Teacup Café XLII

[Alec]

We got a good snow yesterday but its almost all gone.

[Mari]

We're up for more wind (again). *sigh*
Had a good day with enough energy (which hasn't happened in a bit), but now it's completely gone again.

[Earniel]

Wind Ã*nd rain. Sigh indeed.

This way, the frogs and newts are going to arrive again before the pond is properly cleaned. If the bloody new chytrid hasn't yet killed off all of our newts.

[Mari]

Chytrid? What's that? Some sort of algae?

Almost holiday break. Yay!

[Noble Elf Lord]

Got sick with an infection, but got better in time to dance (Yes, I was recruited again ). So, yay

Also, got chocolate and new headphones for my love for the 14th... <3

[Mari]

I shocked a student today when she asked if I like Valentine's Day. My reply was "If he doesn't tell me he loves me every day, he really needn't bother on Valentine's Day".

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Mari

Chytrid? What's that? Some sort of algae?

Fungus, actually. A bad, bad, bad fungus. Of pandemic proportions and responsible for the destruction and extinction of dozens of wild frog populations worldwide.

Now joined by its ugly cousin Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, discovered in the Netherlands last year after it is suspected of killing over 90% of your land salamanders.

I don't want it in my pond. But it'll be only a matter of time before it crosses the border. *sigh* I hope our water newts are more resiliant than land salamanders or the pond is going to be a very sad and quiet place in spring.

Originally Posted by Mari

I shocked a student today when she asked if I like Valentine's Day. My reply was "If he doesn't tell me he loves me every day, he really needn't bother on Valentine's Day".

Heh, I agree. I remember how Valentine's Day in school was often more fraught with stress than exam period. Oh, the drama.

[Alcuin]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Fungus, actually. A bad, bad, bad fungus. Of pandemic proportions and responsible for the destruction and extinction of dozens of wild frog populations worldwide.

Now joined by its ugly cousin Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, discovered in the Netherlands last year after it is suspected of killing over 90% of your land salamanders.

I’d never before heard of Chytridiomycosis or Batrachochytrium. This is a notable piece of information: thanks, Eärniel.

Modern transportation makes the spread of formerly local, devastating diseases much more likely. (Source here; a more easily readable magazine article here.) This is true for plants and animals, as well as humans.

In addition, influenza has long been known to cross boundaries between animals and humans, even between between animal kingdoms.

Now I understand that a rapidly mutating virus has leaped from plants to honeybees, where it is reproducing and contributing to the collapse of bee colonies.

This has been going on for at least 1500 years: it might have fatally weakened the Byzantine Empire at its height.

I’m learning at lot from Entmoot.

[Earniel]

Indeed, Alcuin. Chytrid is a quiet tragedy, it doesn't make the news that often. I've been reading up on it for about ten years now. (Even had a chapter on it in my thesis that many years ago.)

On one hand it's fascinating to see how science progresses as they learn how chytrid works and how it affects some amphibians and not others. On the other it is devastating to see how unstoppable its progress has been across the world. Stories of pristine habitats in South America where one month you have many wonderful frogs and the next month the forest is silent. Scientists scrambling to collect frogs from the wild for captive breeding programmes in a bid to outrun extinction.

(Should you be interested to learn more, I can recommend this website: Amphibian Ark. They have an excellent newsletter on their breading and research programmes.)

And it is indeed humans that helped it spread all that far. Our rapid transport of frogs around the world for pregnancy tests and pet trade has helped Chytrid gain footholds in about every continent apart from Antartica. The same goes for White Nose Syndrome, a fungal desease now wiping out masses of Northern American bats, spread (probably from Europe as european bats have some immunity) by cavers and speleologists.

[Alcuin]

I’m quite familiar with white nose syndrome. It’s killing bats from Texas to Massachusetts, devastating populations in some regions. Like the loss of frogs, the loss of bats means greater numbers of insects such as mosquitoes – and more rapid spread of insect-vector diseases among humans, such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis.

It’s sort of like the plague of frogs: it was followed by lice, then by flies, then by pestilence. Knock out the frogs and get bugs, get bugs, get disease.

[Alec]

Originally Posted by Mari

I shocked a student today when she asked if I like Valentine's Day. My reply was "If he doesn't tell me he loves me every day, he really needn't bother on Valentine's Day".

Poor student.

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Fungus, actually. A bad, bad, bad fungus. Of pandemic proportions and responsible for the destruction and extinction of dozens of wild frog populations worldwide.

Now joined by its ugly cousin Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, discovered in the Netherlands last year after it is suspected of killing over 90% of your land salamanders.

I don't want it in my pond. But it'll be only a matter of time before it crosses the border. *sigh* I hope our water newts are more resiliant than land salamanders or the pond is going to be a very sad and quiet place in spring.

Originally Posted by Alcuin

I’d never before heard of Chytridiomycosis or Batrachochytrium. This is a notable piece of information: thanks, Eärniel.

Modern transportation makes the spread of formerly local, devastating diseases much more likely. (Source here; a more easily readable magazine article here.) This is true for plants and animals, as well as humans.

In addition, influenza has long been known to cross boundaries between animals and humans, even between between animal kingdoms.

Now I understand that a rapidly mutating virus has leaped from plants to honeybees, where it is reproducing and contributing to the collapse of bee colonies.

This has been going on for at least 1500 years: it might have fatally weakened the Byzantine Empire at its height.

I’m learning at lot from Entmoot.

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Indeed, Alcuin. Chytrid is a quiet tragedy, it doesn't make the news that often. I've been reading up on it for about ten years now. (Even had a chapter on it in my thesis that many years ago.)

On one hand it's fascinating to see how science progresses as they learn how chytrid works and how it affects some amphibians and not others. On the other it is devastating to see how unstoppable its progress has been across the world. Stories of pristine habitats in South America where one month you have many wonderful frogs and the next month the forest is silent. Scientists scrambling to collect frogs from the wild for captive breeding programmes in a bid to outrun extinction.

(Should you be interested to learn more, I can recommend this website: Amphibian Ark. They have an excellent newsletter on their breading and research programmes.)

And it is indeed humans that helped it spread all that far. Our rapid transport of frogs around the world for pregnancy tests and pet trade has helped Chytrid gain footholds in about every continent apart from Antartica. The same goes for White Nose Syndrome, a fungal desease now wiping out masses of Northern American bats, spread (probably from Europe as european bats have some immunity) by cavers and speleologists.

Originally Posted by Alcuin

I’m quite familiar with white nose syndrome. It’s killing bats from Texas to Massachusetts, devastating populations in some regions. Like the loss of frogs, the loss of bats means greater numbers of insects such as mosquitoes – and more rapid spread of insect-vector diseases among humans, such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis.

It’s sort of like the plague of frogs: it was followed by lice, then by flies, then by pestilence. Knock out the frogs and get bugs, get bugs, get disease.

Very interesting stuff.
Mooters
We start talking about the weather and a few post later were talking about viruses and fungus mass murdering newts and bats?!?!?!

Now I have a question. On the bottom of the home screen it says that Willow-Man is our newest member but he doesn't appear on the member list???
Anyone know why???

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Alcuin

Like the loss of frogs, the loss of bats means greater numbers of insects such as mosquitoes [...]

Good point. The fun of it probably being heightened this year in Europe. With the askew polar vortex, our winter is soft and wet. Mosquito heaven.

Originally Posted by Myself

Very interesting stuff.
Mooters
We start talking about the weather and a few post later were talking about viruses and fungus mass murdering newts and bats?!?!?!

All this is mild, mind you. There were days that some mooter would immediately start planning to take over the world by means of rains of murderous frogs or something.

Now I have a question. On the bottom of the home screen it says that Willow-Man is our newest member but he doesn't appear on the member list???
Anyone know why???

He probably hasn't confirmed his email yet, which is the final step of registering. Some never do.

[Alcuin]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

All this is mild, mind you. There were days that some mooter would immediately start planning to take over the world by means of rains of murderous frogs or something.

Are you pondering what I’m pondering?

[Alec]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

All this is mild, mind you. There were days that some mooter would immediately start planning to take over the world by means of rains of murderous frogs or something.

Scary

I looked into an old tread on spoiler tags (here) and people were talking about ruling the world with them.

Originally Posted by Alcuin

Are you pondering what I’m pondering?

Yes

[Noble Elf Lord]

Viruses, world domination, murderous frogs... This is going Resident Evil... X)


Ugh, /who/ was that mouse character? I just can't remember him...

[Mari]

Ah, yes, those were the days.... When we would throw Hec back in prison, battled Nauti and his sea animals, animals of all sorts roamed the Teacup, I could use Bunnicula to scare the pants off of Hec...

Noble, it's Pinky of Pinky and the Brain. Interestingly enough I know the name, but I've never ever seen that show.

[Noble Elf Lord]

Ok, thanks Mari I know I've seen the show before, but that was yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaarrs ago.

[Alec]

Originally Posted by Mari

Ah, yes, those were the days.... When we would throw Hec back in prison, battled Nauti and his sea animals, animals of all sorts roamed the Teacup, I could use Bunnicula to scare the pants off of Hec...

I know. I've read some of the old treads. Like the first 800 Posts of Entmoot Mud Wrestling and The Entmoot Court
In the proses I learned how crazy you people are.

I have a Question in the Entmoot Picture links I want to post a picture but I cant get it uloaded because its so big. is it possible that I can E-mail it to someone and the can put it on the thread???

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Alcuin

Are you pondering what I’m pondering?

Hush, we don't want people to suspect too soon.

Originally Posted by Mari

I could use Bunnicula to scare the pants off of Hec...

How is Bunnicula these days? Still draining the life-juices out of innocent carrots?

Originally Posted by Myself

In the proses I learned how crazy you people are.

And you still joined. Awww.

I have a Question in the Entmoot Picture links I want to post a picture but I cant get it uloaded because its so big. is it possible that I can E-mail it to someone and the can put it on the thread???

Do you have a photobucket or imageshack account? Or any other hosting website? Most are free to use. You could upload your picture there and link to it.

[Alec]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

And you still joined. Awww.


Do you have a photobucket or imageshack account? Or any other hosting website? Most are free to use. You could upload your picture there and link to it.

No

Originally Posted by Eärniel

And you still joined. Awww.

Yes.

Who could resist(I couldn't )

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^I was thinking of adding this to my signature, what do you Entmoot addicts think?