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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Going, Going, Guam"
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
48 kbps |
96 kbps
(90 seconds)
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READER SCRIPT
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SNAKES ALIVE... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. THE PACIFIC ISLAND OF GUAM: THERE AREN'T A LOT OF BIRDS IN THIS PARADISE. TEN OF THE 12 NATIVE SPECIES WERE COMPLETELY WIPED OUT BY THE 19-80'S--WHEN THE ISLAND WAS INVADED BY AN ARMY THAT TRAVELLED ON ITS BELLY: THE "BROWN TREE SNAKE". THIS VORACIOUS VIPER WAS INTRODUCED TO THE ISLAND ACCIDENTALLY, JUST AFTER WORLD WAR TWO--PROBABLY ON A CARGO SHIP. ON GUAM, THE SNAKE HAS FEW PREDATORS--SO NOT ONLY CAN IT ATTAIN A LENGTH OF 10 FEET, ITS RANKS HAVE SWELLED TO A GROTESQUE THREE-THOUSAND SNAKES, PER SQUARE-MILE. WITH ONLY 400 OR SO NATIVE BIRDS REMAINING ON GUAM, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON RESEARCHERS ARE ANALYZING THE IMPACT ON THE ISLAND'S FOREST ECOSYSTEM. THE TEAM REASONED THAT--WITH THE LOSS OF BIRDS--SEED-DISPERSION FOR TREES COULD BE AFFECTED. ON GUAM AND NEIGHBORING ISLANDS, THEY SET UP FIELD TESTS TO SEE--WITH AND WITHOUT BIRDS--JUST HOW FAR THE SEED DOES FALL FROM THE TREE. ON GUAM, THERE WAS NO SEED DISPERSION; THEY DROPPED RIGHT BELOW THE CANOPY, AND STAYED THERE. ON THE OTHER ISLANDS, SEEDS WERE SCATTERED--AND THE SHELLS WERE REMOVED BY THE BIRDS' DIGESTIVE SYSTEMS, FOR BETTER GERMINATION. SCIENTISTS SUSPECT OTHER EFFECTS, TOO. BUT, FOR NOW, THE FORESTS ARE THREATENED--AND THE IRONY IS THAT THE CREATURE CAUSING IT IS CALLED THE "BROWN TREE SNAKE". THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
