Scientists See Insect Outbreaks From Space

[Still Waters]

It’s become a destructive cycle in the western U.S.: Warmer temperatures and drought conditions prolong the life cycle of mountain pine beetles, allowing them to prey on the pine, spruce and fir trees that blanket the mountains. The trees turn reddish-brown before dying off–a phenomenon the National Park Service deemed “an epidemic stretching from Canada to Mexico.” There’s widespread concern that such tree mortality creates an excellent fuel source for wildfires.

http://blogs.smithso...aks-from-space/

[AsteroidX]

The pine beetle is already a horrid plague on the western forests. Cant imagine it getting worse.

[freetoroam]

Since 1972, NASA and the USGS have deployed satellites that snap specialized digital photographs of Earth’s landscapes. They’re able to capture details that exist in wavelengths invisible to the human eye, including those slightly longer than visible light called the near infrared. Healthy plants reflect energy in the near infrared, and by scanning the imagery, scientists can detect disruptions in Earth’s landscapes.

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These disruptions they have been detecting since 1972, do they also detect the destruction man is doing to the Earth? or is that "not to be discussed"?

Warmer temperatures and drought conditions prolong the life cycle of mountain pine beetles,.............................

Would be interesting to know if these kind of beetles were the reason for some of the barren areas too? With the climate change this is not a good sign for us humans, it seems they will move to other areas when they have eaten their way though these trees.

[AsteroidX]

These disruptions they have been detecting since 1972, do they also detect the destruction man is doing to the Earth? or is that "not to be discussed"?

Dont have to look outside normal light spectrum to see that. Ill have to do some google earth exploring to check and see if I can see the clearcuts in Oregon. Although there are fewer today then in decades past due to a reduction in federal assistance or demand for the wood. It all is bought by China now. They load up ship after after ship of wood chips out of Coos Bay Oregon. Hopefully were using these beetle trees and not our "good trees for wood chipping"

[keithisco]

Same problem here on the Mediterranean Coast of Spain. I am currently burning the remnants of a 100 year old pne in my fireplace that died from Palm beetle infestation.

[Simbi Laveau]

Remember now.No such thing as global warming. It's all in our heads

[freetoroam]

Remember now.No such thing as global warming. It's all in our heads

Oh yeah thats right, I forgot. My heads like the weather, it ain`t what it used to be.

[Ashotep]

We can't ship any fire wood out of the county because of the emerald ash bore but the logs they can. We had a wood chipping plant here but for some reason they left. Maybe it had something to do with the fact no one liked them and wouldn't sell them any wood. I don't like wood chipping plants because some of these loggers will cut trees that are too small and should be left to grow just for those places.

We shouldn't be selling our lumber to China that is part of the reason building a new house is so expensive.