Published Date: 2007-01-20 00:00:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, poultry vs migratory birds (08): RFI
Archive Number: 20070120.0262
AVIAN INFLUENZA, POULTRY VS MIGRATORY BIRDS (08): REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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A ProMED-mail post
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ProMED-mail, a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu 18 Jan 2007
From: Laurie Garrett <lgarrett@cfr.org>
As the number of reported H5N1 outbreaks in Asia mounts, I am trying to
reckon trends for this spring. Given the profound El Nino Southern
Oscillation (ENSO) effect this year [2007] on Europe and North America, I
am wondering what is known about aquatic Asian bird migrations and ENSO. A
cursory database check finds confusion. Warmer temperatures seem to
decrease some European migrations. But the increased rainfall induced by
ENSO in the Pacific seems to increase bird breeding and migration as a
result of increased tree budding, nut formation, and insect populations.
Does anybody have a clear sense of how periodic global climate oscillations
effect the migratory patterns of aquatic bird species? For example, are
birds that frequent the Asia flyways to Siberia more or less likely to jump
the Bering to Alaska? Are birds in the Atlantic flyway more or less likely
to migrate from Greenland to northern Canada?
--
Laurie Garrett
Senior Fellow for Global Health
Council on Foreign Relations
NY, NY 10021
<lgarrett@cfr.org>