Bladet - Det Jordbrugsvidenskabelige Fakultet, Aarhus Universitet

Climate changes
– should we take them seriously?
Basically, nature has never been static but is constantly undergoing
changes. It is high time that we consider how we want
to handle nature preservation in a dynamic environment.
By research professor Jørgen E. Olesen, Department of Agroecology,
Research Centre Foulum (page 6)
The truth is that climate change is real and will worsen the
other global problems.
20-30 years ago much of the debate regarding climate
change was concerned with the fear of a new ice age. This
fear can turn out to be exaggerated, perhaps not least due
to agriculture. Our influence began long before we started
using fossil fuels.
The climate changes created by humans can prohibit a new
ice age. Since a global cooling, which an ice age would cause,
is much more serious than a moderate warming, then global
warming can also have a positive effect in the long run, by
preventing cooling. As disclosed in the recent Stern-report
from the British government, the expected global warming
will, however, have huge negative repercussions for the world
economy, especially in the warm countries where developing
countries already have trouble making ends meet.
The concept of climate change also challenges our ideas
about a stable environment, which is one of the basic axioms
of nature preservation. Basically, nature is never static, but
always undergoing changes.
It is high time that we consider how we want to handle nature
preservation in a dynamic environment. We must speculate
if some types of nature are impossible to save in their
present locations and if we should instead ensure that they
are established elsewhere.The same kinds of considerations
are relevant with regard to the effect of agriculture on the
environment.
Mozart in the corridors
Wireless network will be introduced to DIAS next spring.
The man behind the scene has for quite a while been wearing
out his shoes in the corridors of Research Centre Foulum
with his computer tuned in to Mozart and the P1 radio
programme.
By Søren Tobberup Hansen (page 2-3)
Denmark’s Radio’s P1 music via the internet has been a faithful
companion to Ole Rahn of late. He is our it-security expert
and it is his job to introduce a wireless network in the
corridors of the research centres of DIAS. Introduction of
the network requires many long treks with a small, portable
computer connected to the wireless network.
– Once each access point was established in the corridors
and the meeting rooms, I have gone around and tested the
network with my computer to ensure that it works everywhere
inside the buildings. I have done it by listening to music
on the internet radio.
- If the music vanishes or starts to break up I can adjust immediately
at the individual access points, Ole Rahn explains.
- With the network, many of our guests will be able to access
their own data via the Internet and not have to use our
internal net.That will make it possible for guests to fetch, for
example, data files and presentations, or read e-mails, when
they are attending meetings at DIAS, says Ole Rahn.
Ole Rahn expects that he will have established the wireless
network at all research centres by the end of spring.
In those spots where many users are expected, extra access
points will be set up to ensure that all who should so desire
can gain access to the wireless net.
Personalebladet nr. 6 · 2006