Pollution Begets Pollution

As nosotros humans view carbon dioxide too marsh gas into the atmosphere, our climate warms, glaciers too H2O ice sheets melt, sea levels rising too hurricanes larn to a greater extent than potent.  Dorian, forthwith pummeling the coast of the Carolinas later on producing devastation across the northern Bahamas, offers a prime number example.

Since humans are fond of tropical islands, barrier islands too coastal cities, a sizable segment of our population lives inward flood-prone areas, discipline to the effects of tempest surge too torrential rain.  These coastal too isle residents are non exactly inconvenienced past times hurricanes too tropical storms; lives are lost, homes too businesses are destroyed too the nation is scoured past times the sea, dragging debris too pollutants into the marine ecosystem.

In our efforts to fighting global warming, nosotros must address both the pollution that is triggering climate alter too the marine pollution that comes from cities, towns, industrial areas too farms.  Watching coverage of Dorian's devastation across the Bahamas, i feels for the victims too those who lost their homes but likewise worries well-nigh the harm done to the isle ecology too the surrounding sea environment.  In lite of our warming climate too rising sea levels, i wonders if re-building inward storm-prone areas is wise.

Up The Missouri Valley

Since I stimulate got several days to provide to Colorado, I decided to follow the Missouri River Valley northwestward to Montana in addition to and then caput southward to Denver.  This volition accept me through or therefore heretofore unexplored country, including western North Dakota, 1 of entirely 2 United States of America that I stimulate got yet to see (the other is Hawaii).

North of Kansas City, Interstate 29 undulates across the hills due east of the Missouri in addition to the river remains out of view.  Nearing Mound City, however, the highway drops onto its wide floodplain, crisscrossed amongst small-scale rivers, creeks in addition to canals.  Once I entered southwestern Iowa, where the river is closer to the highway, a floodscape unfolded, having yet to recover from the saltation in addition to early on summertime deluge.  There, hundreds of American white pelicans gathered on the extensive shallows in addition to clouds of swallows strafed the flooded fields, preparing for their tumble migration.  As 1 mightiness expect, swell bluish herons were likewise abundant along this stretch of highway.

Farther north, equally the Interstate veers away from the river, the late-summer landscape was drier in addition to crop fields dominated the floodplain; rejoining the Missouri at Sioux City, I decided to destination for the night.  Tomorrow, I'll follow the Missouri Valley northwestward to Pierre, South Dakota, in addition to and then N toward Bismarck, North Dakota.

Dakota Wetlands

On the minute leg of my journeying upwardly the Missouri Valley, I encountered dense fog on the bottomlands from Sioux City to Yankton in addition to spectacular views of the Valley further to the northwest, where Route 44 crosses Lake Francis Case, which instantly swallows the river; I too enjoyed scenic vistas across the Fort Pierre National Grassland, southward of Pierre, South Dakota.  But the highlight of this segment was provided past times the abundant wetlands across the Dakotas in addition to the avian migrants that they attract.

Due to the underlying geology in addition to the high H2O table, numerous lakes, ponds, "potholes," sloughs in addition to marshlands surface inside in addition to betwixt the hayfields, croplands in addition to pastures.  At this fourth dimension of year, virtually are crowded amongst ducks, coot, American white pelicans, cormorants, ibis, gulls, yellow-headed blackbirds in addition to shorebirds; amid the latter, American avocets were peculiarly abundant.  What mightiness live considered a spectacle inwards other States is obviously taken for granted hither in addition to rubber pullouts were, unfortunately, few in addition to far between; nevertheless, the migrants made my day, fifty-fifty when observed at sixty mph (see Addendum).

Of course, the lastly highlight occurred when I entered North Dakota for the starting fourth dimension time (my 49th State).  This sense was peculiarly rewarding since I was on U.S.A. 83, locally known every bit the Lawrence Welk Highway; after all, Mr. Welk was my maternal grandmother's minute favorite entertainer (close on the heels of Engelbert Humperdinck).  Since I spent a cracking bargain of my childhood at her domicile (and, later, she at ours), whatever reference to Lawrence Welk ever brings her to mind.  Wish she could cause got been in that place today!

Addendum:  To live fair, in that place are numerous NWRs inwards the Dakotas where ane tin safely uncovering the spectacle of waterfowl migrations.  If I had to a greater extent than time, I would cause got visited at to the lowest degree a few of them.

Across The Missouri Plateau

Leaving Bismarck, North Dakota, this morning, I drove westward on Interstate 94, crossing the Missouri River in addition to and thus climbing across the Missouri Plateau via a stairway of depression ridges in addition to wide valleys.  Nearing the Montana border, the highway winds through the scenic, heavily-dissected canyon of the Little Missouri River; 2 regions of that canyon are protected inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park in addition to I visited the southern segment for an lx minutes or so, encountering bison in addition to spectacular stone formations (more on the Park inward a hereafter post).

West of the Little Missouri Canyon is the Little Missouri National Grassland, beautiful inward its "big-sky" grandeur.  At Glendive, Montana, the Interstate crosses the Yellowstone River in addition to and thus follows it upstream, all the agency to Billings; the Yellowstone, which rises inward Yellowstone National Park, is the largest tributary of the Upper Missouri, taking inward catamenia from the Powder, Tongue in addition to Bighorn Rivers (east to west), all arriving from Wyoming.

After a black inward Laurel, Montana, but westward of Billings, I conception an early on morning time view to the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park, where I promise to consider (or at to the lowest degree hear) wolves.  More on that endangerment tomorrow.

Wolf Watching At Yellowstone

After a long, foggy crusade across Beartooth Pass (10,947 feet), I arrived inwards the Lamar River Valley but afterwards sunrise.  There I constitute hundreds of other hopeful "wolf watchers," scanning the landscape alongside their binoculars, spotting scopes together with telescopic cameras.  Indeed, this Valley, inwards the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park, has perish the wolf-watching mecca of the Lower 48 always since these apex predators were reintroduced to the Park ecosystem, inwards 1995.

Finding an empty pull-off (not easy), I began my ain search together with fortunately located an adult dark wolf, trotting across the valley floor; fifty-fifty to a greater extent than stirring was the chorus of a pack, howling from Specimen Ridge, which rises higher upward the southward border of the Lamar Valley.  Other sightings included a grizzly, rummaging through a meadow at the base of operations of the ridge, a solitary coyote, searching for rodents inwards the riverside wetlands together with a duet hundred bison, browsing along the route together with on hills higher upward the valley.  Though mule deer together with pronghorn were observed, elk remained out of sentiment despite the cool, cloudy weather.

By keeping the elk population inwards check, Yellowstone's wolf packs accept allowed the Park's ecosystem to recover from over-grazing together with wood damage.  Of course, they accept also restored the "wildness" which the Park was meant to protect.  Today, I was honored to witness their return.

Wolves Inward Colorado

The grayish wolf was extirpated from Colorado yesteryear the 1940s inward an ill-advised endeavor to protect livestock as well as the game-hunting industry.  Today, next their reintroduction inward Idaho as well as Wyoming, conservationists are proposing a ballot maiden to found a similar plan inward Colorado, the alone Rocky Mountain State without a feasible wolf population.

As 1 mightiness expect, well-nigh hunters as well as ranchers oppose the maiden as well as convey found an ally inward the Colorado Division of Wildlife.  While human efforts to engineer natural ecosystems are oft met amongst unintended consequences, Colorado has a poorly-controlled elk population as well as a speedily growing lay out of reintroduced moose; to back upward game species without providing natural predation creates an imbalance inward the ecosystem.  Furthermore, wolf predation on livestock has been minimal inward Idaho as well as Wyoming as well as compensation programs are utilized.

While a few wolves convey wandered into Colorado from Wyoming, a feasible population is non probable to acquire established hither without both protection as well as reintroduction.  In my opinion, humans damaged the ecosystem when wolves were removed as well as re-establishing a good for y'all ecosystem volition necessitate their return.  Wolves, dissimilar human hunters, kill aging, injured as well as sick elk as well as deer.  They are naturally wary of humans as well as drib dead on other predator populations (i.e. coyotes) inward check.  From what I observed at Yellowstone, I believe well-nigh citizens would welcome a thoughtful as well as gradual reintroduction excogitation inward Colorado; those who desire to larn to a greater extent than as well as wishing to back upward the endeavor are advised to contact the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project.

Harvest Moon

Tonight's total Moon is the Harvest Moon, named at a fourth dimension when moonlight was essential for completing move inwards the crop fields.  Its cite has since been given to the total Moon closest to the tumble equinox as well as it thence may hap inwards September or early on October.

For those of us non involved with agriculture, it is the total Moon that heralds the glorious flavor of autumn, when mild, dry out atmospheric condition prevails as well as when the nights are crisp as well as invigorating.  Depending on where nosotros live, nosotros anticipate a reprieve from the oestrus as well as humidity of summertime as well as await forrad to the painted woodlands, the bugling of elk, the outset snowstorm as well as the waves of migrant waterfowl, alongside other seasonal spectacles.

Long enamored with this season, I am specially appreciative of its many gifts during the tumble of my years.  Tonight's total Moon is to a greater extent than than an astronomical event; it is a reminder to reap the rewards as well as opportunities of this life earlier the trials of wintertime arrive.  

The Lilliputian Missouri Badlands

Rising inwards extreme northeast Wyoming, near Devils Tower, the Little Missouri River flows northeastward across southeast Montana too the western Dakotas (paralleling the Yellowstone River for virtually of its route) earlier entering the Missouri River inside Lake Sakakawea.  Like other rivers of the Missouri Plateau, it cuts through soft (relatively young) Tertiary sediments to arrive at badlands inside the surrounding prairie.

In the North Dakota department of its watershed, Theodore Roosevelt National Park protects several areas of those badlands, commemorating Roosevelt's conservation achievements too enveloping the site of his Elkhorn Ranch, which he established inwards the 1880s; the Park, itself, was ready aside inwards 1947.  The colorful too ever-changing cliffs, domes, mesas too buttes of the badlands are adorned amongst stands of juniper, spell wetlands, meadows too groves of cottonwood comprehend the valley floors.  Bison, elk, bighorn sheep too pronghorn, ane time extirpated yesteryear overhunting, convey all been reintroduced too both mule too white-tailed deer inhabit the Little Missouri Valley.

Father of the U.S.A. Forest Service, Theodore Roosevelt created 5 National Parks, fifteen National Monuments too 150 National Forests during his Presidency.  Contrast those achievements amongst the negative environmental impacts of the Trump Administration!

Ancestral Humans Inwards Britain

Planning to catch Scotland adjacent month, I convey begun to read almost the natural history of that region.  As is the illustration inwards other Northern lands, climate alter throughout the Pleistocene played a major role inwards its trouble past times nomadic tribes.

Current bear witness suggests that ancestral humans (Homo antecessor) kickoff reached United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland inwards the pump of the Pleistocene, almost 900,000 years ago.  During glacial periods, when ocean levels fell, a nation couplet connected southeastern United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland amongst mainland Europe in addition to migrant hominids moved into in addition to out of the portion inwards answer to the climate; during warm, interglacial periods, when glaciers melted in addition to ocean levels rose, the nation couplet closed.  A minute surge of ancestral humans (Homo heidelbergensis) occupied United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland almost 500,000 years agone in addition to Neandertals arrived almost 250-300 K years ago.  The oldest fossils of modern humans (Homo sapiens) engagement dorsum 40,000 years, good earlier the most recent "flooding" of the English linguistic communication Channel, to a greater extent than or less 11,000 years ago.

Historical records of United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland cause down inwards 47 AD, when Romans attempted to expand their Empire across the Channel.  While they gained a foothold inwards southern Britain, the Romans were rebuffed past times northern tribes whom they referred to collectively equally Caledonians.  Only the southern component of Scotland was briefly role of the Roman Empire.

Geologic History Of Scotland

In the slow Precambrian Era in addition to into the Cambrian Period, the basement stone of Scotland was purpose of proto-North America, having accreted to that Continent equally a serial of exotic terranes.  The Iapetus Ocean separated this continental volume from that of England in addition to Western Europe.

Then, virtually 450 1 one 1000 thousand years agone (MYA), the Iapetus Ocean unopen in addition to the 2 continents collided, triggering the Caledonian Orogeny; much later, virtually 150 MYA, the Atlantic Ocean opened in addition to Scotland remained amongst Europe.  Today, ancient rocks that preceded the Caledonian Orogeny underlie most of Scotland simply surface primarily across the Western Islands in addition to the Highlands; the latter share is divided into the Northwest Highlands in addition to the Grampian Mountains past times the Great Glen Fault.  As these Highlands crumpled upward, volcanism, erosion in addition to displacement of emplaced metamorphic crust produced the complicated geology of that region.  South of the Highlands Boundary Fault, the Central Lowlands stand upwards for a Rift Valley, characterized past times Paleozoic sediments, volcanic intrusions in addition to to a greater extent than recent glacial deposits.  Finally, the Southern Uplands, bordering England, are comprised of uplifted in addition to eroded Silurian crust from the Iapetus Ocean.

Acting on this underlying mosaic of Precambrian in addition to Paleozoic bedrock, the Pleistocene Glaciers (1.8 1 one 1000 thousand to 10 one 1000 years ago) plowed downward the higher peaks, gouged out canyons in addition to valleys in addition to and hence left behind layers of till equally they receded northward.  In addition, their meltwaters scoured the terrain in addition to rising seas drowned the coastline, separating the western in addition to northern islands from the Scottish mainland.