All About Old Growth or Virgin Forests

All About Old Growth or Virgin Forests An old growth forest, late serial forest, primary forest or ancient forest is a woods of great age that exhibits unique biological features. Depending on tree species and forest type, the age can be from 150 to 500 years. Old growth forests typically contain a mixture of large live and dead trees or snags. Unharvested fallen tree logs in various states of decay litter the forest floor. Some environmentalists blame the dramatic loss of U.S. old growth forests to exploitation and disruption by Euro-Americans. It is true that old growth stands need a century or more to grow. How Will You Know You are in an Old Growth Forest? Foresters and botanists use certain criteria to determine old growth. Sufficient age and minimal disturbance is necessary to be classified as old growth. Characteristics of old-growth forest will include presence of older trees, minimal signs of human disturbance, mixed-age stands, canopy openings due to tree falls, pit-and-mound topography, downed and decaying wood, standing snags, multi-layered canopies, intact soils, a healthy fungal ecosystem, and presence of indicator species. What is a Second Growth Forest? Forests regenerated after harvests or severe disruptions like fire, storms or insects is often referred to as a second-growth forest or regeneration until a long enough period has passed that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. Depending on the forest, to become an old growth forest again may take anywhere from one to several centuries. Hardwood forests of the eastern United States can develop old-growth characteristics with several generations of trees existing in the same forest ecosystem, or 150-500 years. Why are Old Growth Forests Important? Old growth forests are often rich, biodiverse communities harboring wide varieties of plants and animals. These species must live under stable conditions free from severe disturbance. Some of these arboreal creatures are rare. The age of the oldest trees in an ancient forest indicates that destructive events over a long period were of moderate intensity and did not kill all the vegetation. Some suggest that old growth forests are carbon sinks that lock up carbon and help prevent global warming.

Assited Suicide essays

Assited Suicide essays The man who, in a fit of melancholy, kills himself today would have wanted to live had he a week.(Voltaire) In the U.S. assisted suicide has become all too common. Mr. Jack Kevorkian, otherwise known as Dr. Death, might be the reason for this unethical uprising. Assisted suicide in those who fear they are too old, mentally unstable, or suffering from an incurable illness, doesnt solve any problems. Suicide isnt the proper way to deal with anything. Assisted suicide is morally wrong, illegal, and unjustifiable. Assisted suicide is in my opinion, illegal. I always thought that suicide meant people killed themselves. If thats the case than wouldnt assisted suicide be murder? Taking someone elses life isnt acceptable in any way or for any reason. Assisted suicide was legalized in Holland. In 1990 in the Netherlands, a total of 11,800 assisted suicides took place. The scary part is that only 5,859 of the patients actually consented. Thats a frightening fact. That fact could be true in the U.S. if assisted suicide was ever legalized. If legalized assisted suicide could turn into mandatory murder. In addition to being illegal, assisted suicide is also amoral. People like Jack Kevorkian or anyone for that matter shouldnt encourage causing another humans death. There is no possible way to ever justify taking a life. Anyone, who is religious and knows the Ten Commandments, knows that one of them clearly states Thou Shall Not Kill. Even if you arent religious Im sure you were taught that killing another human being is wrong. Regardless of the reason for wanting to die, helping someone die is still killing them. I was raised to believe that taking a life was wrong and I still hold true to those beliefs. The desire for suicide is a strong indication that the physical and emotional suffering of the patient have not been adequate...

Causes of PM2.5 in China Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Causes of PM2.5 in China - Research Proposal Example This paper illustrates that being a modestly developed nation from earlier times, China went into an active phase of economic expansion from the 1970s and emerged as one of the prominent world economies by the turn of the century. Further aided by international trade agencies’ removal of trade barriers, China brought down its â€Å"iron curtain† thereby facilitating both inward and outward flow of investments. â€Å"Nowadays China is one of the worlds top exporters and is attracting record amounts of foreign investment. In turn, it is investing billions of dollars abroad†. Still being a socialist market economy, China has become the second largest economy in terms of nominal GDP, and the fastest-growing economy achieving growth rates of over 10 percent for the past three decades. â€Å"With a population of 1.3 billion, China recently became the second largest economy and is increasingly playing an important and influential role in the global economy†. This optimal economic growth has led to a number of benefits for its people and the nation as a whole including elevated lifestyle, increased purchasing power, development of finest infrastructures, and many more. However, this economic ascendance has also caused a number of challenges, with environmental degradation and the resultant health issues being the prominent one. China’s economy is mainly fuelled by its manufacturing sector, but this sector primarily emits a number of dangerous materials affecting the environment. Furthermore, China’s fast-growing economy has accentuated its energy demand, with environmentally-destructive coal being used to meet the rising demands. So, increased economic activity has gravely affected the natural environment causing a number of health problems to the Chinese people including life-threatening diseases such as cancers, heart diseases, respiratory problems, and others. Treating these health issues drain the exchequer’s money t hereby in a way sizably affecting or even nullifying the economic growth. More than this issue, the basic aspect of any economic growth is that it should elevate and safeguard people’s lives and not be a detriment.