As I mentioned in a post at the beginning of the year, I am hard at work on artwork for my next book: Coral Reefs. This is the first post in a series describing my painting process. The first step is always brainstorming and sketching. I usually start small, and do multiple sketches to get down many ideas. After I’m satisfied with a small sketch, I work it up into a drawing that is the same size as a page in the book. Here’s an example:
This preliminary drawing is the last thing I do before I start painting and I try my best to work out as many details as possible in this drawing. Since I work in watercolors, it’s very hard to go back and change things after I start to paint. When the drawing is finished, I use a lightbox to transfer it to a nice piece of watercolor paper…but that’s step two, and I’ll write more about that tomorrow.
A new study finds fluctuating levels of fog on the California coast which could have an adverse affect on coast redwoods. The study, conducted by biologist James Johnstone from U.C. Berkley, suggests that there has been a 30% decline in fog frequency along the coast in the past over the last century. Redwoods rely on fog in the dry summer months to retain moisture. When the fog rolls in, moisture condenses on the trees’ needles and falls to the ground to be soaked up by the trees’ roots. But not only do they make their own rain, recent research has found that redwoods also absorb moisture through the needles themselves. Over the course of one year, 30% to 40% of a redwoods total water intake is fog dependent, which is why this research has redwood enthusiasts worried. The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Read more about the study on npr.org
The National Science Teacher’s Association has given Redwoods a great review, saying:
“…this book [is] one that you will want to read over and over again. The adventure is beautifully depicted by illustrations that will leave readers in awe…”
and
“The book’s content, graphics, and unique presentation earned it a place as one of the NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for 2010″
It’s great to get such a strong endorsement from the experts! You can read the full review on the NSTA website:
By now, everyone knows that increased carbon in our atmosphere is causing global temperatures to rise, but many people don’t know about another major impact that it is having on our planet: acidification of our oceans. When carbon in the air makes contact with sea water, a certain percentage of it is absorbed, and as the amount of carbon in the sea increases, so does the acidity of the water, putting ocean life in grave danger. At greatest risk are shell forming creatures, such as coral, clams, shrimp, snails and various forms of plankton. High acidity makes it very difficult for these animals to form their shells–and acidity that is too high will cause their shells to literally disintegrate. Fortunately we haven’t reached that level yet, but unfortunately we are well on our way.
What will the mass extinction of crustaceans mean for life on earth? Disaster. These animals are an integral part of the ocean food web. Animals like corals and pteropods are at the base of the food chain, and removing them will cause a ripple affect up the chain affecting untold numbers of species, from tuna to humpbacks, dolphins to octopi. But who is at the top of the food chain? You guessed it–we are. Millions of people world wide depend on the oceans for their daily bread. Coral reefs are some of the most endangered ocean environments, but they are also some of the most valuable, accounting for $29 Billion of net benefit yearly according to a joint report from NOAA and other organizations.
This is a urgent problem. The science is irrefutable (it’s basic chemistry, really) and the consequences are already being measured. The good news is that we know what we have to do–we must decrease the amount of fossil fuels we burn– and we know how to do it: increased efficiency (CFL bulbs, hybrid cars, Energy Star appliances), reduced personal use (shutting off the lights, choosing to walk instead of drive), and changing from polluting power sources (coal, oil) to non-polluting sources (wind, geo-thermal and solar). The first two are within the control of each and every one of us, but to tackle the third we need smart, courageous leaders to implement laws that will force us into a green energy future.
