The Scout Report for Science & Engineering - November 11, 1998


The Scout Report for Science & Engineering

November 11, 1998

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The target audience of the new Scout Report for Science & Engineering is faculty, students, staff, and librarians in the life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. Each biweekly issue offers a selective collection of Internet resources covering topics in the sciences, and related fields such as math and engineering, that have been chosen by librarians and content specialists in the given field of study.

The Scout Report for Science & Engineering is also provided via email once every two weeks. Subscription information is included at the bottom of each issue.

In This Issue

Research

Learning Resources

General Interest

Current Awareness

New Data

In The News

Research

Three New Journals
Clinical Chemistry
http://www.clinchem.org/
Gut
http://gut.bmjjournals.com/
Physiological Reviews
http://physrev.physiology.org/
HighWire Press
http://highwire.stanford.edu
The American Association for Clinical Chemistry has recently made available online Clinical Chemistry, International Journal of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics.Clinical Chemistry contains full-text articles, figures, and tables in a searchable (by keyword) format. Coverage begins with the January 1998 issue. Abstracts begin with the January 1980 issue. Online subscriptions are free through February 28, 1999. Also available, Gut, a leading international journal in gastroenterology, contains original papers on the alimentary tract, the liver, biliary tree, and pancreas. Online full-text content of each journal article, including all figures and tables, is available in a searchable (by keyword) format. Online issues begin with January 1998; online abstracts begin with the 1975 issues and tables of contents with the 1966 issues. The free trial period of Gut ends July 1, 1999. Physiological Reviews is currently available online through the American Physiological Society. Online abstracts and full-text content begin January 1998. All three journals are made available through Stanford University's HighWire Press. [SN]
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Hudson Bay Project: Ecosystem Studies and Conservation of Coastal Arctic Tundra
http://research.amnh.org/~rfr/hbp/main.html
Over the past 30 years, the Mid-continent population of Lesser Snow Geese has tripled, causing degradation (from goose feeding habits) in large tracts of coastal wetlands in the Hudson Bay region (described in the October 28, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering). The Hudson Bay Project is a collaborative research program examining the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors that lead to such trophic cascades (runaway ecological processes). The Webpage, illustrated with color photos, describes the myriad of research programs -- from the use of LANDSAT satellite imagery to detect changes in vegetation, to studies of digestive physiology -- and lists participating scientists and affiliated institutions. Also at the site are full reference lists of relevant publications (including current and "in press" publications), a News section providing research updates, and a selection of recommended links. This excellent research site simplifies the complexity of ecosystem-scale studies enough to make it user-friendly to the general public but not so much that the impressive content and depth of the research is compromised. [LXP]
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The Ants: A Community of Microrobots
http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/ants/
A community of cubic-inch microrobots called "ants" is located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology artificial intelligence laboratory. As part of a larger initiative to develop technologies for planetary exploration, the two main goals of the Ants project are "to push the limit of microrobotics by integrating many sensors and actuators into a small package, and to form a structured robotic community from the interactions of many simple individuals." Information pertaining to topics such as Hardware, Software, Related Research at the MIT AI Lab, Related Research Elsewhere, and Related Web Sites is listed under these subheadings. At the Website, the user will also find links to related MIT project sites such as Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Mars Exploration. These projects are an example of the many applications of robotic communities. [SN]
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SCIENCE-WEEK Focus Reports
http://scienceweek.com/
SCIENCE-WEEK (described in the June 27, 1997 Scout Report) is an online weekly digest of the news of science, now published by Spectrum Press Inc. Formerly a completely free service, SCIENCE-WEEK now charges a nominal fee for its current awareness services. However, several Focus Reports are currently available on-site for free (visitors may also wish to browse the table of contents for past SCIENCE-WEEK issues). Focus Reports explain and summarize (in clear language!) cutting-edge science and provide syntheses of current research, including the date and source of recent publication. Publication sources generally include Science,Nature,Scientific American, and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., among other reputable journals. Current Focus Reports cover topics as varied as Astrophysics, Evolution, and the Biology of Cancer. For those with a strong interest in scientific advances or for those seeking examples of clear but uncompromised scientific explanations, this is an excellent resource. [LXP]
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Tidal Wetlands Impacts Data Homepage--VIMS
http://www.vims.edu/rmap/wetlands/cgi-bin/index.htm
A cooperative effort between the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this site was designed "to assist resource managers, academicians, students, politicians, and the general public in the areas of research, education, environmental management, and policy ... about human impacts on tidal wetlands in Virginia." Non-interactive sections include the Overview of the VIMS Program, describing data collection methods; Overview of Management, describing the history and current status of tidal wetlands management; Nontidal wetlands impacts information, summarizing impacts to nontidal wetlands; and General Data Summaries, offering display tables and graphs. Two searchable sections provide for select examination of the data: Design a query for 1993-1997 and Design a query for 1988-1992 enable viewers to examine data by year, activity category, and watershed. Results are presented in tabular form and "display impacts to vegetated and nonvegetated wetlands by square footage." Photographs accompany the summary data. [LXP]
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The Gray Card Index--Harvard Herbarium
http://www.herbaria.harvard.edu/Data/Gray/gray.html
Gray Herbarium
http://www.herbaria.harvard.edu/Libraries/gray.html
The Gray Card index was initiated by Josephine Clark, Librarian at the US Department of Agriculture, when she first compiled a list of North American vascular plant names in 1891 (Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 1: 151-188. 1892). A century later, the Gray Card Index was made available on the WWW, and has since become a multi-library (within Harvard University) effort with 322,233 citations of New World vascular plant taxa. Currently, the Gray Card Index contains information on taxonomy (from family to form), as well as status, new listings, name changes, and combinations. The Gray Card Index may be searched by plant name; returns include publication details (author information and date and title of publication) and hyperlinked synonyms. [LXP]
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Learning Resources

BEATCALC: Beat the Calculator!
http://forum.swarthmore.edu/k12/mathtips/beatcalc.html
The Math Forum at Swarthmore College has made available this Beat the Calculator Website, originally an electronic mailing list (described in the September 29, 1995 Scout Report). The site offers a plethora of tips to "beat the calculator." Tricks are provided for multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, squaring numbers, and finding percentages. Each trick is thoroughly explained and illustrated with two examples.[SN]
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Introduction to Physical Geography
http://www.arts.ouc.bc.ca/conted/onlinecourses/geog_111/111studyguide.html
Dr. Michael Pidwirny of the Department of Geography at Okanagan University College, British Colombia (Canada) has put together this excellent resource on Physical Geography. Organized by major topics, the course covers eight fundamental areas: the science of physical geography; the universe, earth, natural spheres, and gaia; systems theory and systems models; matter and energy; climatology; hydrology; biogeography; and geomorphology. Each topic includes a one-page summary, a useful list of key terms (hyperlinked to an online, illustrated glossary), study questions and exercises, and a list of additional readings -- many of which are current and feature journal articles from the New Scientist,Scientific American, and Science. Although users may wish to supplement the reading lists, students and educators, alike, will benefit from this wonderful resource. [LXP]
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A Gem of a Story Online [QuickTime]
http://www.bsu.edu/teachers/academy/gems/
A Gem of a Story Online is a guide to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals. While the site was designed as a supplement to A Gem of a Story's subscription "electronic field trip" for grades seven through twelve, this is a great site for anyone interested in learning more about gemology and mineralogy. The virtual museum tour of Smithsonian's Exhibits of Geology, Gems, and Minerals describes the history and chemical composition of gems such as diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Part of the tour (which is available via the site's Exhibits section) is still under construction, but visitors can already learn about the Hope Diamond, take a QuickTime tour of the Shape and Colors Alcove, and more. Other sections of the site include archives (brilliant images of gems and minerals), educational activities (how to identify minerals, how crystals form, and others), and an interesting selection of related resources -- from the US Geological Survey's State Minerals Information page to Alaska's Copper River Valley homepage. [SN]
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Advanced Insect Ecology
http://cnas.ucr.edu/~ento/courses/entm204.html
Entomologist Dr. Daniel Hare provides these online lecture notes on Advanced Insect Ecology, from the University of California at Riverside. Organized as a series of lecture outlines, most of which emphasize population dynamics, the online material is largely theoretical in nature but covers the important basics: Introduction and Population Dynamics, Population Regulation, Life Tables in Ecology, The Dynamics of Predation and Parasitism, Competition, Competition in Parasitoid Communities, Organization of Arthropod Communities, Conservation Biology & Nutrient Flow, Life History and Reproductive Strategies, Insect Specialization, Ecological Genetics, and Applied Insect Ecology. [LXP]
[Note: Public access to materials may have changed since the original review due to intellectual property concerns.]
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How to Make a Great Poster
http://www.aspp.org/education/poster.htm
One experience common to scientists, especially beginners, is the presentation of their research at scientific conferences, using a poster format. Research Associate Professor of Botany, Dina Mandoli, of the University of Washington at Seattle, has created this useful tipsheet on how to make a great poster. Placed online by the American Society of Plant Physiologists, the tipsheet reviews the important basics of creating a powerful presentation -- readability, organization, nice graphics, and brevity. The tipsheet is easy to read and content-rich; new poster-makers and veterans, alike, will benefit from her advice. [LXP]
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General Interest

Celebration of Women in Engineering
http://www.nae.edu/nae/cwe/cwe.nsf/Homepage/
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has launched the Celebration of Women in Engineering Website. The focus of the project is to bring national attention to the opportunities and potential that engineering represents to women, and to all people, of all ages. At the Website, users will find sections such as Gallery of Women Engineers, Mentoring Program, and Educational Resources, among others. Although the Website has been launched, some sections (Career Information, Funding & Financial Aid, etc.) are still under construction. A highlight of the site is the searchable (by name or specialty) Gallery of Women Engineers section, which provides a wonderful opportunity to recognize women engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the field. Overall, the site encourages other women engineers to challenge themselves, to feel confident of their successes, and to overcome their failures. [SN]
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Linkages: A Multimedia Resource for Environment and Development Policy Makers
http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/
A service of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Linkages is a clearinghouse for information on "past and upcoming international meetings related to environment and development policy." Breaking news headlines and text describe current important events, such as COP-4 (see In The News). Additional real-time information on "the activities of governments, NGOs, and the United Nations," is provided in the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, "a reporting service for environment and development negotiations." Summary reports, historical perspectives of the conferences and conventions, and links to associated resources and archives are also available on-site. [LXP]
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The Convention on Migratory Species (or "Bonn Convention")
http://www.wcmc.org.uk/cms/
Administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (described in the October 1, 1997 Scout Report for Science & Engineering), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (also known as CMS or the Bonn Convention) was established "to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range." Provided in English, French, and Spanish, the site's straightforward design enables visitors to become familiar with the Convention, from the basics (Frequently Asked Questions) to the specifics (official documents of the Convention). In addition to the general information herein, the site offers full details on recent agreements -- such as the "Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (EUROBATS)," the "Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS)," and others. The What's New section and a selection of closely related links round out the site. [LXP]
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PlanetDiary
http://www.planetdiary.com/
Brought to the Web by global educational publisher Addison Wesley Longman, the PlanetDiary site provides weekly coverage of "the events and phenomena that affect Earth and its residents." Each week, PlantDiary presents astronomical, biological, environmental, geological, and meteorological news from around the globe. An especially useful highlight of the Website is the Phenomena Backgrounders section. The pages within this section explain the science surrounding each event, provide links to local and up-to-the-minute information, and suggest online (and hands-on) activities. In addition, the Phenomena Backgrounders section is an excellent resource for research projects or for tracking weekly weather and geological activity. Other sections at the site include Current Phenomena (for the latest geological, environmental, and meteorological news), Calendar (for upcoming events), and Universal Measurements (for tips on converting times and distances). [SN]
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Earth Alert
http://discovery.com/news/earthalert/earthalert.html
More of a newsy page than a data resource, this Discovery Online site by journalist Steve Newman nevertheless depicts the current status of some environmental and human disasters across the globe. Based on a crude map of the earth with symbols designating events, Earth Alert provides summary information that is not usually offered collectively: highlights of locations of this week's temperature extremes, insect outbreaks, earthquakes, cyclones, and other significant events. Also provided are additional intriguing observations, which keeps pace with current news headlines (for instance, locations of "whales" one week and "power outages caused by birds" the next). Though by no means exhaustive, the site gives a spatial perspective and some background information to current environmental events. Dedicated Internauts will want to tune in to Science Live!, a live Webcast each Wednesday at 8 PM, ET. [LXP]
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Current Awareness

CEPNews [Frames]
http://www.cep.unep.org/pubs/cepnews/v13n2/v13n2fr.html
At this site, users will find the online version of a quarterly newsletter, CEPNews, from the United Nations Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP). CEPNews features environmental news and information from the Caribbean region. Articles from the current issue (Vol 13, No 2) discuss poaching threats to Green Turtles in Costa Rica, a Coastal Water Quality Improvement initiative in Jamaica, coral bleaching off the coast of Panama, and the addition of Antigua & Barbuda as parties to the CITES Convention, among other issues. In addition to its reputation as a reliable news resource, CEPNews posts recent publications, educational and training opportunities, and upcoming scientific conferences. [LXP]
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New Publications

Variance Technology Findings for Contaminants Regulated Before 1996 [.pdf]
http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/standard/varfd.pdf
This publication, recently posted online by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), describes the variety of technology findings for contaminants regulated before 1996. The report, available in .pdf format only, is organized into five chapters. Topics included in the chapters are "the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the overall approach EPA is following to meet these requirements, . . . the two-stage screening process that was used to identify those contaminants that would have technology costs compared against the national-level affordability criteria, . . . affordable technology determinations and how treatment costs are compared against the national-level affordability criteria, . . . [and] a summary of the variance technology findings." In addition, two appendices, figures, and tables supplement the findings. [SN]

Forest and Rangeland Birds of the United States: Natural History and Habitat Use
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/1998/forest/forest.htm
Richard DeGraaf and others wrote this 1991 publication (USDA Agriculture Handbook 688), in order to "provide managers with information on the assemblage of bird species that might be expected in forest and rangeland habitats." Organized by species, the site describes natural histories for each bird species, "including taxonomic information, range and status, habitat descriptions, nest site descriptions, and food habits." Also provided is a series of matrices listing bird species that breed or winter in "20 forest cover types and 24 rangeland, desert, and other nonforest habitats." A lengthy list of literature cited, consisting mainly of older references, concludes the publication. [LXP]

Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1997 [.pdf]
http://www.eia.doe.gov/new.html
The Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1997 publication was prepared under the guidance of Mary Hutzler, Director of the Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, Energy Information Administration. This report "presents the latest estimates of emissions for carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases." The paper states that 82% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are caused by coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Gases such as hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), perflourocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride, nitrous oxide, methane, and other carbon dioxide gases comprise the other 18% of U.S. emissions. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of Carbon Dioxide Emissions, Methane Emissions, Nitrous Oxide Emissions, Halocarbons and Other Gases, and Land Use Issues, among others. [SN]

Twelve New CRS Reports--NLE
http://www.cnie.org/nle/crsnew.html
A dozen new Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports and six updated CRS reports have been posted at the National Library for the Environment site. The reports cover air quality, the tobacco settlement, ozone depletion, the Earth Summit, federal protection and habitat conservation of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, NAFTA, salvage timber sales, gold mining in Yellowstone, and the World Solar Summit, among other topics. [LXP]
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Jobs

Job Openings in Science and Technology from the Chronicle of Higher Education
http://thisweek.chronicle.com/.ads/.ads-by-group/.faculty/.scitech/.links.html
[LXP]

AAS Job Register
http://www.aas.org/JobRegister/aasjobs.html
The Job Register of the American Astronomical Society has been updated for the month of November. It provides a list of current fellowships, postdoctoral, assistant, and faculty positions, for the current and previous months. At the Website, the user will also find additional resources such as descriptions of resume services, in the Editorial section; a Web Submission Form for posting jobs; and information on the AAS Job Center. [SN]

What's New in Entomology
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/whatsnew.html
Although not exclusively a job site, this frequently updated, nicely maintained site from Colorado State University has many current listings for employment opportunities in entomology. Job positions are typically academic in nature and range from graduate student or post doc opportunities to faculty positions. [LXP]
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Funding

Grants for Vertical Integration of Research and Education in The Mathematical Sciences (VIGRE)--NSF
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1999/nsf9916/nsf9916.txt
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) has announced a new initiative, Grants for Vertical Integration of Research and Education in The Mathematical Sciences (VIGRE), to integrate research and education "to prepare undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for the broad range of opportunities available to individuals with training in the mathematical sciences; and to encourage departments in the mathematical sciences to consider the full spectrum of education activities and their integration with research, with particular attention to the interaction of scholars across boundaries of academic age and departmental standing." A given department is limited to submitting one proposal to each of the VIGRE competitions that will be conducted in 1999. Letters of intent are due January 15, 1999 and June 18, 1999. Full proposal deadlines are due February 16, 1999 and July 19, 1999. [SN]

The Conservation Technology Support Program (CTSP)
http://www.ctsp.org/
The Conservation Technology Support Program (CTSP) "annually awards grants of equipment plus software to tax-exempt conservation organizations to build their Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capacity." CTSP is a collaborative effort of several conservation, GIS, and other organizations including Desktop Assistance, GreenInfo Network, Interrain Pacific, Pacific Biodiversity Institute, the Rockefeller Technology Project, Sierra Biodiversity Institute, and The Wilderness Society, among others. Applications must be postmarked by January 7, 1999; awards will be announced on April 15, 1999. [LXP]
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Conferences

Areas of Concentrated Programming 217th American Chemical Society National Meeting
http://www.acs.org/meetings/anaheim/welcome.htm
The Areas of Concentrated Programming 217th American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting will be held March 21-25, 1999, in Anaheim, California. A wide range of topics will be covered: biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and biomolecules, environmental issues, materials, catalysis, chemistry and computers, and astrochemistry and cosmochemistry. In addition, the conference provides an opportunity for professional and peer interactions within the ACS's Technical Divisions. Abstract submission deadlines vary according to division; most abstract deadlines fall before, or on, November 26, 1998. [SN]

Seventh Australasian Conference on Grassland Invertebrate Ecology
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au:7000/ento/acgie/
The Seventh Australasian Conference on Grassland Invertebrate Ecology will be held in Perth, Western Australia between September 27 and October 1, 1999. The conference serves as "a major forum for interaction between Australian and New Zealand scientists researching the biology, ecology and management of both pest and beneficial invertebrates in grassland ecosystems. These systems include native grasslands, exotic pastures, pasture/crop rotational systems and managed turf." Although details are not yet posted online, contact information is available at the site. [LXP]

The International Conference on Modeling and Simulation of Microsystems [Frames]
http://www.iamcm.org/MSM99
The International Conference on Modeling and Simulation of Microsystems will be held April 19-21, 1999, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The conference provides an opportunity for researchers, designers, programmers, and vendors to analyze and make decisions "concerning the development of interdependent software packages, establishing interfaces and cooperation strategies and deployment of simulation methods progressing towards efficient modeling of complete microsystems." Specific topics will include numerical methods, finite and boundary element methods, computational materials, combinatorial chemistry, virtual reality, computer vision, and a host of others. Early registration is recommended for vendors and publishers interested in securing exhibition space. Abstracts are due by November 30, 1998. [SN]

Shallow Tropical Waters and Humans
http://www.le.ac.uk:80/biology/staff/dmh/stl.html
The international conference on Shallow Tropical Waters and Humans will be held at the Training Institute of the Kenya Wildlife Services, Naivasha, Kenya, April 11-16, 1999. The conference will address "the management of shallow tropical freshwater, alkaline, brackish, saline lakes and lagoons and their catchments for sustainable human benefit." The closing date for presentation abstracts is December 31, 1998. Registration information is provided online. [LXP]

Beam Technology and Nanofabrication
http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~pang
The 43rd International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication (EIPBN) will be held June 1-4, 1999, in Marco Island, Florida. The conference is dedicated to lithographic science and technology as well as micro and nanofabrication. An interesting aspect of the conference will be the special focus sessions on advanced processing technology. Examples of topics presented at these special focus sessions are neutral beam etching, atom manipulation for nanofabrication, and large area microprinting, among others. In addition, there will be an opportunity to eternalize your favorite micrograph(s) by entering the micrograph contest. Abstracts are due by January 11, 1999. [SN]
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New Data

Data for Legs 174, 175--Ocean Drilling Program
http://www-odp.tamu.edu/database/
Publications
http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/
Data from Leg 174A (Cork Hole 395A), Leg 174B (Continuing the New Jersey Mid-Atlantic Sea-level Transect), and Leg 175 (Benguela Current) of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) are now available online. The Ocean Drilling Program (described in the August 5, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering) conducts basic research into the "history of the ocean basins and the nature of the crust beneath the floor." ODP is funded principally by the National Science Foundation (NSF), along with large contributions from ODP's international partners. For scientific reports and proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, see the Publications page; initial reports for legs 172 and 173 and scientific results for legs 156 and 158 are also available online. [SN]
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Satellite Images--GOES [MPEG]
http://www.cmc.ec.gc.ca/cmc/htmls/satellite.html
Updated every one to three hours, this Environment Canada page offers the latest Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) images (in MPEG format) from GOES-8 and GOES-9, covering Eastern Canada, Western Canada, Eastern North America, Western North America, Pacific North America, and North and South America. Images show global climate/weather patterns in the form of color graphics (full-size or scaled) and small or large animations. A particularly useful feature of the site is the FAQ section; users will find help with image interpretation by browsing the many questions and answers or by following links to other satellite information sites. [LXP]
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CHIANTI: A Database for Astrophysical Emission Line Spectroscopy
http://www.arcetri.astro.it/science/chianti/chianti.html
This database for astrophysical emission line spectroscopy, CHIANTI, maintained by the Naval Research Laboratory and the University of Cambridge, provides a set of atomic data needed to calculate the emission line spectrum of astrophysical plasmas. Examples of atomic data in the database are atomic energy levels, atomic radiative data (such as wavelengths, weighted oscillator strengths, and A values), and electron collisional excitation rates. At the homepage, the user will also find sample plots of the CHIANTI spectrum of a solar flare and the CHIANTI spectrum of the quiet sun. Programs written in Interactive Data Language (IDL) are also included in the database. To download data files (tar.Z format) and procedures, see instructions in the readme file. [SN]
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Three publications from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre--WCMC
1) Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation in the Tropics
ftp://ftp.wcmc.org.uk/products/wcmc.publications/bulletin_1/bulletin.htm
2) Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: An Urgent Priority for Conservation
ftp://ftp.wcmc.org.uk/products/wcmc.publications/bulletin_2/text.htm
.pdf Version:
ftp://ftp.wcmc.org.uk/products/wcmc.publications/bulletin_2/text.pdf
Accompanying Maps:
ftp://ftp.wcmc.org.uk/products/wcmc.publications/bulletin_2/maps.htm
3) Patterns of Biodiversity in Arctic Birds [.pdf]
ftp://ftp.wcmc.org.uk/products/wcmc.publications/bulletin_3/arctic_birds.pdf
Accompanying Maps:
http://www.wcmc.org.uk/information_services/publications/arctic_maps.htm
Three publications from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre are now online, referenced as Biodiversity Bulletin Nos 1-3. The first, entitled "Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation in the Tropics," is by Michael Green and others and provides an assessment of "the extent to which habitats in the tropics are protected and guidance on prioritising conservation action from global and national perspectives." The second (ASCII or .pdf, with accompanying maps), entitled "Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: An Urgent Priority for Conservation," is by Mark Aldrich and others, and describes work on "the development of a global database and draft directory of Tropical Montane Cloud Forests." The third report (.pdf with accompanying maps), by Christoph Zuckler, describes Patterns of Biodiversity in Arctic Birds. [LXP]
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In The News

COP4: International Conference on Climate Change
1. Fourth Session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP4) [RealPlayer]
Frames
http://www.cop4.org/
No Frames
http://www.cop4.org/home.html
2. What is Climate Change?
http://www.unfccc.de/fccc/climate/file03.htm
3. Timeline to Buenos Aires
http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/climate/ba/timeline.html
4. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) [Frames]
http://www.unfccc.de/index.html
5. Full text of the Convention on Climate Change
http://www.unfccc.de/fccc/conv/conv_toc.htm
6. The Kyoto Protocol
http://www.unfccc.de/fccc/docs/protintr.html
7. Earth Negotiations Bulletin: COP4
http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/climate/ba/
8. Global Warming--EPA
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming
9. Internet Resources on Climate Change
http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/climate/other.html
This week's In The News highlights a critical international conference on climate change, the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, currently being held (November 2-13) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Convention on Climate Change, signed and ratified by over 175 countries, is one of a series of recent international agreements dedicated to reducing anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change. Although the detection of climate change is a complex and contentious issue among scientists (and is generally refuted by industries afraid of the regulatory consequences), the potential impacts to the earth's ecosystems cannot be ignored. Thus, the Convention's "ultimate objective" is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level -- and with enough time -- to prevent "dangerous anthropogenic interference with the atmosphere." The nine sites listed above provide background information, resources, and information related to COP4 and to climate change.

The COP4 homepage provides general information and summary updates from the Buenos Aires meeting (1). Visitors may access live broadcasts (RealPlayer) with English translation, daily program details, participant lists, and background information, among many other options. What is Climate Change? (2), from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), provides general information and background information on climate change. For events leading up the conference, see the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) timeline (3). Extensive information on the Convention on Climate Change, including the status of signatories and ratification of the Convention, can be found at the UNFCCC homepage (4). UNFCCC also provides the full text of the Convention on Climate Change (5), as well as the full text of the Kyoto Protocol (6). The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (7), published by IISD and reviewed in this report (see General Interest), provides thorough coverage of the Buenos Aires conference. EPA's Global Warming site (described in the February 21, 1997 Scout Report) provides general information on Global Warming -- including scientific explanations, impacts (at regional and global scales), and actions for reducing (and understanding) climate change (8). IISD maintains a select list of Internet resources on Climate Change (9), including international and national governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, scientific organizations, and other information-rich sites. [SN]
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Below are the copyright statements to be included when reproducing annotations from the Scout Report for Science & Engineering.

The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this report, in any format:

From the Scout Report for Science & Engineering, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/

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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1998. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, are preserved on all copies.

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