on vacation??? Well yes, to cut to the chase I do believe in a God that created. Getting nature worshipers to change their tune is not possible without their being willing to worship God instead, but their replies before doing so are amusing.
Thanks Olog-hai.
Audi Makes A Great Diesel Car, But It’s Ignoring The Simplest Way To Promote Its New Technology
http://www.businessinsider.com/audi-ignores-easy-way-to-promote-diesel-2013-9
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.