The World's Biomes - Biomes are the great communities of the Earth - the aquatic, the deserts, the forests, the grasslands and the tundra. They are not static, they are forever changing, sands shifts, seas wax and wane, grasslands desiccate and forests are flooded. These changes usually take place over many millennia, but human intervention can accelerate destruction with no recourse to the restoration of balance. A better understanding of the biomes will allow us to move forward with conservation. The University of California at Berkeley provides a smooth introduction to the five major biomes of our planet. From freshwater ponds and streams to the depths of the vast oceans. Across the deserts that cover a fifth of the earth's surface to the forests that have carpeted landscapes since the Silurian period of 420 million years ago. Then we see the almost treeless grasslands and the frozen deserts we know as tundra. The site is unfortunately lacking in detail, nor does it provide links to information elsewhere but it does open a small window on to our world. Rating: 6 out of 10 (26 February 2003) DB
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/...
Robert Winkler - Nature Writing - Some might describe Winkler's writing as romanticised, others may see the wit. Whatever angle you look at it, he paints intriguing word pictures of the natural world and colours them with some rather honest monochrome photographs. Winkler describes his site as perhaps being subtitled "Adventures in the suburban wilderness." He includes much creative non-fiction, following the tradition started by New England nature writer Henry D. Thoreau. Winkler certainly writes from personal experiences, and claims to tell factual stories, and who are we to doubt that. Many of the stories are of the birds of southern New England, although you might see almost any of their kin over much of North America. Winkler, gathers his material, he says, by strapping on his boots, walking in the wild, and opening his senses. A quick visit to this site could turn into a long trip for those inspired by his words and pictures. There is little here to offend. A quiet corner of the cyberwild, where lawnmowers and car horns are perpetually broken. Rating: 8 out of 10 (18 January 2003) DB
http://pages.cthome.net/rwinkler/
EarthTrends: The Environmental Information Portal - A must-bookmark site for anyone interested in environmental and development issues, offering up-to-date facts and figures as well as analysis of trends and policy initiatives. EarthTrends is the information portal of the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank that 'provides information, ideas, and solutions to global environmental problems'. The site has ten main sections including Coastal and Marine Ecosystems; Energy and Resources; Biodiversity and Protected Areas; Population, Health and Human Well-being; Climate and Atmosphere each of which can be explored by several options: Searchable databases, Data tables, Country profiles, Maps, and Features. (To access the first three of these you have to first register by filling out a form; Maps and Features can be accessed directly.) The excellent search facilities allow for searching according to different criteria by category of information , by country, by geographic region, or by development status so you can easily find the specific information you're looking for (say, energy consumption by sector in developed/developing countries, or the number of protected wildlife areas/number of threatened animal species in Europe/Asia). The Features present in-depth articles on a wide range of current environmental and sustainable development issues, and, like material from elsewhere on the site, are all downloadable. The site is clearly laid out and nicely designed, of a look with the rest of the WRI site, with a white background and easy-on-the-eye thematic colours and graphics. From here you can also access the other sections of the WRI site, including information on its publications and multimedia. Rating: 9 out of 10 (27 December 2002) DD
http://earthtrends.wri.org/
Rainforest Action Network - The destruction of rainforests has been part of our environmental consciousness for decades, but the hard facts and figures in 2002 on the rate of destruction are worse than ever, as this critical ecosystem continues to shrink at a staggering rate: at least 50 million acres a year are lost; 100 species become extinct every day due to tropical deforestation; 70% of the plants identified as useful in cancer treatment are found only in rainforests, yet fewer than 1% of tropical forest species have been examined; all the primary rainforests in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Haiti have been destroyed already the list goes on. This site is an excellent starting point for accessing Internet resources on rainforests and related conservation issues, and offers plenty of pro-active opportunities and educational resources (including a Kid's Corner) for ways to help save rainforests. Go straight to the site map for a general overview, with some 50 sections under the three main headings of Campaigns, Action Center and Rainforest Information. Or click on Rainforestweb.org, the World Rainforest Information Portal, to access any category of information on rainforests, from indigenous peoples and biodiversity to the causes behind rainforest destruction and the latest news and campaigns worldwide. The portal's search engine, however, leaves something to be desired (no results for, e.g., elephant poaching, Arawak, Dyak), and you're better off searching on the RAN site itself, though this too has its limitations. The Gallery section of the site, promising rainforest videos, sounds of the rainforest and a photo library, is still under development. On the display side, the low-contrast colour schemes and small font on many pages could be improved for easier legibility. Rating: 8 out of 10 (6 November 2002) DD
http://www.ran.org/index.html
Science and the Environment Bulletin - Environmental issues faced by Canada are discussed here, and they are many. When a foul stench rises from the drinking water in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region; the culprits are discovered, and solutions applied. A blue haze lingers over the marina waters where children swim - aftereffects of polluting two-stroke engined motorboats. Wildlife concerns include the phenomenon known as sassat to Inuits: large groups of polar bears gather at a number of holes in the ice north of Baffin Island, holes that turn out to be the last source of air for 75 whales trapped by the ice. Weatherwise, dramatic changes can occur to tropical cyclones when they move toward Canada, making them faster and deadlier. On a lighter note, one part of Canada boasts magnolia trees, opossums, pawpaws, and sassafras trees, much like the deep South of the U.S. Rating: 10 out of 10 (26 October 2002) AD
http://www.ec.gc.ca/science/splash.htm
Impact Craters - Want to know the locations of impact craters around the world? Then 'Terrestrial Impact Craters and their Environmental Effects' is for you. Part of the NASA/University of Arizona Space Imagery Center's Impact Cratering Series, the interactive global map is undoubtably the highlight of the website. Click on a continent or a dot representing a crater, and discover details on the location, age and size of the impact crater. The aim of the user-friendly website is to explore the environmental effects of impact cratering and their biological consequences. The Chicxulub impact crater, and its coincident link with one of the largest mass extinction events 65 million years ago, is examined in detail. Pages exploring the general environmental effects, as well as the effects of several specific impact events, are under construction. The origins of life on Earth and impact cratering on the Moon are also examined. It is stated that 'ideas will be explored and explained as they appear in the scientific literature' and new sections will be added over time. In that case, the date when the website was last updated would be helpful, along with a reference list of appropriate literature for visitors who wish to explore the topics further. Rating: 6 out of 10 (16 October 2002) KM
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/SIC/impact_crateri...
The Ecologist - The CBA internet information service 'does just what it says on the box' it provides links to the UK's online archaeology resources. Whether you're a serious excavator or an armchair archaeologist, you'll probably uncover (sorry) what you need on this site. The serious should head straight for the gateway to archaeology online, where you'll find lists of UK, Europe and Worldwide resources for research departments, museums and online journals. You can browse any of the CBA's five online publications, keep an eye on new grants and funding opportunities and find out the latest fieldwork opportunities. As an 'armchair' archaeologist, the highlights for me were to dip into the online debates, read breaking news stories in 'Inside archaeology' and find out about the CBA's many projects. Keen kids can sign up to become members of the CBA's Young Archaeologists' Club, and get the chance to take part in Summer excavations. You've got to get under the surface of the site to discover pictures of artifacts, but the gateway itself functions perfectly it shows you just where to dig. Rating 8 out of 10. (14 October 2002) JS
http://www.theecologist.org/
Global Warming: Early Warning Signs - The debate about global warming echoes throughout political arenas, and while everyone discusses the issues and their implications, the facts remain. This website was created to distribute information contained in a global warming map that points out evidence supporting global warming trends on the planet through 1999. A low resolution version of the map is available for downloading in the PDF format, and the high resolution map can be ordered through the site. The evidence is divided into two groups, fingerprints that illustrate the effects of warming through glacier changes and warmer weather patterns, and harbingers that highlight the types of events that seem to be caused by the warming, such as plant and animal population changes and droughts. Each piece of evidence is positioned on a world map, allowing research by geography as well as by the type of event or natural condition, and given a unique number, description, and provides a reference link to the information source. The combination of evidence, the geographic linking, and the availability of references make this a wonderful source for teachers, older students, and anyone who is curious to learn for himself about this important environmental and political topic. Rating: 8 out of 10 (1 October 2002) CK
http://www.climatehotmap.org/
EnviroZine - EnviroZine is Environment Canada's monthly online newsmagazine. First published in December 2000 the site covers a wide range of current environmental issues of interest to Canadians, in addition to providing links to more detailed information on Environment Canada's web site. Accompanying its main features section are some excellent links to help get people more actively involved with their environment. The 'get involved' section provides tools and ideas for individuals and community groups working to improve the environment, and each issue provides a different story about the contributions of real people. Likewise the EnvoYouth section provides a selection of games and activities relating to the articles in each issue. The EnviroZine site also links directly to other publications available through Environment Canada and an excellent interactive weather map of Canada, including marine whether forecasts provided by the Canadian weather office, and worldwide weather forecasts. The 'inside track' connects to a selection of multi-media products giving topical environmental information from across Canada for use at school, at work or at home. Finally, the site comes complete with a glossary of terms, site map and search function, in addition to a quick links section for easy access to a broad range of topics. The site is simple yet attractive and provides sound, practical information. The features are well written and topical, featuring fast facts and links to related sites, and the entire site itself is available in both English and French. If you still have any unanswered questions, just fill in the 'any questions?' box selected answers are posted in later issues. You can also subscribe to EnviroZine's free e-mail newsletter that alerts you when a new edition is posted. Rating 8 out of 10 (2 September 2002) LH
http://www.ec.gc.ca/EnviroZine/english/home_e.cfm
