Supertroll, given the extremes of temperature that warm blooded mammals and birds can survive in Yosemite and elsewhere, the assumption that cold bloodied fauna will die with temperature variations of a few degrees seems absurd.

Life has optimum temperature ranges, particularly around reproduction and growth, and as you previously noted, one species moving away from a particular environment simply leaves space for another.

There is now a "bounty" for fisherman recording catches of unusual fish. Historically, they were thrown back as an unsellable nuisance, or chopped up as bait. If a swirl of warmer Gulf Stream water makes its way around Scotland, it will inevitably bring with it different fish.

I don't see why Antarctic waters should be any different.

GolfCharlie. I don't know the answer to your very interesting 7.09 pm question about Yosemite streams. Mediterranean stream deposits I have studied, (streams that completely dry out in the summer) are laminated, with each lamina corresponding to the winter-spring. I would think that the laminated siliceous deposits in Yosemite correspond to periods of optimum temperatures. They are deposited by extremophiles that should be easily able to withstand episodes of non optimum conditions.

Sep 7, 2017 at 7:03 PM | Supertroll

Irish Customs and Medics may prefer to pay for it to be smuggled out of Ireland. A bit like the French encouraging their unwanted illegal immigrants to smuggle themselves out of France and into the UK.

Sep 7, 2017 at 4:44 PM | Supertroll

Streams and rivers in the UK do not see a permanent wipe out of all flora and fauna between summer warmth and winter freezes.

Presumably the same applies to flora and fauna in the hot springs of Yosemite, that must cool more rapidly downstream in deep winter than summer.

Gwen, how remiss of me, I totally forgot the possibility of smuggling eaux-de-peat from the great potatoyards of Galloway. But isn't that the potcheen where the smugglers have to pay to unload it?

Sep 7, 2017 at 5:29 PM | Ross Lea

Problems created by politicians can't be solved by the same politicians.

Sep 7, 2017 at 5:19 PM | Supertroll

"Irish Brandy" being smuggled into Cornwall could bring more warmth, happiness and benefit than EU money being spent on Cornish Geothermal. Even if it is rubbish to drink, it could still run a petrol or diesel engined generator, depending on the specific octane.

Poitin or potcheen has a bit of a reputation for causing blindness, particularly amongst Customs Officers.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poit%C3%ADn

Golf Charlie
My solution to the NI boarder situation would be to invite the Irish Republic to leave the EU and sign a trade and customs union with the UK. It is not as far fetched as it may seem remeber the referendum that gave the wrong answer and had to be re-run after a project fear prototype. When we leave the Irish Republic will no doubt be asked to pay more into EU coffers; they are already p*ssed off with a possible EU wide tax policy.

Gwen. With regard to smuggling and the EU, do you think the West Country will experience a revival with brandy barrels rolled up Cornish beaches under the watchful eye of a neo-Poldark?