Now it’s a Phytoplanktonic panic (Environmentalist Scare Du Jour)

Watts Up With That ^ | July 30, 2010 | Anthony Watts

[Daralundy]

Now it’s a Phytoplanktonic panic

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Anthony Watts

Borrowing a phrase from NSIDC’s Dr. Mark Serreze, Phytoplankton are now apparently in a “Death Spiral”. See Death spiral of the oceans and the original press release about an article in Nature from a PhD candidate at Dalhousie University, which started all this. I’m a bit skeptical of the method which they describe in the PR here:

A simple tool known as a Secchi disk as been used by scientists since 1899 to determine the transparency of the world’s oceans. The Secchi disk is a round disk, about the size of a dinner plate, marked with a black and white alternating pattern. It’s attached to a long string of rope which researchers slowly lower into the water. The depth at which the pattern is no longer visible is recorded and scientists use the data to determine the amount of algae present in the water.

Hmmm. A Secchi disk is a proxy, not a direct measurement of phytoplankton. It measures turbidity, which can be due to quite a number of factors, including but not limited to Phytoplankton. While they claim to also do chlorophyll measurements, the accuracy of a SD measurements made by thousands of observers is the central question.

From the literature: The Secchi disk transparency measurement is perhaps one of the oldest and simplest of all measurements. But there is grave danger of errors in such measurements where a water telescope is not utilized, as well as in the presence of water color and inorganic turbidity (source: Vollenweider and Kerekes, 1982). I’ll have more on this later. – Anthony

[Daralundy]

Well right on time. Next big environmentalist scare. Overfishing is a genuine problem, though.

[steelyourfaith]

From the link: “Global warming blamed for 40% decline in the ocean’s phytoplankton.”

Ever wonder why you never stop hearing about studies finding GW responsible for everything from kidney stones to cannibalism? Explains MIT's Richard Lindzen: "It's become standard that whatever you're studying, include global warming's effects in your proposal and you'll get your (government) funding."

 

Dr. John Brignell's WARMLIST
~A complete list of things caused by global warming.~

[woofie]

hot chocolate scares me ....I think it causes herpes

[SunTzuWu]

Next... Peak oxygen.

[GOPJ]

Peak oxygen.

Don't give them ideas...

[Eleutheria5]

This is all BP, Sarah Palin and George Bush’s fault, respectively. BP put oil in the water that kills plankton. Sarah Palin’s husband catches salmon that keep the plankton population down, thereby causing them to overproduce. George Bush is friends with oil executives and eats salmon. So therefore he’s the most responsible, because he’s encouraging the oil companies to kill the plankton that are overpopulated because he’s encouraging Sarah Palin’s husband to kill the salmon. Therefore it’s all of their faults, but especially George Bush’s.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for posting this....related thread:

Nature Stunner: “Global warming blamed for 40% decline in the ocean’s phytoplankton” ( Really?)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL>>>>>what a list....

[SierraWasp]

Not only that, Ernest, the EnvironMentalists are doing this "scare du jour" because they just can't stand it that non-scientific Rush Limbaugh predicted nearly the day the gusher started that the forces of nature (GOD) will restore the gulf without further disturbance by mankind or his imbicilic GovernMental idiots!!!

This, of course proves beyond all reasonable doubt that government is not even a god, let alone GOD!!! Since this is Sunday, I'll close this rant with "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!" How's that for a benediction on the whole subject??? Ha ha Ha!!!

[Marine_Uncle]

I had better start stocking cases of beer.