Arctic Pollution Linked to Bird Droppings

AP ^ | 7/14/5 | RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON, (AP) --

A major source of chemical contamination in the Arctic turns out to be bird droppings. Wind currents and human activities long have been blamed for fouling the pristine Arctic. But a study by a group of Canadian researchers found that the chemical pollution in areas frequented by seabirds can be many times higher than in nearby regions.

Researchers led by Jules Blais of the University of Ottawa studied several ponds below the cliffs at Cape Vera on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic.

Scientists report in Friday's issue of the journal Science that the ponds, which receive falling guano from a colony of northern fulmars that nest on the cliffs, have highly elevated amounts of chemicals.

"If long-range transport was the only thing bringing these chemicals north, we would expect to see a very even distribution," Blais said in a telephone interview.

But the chemicals are concentrated in some places, he said, "and we have found a reason ... they can follow biological connections."

Blais calls it the boomerang effect.

"These contaminants had been washed into the ocean, where we generally assumed they were no longer affecting terrestrial ecosystems. Our study shows that sea birds, which feed in the ocean but then come back to land, are returning not only with food for their young but with contaminants as well. The contaminants accumulate in their bodies and are released on land," Blais said.

[SmithL]

Yeah, yeah, I know.

It's all Bush's fault.

Oh, and women & children hit hardest.

[dts32041]

Must be the breeding grounds of demo rats.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

This calls for low-grade tactical Alka Seltzer precision strikes on their location immediately!

/h

[RightWhale]

Devon Island is Mars-like and is being used to develop Mars habitat modules. Which is to say, there is not much going on there. Typical of Arctic environments.

[Abathar]

This creates a moral dilemma for the eco-freaks, how DARE you accuse nature of polluting!

[F-117A]

Perhaps, Micheal Moore can do a remake of Hitchcock's The Birds.

Splat! Splat!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Blais calls it the boomerang effect."

Why not just cut to the chase and call it "The Bird Sh*t Effect?" LOL!

I say we start a fundraiser to diaper all arctic birds:

"What do we want? 'Depends' for birds! When do we want them? Now!"

[frogjerk]

Byrd: "WRONG! I resemble that remark!"

[microgood]

Ok, how much money do these people want?

[darkwing104]

I hereby deny that I have ever been to the Arctic...It's those damn Penguins.

[oldcomputerguy]

"This creates a moral dilemma for the eco-freaks"

Exactly!!! Their heads will explode like the Martians on country music. They cannot resolve this quandary, fix the pollution, kill the birds, leave the birds, too much pollution (faster and faster) POW!!!!!!!!!!!!

[festus]

Kinda like the trees in certain regions actually contribute to the smog ?

For being into saving the earth they sure act like they have never seen nature up close ever.