[Coral-List] Coral mortality in a warmer and acidified ocean

[Risk, Michael]

   Hi Pedro (Doug, Gene).

   These are perilous times, with science seemingly under threat from all sides
   and societies increasingly polarized. This is especially true of the US.

   It is increasingly important to all of us on this list that we stick to the
   science. Gene's scientific credentials should need no repeating to anyone on
   this list. He also performs a valuable although sometimes annoying service
   by posting items that cause us to think, or cause our hair to catch on fire.

   This recent exchange I think can be used as a microcosm to formulate our
   proper responses. We must not fall into the trap of shooting the messenger.

   It is true that Gene's posting came from a website that some of us would not
   deem as credible. Nonetheless, however, the description of the science
   itself was accurate. Gracious behaviour on our part would be to thank Gene
   for bringing this to our attention.

   Lost in the noise is the essential conclusion of this piece of science, and
   I am disappointed that this seems not to have been absorbed. We as a group
   need to accept that one of our major genera of reef building corals has
   sailed through previous climate changes with its skeletal architecture
   intact. We either have to  accept that the recent declines are due to local
   stresses,  or  we need to devise experiments to challenge the original
   findings.

   Mike

   On Feb 1, 2017, at 3:00 PM, Pedro H. Rodríguez <[1]phernanrod at yahoo.com>
   wrote:

   Doug,
   Thanks  for  checking the references provided to the list to support a
   counter-argument. An apparent need for attention has, once again, disguised
   as  someone's  "pushing the boundary" of the science with a fact-based
   argument. This is a huge disservice to the List- many people not have the
   time to check every claim that poses as a scientifically-based argument. As
   a defense mechanism, some of us pay special attention to claims made by
   frequently debunked offenders.
   Best,Pedro
   Message: 1
   Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2017 11:20:08 -0500
   From: Douglas Fenner <[2]douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>
   Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Coral mortality in a warmer and acidified
       ocean
   To: Nicole Crane <[3]nicrane at cabrillo.edu>
   Cc: Eugene Shinn <[4]eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>,
       "[5]coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <[6]coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
   Message-ID:
       <[7]CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail.com>
   Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
   Well, all of the wording in Gene's message other than the article reference
   was from the "CO2 Science" website, except where it quotes the article...
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   Risk, Michael
   [9]riskmj at mcmaster.ca

References

   1. mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
   2. mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
   3. mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
   4. mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
   5. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   6. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   7. mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail.com
   8. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   9. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca