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| | | Richard Daniel chairs the interactive environmental programme in which he and his guests deal with listeners' questions and concerns.
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Home Planet, PO Box 3096, Brighton BN1 1PL | | | | | LISTEN AGAIN 30 min | | | |
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| | PRESENTER | | | |
|  | | | | "Home Planet, the programme that tackles your queries about the world we inhabit and our interaction with it. From astronomy to geology, biology to environmental science. You set the agenda and our panel of scientists and conservationists come up with the answers."
Richard Daniel | | | | |
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Panel
This week's guests:
Dr Lynn Dicks
Graham Appleton
British Trust for Ornithology
Dr Nick Brown
Sycamore trees
Does the greater leaf area of a sycamore mean that they are more efficient at photosynthesis and hence take up more C02? Is so should we learn to love this tree which some regard as a weed?
Photosynthesis is essentially the reverse of respiration. Very simply plants take in C02 and produce oxygen so, on the face of it, the more efficient the photosynthesis process the more C02 is taken in. However, carbon sequestration is more a function of the trees ability to use the products of photosynthesis to produce wood and the sycamore is not the best at this. The tree however is very important for bio-diversity, in particular it is a very good habitat for aphids which also supports a significant bird population.
Useful links
Photosynthesis and transpiration (made easy) (Cornwall Wildlife Trust)
Photosynthesis (BBC Bitesize Biology)
Photosynthesis (Biotopics)
The Royal Forestry Society
Climate Change
Is protecting the rainforest the best way of tackling climate change?
The panel noted that there has been considerable interest of late from both policy-makers and scientists in protecting the rainforest from illegal logging to help cut down the world's carbon emissions. However, this activity accounts for no more than 20% of 'man-made' emissions at most and our use of fossil-fuels for heating and transport is much more damaging.
Useful links
Rainforest Foundation
Forest funding 'could put billions in wrong hands' (The Guardian)
The Disappearing Rainforests (Rainforest Facts)
Initiatives: Carbon Emissions (Rainforest coalition)
Papilloma Virus
A listener in Shropshire sent in the photograph below which shows a chaffinch with badly deformed feet, what is this condition?
Photograph © Valerie Lusby
Graham Appleton explained that it was caused by papillomavirus as is particularly virulent in chaffinches and is similar to human warts.
Useful links
Case study from Veterinary Medicine in the Czech Republic (.pdf)
Chaffinch (RSPB)
Chaffinch (BBC Science and Nature)
Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs (British Trust for Ornithology)
Papillomavirus (Wikipedia)
Contact Home Planet
Send your comments and questions for future programmes to:
Home Planet
BBC Radio 4
PO Box 3096
Brighton BN1 1PL
Or email the programme: [email protected]
Or telephone the Audience Line 03700 100 400
Home Planet is a Pier Production and is produced by Toby Murcott.
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