There are a many conditions that change round us with regard to weather, but what is weather; a symptom of climate? All of us have seen changes in weather, but did they occur before our lifetimes as well, on several instances in our lifetimes, in the same intensity or seasons?
Observation of what has happened over time is something we can leave to the weather bureau or forecasters. However, we can make some contribution; by observations, assumptions and perceptions on our particular speck on the planet.
I read an interesting story some months, years back? How researchers were using the writings of Henry David Thoreau's story Walden. Using this to discover if the plants he describes in his notes and text of the book are still to be found in the area of his focus there.
I know that much has changed in our landscape, and is changing still, and is recorded in my own daily journals. Not all unique, not extensive or too analytical, But recurrences and changes in the recurrence. These are nothing but anecdotal musings. However, they are just that and useful for comparison at times. I would imagine that citizen scientists would be much better at this.
This wiki can also be a place where others might enjoy adding their anecdotes and stories. No one is saying they will be science, but they may be a way of looking at things differently. All member have access to this page or create their own.
Many of us are looking at what we call weather, changes in flora and fauna populations, blossoming, seeding and germinating etc., and wondering if it is just a nice day, or climate change after all?
Comments (2)
Max Beran said
at 5:24 pm on Mar 6, 2021
As a newbie, having only just parachuted myself into the "Climate Study" group, it is doubtless presumptuous to be promoting a new theme so I was going to bide my time until I heard from the group convenors whether it was thought to be a goer. But I think Charlie's statement above initiating this "Non-Science but Observations ..." thread was prompted by my suggestion of a group to look back at the success or otherwise of past predictions made about the changes in climate and their knock-on effects. So a few responses are in order.
U3A is a broad church and there is no implication that what I suggest will displaces those other topics in the Side Bar or Charlie's suggested home for nature musings and anecdotes. I would hope that the converse also applies and that it is not Charlie's position that any topic that does not fall into his "Non-science" category is best left out of the "U3A Climate Study". The natural English language meaning of the word "study" does rather imply a level of analysis and objectivity. However the level of science and depth of enquiry should not be exaggerated - what I am proposing is not "rocket science" but would be accessible to any with a modicum of numeracy and willingness to dig online for forecasts that had been published, for example in IPCC reports, and sources for data on what transpired.
It so happens that I had been professionally involved with an area close to Charlie's interest of biological impacts from individual, through population, ecosystem and up to biome level though a large multilab project I managed for the UK Natural Environment Research Council. So I have every sympathy with attempts to unpick cause and effect in such an area where climate sensitivities are multitudinous and varying, interactions and feedbacks abound, and internal dynamics mean that there is no steady state. And this is before one tries to take into account non-climate pressures on the natural environment.
Charlie said
at 8:28 am on Mar 13, 2021
You are quite right Max, all is welcome. Science, non-science, questions that might reveal ideas. Ideas that create questions. There is no limit.
The field is wide. From the effect the wildlife carers like myself look at and see, note, environment, ecology mental effects and loss of insects along with all other animals. Mammals other than marsupials that show what is changing; everything from a non science point of view, though many research papers are read. My own way is to look at things from a 360 degree view, how they hang together. The pond and ripple effect.
The extinction effect and the rebellion, we have lost many life forms in Oz. One is too many, but we have lost more than one, before we ever realised or studied how they fitted in. Now we are left with conjecture.
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