Owl data knowingly faulty

The Washington Times ^ | March 14, 2002 | Audrey Hudson

[Eva]

We have pilated woodpeckers, which I am told are also endangered. They are about 15 inches long and tear apart a tree so fast that you would swear it was vandalism. They make a huge mess, tearing chunks of bark and wood from bug infested trees.

[backhoe]

Yes, we have a few of those, too ( danged if I can spell it- you say py-lee-ate-ted... ) and they have the weirdest call- like some kind of jungle bird!

[Youngblood]

The point of this article is that any scientific survey done in the era of political correctness is suspect.

Have you got some scientific paper from pre-1982 that you could cite to back up your possibly correct claim?

What's with "pre-1982"? Did science suddenly get corrupted that year? Do you propose that we dump the last 20 years of wildlife biology research in cases where results cause conflict with human needs? Scientific research is published, complete with materials and methods, to allow people to critically examine and replicate the findings. If you think such surveys are suspect, then go and find out for yourself. I'm sure the scientists and rangers in question would be only too happy to show you. The fact remains that many species have very narrow, specialized habitat requirements, and no amount of political fighting is going to change that. The society in question has to decide if the potential employment is more important than the survival of the species or ecosystem. I'm sure politicians in these areas run on these issues.

I'm not saying that scientific fraud doesn't exist. I'm sure the temptation is there when funding is hard to come by. However, it doesn't do other scientists any favours when the purse strings are tightened and all their honest work is called into question, so I don't subscribe to these vast conspiracies which many here seem to think all scientists are a part of. Besides, once you're exposed as fraudulent, I don't think that you personally are going to have much credibility in future, and science is a very competitive field.

I don't personally have any papers from prior to 1982 (although I could get them in a couple of weeks). The articles I listed will have such references in their bibliographies. An internet search might also help. Many scientists list their publications on their web pages. Such a hot political issue is bound to have important work listed somewhere.

[patriciaruth]

Hey, I've seen lots of citations from the other side that says spotted owls are happily nesting in places other that old growth forests.

And it isn't just habitat and conservation scientific reports that have been bent to serve the grant master, it's in medical research, too, among other fields of study poluted by greed and laziness and dishonesty.

So, tell me how I can access the studies you cited in Biological Conservation and Condor that you feel are well done and I will read them and check their materials and methods, but I'm not going to bother to read a textbook written in the era of political correctness.

I'm in a rural area, and the nearest scientific library that might carry these journals is a three hour drive from here, which is impossible in my present state of health.

P.S. I helped save the condors, as a contributor to the San Diego Zoo, so I care about wildlife, but I am not interested in being hustled by poorly done scientific studies.

[Youngblood]

The "other" side? Who are they? I ask this because Krebs says "All analyses of the northern spotted owl concur in recognizing that a large part of the remaining old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest must be preserved if we wish this species to persist". Perhaps you could list the titles and authors of these contrary studies you've seen?

Charles Krebs book is in its fifth edition: the first appeared in 1972. He is one of the most respected and talented ecologists in the world. "Poorly done" studies don't get into a book like this, but I guess, in the eyes of some, he is now tainted by association, just like accountants and priests.

Does your local library have an inter-library loan facility? If so, you should be able to get copies of the papers through them. Or else, look up the journal or authors' web pages and write to the authors for copies.

[patriciaruth]

local library have an inter-library loan facility?

Good suggestion. But probably I'd have more luck with the local hospital. Which makes me wonder if Medscape might carry biology journal articles as well as medical ones.

Thanks. If I see another refutation of your spotted owl hypothesis, I'll ping you. They may all be talking out of their hats as you suspect for all I know.