大尺度气候指标的适用性

在动植物生态研究中，人们常常用到气候指标来构建生态系统对气候变化响应的模型，并且假设这些气候指标对不同地区的动植物生态具有普遍适用性。但发表在 Global Change Biology 上的[一篇文章](http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01778.x)通过对不同地区的雌鹿体重的比较，发现在一个地区能解释大部分变化的气候指标在另一个地区就成了微不足道的变量。气候因素起什么样的作用，还取决于当地的植被类型和土壤等因素。文章作者们由此推断说，此前的许多研究中，将基于一个地区的观察或实验结果的理论推广到在其它地区的同类型生态系统而得出的结论可能是不可靠的。为了对气候变化在一个地区的影响进行完整的评估，需要弄清气候对生态系统作用的路径，也需要有更完整的当地气候数据。

MARTÍNEZ-JAUREGUI, M., SAN MIGUEL-AYANZ, A., MYSTERUD, A., RODRÍGUEZ-VIGAL, C., CLUTTON-BROCK, T., LANGVATN, R., & COULSON, T. (2009). Are local weather, NDVI and NAO consistent determinants of red deer weight across three contrasting European countries? Global Change Biology, 15 (7), 1727-1738 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01778.x

Effects directly attributed to climate change

Attributing physical and biological impacts to anthropogenic climate change

This is the first time observed changes in physical and biological characters of natural systems are explicitly linked to anthropogenic climate change.  The method used seems to be data mining and statistics.

Geeks are better adventurers?

Well, if going to a movie alone is pathetic, what is going to two movies in one day alone like?

The second movie I saw today is Nim's Island. I am glad to see some appealing aspects of science and scientists in this movie. Finally scientists are not busy making killing technology and being killed. And this movie manages to convey the information that "if we take care of the island, the island will take care of us" to the younger audience, although it is a bit too explicit for older Asian guys like me.

I have to say although this movie can be seen as Home Alone on an Island, and has some Indy Jones flavour and even Robinson Crusoe, these are not the tags I want to see. The ingredients are enough to make two separate movies: Nim the Island Defender and The Self-Improvement of Adventure Novel Writer. I am not sure which one the director would like to do better. From the perspective of a fan of Jodie Foster's performance (comical in this movie but still great), I am not satisfied to see that she went all the way to Nim just to be a companion instead of a protector.

The real hero in the movie of course is Nim's father. Well, now you guys can see that scientists are not necessarily weak nerds waiting to be killed by Afghanistan warlords or firearm tycoons (yes I saw Iron Man just now), at least ecologists can be confident, competent and always get things done. Kids need such movies to encourage them to become a scientist (turned adventurer?).