Why frogs croak

The Anniston Star ^ | 01-15-2006

[presidio9]

It appears global warming is not for the thin-skinned — and that’s bad news for amphibians. Frogs, toads, newts and the like have permeable skins, which makes them especially sensitive to environmental change. It also makes them good species to monitor to get an idea of the health of our planet.

In 2004, researchers conducting a global assessment concluded that almost a third of the world’s known amphibian species were threatened with extinction. Now, a new study suggests that global warming may be to blame for amphibians’ precarious state.

The study, published last week in the scientific journal Nature, found that a fungal disease is killing off tropical frogs in Latin America. Scientists believe large-scale warming is accelerating cloud formation in certain areas, causing nighttime temperatures to rise and daytime temperatures to fall — conditions that enable the frog-killing fungus to thrive.

To stop these excess clouds from gathering over tropical habitats, we’ll need to eliminate the fog of disinformation from current global warming debates.

[injin]

thin skinned amphibian ?
they must be talking about Harry Belafonte

[Carry_Okie]

It appears global warming is not for the thin-skinned — and that’s bad news for amphibians. Frogs, toads, newts and the like have permeable skins, which makes them especially sensitive to environmental change.

Is THAT why amphibians are one of the oldest groups of land animals on the evolutionary ladder? Gosh, who knew?

[Lurker]

Wow, the first three sentences of this article are complete conjecture. And the next paragraph doesn't give even attempt to support the arguments made in the first.

Is the person who wrote this in the 6th grade?

L

[presidio9]

Did you read on to the last sentence?

we’ll need to eliminate the fog of disinformation from current global warming debates.

Moment of clarity?

[Paleo Conservative]

[Lurker]

Moment of irony.

L

[caveat emptor]

Did you read on to the last sentence?

Yes, I did, and decided you had thrown it in at the end as a joke. Now I see that the guy who wrote it threw it in at the end as a joke. Or maybe he's just practicing saying totally off the wall things with a straight face in preparation for:

1. Running for US Senate.
or
2. Going to work for the NY Times.

[presidio9]

[A_Niceguy_in_CA]

Does this frog croak at dawn?

[presidio9]

Let's get Alito confirmed. Then we can start wondering when Ruthie croaks (soon, hopefully).

[Fresh Wind]

It should be noted that this is an editorial. No facts or logic required.

[joesnuffy]

Hey nice likeness of Ruth Bader Meinhof

[SkyPilot]

<9>Why frogs croak

I heard moving cars are a reason.

[Salamander]

"It appears global warming is not for the thin-skinned — and that’s bad news for amphibians."

I feel perfectly fine.

[A_Niceguy_in_CA]

I was trying to be gentle with Ruthie and was only wondering if she made croaking sounds while most of us were still trying to sleep.

However, since she doesn't want to resign, perhaps she will literally croak and end the pain for herself and the majority of nearly 300,000,000 Americans today and millions more in future generations.

And Judge Alito was terrific and the Dem Senators shameful this past week.

[Chanticleer]

I'm losing track now. Frogs -- global warming bad. Polar Bears -- global warming surprisingly not so bad. Fungus -- global warming good.

So, what do you plan to do about the weather?

[Allegra]

But....but, what if there >i>is no global warming?

What's the explanation then?

[Allegra]

But....but, what if there is no global warming?

What's the explanation then?

[MNJohnnie]

"What's the explanation then?"

found that a fungal disease is killing off tropical frogs in Latin America

Like the black plauge or the flu pandemic? A perfectly natural spread of a disease native to frogs.

[freeandfreezing]

Assuming that the hypothesis of the author is remotely close to correct (and I doubt it is) local climactic changes could be the cause instead of global climactic changes. See for example: NASA DATA SHOWS DEFORESTATION AFFECTS CLIMATE IN THE AMAZON

But just starting off assuming that a 1 or 2 degree shift in average temperature would cause the observed increase in amphibian fungal infections is kind of silly. Just moving a few miles away from a body of water, or increasing elevation can change the local climate average temperatures by a few degrees. So if temperature was the cause the amphibian fungal infections would track with the local microclimate, right? And that microclimate has been around for a long, long time -- like since the lake was formed, or the hills were pushed up by geological phenomena.

[Allegra]

I agree. That was just my way of saying I simply don't buy into all this global warming B.S.

I might raise the temperature a degree or two if I were to build a bonfire of all the unsold copies of Earth in the Balance, however.

[dalereed]

"What's the explanation then?"

They are prehistoric and should have died out years ago.

Only the french will miss them!

[capt. norm]

Global warming is becoming the scapegoat for anything and everything that can't otherwise be explained.

How convenient!

[sergeantdave]

Plants Bad for the Environment? Celebrities Causing Frogs to Croak?
Thursday, January 12, 2006

By Steven Milloy

Could it be that celebrities are planting the forests that are causing the global warming that is growing the bacteria that are wiping out the frogs?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,181513,00.html

[montag813]

Some frogs will survive, some will die. New species will emerge who adapt to the new environment (if there is indeed a new one). Why do enviro-wackos who claim to believe in evolution have so little faith in it?

[solitas]

Why frogs croak

Okay - I'll be the first to say it: "because they don't know the words?"

[carlr]

Scientists believe large-scale warming is accelerating cloud formation in certain areas, causing nighttime temperatures to rise and daytime temperatures to fall

Can somebody explain how this theory would work.

If cloud cover were trapping daytime heat rather than releasing it to the atmosphere how does that make the daytime temps cooler.

I thought that was the whole principle behind global warming,the compounding effect of trapping heat at the Earths surface and lower atmosphere.

[Hot Tabasco]

Why frogs croak

Oops, I thought this thread was about the death rate in France.......

[ops33]

On the old Hollywood Squares show Paul Lynne was asked "Do female frogs croak?" His answer; "Only when you hold their little heads under the water."

[TheBattman]

By a quick scan of the title, I thought the article was about the French....

what a disapointment..

[the final gentleman]

________________________________________________________

Wow, the first three sentences of this article are complete conjecture. And the next paragraph doesn't give even attempt to support the arguments made in the first.
Is the person who wrote this in the 6th grade?
________________________________________________________

Uh, Lurker, think a bit.

(1) Wee frogs were long said to bellwether Global Warming.
(2) Now junk science says that wee-er creatures gather in great clouds over forests and are killing the wee frogs so now heat-loving fungi have become the bellwethers of Global Warning.
(3) Last week great plumes of methane were found rising over tropical vegetation, accounting for 20% of the methane
that science had previously attributed to vague sources.

Now go read the article "Why Frogs Croak".

Nice humor, huh?

[Carry_Okie]

So, what do you plan to do about the weather?

It's cold today, so I'm planting buckeyes.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[presidio9]

True story:

My mom almost became a nun. She literally gets tears in her eyes when any of her children use the word "hate" in reference to another human being at the dinner table. Last night I had dinner with her, and we were talking about the role of the Alito nomination in Bush's legacy. I pointed out that RBG has colon cancer, and mom said "well, hopefully she'll die in the next three years, and President Bush can add one more appointment.

[presidio9]

Well, a couple of years ago, elderly Frogs croaked because it was really hot and their families went on vacation without them.

[null and void]

Is THAT why amphibians are one of the oldest groups of land animals on the evolutionary ladder? Gosh, who knew?

yeah.

[Chanticleer]

For a whole month... in August!

[RightWingAtheist]

Ping

[presidio9]

Not suprisingly, liberals blamed that on "global warming" too.

[A. Goodwin]

Clouds do two opposite things: 1) they reflect incoming sunlight, preventing energy from reaching the surface and thus cooling the surface, and 2) they absorb radiation emitted from the surface, some of which is re-radiated downward and thus warms the surface.

In daytime, the cooling process dominates (depending on cloud type), while at night (no sunlight to reflect) the warming process dominates. Net result: cooler days, warmer nights, and a lower diurnal temperature range than if therre were no clouds.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I think that if I ever invented a time machine, the first thing I'd do is go back in time, find the first newspaper editor who allowed a pun to be used in a articles title, and kick his ass.

Seriously.

[presidio9]

Here, I'll save you some time. He is most likely either working for the NY Post or the NY Daily News.

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/anniversary/35th/n_8568/

[Chanticleer]

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR (Senate fails to convict Clinton; News, 1999)

LOL Classic!

[GreenFreeper]

ECO-PING

FReepmail me to be added or removed to the ECO-PING list!

Is THAT why amphibians are one of the oldest groups of land animals on the evolutionary ladder? Gosh, who knew?

That which makes them sensitive to environmental change also makes them adaptable to new environments. You can't manage for a static planet!

[Carry_Okie]

That which makes them sensitive to environmental change also makes them adaptable to new environments. You can't manage for a static planet!

Correct, not to mention that it's neither physically nor genetically beneficial to try.

[gogogodzilla]

Frog's croak because they surrender to genocidal maniacs bent on creating an Islamic theocracy in Europe.

And then find out that the way to do so is to eliminate the prior inhabitants.

:-)

(Although a tiny minority of Frog's croak due to old age.)

[HP8753]

3) Last week great plumes of methane were found rising over tropical vegetation, accounting for 20% of the methane that science had previously attributed to vague sources. Two things

I din't know Washington D.C had tropical vegetation??

And I wouldn't describe Democrat Senators on the Judicary Committee as "vague sources

They are known the world over for generating large amounts of methane

[skinkinthegrass]

.."and that’s bad news for amphibians... I feel perfectly fine."...I'm glad you are. :))

[manwiththehands]

I'm an enviro wacko who does NOT believe in evolution. What you speak of is natural selection. Fungus-resistant frogs will have offspring that are fungus resistant. And on and on. And in a thousand generations they will still be ... frogs!

Who'da thunk that?