The rainforest harbours most of the as yet undescribed species. Photo taken by Thomas Hesselberg

How many species are found on Earth? You might think that this is a relatively simple question that would elicit a straightforward answer, but you would be wrong. It is very difficult to estimate the total number of species on our planet. Around 1.2 million species have been described by taxonomists, but all scientists agree that many more species remain to be discovered. Previous estimates range from 3 and up to 100 million species. However, a new study in PLoS Biology uses a newly develop method to estimate that a total number of 8.7 million eukaryotic species can be found on land and in the oceans.

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Windfarm in England. Photo from Wikimedia Commons (courtesy of Charles Cook)

That energy can be harnessed from the wind is not a new discovery. The first practical windmills were developed in Persia in the 9th Century and large windmills used for grinding grain were common in medieval Europe. It is, though, first with the development of modern wind turbines that significant amounts of energy can be produced. Today wind energy is widespread and still growing in use throughout the world. However, the fraction of energy being produced by wind turbines is still very modest. Denmark is one of the frontrunners in the development and usage of wind generated energy, but even there wind energy only contributes with around 20% of the country

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Birds cannot adequately track the climate change. Here the wren (Troglodytes troglodytes). Photo by Robert Lorch - Wikimedia Commons.

In the past year it has become evident that the current degree of climate change is having a significant impact on species composition and distribution for many taxonomic groups and in many different habitats world wide. One of the best studied groups in this respect is the birds, where several studies show that climate change results in changes of behaviour and distribution as well as changes in time of egg-laying and migration.

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