An Atlas of Global Conservation goes (partially) online

The Nature Conservancy is publishing an Atlas of Global Conservation . 1 Some of the maps are online, though not the one below, which I got from a slideshow over at the Washington Post accompanying an article on the atlas.

Why not, though? Surely, if someone is really going to buy the hardcopy version, they are not going to be put off by the fact that all the maps are on the internet. I left a comment to that effect on the Conservancy’s Facebook post announcing the atlas, and they very kindly got back to me saying that more maps will indeed eventually be made available online.

What’s that you say? Any agriculture? A map of centres of crop diversity to go with the above? The list of data sources is not encouraging. But I could be wrong. I’ll keep you posted.

Featured: drought resistant maize

Ford Denison lays it on the line:

I would like to see independent evidence of the superiority of transgenic corn under drought. The only published data I’ve found comes from tests by Monsanto, the company that developed it. I will be discussing this topic in greater depth in my forthcoming book: “Darwinian agriculture: where does nature’s wisdom lie?”

Can’t wait, for the data and the book.

More backyard breeding: oca edition

Some call it plant breeding, but really it’s just vegetable eugenics. I get to create an all-conquering master race of ocas which will go forth and occupy vegetable gardens up and down the land. Megalomania was never so cheap, entertaining and – legal. I’m nothing but a Dalek in dungarees.

Rhizowen tells us where he’s coming from.