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Why frogs croak
The Anniston Star ^ | 01-15-2006

Posted on 01/15/2006 1:25:26 AM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: aintgotnohome; animals; ecoping; globalwarmingtheory; justalonelyfrog; lesgrenouilles; wooowoowoo
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To: carlr

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.


41 posted on 01/15/2006 11:19:37 AM PST by A. Goodwin
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To: presidio9
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.

42 posted on 01/15/2006 11:22:53 AM PST by Psycho_Bunny (Base. All Yours = Mine.)
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To: Psycho_Bunny

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/


43 posted on 01/15/2006 11:25:08 AM PST by presidio9 (Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.)
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To: presidio9
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR (Senate fails to convict Clinton; News, 1999)

LOL Classic!

44 posted on 01/15/2006 11:50:29 AM PST by Chanticleer (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. Lewis)
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To: blam; Carry_Okie; Chanticleer; ClearCase_guy; cogitator; CollegeRepublican; ...
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!

45 posted on 01/15/2006 12:43:28 PM PST by GreenFreeper (Not blind opposition to progress, but opposition to blind progress)
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To: GreenFreeper
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.

46 posted on 01/15/2006 12:51:18 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly evil.)
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To: presidio9

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.)


47 posted on 01/15/2006 1:07:39 PM PST by gogogodzilla (Raaargh! Raaargh! Crush, Stomp!)
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To: the final gentleman
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

48 posted on 01/15/2006 2:11:46 PM PST by HP8753 (My cat thinks Mark Dayton is a flake)
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To: Salamander
.."and that’s bad news for amphibians... I feel perfectly fine."...I'm glad you are. :))
49 posted on 01/15/2006 2:30:28 PM PST by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :^)
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To: montag813
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?

50 posted on 01/15/2006 5:15:43 PM PST by manwiththehands (Good news for America = bad news for democRats)
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To: skinkinthegrass

Better take your vitamins, Skink...it's just a tiny evolutionary leap from amphibian to lizard.....;D


51 posted on 01/15/2006 8:53:08 PM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: HP8753

There's lots of bamboo growing down there.

Seriously.....:)


52 posted on 01/15/2006 8:56:20 PM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: Salamander
Better take your vitamins..

GOT 'EM/SUNSCREEN (SPF45 :), too...Its' a bit cool up/down here...turning-up the electric heater (Global Warming, Indeed!)...We've Evolved. :D

53 posted on 01/15/2006 9:29:58 PM PST by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :^)
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To: skinkinthegrass

Read your page.

Took the test.

Got a 14.

It's OK though, 'cause I can float, hold my breath underwater a long time and have a year 'round tan.

(Frogs croak because they get old, sick or gigged and used as bait. Such is their role in life.)


54 posted on 01/15/2006 11:13:46 PM PST by shibumi (".....panta en pasin....." - Origen)
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To: shibumi
I got an 81....:(

And this;

My pirate name is:
Mad Mary Rackham
Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

55 posted on 01/16/2006 3:56:57 AM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: skinkinthegrass

Get thee to a cave, Skink!

[no sense in taking any chances, now...tell the blind cave 'manders that I sent ya]...;D


56 posted on 01/16/2006 3:58:37 AM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: Salamander
Get thee to a cave, Skink!

..but, I won't Evolve...I still have my suntanning Lotion/Electric Htr./Sunglasses...*SIGH*..my crunchy wax-worms.

...Its' those d@mn enviros! always runnin' screwin' things up! "..yellin' the sky is falling..the sky is faillin' "...can't let me sit atop a rock watching the day go by.
..OH! Gotta Go! An Raven is overhead. :P

57 posted on 01/16/2006 6:53:32 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :^)
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To: skinkinthegrass

"..but, I won't Evolve..."

LOL!

Made me think of Monthy Python.

"She turned me into a newt./I got better.".....8:)

"...can't let me sit atop a rock watching the day go by.

Bring along a moist sponge and a parasol and I'll join you....;]


58 posted on 01/16/2006 7:02:10 AM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: presidio9

NPR was freaking about this the other afternoon.


59 posted on 01/16/2006 7:03:51 AM PST by hershey
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To: manwiththehands
I'm an enviro wacko who does NOT believe in evolution. What you speak of is natural selection

Well of course.

60 posted on 01/16/2006 3:13:07 PM PST by montag813
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