- Email: [email protected]
What if we lowered the Mediterranean Sea?
1062
F. General
example of the exponential increase in numbers of the northern fulmar is discussed as is the somewhat involved case of the puffin/capelin relationship. A self-sustaining fishery for both birds and people depends on proper management based on sound biology. (wbg) 85:7386
Stebbins, G.L. and F.J. Ayala, 1985. The evolution of Darwinism. Scient. Am., 253(1):72-82. Just as advances in genetics and population biology extended Darwinism and led to the synthetic theory in the 1930's and 1940's, new developments in molecular biology have amplified the synthetic theory. Along with the modifications have come challenges to the theory, three of which are discussed here: molecular determinism as the cause of DNA variation; the contrasting claim that chance governs the establishment of genetic variations in populations, as well as their initial appearance; and the third challenge, from paleontology, of punctuated equilibrium which holds that evolution proceeds irregularly. The authors view the disputes as 'conflicts of degree and emphasis within a shared evolutionary outlook,' and conclude that most of the challenges can be encompassed within the synthetic theory. Univ. of Calif., Davis, CA, USA. (msg)
F420. Miscellaneous 85:7387
Cathcart, R.B., 1985. What if we lowered the Mediterranean Sea? Speculations Sci. Technol., 8(1):7-14. This interesting speculation is an invited summary of the author's forthcoming book, Planet Earth Re-
OLR (1985) 32 (12)
newed." Macroprojects and Geopolitics. The book and article deal with the legacy of a German civil engineer, Herman SOrgel, who first elaborated the macroengineering concept of isolating the Mediterranean from the Atlantic by constructing a dam across the Strait of Gibraltar, thus inducing the artificial lowering of the Mediterranean Sea. SOrgel's Panropa-Project, later called Atlantropa, was a macroengineerlng concept with geopolitical ramifications. As the Mediterranean region has more evaporation than precipitation, the Mediterranean Sea would shrink, exposing new potential farmlands. The drop in sea level would potentiate hydroelectric power as rivenne inputs would literally fall greater distances as the sea level dropped. (If glacial melting is ignored, lowering the Mediterranean Sea by 100 rn would raise global sea level by ~ 6 7 cm.) Geographos, 441 South Berendo St.. Suite 101. Los Angeles. CA 90020, USA. (jst)
85.'7388
Sadig, A.A., 1985. Plate tectonics and pollflcs--a distributional and evolutionary analogy. Geology, geol. Soc. Am., 13(6):447-448. 'Given that most of the countries that make up what is called the "Third World" were originally embodied in Gondwanaland' while the 'rich' north was embedded in Laurasia, or that the Pacific side of South America (a convergent margin) is subject to more political instability than the Atlantic side (a passive margin), could it be that geopolitics is controlled by a sort of social Wegenerism? Well, some analogies may be drawn. When it comes to disposing of enemies, there's nothing so thorough as subduction, but it's slow. Dept. of Geol., Univ. of Khartoum, P.O. Box 321, Khartoum, Sudan. (fcs)
F. General
example of the exponential increase in numbers of the northern fulmar is discussed as is the somewhat involved case of the puffin/capelin relationship. A self-sustaining fishery for both birds and people depends on proper management based on sound biology. (wbg) 85:7386
Stebbins, G.L. and F.J. Ayala, 1985. The evolution of Darwinism. Scient. Am., 253(1):72-82. Just as advances in genetics and population biology extended Darwinism and led to the synthetic theory in the 1930's and 1940's, new developments in molecular biology have amplified the synthetic theory. Along with the modifications have come challenges to the theory, three of which are discussed here: molecular determinism as the cause of DNA variation; the contrasting claim that chance governs the establishment of genetic variations in populations, as well as their initial appearance; and the third challenge, from paleontology, of punctuated equilibrium which holds that evolution proceeds irregularly. The authors view the disputes as 'conflicts of degree and emphasis within a shared evolutionary outlook,' and conclude that most of the challenges can be encompassed within the synthetic theory. Univ. of Calif., Davis, CA, USA. (msg)
F420. Miscellaneous 85:7387
Cathcart, R.B., 1985. What if we lowered the Mediterranean Sea? Speculations Sci. Technol., 8(1):7-14. This interesting speculation is an invited summary of the author's forthcoming book, Planet Earth Re-
OLR (1985) 32 (12)
newed." Macroprojects and Geopolitics. The book and article deal with the legacy of a German civil engineer, Herman SOrgel, who first elaborated the macroengineering concept of isolating the Mediterranean from the Atlantic by constructing a dam across the Strait of Gibraltar, thus inducing the artificial lowering of the Mediterranean Sea. SOrgel's Panropa-Project, later called Atlantropa, was a macroengineerlng concept with geopolitical ramifications. As the Mediterranean region has more evaporation than precipitation, the Mediterranean Sea would shrink, exposing new potential farmlands. The drop in sea level would potentiate hydroelectric power as rivenne inputs would literally fall greater distances as the sea level dropped. (If glacial melting is ignored, lowering the Mediterranean Sea by 100 rn would raise global sea level by ~ 6 7 cm.) Geographos, 441 South Berendo St.. Suite 101. Los Angeles. CA 90020, USA. (jst)
85.'7388
Sadig, A.A., 1985. Plate tectonics and pollflcs--a distributional and evolutionary analogy. Geology, geol. Soc. Am., 13(6):447-448. 'Given that most of the countries that make up what is called the "Third World" were originally embodied in Gondwanaland' while the 'rich' north was embedded in Laurasia, or that the Pacific side of South America (a convergent margin) is subject to more political instability than the Atlantic side (a passive margin), could it be that geopolitics is controlled by a sort of social Wegenerism? Well, some analogies may be drawn. When it comes to disposing of enemies, there's nothing so thorough as subduction, but it's slow. Dept. of Geol., Univ. of Khartoum, P.O. Box 321, Khartoum, Sudan. (fcs)