Sharks With Lasers on Their Heads
I just found this article in the United Press International. It's terrible, either the author is completely ignorant of this topic, or the scientist are just looking for some publicity. I believe the former is true. I have completely copied and annotated the article below. The link is here.
Study: Oceans 70 percent shark-free
An international team of scientists says the absence of sharks from abyssal regions of the world's oceans may mean some species are in danger of extinction.
Were sharks previously in the abyssal region or was it just assumed they were there. If so, why would one expect a secret shark haven in the abyssal region.
The findings mean the world's oceans are about 70 percent shark-free, researchers said.
The next question is what percentage of the ocean is occupied by the abyssal region. My guess is about 70%, making the claim in the above sentence and the title of the article alarmist at best.
The oceans' abyssal zone remains in perpetual darkness at depths below 6,560 feet, with immense pressures of nearly five tons per square inch at its deepest.
Maybe these are reasons why besides over fishing that sharks aren't in the abyssal region!
It had been hoped that, as man explored deeper into the abyss, new shark species would be discovered.
I can hope to find new species in my closet, but that does not mean that their is any reason that I should actually expect to find them. In fact, 5 ton per square inch pressure, hell, 1 ton per square inch pressure is a pretty good reason not to expect to find new sharks.
Scientists do not know why sharks are absent from the deep, but suggest one possible reason might be a lack of food.
Maybe it has to do with the 5 ton per square inch pressure as well.
They warn their finding has environmental implications. Professor Monty Priede, director of Oceanlab at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland said: "Sharks are already threatened worldwide by the intensity of fishing activity, but our finding suggests they may be more vulnerable to over-exploitation than was previously thought."
Because they do not have a secret abyssal hide out, or because you believe that they have been hunted to the point where they do not need to occupy foodless, dark, high pressure areas of the ocean? From what I can tell you went to a very hostile environment where one would not expect to find sharks and you didn't. I do not think that finding is sufficient to support dramatic environmental claims.
The findings are published in the Proceedings of The Royal Society, Biological Series.
In that this is a good peer-reviewed journal, I am assuming the scientists did a much better job than what was communicated in this article. I blame a poorly trained, ill informed journalist.
Study: Oceans 70 percent shark-free
An international team of scientists says the absence of sharks from abyssal regions of the world's oceans may mean some species are in danger of extinction.
Were sharks previously in the abyssal region or was it just assumed they were there. If so, why would one expect a secret shark haven in the abyssal region.
The findings mean the world's oceans are about 70 percent shark-free, researchers said.
The next question is what percentage of the ocean is occupied by the abyssal region. My guess is about 70%, making the claim in the above sentence and the title of the article alarmist at best.
The oceans' abyssal zone remains in perpetual darkness at depths below 6,560 feet, with immense pressures of nearly five tons per square inch at its deepest.
Maybe these are reasons why besides over fishing that sharks aren't in the abyssal region!
It had been hoped that, as man explored deeper into the abyss, new shark species would be discovered.
I can hope to find new species in my closet, but that does not mean that their is any reason that I should actually expect to find them. In fact, 5 ton per square inch pressure, hell, 1 ton per square inch pressure is a pretty good reason not to expect to find new sharks.
Scientists do not know why sharks are absent from the deep, but suggest one possible reason might be a lack of food.
Maybe it has to do with the 5 ton per square inch pressure as well.
They warn their finding has environmental implications. Professor Monty Priede, director of Oceanlab at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland said: "Sharks are already threatened worldwide by the intensity of fishing activity, but our finding suggests they may be more vulnerable to over-exploitation than was previously thought."
Because they do not have a secret abyssal hide out, or because you believe that they have been hunted to the point where they do not need to occupy foodless, dark, high pressure areas of the ocean? From what I can tell you went to a very hostile environment where one would not expect to find sharks and you didn't. I do not think that finding is sufficient to support dramatic environmental claims.
The findings are published in the Proceedings of The Royal Society, Biological Series.
In that this is a good peer-reviewed journal, I am assuming the scientists did a much better job than what was communicated in this article. I blame a poorly trained, ill informed journalist.
posted by opiejoe at
2:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home