Biodiversity Leads to Higher Productivity

Ecosystems containing several species are more productive than individual species on their own. Using data from more than 400 published experiments, an international research team has found overwhelming evidence that biodiversity in the plant kingdom is very efficient in assimilating nutrients and solar energy, resulting in greater production of biomass.The number, variety, and genetic variation of different organisms found within a specified geographic region is biodiversity.

"Plant communities are like a soccer team. To win championships, you need a star striker who can score goals, but you also need a cast of supporting players who can pass, defend and keep goal. Together, the star players and supporting cast make a highly efficient team," says Lars Gamfeldt of the Department of Marine Ecology at the University of Gothenburg.

Gamfeldt is part of an international research team led by Brad Cardinale (University of Michigan, USA) which, in a special issue of the scientific journal American Journal of Botany on biodiversity, presents a study on the significance of biodiversity of plants and algae, which form the base of the food chain. The research team based its study on the question whether ecosystems can maintain important functions such as production of biomass and conversion of nutrients when biodiversity is depleted and we lose species. In their quest for answers they have examined hundreds of published studies on everything from single-celled algae to trees. Using data from more than 400 published experiments, the researchers found overwhelming evidence that the net effect of having fewer species in an ecosystem is a reduced quantity of plant biomass.

There are two principal explanations for why species-rich plant communities may be more effective and productive. One is that they have a higher probability of including "super-species," that is to say species that are highly productive and effective in regulating ecological processes. The other is that different species often have characteristics that complement one another. The fact that there is a "division of labour" among different plant species in nature makes it possible for species-rich communities to be more productive. The researchers also note that as a result of climate change and other human impact we are now losing species at a rapid rate. This means that we need to prioritise what we want to protect and preserve, in order to maintain the goods and services humans depend on.

"Nearly every organism on this planet depends on plants for their survival. If species extinction compromises the processes by which plants grow, then it degrades one of the key features required to sustain life on Earth," the principal author of the article Brad Cardinale comments. Gamfeldt is affiliated with both the Department of Marine Ecology at the University of Gothenburg and the Department of Ecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

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Unrecycled compact fluorescent light(CFL) release mercury into the environment

The nation's accelerating shift from incandescent lighting to a new generation of energy-efficient bulbs is raising an environmental concern: the release of thousands of mercury every year.

The most popular new bulb — the compact fluorescent light bulb, or CFL — accounts for a quarter of new bulb sales. Each contains up to 5 milligrams of mercury, a potent neurotoxin that's on the worst-offending list of environmental contaminants.

Demand for CFL bulbs is growing as government mandates for energy-efficient lighting take effect, yet nobody recycle the new bulbs, according to the Ministry of Environment.

As a result, Nepalese landfills are releasing more than thousands of mercury annually into the atmosphere and storm water runoff, according to a study in the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Assn.

"They're promoting them and giving them away, but there's nowhere to drop them off," said a Nepal Electricity Authority employee.

The federal Clean Energy Act established energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs that dimmed the future for old-fashioned incandescent, which don't meet those standards. Incandescent are to be phased out from Nepal in some years.

The old-style bulbs are just too wasteful, converting to light only 10% of the energy they consume. The rest is squandered as heat.

Sales of energy-efficient alternatives like CFLs, halogen bulbs and LED's have been growing steadily, with the low-cost CFLs the biggest sellers.
If every  household replaced five incandescent bulbs with CFLs, the move would save 6.18 billion kilowatt-hours and prevent the annual release of 2.26 million tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, according to the California Energy Commission. That's equivalent to taking 414,000 cars off the road.
But no federal law mandates recycling of household fluorescent lights in Nepal which is diminishing the environment day by day.

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Effect of radiation wireless network(Wi-Fi) on plants

Research on the impact of wireless signal radiation in humans generally do not produce a concrete conclusions. However, from recent research conducted on the tree, it was revealed that living things this one is more fragile than human.

Research carried out by Wageningen University found that trees growing in areas that have WiFi high activity, especially in residential areas, which suffer symptoms do not similar to symptoms caused by bacteria or viruses.

As quoted from PopSci, 23 November 2010, the symptoms that appear on the tree among them was bleeding, cracks in the skin, the demise of certain parts of the leaves, and abnormal growth.

To test the hypothesis whether the cause of the mysterious illness was caused by radiation, WiFi, researchers using 20 of the ash or Fraxinus and provide various levels of radiation on the trees for 3 months.
Apparently, the trees exposed WiFi signal showed signs of diseases caused by radiation, including colors such as lead in the leaves, which indicates that the leaves will soon die.
As an illustration, in a country like the Netherlands, about 70 percent of the trees in residential areas experiencing side effects from radiation. The figure rose from just 10 percent in 5 years ago. It is common considering the use of WiFi has skyrocketed in recent years.
In a study by Washington University in St. Louis confirms that Wi-Fi radiation causes abnormalities in trees and these abnormalities eventually lead to tree death. Trees that are exposed to the RF (Radio Frequency) technology of Wi-Fi systems are dead within a year of exposure.
"We studied tree bark, tree sap, and the various insects that inhabit trees. They were all adversely affected by RF. Botanists and arborists are extremely concerned and feel that this is a national crisis of epic proportions." Hofverberg recommends banning all Wi-Fi usage within a ten miles radius of any trees.
Currently, scientists are conducting a number of other studies to find out more about the radiation on plant growth. And unfortunately, no solution can be given for trees due to the adverse effects the use of WiFi

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