Monarch butterflies were among the most visible casualties of the spraying in Grand Forks, ND. (Images courtesy of Wikipedia.)

An article in North Dakota’s Grand Forks Herald reports that residents woke last Thursday morning to a ” jarring spectacle of dying butterflies and dragonflies on the sidewalks.” The die-off, including thousands of monarch butterflies, was brought about by routine seasonal spraying to control mosquitoes.

An editorial points out, “mosquitoes are tiny and don’t show up to the naked eye.” Perhaps that’s why the populace has tolerated the practice for the past 30 or 40 years. The paper’s editorial goes on to say that the tradeoff is one that people are willing to take, given the desire for mosquito-free summers.

But this article, and presumably those responsible for spraying, ignores long-term consequences of the spraying. The chemicals used are supposedly “ safe for people and pets.” But can we be sure of how the chemicals move through the environment? What are the long-term effects on biodiversity? We do know that untold numbers of other insects are also “casualities of the skeeter war” as the newspaper puts it. And remember, when dragonflies and butterflies die off, their predators (birds, frogs, reptiles) either go hungry or are themselves poisoned. So let’s encourage officials to see the bigger picture. They must avoid quick fixes that do more harm than good in the long run.

That’s not to say I am a fan of mosquitoes. I’ve had malaria seven times and almost died on one occasion. But malaria is not a problem in Grand Forks. Mostly, it seems, the justification is so that people aren’t irritated by mosquitoes while outside quaffing a beer and munching on a hotdog. But isn’t a mass die-off of other insects and invertebrates a high price to pay for the minor inconvenience of swatting a few mosquitoes?

Moreover, Grand Forks officials are ignoring alternatives to spraying to control mosquitoes. Of course, spraying is an easy fix. Officials can say they’ve done their job. But numerous alternatives exist. Release of sterile males could be a successful strategy. Trapping females is another. (Only female mosquitoes need to feed on blood.) One possibility is educating the public to avoid leaving standing water where mosquitos breed would help reduce populations without the unpleasant side-effects. But none of these approaches has the instant gratification of spraying. In any case such imaginative leaps might be asking a bit too much of Grand Forks city officials.

– Roger Harris

Forest fruits from Barro Colorado illustrate tropical rainforest biodiversity. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Biodiversity is in the news. 2010 is the UN Year of Biodiversity, which has done much to raise public awareness. So inevitably we are seeing more blogs dedicated to the topic.

Yay! But it’s hard to sort out the wheat from the chaff. Google “biodiversity blog” (with quotes) and you get several thousand hits.

Which of those can you put into your RSS reader? Which bloggers are engaging and authoritative but independent?

Here’s a review of the best blogs about biodiversity. I searched high and low with search engines, and used sites such as Technorati, to find them. But more than likely I’ve missed some good ones. Please let me know your favorite biodiversity blog if it’s not included!

I have tried to rank the sites in order of which would be most interesting and useful to the biodiversity community (that’s an in-joke for ecologists!). I based my ranking on:

• Adherence to the principle and philosophy of blogging (an independent, opinionated, non-corporate individual voice).
• Overall relevance and focus on biodiversity.
• Design, scope and general appeal.

I ranked the blogs from 1 to 5 — I couldn’t find ten that matched the criteria. The ranking is subjective. Some of the lower ranked sites might get more traffic than higher ranked sites. Traffic estimates are based on data for June from compete.com.

NOTE: This is intended to be a list of blogs that focus on biodiversity so I did not include the many wonderful blogs that cover conservation, endangered species, global warming, etc.

1. The Sticky Tongue
http://thestickytongue.com
The Sticky Tongue is a quirky, imaginative approach to informing and educating about biodiversity and conservation. The blog focuses on herpetology. But its Biodiversity Photo of the Day can be anything from the Vancouver Island Marmot (one of the rarest animals in North America) to the critically endangered Lord Howe Island Stick Insect. The blog’s author is Candace Hansen. She has “a passion not just for reptiles but also for all forms of wildlife conservation and animal rights.” In particular, her blog does not preach environmentalism and activism. Rather, she presents the issues, often with a touch of humor, to inform and educate. It’s only been online a short while, but its traffic has grown fast.
Compete.com traffic: ~2,000 per month

2. The Artful Amoeba
http://theartfulamoeba.com
Jennifer Frazer is a science writer living in Boulder, Colorado. She dislikes the term “biodiversity” because “it turns people off to the subject” and “It’s too often used for boring platitudes about species richness.” Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in systematics and biotic diversity from Cornell University. She also has a master’s degree in plant pathology with a concentration in mycology (also from Cornell), and a master’s degree in science writing from MIT.
Traffic: ~1,000 per month

3. Island Biodiversity Race
http://islandbiodiversityrace.wildlifedirect.org
Island Biodiversity Race highlights the vulnerability of island biodiversity due to the relatively rapid loss of species from islands. The blog focuses on islands in the Gulf of Guinea, primarily Sâo Tomé. The contributors provide an account of expeditions funded by the California Academy of Sciences, the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe government and others. The blog is hosted by WildlifeDirect, a Kenya and US registered charitable organization founded and chaired by African conservationist Dr Richard Leakey.
Compete.com traffic (wildlifedirect.org): ~20,000 per month

4. Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog
http://agro.biodiver.se
Mostly, talk of biodiversity concerns natural species and habitats. The Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog highlights biodiversity in a non-natural system — agriculture. This is important because an oft-cited reason for preserving natural biodiversity is to provide a source for new genetic material that could have practical applications, primarily in agriculture. The site’s authors are Luigi Guarino and Jeremy Cherfas, both professionally involved in biodiversity. Their goal is to collect in one place anything they find on the Internet that relates somehow to the notion of agricultural biodiversity. Luigi Guarino is Senior Science Coordinator at the Global Crop Diversity Trust and served as a consultant for the FAO and IBPGR from 1984 to 1988. Jeremy Cherfas is responsible for public relations at Bioversity International. He has extensive experience as a science writer and editor, for print, radio and TV.
Compete.com traffic (biodiver.se): ~3,000 per month

5. Ohio birds and biodiversity
http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com
You don’t think of Ohio as a biodiversity hotspot, but Jim McCormac does a nice job of highlighting his state’s natural beauty and biodiversity. McCormac has made a study of natural history since the age of eight. His goal is to get more people interested in nature. In doing so, he says, “The more of us who care, the more likely that our natural world will survive.”
Traffic: N/A

Runners-up

Here are additional social or news sites that are relevant to raising awareness about biodiversity. (For more complete listing of links to biodiversity sites, check out Wikipedia: Biodiversity.)

David Without Borders
http://www.davidwithoutborders.com
Blog authors David Aimé and David Fabrega call themselves explorers of biodiversity. They use images and video to “gather the most current information from local entrepreneurs, scientists, and communities on biodiversity and sustainable development topics.” They’re blogging during their around the world trip planned to be completed in July 2011.
Traffic: N/A

Biodiversity Media Alliance
http://biodiversitymedia.ning.com
This social network site was created IIED, IUCN and Internews to help connect journalists with the biodiversity scientists. Its goal is to increase the quantity and quality of coverage of biodiversity issues in the media. You need to register to become a member. Members can use the blog section to share news, thoughts, ideas and publications, as well as include photos and links to other websites or attachments.
Traffic: N/A

2010 International Year of Biodiversity Australia
http://www.biodiversity2010.org.au
The site is a “biodiversity hub” for events in Australia. It is a part of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors (CAMD) International Year of Biodiversity project. The site is a venue for others to promote biodiversity news and events, showcase stories, and share ideas and find events and resources. Although it is not a blog in the strict sense, it is a great site!
Traffic: ~1,700 per month

Mongabay.com
http://www.mongabay.com
Mongabayis the most popular website in our list. Since 1999 it has been dedicated to rainforest conservation news and activism. It has done a good job reporting on biodiversity loss.Founder Rhett A. Butler does not have a biology background but he has authored or co-authored several papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. According to the site’s About page, the site has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and has provided advice and assistance to numerous other organizations.
Traffic: ~500K per month

Migrations
http://migration.wordpress.com
This blog is the work of Dan Rhoads, an American molecular biologist who has moved to the Republic of Cyprus and now works in the biotech sector. As a longtime birdwatcher, Dan is an ardent supporter of the work of BirdLife Cyprus, and this blog now focuses mostly on topics relating to the nature of Cyprus. Dan frequently covers biodiversity issues in his posts.
Traffic: N/A

The Biodiversity crew @ NUS
http://nusbiodiversity.wordpress.com
A news site about staff and students in the biodiversity research focus group at the Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore.
Traffic: N/A

Biodiversity Heritage Library
http://biodiversitylibrary.blogspot.com
Twelve major natural history museum libraries, botanical libraries, and research institutions have joined to form the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Posts are a hotchpotch of quirky insights into the literature and history of biodiversity, such as Book of the Week and links to archives such as Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club. 1899-1902 and Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. v.3 (1907).
Traffic: N/A

Zero Race
http://www.zero-race.com
The Zero Race Blog follows zero emission cars in an around the world in 80 days race. The blog is not about biodiversity as such, but the race aims to ‘raise awareness for Biodiversity Protection. “Each car has the name and the logo of a species that is threatened by climate change,” to show “that electric cars and renewable energies provide a solution to help protect biodiversity.”
Traffic: N/A

The Biodiversity Media Alliance aims to boost the quantity and quality of media coverage of biodiversity issues.

Biodiversity Media Alliance is a Ning social network for media professionals who are covering biodiversity issues. The International Institute for Environment and Development, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Internews created the site to help connect journalists with sources of information about biodiversity.

The site’s tagline is “Linking Journalism With the Web of Life.” According to Mike Shanahan, press officer at IIED in London, “Journalists worldwide now have a vital new resource to help them report on the world’s biodiversity, what its decline means for humanity, and how it can be tackled. The Biodiversity Media Alliance’s online network builds bridges between journalists and the information they need to tell this story. More than 700 biodiversity experts* have already joined the network, including scientists, policymakers, NGO staff and indigenous people from some the most biodiverse parts of our planet. This new partnership between the IIED, Internews and the International Union for Conservation of Nature aims to boost the quantity and quality of media coverage on biodiversity around the world.”

*Editor’s Note: Including Dr. Stuart Pimm.

The non-profit organization manages several large web properties including Climate Ark, Forests.org, Water Conserve, Rainforest Portal, Ocean Conserve, New Earth Rising. Their web presence focuses on providing “a variety of environmental news tracking, analysis and micro-blogging.” The company is headed by Dr. Glenn Barry who holds a Ph.D. in Land Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a M.S. in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development also from UWM. Dr. Barry is a somwhat controversial figure, being viewed “radical, controversial, ahead-of-his-time, brilliant, or extremist” as depicted in this interview at Mongabay.com.

Ecological Internet has come out against the endorsements from Rainforest Action Network and Greenpeace of primary forest logging practices recommended by the Forest Stewardship Council. Ecological Internet’s Facebook post reads “Amongst greatest threat to primary forests is @RAN & @Greenpeace supporting FSC’s “certified” 1st time industrial logging area 2x size Texas…” It doesn’t bode especially well when leading environmental organizations can’t agree on something as important as logging practices.

The organization has more than 15,000 “Likes” on Facebook, so it must appeal to many fellow conservationists. Take a few minutes to check them out and tell us what you think.

An oiled bird struggles to get over a boom in the middle of the Gulf oil spill. AP Photo

Stuart Pimm is interviewed by the Endangered Species Coalition about the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Listen to this podcast (with intro by ESC’s Leda Huta) in which Stuart describes the value of the Gulf as  a marine ecosystem and which species are most at risk from the spill. He discusses how scientists are helping to clean up the spill and trying to figure out the long-term effects on affected species populations and on the services nature provides. He criticizes government approaches to conservation and the need for independent peer review and monitoring of conservation programs.

Cellphone illustrating how conflict minerals are used in its production (Image credit: Enough Project)

You’ve probably heard of blood diamonds, which fund armed conflict in mostly poor and underdeveloped parts of these worlds.

Blood diamonds are part of a larger market in conflict minerals. These similarly rare and valuable commodities are mined by corrupt governments or marginal paramilitary organizations to fuel ongoing military operations and weapons purchases.

Besides enslavement, rape and murder, some of the crimes visited on the innocent powerless people who live in such conflict zones are too heinous to detail here. But they’re well documented. In particular, atrocities in the Congo defy any understanding. It’s heartbreaking to see a place where I once lived slowly implode because of human greed and lust for power.

For conservationists, this is an important issue because environmental protections in these mining operations are largely absent or if present, are ignored. Forest is cleared irrespective of any biological wealth. Moreover, the rightful stewards of such land, often indigenous people, are displaced by the conflict, often having to settle areas of high biological diversity.

A bill planned to regulate trade in conflict minerals is going through Congress. The bill as written is opposed by the National Association of Manufacturers. But the idea of HR 4128 is not to directly prevent companies buying conflict minerals since this might hinder legitimate trade. The aim is simply to require companies disclose the source of their minerals.

Why should you be interested? Because sadly, you, me and everyone else who uses modern electronics is contributing to the problem. Cell phones, computers, DVD players, game consoles and other electronic use conflict minerals.  Learn about coltan, for example, mining of which has undoubtedly help finance conflict in the Congo. (See Wikipedia article.)

Please take a few moments to consider the importance of this issue. And if you are so moved, contact your representative to ask them to support the bill when it comes up for vote. (See links below.)

For more information

• Please help 11th Hour Vote on the New Blood Diamonds (includes list of Senate and House members reviewing the bill currently in committee
• Petition: Stop the Use of Conflict Minerals in Products
• Raise Hope for Congo
• Enough Project
• NPR: Monitoring Conflict Minerals: Who’s Accountable?
• Conflict Minerals 101
• Conflict Minerals 101: Coltan, the Congo Act, and How You Can Help

• German will be spending the summer at Duke, where his biological family is about to double in size, any day.
• Marion is still partially resident in A201, though employed by Lisa Curran of Stanford.
• Emily Buenger is now joining The Family, having spent the last year at Duke, but not with us.
• Colin starts his Ph.D with us in the fall, but will be visiting at the end of June.
• Johnny is likely to continue to be a squatter in A201.
• Luke and Stuart will be in Africa together in August, Stuart travelled there via PNG and Bali, Luke via Madagascar, all of that in July.