Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Our plants and animals are shrinking

Fish finger sandwich
Food Diary (October 18, 2011)
Breakfast: Rolled oat sourdough
Lunch: Fish finger sandwich
Dinner: Rice and lentils
Baking/sweets: Chocolate coffee cookies

The fish finger sandwich with crusty bread was simple and delicious. Preparation required so little effort, which was totally disproportionate to the taste.  Its been a very long while since I ate fish fingers. I will try to make sure that fish fingers and myself don't take such a long time off. Its not necessary for us to be away from each other for so long. 

Today's Favourite Photo
Source: Yoli
Apple Pie



Today’s Favourite Blog
Source: Reuters
Food prices are going up, drought has affected supply of peanuts, our food consumption is increasing and to make matters even worse plants and animals are shrinking.

Researchers from the University of Singapore's biological sciences department have discovered that warmer temperatures and lack of water is affecting the size of plants and animals. An experiment showed that shoots and fruit were 3 to 17 percent smaller for every degree Celsius of warming. Each degree of warming also reduced the body size of marine invertebrates by 0.5 to 4 percent and reduced the size of fish by 6 to 22 percent.

This can have major implications for food production in years ahead. "Impacts could range from food resources becoming more limited (less food produced on the same amount of land) to wholesale biodiversity loss and eventual catastrophic cascades of ecosystem services".

This is relevant for future but I am not sure if we will see drastic changes during our lifetime. The article does not discuss productivity gains. Yields of crop and livestock have been increasing. Modern cows are producing more milk, animals are growing faster and fruit trees are producing more fruits. While rising temperature is shrinking the size of plants and animals, it hasn’t shrunk the size of our scientists brains. They are constantly discovering ways of increasing productivity, not all of which are good. 

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13 comments:

  1. Too bad the warmer weathers won't make this passion fruit mousse induced muffin top of mine shrink...

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  2. That apple pie with the pastry detail is amazing! Perfect for a garden party! :)

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  3. What a stunning apple pie!

    And interesting about the shrinkage of plants and animals. Guess humans weren't studied! ;)

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  4. Ahh ... sweet reunions. The last time I had fish fingers was, gosh, I must have been nine years old and I'd only eat them with creamed spinach. I loved those!
    How come other living things are shrinking and not humans ... I mean physically? If that happens, maybe we won't need to eat so much then. Modern nutrition has churned out giant teenagers these days and maaannn! can they eat!
    That's the most beautiful apple pie I've laid eyes on!

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  5. What a great post! and I hear ya!
    And what a stunning apple pie ! thanks :)

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  6. I like the look of your fish finger sandwich.

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  7. I would have never had this idea: fish finger sandwich! I haven't had fish fingers for years. It's scary as always, these climate changes and discoveries, but as you say, the only positive part is we will probably not see it during our lives...

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  8. I've taken a long time off from fish fingers as well...but you've reminded me how good they are!

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  9. The fish finger sandwich looks so great! And the apple pie...that's just unique!

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  10. Fish finger sandwiches- wow- i remember these but haven't had them in so long- thanks for reminding me I need to make them again! yours looks delicious and how sad but true about our animals and plants.

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  11. Parsley Sage: that’s probably good news!

    Lorraine: it is a great design

    Lizzy: including humans in the study would have ruined the results!

    ping: so long ago. Can’t remember when I last had them, maybe 2-3 years ago. Fish fingers with creamed spinach, very unusual combination. Don’t know why we are not shrinking as well – exercising less, eating more, eating different - KFC double down, triple cheese burgers didn’t exist before!

    Anna and Liz: thank you

    Yummychunklet: thank you, I liked the taste of it also!

    Sissi: you also haven’t eaten fish finger in years. In the past I ate with fries etc, this time there was only bread available but fish sandwich is great. Bit like McFish.

    Joanne: you’ve also taken a long time off – whats happening!

    Angie: thank you

    Kitchen Belleicious: you too!

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  12. What a stunning looking fish pie...and fish finger sandwich....my son would love it....i would give it a miss ('cos am a vegetarian of course!)....but a good veggie equivalent would be hips in a roll..with some mayyo or maybe some chilli sauce...perfect!!!

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