Vol.  22

Gabriella Gioe, The Altatic Staff

0 28 Paradise  Found  It  took  eight  years.  But  now  every  bird  of  paradise  species  has  been  photographed  worldwide

0 42 A  World  Beneath  the  Sea  -­‐

gists  are  diving  in.  By  Laura  Spinney  Photographs  by  Robert  Clark

0 70 Your  Health  Fishing  Away  your  Stress  taste  of  conservation  and  a  chance  to  connect  with  the  outdoors.  By  Ken  Olsen

0 90 Taking  it  to  the  Top  Biologists  have  long  thought  that  ecosytems  are  shaped  from  the  bottom  of  the  food  web  up,  but  new  reserach  suggests  big  animals  at  the  apex  are  just  important.  By  Roger  Di  Silvestro

0 110 Hottest  Year  Ever  Pass  the  sweatband:  In  the  mainland  U.S.  there’s  a  new  record.

0 132 Action  Report  

0 140 Final  Frame

Contents            MAY  2013

THE  ATLANTIC  SOCIETY

Writer  KEN  OLSEN  covers  environmental  issues  from  Portland  Oregon.

 

   

May  2013   THE  ATLANTIC

A   Guide   like   the   two   shown   help   to   teach   veterans  

Ambassador  workshop,  which  was  held  in  Oregon  this  past  September.

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By  Mel  WhitePhotographs  by  Tim  Laman

IN  NEW  GUINEA  KANGAROOS  CLIMB  TREES,  and  

in  the  wild.  Following  in  his  footsteps,  Tim  Laman  and  Edwin  Scholes  visited  51  sites.  They  found  the  jewel-­‐like  Wilson’s  bird  of  paradise  (left)  on  Indonesia’s  Waigeo  Island.

THE  ATLANTIC   May  2013

SOCIETY  GRANT

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Special  muscles  let  the  King  of  Saxony  bird  of  paradise  swing  each  tail  feather  through  a  180  degree  arc  during  courtship.  Rows  of  miniature  pennants  decorate  plumes  that  can  grow  to  20  inches.

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Biologists  have  long  thought  that  ecosytems  are  shaped  from  the  bottom  of  the  food  web  up,  but  new  research  is  suggesting  that  big  animals  at  the  apex  are  just  as  important.

Donald  M.  JonesMiden  Pictures

May  2013   THE  ATLANTIC

,  BIOLOGIST  JAMES  ESTES

By  Roger  Di  Silvestro:  senior  editor  for  The  Atlantic  Magazine

THE  ATLANTIC   May  2013

A  NEW  VIEW  OF  ECOSYSTEM  DYNAMICS

THE  WOLF  CONNECTION

SOME  BIOLOGISTS  SAY  ,  

ACTIVITY,  IS      

the  complex  webs  of  species  interactions,  biologists  are  learn-­‐ing  how  ecostytem  changes  can  yeild  startling  results.  For  Example,  a  drastic  drop  in  sea  otters  around  Alaska’s  Aleutian  Islands  may  have  started  with  the  decline  of  whales  caused  by  commercial  whaling,  and  an  overabundance  of  deer  of  Anticos-­‐ti  Island  in  Canada’s  St.  Lawrence  River  caused  the  extirpation  of  local  black  bear  population.

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EXAMPLES:

THE  ATLANTIC   May  2013

A  GREAT  WHITE  SHARK  swims  through  waters  

reduced  shark  numbers  in  waters  across  much  of  the  globe.  Along  the  U.S.  East  Coast,  11  species  of  large  shark  are  declining,  with  scalloped  hammer-­‐head  and  bull  shark  numbers  at  least  98%  percent.  

on  which  sharks  prey  have  exploded  in  numbers,  threatening  the  commercial  industry.

IN  PARTS  OF  AFRICA,  declines  in  lions  and  leopards  have  allowed  popula-­‐tions  of  the  olive  baboon  to  grow.  The  monkeys  favor  sources  of  human  food,  increasing  contact  with  people  and  leading  to  higher  rate  of  intestinal  ailments  among  both  primate  species.

THE  ATLANTIC   May  2013May  2013   THE  ATLANTIC

 

DEPOSING THE KING OF BEASTS

FINAL FRAMELearning Curve

THE  ATLANTIC   May  2013May  2013   THE  ATLANTIC

2013