On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 23:32:56 GMT, "Mark Jerde"
wrote:

Cliff wrote:

It does not take huge changes to result in large effects.
Fairly small changes in ocean currents, as an example, can
have huge effects.

Years ago I read someone's ideas about what would happen if the Isthmus of
Panama sank or was otherwise destroyed (*) and the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans were joined significantly near the equator.

The North & South America were joined by plate tectonics a bit
back. Before that it was open water. See "Cocos Plate" &
"Farallon Plate".

www.gswweb.org/minutes/GSW1989.htm
"Species on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Panama became
isolated only about three million years ago, when the isthmus formed."

It wasn't pretty -- the
Gulf Stream no longer taking warm waters to Europe, etc. I haven't found
anything Googling. Does anyone have any links. I know, OT, but interesting
to me at least.

-- Mark

(*) Apparently a large asteroid hit near there a long time ago,

Not such a large rock.

and a
smaller rock could take out the Isthmus...

Or elsewhere ....
--
Cliff