CU-Boulder study shows 53 million-year-old high Arctic mammals wintered in darkness

University of Colorado at Boulder ^ | Jun. 1, 2009 | Unknown

[decimon]

Midnight snacks ping.

[Tarpon]

Did it occur to people what tundra is?

[jessduntno]

CU-Boulder study shows 53 million-year-old high Arctic mammals wintered in darkness

How did they get high?

[gardengirl]

My ? is—did it occur to anyone that plants can’t survive 6 months of no light? Maybe they need to rethink something.

[wastedyears]

Placement of the continents as opposed to today?

[Jagermonster]

The new Geology study also foreshadows the impacts of continuing global warming on Arctic plants and animals, Eberle said. Temperatures in the Arctic are rising twice as fast as those at mid-latitudes as greenhouse gases build up in Earth's atmosphere from rising fossil-fuel burning, and air temperatures over Greenland have risen by more than 7 degrees F since 1991, according to climate scientists.

Note how every other paragraph incorporating factual statements in this article is specifically attributed, whilst this one is only generally attributed to "climate scientists." I doubt Professor Eberle made this assertion.

[decimon]

Note how every other paragraph incorporating factual statements in this article is specifically attributed, whilst this one is only generally attributed to "climate scientists."

All hail the consensus.

[Tarpon]

The Boreal forests used to grow up to the arctic ocean shoreline, back when it was much warmer. Not sure the daylight thing is accurate though. Since some plants do live there now and it's dark for quite a bit of the year. Speedy grow plant seeds.

In the NH north in the winter, broadleaved trees completely lose their leaves which shuts down the need for photosynthesis. So I think trees can hibernate, as long as their sap doesn't freeze solid and as long as the tree's deep roots don't freeze, and there is water down in the soil, it can survive darkness.

As it is, I think the cold is what kills the trees off, not the lack of sunlight for parts of the year. Some of the Boreal Forests today in N Canada are in the constant dark right now. We used to do high altitude rocket solar research at Ft Churchill Canada and the tree line, IIRC was constant dark when we were there in winter.?

Yes no maybe?

[Martin Tell]

Bush’s fault.

[blam]

"Did it occur to people what tundra is?"

Tundra is a word from the language of my mothers' people the Skolt, Sami the only one in wide-spread use. That language is spoken by only 400 people.

(Ahem) Now you know too.

[Buckeye McFrog]

is it REALLY possible to have a tropical climate when the sun does not shine for six months? I’m just sayin...

[Squawk 8888]

The northern edge of the treeline does get daylight this time of the year. The only part of the arctic that gets 6 months of darkness is the north pole, and everything south of the Arctic Circle gets daylight every day of the year. Between the North Pole and the arctic circle, there are a few days each winter without daylight; the duration of the dark period increases as you approach the pole.

[Squawk 8888]

See my last post- most of the far north gets daylight every day of the year.

[Ditto]

There are large herbivores who still live year-round in the high arctic.

[Squawk 8888]

Also, at this time of year they get a LOT of daylight because we’re approaching the solstice.

[decimon]

Note how every other paragraph incorporating factual statements in this article is specifically attributed, whilst this one is only generally attributed to "climate scientists."

If at that latitude there is no sun then that is for far less than six months.

If the entire planet was warmer then why wouldn't that area be the temperatures stated?

[decimon]

My apologies for post #17. I obviously didn’t copy your post.

[decimon]

Thanks. I like the picture.

[SouthTexas]

53 million years ago endured six months of darkness each year in a far milder climate than today that featured lush, swampy forests, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder.

If it was warmer once, what the hell is the problem with it being warmer again?