Subject: El Nino
Date: Sep 18 08:43:51 1997
From: Sean Odonnell - sodonnel at u.washington.edu



The recent jet prop. lab confirmation of this year's El Nino seems old hat
to me. I recently returned from 2 months in Costa Rica during the "wetr"
season. The El Nino effects there were dramatic- the trade winds had not
abated, and consequently the Pacific slope of the country was baked and
blasted dry. The rains were over 3 months late when I left in early
September. Guanacaste- the dry forest region- was parched, while my field
site in Monteverde on the continental divide (cloud forest) was soaked by
almost constant wind-driven mist. Local biologists, such as the Fogdens
(photographers) and Alan Pounds (frog biologist) are accumulating evidence
for disturbing climatic changes and accompanying changes in abunance
and/or ranges of many animal groups, including amphibians and birds.
Monteverde is still beautiful but an increasingly disturbing place. Signs
of things to come?

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Sean O'Donnell
Assistant Professor \
Psychology (Animal Behavior) \\
Box 351525 \\
University of Washington <(()=(-)0<
Seattle, WA 98195 //
//
Tel./voice mail (206) 543-2315 /
FAX (206) 685-3157

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