THIS IS A longer FIELDNOTES report. I take you on a short 100-Meter in elevation gain -- what I call a "one degree of climate" -- trek in the South Wallowa wilderness, and discuss along the way a few of the relevant features of #ALTITUDE & #CLIMATECHANGE.
[NOTE: I forgot to mention, regarding snowline, that the level is going UP a thumb's length, or about 2 cm, every day, tendency accelerating by an unknown factor. Two other important numbers I didn't have a chance to mention: Since 1950, snowpack is DOWN on average by 50%; While fire season is on average two months LONGER. In my view, all the data basically mean the same thing: a hotter, drier, climate.]
MUSIC HEARD ALONG the way is from my StarCycle PROJECT, for piccolo solo Regulus REGULUS "The Little King", on Soundcloud at: http://bit.ly/1S9CRTb
PHOTO: ASPEN GROVE where the field recording was made, part of a massive Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD) in Northeast OREGON. The Aspens are suffering, like all other deciduous shrubs and trees in the area, from a HOTTER, DRIER climate. The latter two words taken together should in my view be said with emphasis. Drought, is one thing. Many native species are supremely adapted to dry conditions in parts of their growing season. But drought together with even a slight rise of average temperature is something altogether different. In order to cool off, leaves, like our skin, must release moisture. And if there is no adequate moisture at hand to release, then their pores or stomata have no recourse but to shut down. This puts the tree, again, just like us, under severe stress. And if this happens for long enough periods of time, and in recurring yearly cycles, trees fall prey to what I see as other, more secondary, assaults to their well-being, like fungi or beetles, etc. In the photograph to the right, we see such an attack of Poplar Borers. SAD, indeed.
