The Importance of Biodiversity Preservation for Human...

A living fossil: Gymnocrinus richeri

Chapter IX

The Importance of

Biodiversity

Preservation for

Human Beings

How preserving biodiversity is

crucially important for the

sustainability of human

civilizations

The Diversity Of Life On Earth

2010 © Sylvain Richer de Forges. All rights reserved. 180

Introduction Chapter IX:

The Importance of Biodiversity Preservation for

Human Beings

This chapter aims to highlight the fact that

preserving biodiversity is not just about preserving

species for the beauty of it but also because by

losing species we are also in the process losing

invaluable knowledge and putting the very survival

of our own species at risk.

When we start to analyze how much our civilization

relies on other species for our very basic needs, it

becomes apparent that the disappearance of

biodiversity is a major concern.

Indeed, all our agriculture relies on the interaction

of a multitude of species to be sustained (e.g. bees

for pollination of crops, micro organisms to sustain

the growth and health of crops…).

Furthermore, all our medicines are extracted From

natural compounds found in species. All the new

discoveries in medicine are directly derived from

either the study of species or the study of substances

within species.

We must understand that we will never be able to

discover such properties in the laboratory alone.

Considering the economy and wealth derived from the

health/medicine industry, biodiversity is truly the

greatest resource on Earth, yet we are destroying it!

As life forms on Earth are all remarkably adapted to

almost perfection to their surrounding environment as

a result of millions of years of adaptation and

selection it is only starting to surface that the

solution to our greatest challenges are right before

our eyes. All we need is to study from species

surrounding us. However, we cannot study if species

no longer exist!

© Sylvain Richer de Forges

Chapter IX: The Importance of Biodiversity Preservation for Human Beings



Biodiversity has a great value for humans for a range of

reasons.

All species on the planet are interrelated and humans are

no exception. We need other species in order to survive

should it be for the stability of our food supplies or for our

own health.

We also derive all of our medicines from plants or animals.

Losing biodiversity will therefore also mean that we will

lose potential remedies to cure diseases.

Due to the complexity of the compounds used in medicines,

it is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to make such

medicines ourselves without having initial studies and

samples from rare plants and animals. Plants and animals

which have evolved over millions of years are marvels of

adaptation to specific environments and hold the key to

many cures.

Last but not least biodiversity has a lot of value in terms of

trading and play an important role in the world economy.

IX. 1 (a) Biodiversity and

Pharmacology





IX.1 (b) All of our medicines are derived from molecules originally found in plants and animals.

Losing biodiversity also means losing these potential molecules forever…





Ironically, the pharmaceutical industry is entirely

dependent on biodiversity, yet this industry has

significant impacts on species loss.

Molecules to make new medicines are often found in

rare plants and animals. When found, these species

are often overexploited from the wild in order to

provide sufficient stocks to make the medicines.

It usually takes many years for natural compounds to

be synthetized in the laboratory. Often, the molecules

are simply too complex to be reproduced artificially

and need to be extracted from nature.

IX.1 (c) Biodiversity and

Pharmacology





IX.1 (d) The amount of active compounds contained in plant and animal species is to date virtually un-

exploited. However, as these species disappear, so will these potential substances from which powerful

medicines could have been derived.

We must understand that species

have taken millions of years to

adapt to their current environments

and that as a result, they have

developed mechanisms including

complex chemical processes to deal

with their external conditions.

These adaptations and derived

chemical compounds are invaluable

and irreplaceable.

=> Once a species disappears so is

our chance to get to study and

potentially use this knowledge for

our own human benefits.





IX.2 (a) Biodiversity and

Agriculture

Agriculture is one of the main threats to biodiversity

by replacing biodiverse areas (such as forests) with

monocultures.

Yet ironically, agriculture needs diverse species to

work.

For instance the quality of soils which affects diseases

control and productivity is dependent on micro-

organisms. Furthermore, all the crops are still today

highly dependent on natural pollination which is done

by insects.

=> As insects and micro-organisms come to decline,

agriculture will be severely affected.





IX.2 (b) Biodiversity is crucial for a sustainable agriculture.





IX.2 (C) Insects play a critical role in maintaining a

sustainable agriculture as they are the mean of

pollination. As insects population decrease, so

is the efficiency of crop pollination.





The diversity of life forms and structures

within life forms has always been a great

source of inspiration for many artists.

Many great artists have derived their

inspiration from nature, rare species of

plant and animals.

=> Losing biodiversity will also result in

losing this source of inspiration.

IX.3 (a) The Use of

Biodiversity as an

Inspiration for Arts




IX.3 (b) Biodiversity is a source of inspiration for the arts.




IX.4 Socio-Biology

A lot can also be learnt about our own human

societies by studying animal behaviors.

For instance many social insects such as

certain species of ants have very complex

social structures. Despite that often such

social structure may not be suitable for

human civilizations, ideas can be analyzed.

Most interesting is how species have adapted

to their surrounding environment by

developing remarkable behavioral

adaptations.

While some behaviors are imprinted within

the genetic code, other behaviors are

transmitted from generation to generation

(just like knowledge in humans).

We still have a lot to learn by studying species

behavior.





IX.5 (a) Biomimetics

Instead of destroying biodiversity through the

development and industrial activities, we

should take a different approach by taking

advantage of nature in order to learn from it.

Biomimetics is the field of studying life forms

and nature to learn from it in order to

optimize designs and processes.

The fact that life forms have evolved over

millions of years to specific conditions, makes

them marvels of adaptations. As such the

optimization process to given conditions can

already be found in nature.

Such examples of biomimicry include side

wings on planes to optimize fuel efficiency

mimicking similar features in birds such as the

eagle.






IX.5 (b) Examples of Nature

Optimal Design

There is a multitude of specific examples of leading technologies

which were inspired from nature.

The more we study natural design, the more we find that there is

an unlimited supply of solutions to technological optimisation

which is at our finger tips.

However, species are disappearing fast. If we do not act to

preserve them, we will not only lose the species but also the

incredible amount of knowledge and solutions which lies within

them.

Only a few companies worldwide have yet understood the potential

of design inspired by nature. As this awareness spreads, so will the

awareness on the need to preserve biodiversity.




IX.5 (c) Remarkable solutions and inspiration can be derived from the study of species adaptations to specific

environmental pressures/conditions.

Case Study: Lotus leaves have

developed adaptations which

prevents the accumulation of

water on their surface.

=> Species adaptations can

inspire applications that can

benefit humans. © Sylvain Richer de Forges




IX.6 A Mini-Guide to Biomimetics





IX.6 (a) A Guide to

Biomimetics:

Every engineering problem/challenge that we face can

find its solution through the study of nature. Such

statement relies on simple facts and logical deductions:

There are millions of species on the planet.

Species are found in almost any given type of

environments.

Each environment requires very specific adaptations

for species to have survived over time.

Each species is a marvel of adaptation (“optimal

design”) as a result of millions of years of adaptation

to such environments.

=> Wherever we want to find optimal adaptation,

optimal efficiency in the design, we should search for it

in nature. The odds are that somewhere a/some species

already provide the ultimate solution/adaptation.





IX.6 (b) A Guide to

Biomimetics:

Whenever looking into applying biomimetic principles to a

problematic, the following simple methodology could be

applied:

1) What is the problematic? (i.e. what problem do we intend to

solve? E.g. maximize the efficiency of flight/ find the best

shape to maximize energy and strength output…

2) Which species in nature have to deal with an environment

which might require similar problem resolution through

adaptation?

3) Study of the selected species and identification of the traits

which provide a solution to the problematic.

4) Selection of the species which provide the most interesting

adaptation/trait that allows to resolve the problematic

practically.

5) Apply the natural trait by artificially mimicking it (e.g.

engineering/pharmacology). © Sylvain Richer de Forges




IX.6 (c) A Guide to

Biomimetics:

Biomimetic studies in order to work, require

multidisciplinary teams:

Field Biologists (to identify and study species traits

and adaptations).

Engineers (to take the idea inspired from nature

natural design to engineering/chemical applications).

Chemists/pharmacologists…(to analyze and replicate

biological processes).

Planners/managers: to manage communications

between different fields of expertise and coordinate

the work.

To date biomimetic does not work well for the simple

reason that biologists are rarely included and this

type of work is mostly conducted by engineers.





IX.6 (d) A Guide to

Biomimetics:

Like nanotechnology, biomimetics could lead

to the next industrial revolution.

We are however destroying the “knowledge

bank” necessary for this revolution to happen

at alarming rates.

If only governments and corporations around

the world could realize the potential there is

to gain in preserving biodiversity for

biomimetics, they would certainly act to

preserve the diversity of life on Earth and

treat biodiversity as an asset, an investment

or perhaps a global data bank!

There is still hope that such realization could

happen, time is however running out fast!





Case Study: Submersibles

Many of the principals of modern submersibles are

derived from the species of nautilus pressure

compartments systems.

Nautilus have developed a system of pressure

compartments which allows them to move between

great depths and shallow waters.

IX.7 (a) We Have A Lot to

Learn by Studying Nature





IX.7 (b) Case Study: Robotics and Biodiversity

Many fundamental break through In modern robotics have

been inspired from studying simple life forms such as

insects.





IX.7 (c) Case Study:

Biomimetics

and Construction

The study of termite has led to remarkable discoveries

on how buildings can be designed to optimize cooling

and energy efficiency.

For instance, the Eastgate center in Zimbabwe was

conceived with the design of a termite mound.

Termite mounds were found to have a remarkably

efficient cooling potential.

The design structured around a central chimney and

vents allows for a constant flow of air naturally cooling

the structure.

This basic concept was applied to the construction of

the Eastgate center. As a result, the building which uses

natural cooling is one of the most energy efficient

buildings in the world! © Sylvain Richer de Forges




The company Festo is experimenting on a number

of biomimetics projects.

One of these initiatives involved the creation of

the first ever flying machine using a type of motion

inspired by a jellyfish.

IX.7 (d) Case Study:

Biomimetics

and Engineering





IX.7 (e) Case Study:

Biomimetics and Sports

In Olympic swimming competitions, 1/100th of a

second can make the difference between winning

and losing. Because the resistive drag opposing the

motion of swimmers’ bodies is of great importance,

many swimmers choose newly-designed swimsuits

that reduce the drag.

The suits are designed to mimic the shark, one of

the fastest aquatic creature even more closely.

Scanning electron microscope studies have revealed

that tiny “teeth” cover the surface of a sharks’

skin that produce vertical vortices or spirals of

water, keeping the water closer to the shark’s body

and thus reducing friction. This phenomenon is

known as the Riblet Effect, and research into shark

skin is ongoing at NASA Langley Research Center.





Other Examples of Biomimetism

Inspired Species Derived Application

Seeds of Arctium lapa Velcro attachment system

Hydro dynamism of fish and dolphins Submarine torpedoes

Mucus of fish or penguin fur Amelioration of sliding effect

Cephalopods (e.g. squids) propulsion

principle

Early submersibles propulsion

Shapes of mussels and clams Improvement of roof tiles resistance

Structure of palm trees Improve roofs structures

Silice based micro-organisms Dome structures in architecture

Hexagonal structure of wasp nest

…

Used in aeronautics to maximise

weight/strength ratio

….





IX.7 (f) We have only started to touch the tip of the iceberg in what can be achieved

in innovative design through studying nature…

As biodiversity disappears, so is

the potential for innovation…





Conclusion Chapter IX As highlighted in this chapter, preserving

biodiversity is crucial to maintain our current way

of life and insure a sustainable and secure future

for generations to come.

As all our medicines are derived from compounds

found in species, preserving these species is a

priority.

Furthermore, the study of species holds an

unlimited pool of solutions to problematic that we

face in our continuous development of human

civilizations.

Losing species relates to losing an incredible

amount of knowledge.

As an analogy we are simple burning away the

worlds greatest library while most of it hasn’t

even been read yet…



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