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Wild Solutions: How Biodiversity is Money in the Bank
In this fascinating and abundantly illustrated book, two eminent ecologists explain how the millions of species living on Earth—some microscopic, some obscure, many threatened—not only help keep us alive but also hold possibilities for previously unimagined products, medicines, and even industries. In an Afterword written especially for this edition, the authors consider the impact of two revolutions now taking place: the increasing rate at which we are discovering new species because of new technology available to us and the accelerating rate at which we are losing biological diversity. Also reviewed and summarized are many “new” wild solutions, such as innovative approaches to the discovery of pharmaceuticals, the “lotus effect,” the ever-growing importance of bacteria, molecular biomimetics, ecological restoration, and robotics.
“An easy read, generating a momentum of energy and excitement about the potential of the natural world to solve many of the problems that face us.”—E. J. Milner-Gulland, Nature
“Must-reading for everyone.”—Simon A. Levin, author of Fragile Dominion: Complexity and the Commons
“An engaging book clearly intended to impress upon a lay audience the practical value of biological diversity. . . . An outstanding work.”—Ecology
“A most stimulating read for all those budding science students from secondary through graduate schools.”—Science Books & Films
“An easy read, generating a momentum of energy and excitement about the potential of the natural world to solve many of the problems that face us.”—E. J. Milner-Gulland, Nature
“Must-reading for everyone.”—Simon A. Levin, author of Fragile Dominion: Complexity and the Commons
“An engaging book clearly intended to impress upon a lay audience the practical value of biological diversity. . . . An outstanding work.”—Ecology
“A most stimulating read for all those budding science students from secondary through graduate schools.”—Science Books & Films
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 30, 2014
One of the most fascinating books I've ever read. It covers a vast span of biodiversity, with lots of detail, so be prepared to plow through this book slowly. It taught me a lot about conservation, natural pesticide, and other elements of biodiversity. You don't need to be super science-y or know anything about ecology to enjoy this book!
July 12, 2019
Educating the general public on the value of natural systems
This book is an attempt to bring to a general readership the idea that solutions to any number of human problems can, and are being, found in the wild. Thus farmers might discover naturally occurring pesticides, perhaps from the leaves of trees; doctors might use antibiotics manufactured by microbes or ants; and engineers, builders and manufacturers might learn how to make the super strong but light weight materials spun out by spiders and worms or secreted by mollusks.
(Or, more realistically, chemical conglomerates, pharmaceutical giants, and construction multinationals might better their bottom line and reduce pollution and the destruction of the environment through the use of ecologically viable solutions.)
The text, written by Australian biologist Andrew Beattie with perhaps more than symbolic assistance from famed population biologist Paul Ehrlich, is unpretentious enough to be accessible to high school students; indeed it seems in some respects, by using a minimum of jargon and technical language, to be aimed at young people. There is an emphasis on the positive aspects of bioremediation and biotechnology rather than sounding any alarm bells about our misuse of the environment. Thus when animals are to be employed as biological monitors of pollution (as the canary is used in the coal mine) the text assures us that rare or endangered species will not be used. Or when pigs are employed (on islands north of Australia) as sentinel animals that might warn of disease traveling south, we are told that they live in pens under "palm trees that rustle in the balmy sea breezes" and that the pigs "snooze or root about in the sand and coconut husks" and are tossed leftovers by passing villagers several times a day "from the family meal or some other delicacy." (p. 160)
The authors follow the introduction with these important words, "The majority of species on Earth have yet to be discovered." (By the way, those who think that the identification of species is like glorified stamp collecting, as I recently read in some book, are very much mistaken. An accounting of life forms, at the very least, will give us a basis for examining change.) Beattie and Ehrlich follow this up with an exploration of how species live in, on, and with one another, laying the groundwork for an understanding of biodiversity and ecology while showing how dependent we are on the smallest creatures for our survival. They recall the failed Biosphere 2 experiment some years ago in Arizona and use a thought experiment on what we might take to the moon to establish and maintain a natural community, thereby demonstrating beyond any doubt just how complex and connected and dependent are all forms of life. They evoke the concept "the natural internet" to illustrate this interconnectedness and to show how natural cycles, food chains, water and nitrogen cycles, etc., work. Particularly interesting was the chapter on garbage and how the myriad creatures of the soil break down waste and return it to use. The remainder of the book suggests ways that humans can work within natural systems to both our advantage and the advantage of the planet as a whole. It is sorely hoped that this message reaches a lot of people, which is obviously the intent of the authors.
The text is enhanced by appealing black and white illustrations of insects, worms, spiders, microbes, fungi and other living things by Christine Turnbull, done in a way that makes the creatures look almost lovable. Turnbull combines a serious attention to detail with the light touch of a cartoonist. Or at least this is my impression. I imagined, for example, that the immobilized ant on the title page with a fungus growing out of its body had an cartoonist's "x" in its eye; but that was merely a misapprehension; there was no "x." Yet the death of this ant eaten from the inside by a fungus seemed almost benign. Perhaps this is a felicitous way of understanding "nature red in tooth and claw." Furthermore, (and I mean this seriously) maybe if people in general saw ecology in something like the rosy way Disney depicted it in Bambi (but without the distortion) we might be the better for it.
Anyway I admire the attempt by the authors to show how the use of natural products and processes are preferable to the use of artificial and man-made ones whenever possible, and for suggesting the incredible range of what is possible. I wish that all high school students and CEOs of multinational corporations would read this book. Or better yet, heads of state (even dictators and ruling theocrats) and elected representatives whose education has been primarily in law, business and the military, should read this book. Maybe we ought to buy an extra copy and send it to our representative in Washington. Couldn't hurt.
Bottom line: the text is a little pollyannaish at times and the material is familiar to those trained in the life sciences, but the message is an important one, and that message is expressed in a vivid and easily assimilated way. The drawings by Turnbull are wonderful.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “Understanding Evolution and Ourselves”
This book is an attempt to bring to a general readership the idea that solutions to any number of human problems can, and are being, found in the wild. Thus farmers might discover naturally occurring pesticides, perhaps from the leaves of trees; doctors might use antibiotics manufactured by microbes or ants; and engineers, builders and manufacturers might learn how to make the super strong but light weight materials spun out by spiders and worms or secreted by mollusks.
(Or, more realistically, chemical conglomerates, pharmaceutical giants, and construction multinationals might better their bottom line and reduce pollution and the destruction of the environment through the use of ecologically viable solutions.)
The text, written by Australian biologist Andrew Beattie with perhaps more than symbolic assistance from famed population biologist Paul Ehrlich, is unpretentious enough to be accessible to high school students; indeed it seems in some respects, by using a minimum of jargon and technical language, to be aimed at young people. There is an emphasis on the positive aspects of bioremediation and biotechnology rather than sounding any alarm bells about our misuse of the environment. Thus when animals are to be employed as biological monitors of pollution (as the canary is used in the coal mine) the text assures us that rare or endangered species will not be used. Or when pigs are employed (on islands north of Australia) as sentinel animals that might warn of disease traveling south, we are told that they live in pens under "palm trees that rustle in the balmy sea breezes" and that the pigs "snooze or root about in the sand and coconut husks" and are tossed leftovers by passing villagers several times a day "from the family meal or some other delicacy." (p. 160)
The authors follow the introduction with these important words, "The majority of species on Earth have yet to be discovered." (By the way, those who think that the identification of species is like glorified stamp collecting, as I recently read in some book, are very much mistaken. An accounting of life forms, at the very least, will give us a basis for examining change.) Beattie and Ehrlich follow this up with an exploration of how species live in, on, and with one another, laying the groundwork for an understanding of biodiversity and ecology while showing how dependent we are on the smallest creatures for our survival. They recall the failed Biosphere 2 experiment some years ago in Arizona and use a thought experiment on what we might take to the moon to establish and maintain a natural community, thereby demonstrating beyond any doubt just how complex and connected and dependent are all forms of life. They evoke the concept "the natural internet" to illustrate this interconnectedness and to show how natural cycles, food chains, water and nitrogen cycles, etc., work. Particularly interesting was the chapter on garbage and how the myriad creatures of the soil break down waste and return it to use. The remainder of the book suggests ways that humans can work within natural systems to both our advantage and the advantage of the planet as a whole. It is sorely hoped that this message reaches a lot of people, which is obviously the intent of the authors.
The text is enhanced by appealing black and white illustrations of insects, worms, spiders, microbes, fungi and other living things by Christine Turnbull, done in a way that makes the creatures look almost lovable. Turnbull combines a serious attention to detail with the light touch of a cartoonist. Or at least this is my impression. I imagined, for example, that the immobilized ant on the title page with a fungus growing out of its body had an cartoonist's "x" in its eye; but that was merely a misapprehension; there was no "x." Yet the death of this ant eaten from the inside by a fungus seemed almost benign. Perhaps this is a felicitous way of understanding "nature red in tooth and claw." Furthermore, (and I mean this seriously) maybe if people in general saw ecology in something like the rosy way Disney depicted it in Bambi (but without the distortion) we might be the better for it.
Anyway I admire the attempt by the authors to show how the use of natural products and processes are preferable to the use of artificial and man-made ones whenever possible, and for suggesting the incredible range of what is possible. I wish that all high school students and CEOs of multinational corporations would read this book. Or better yet, heads of state (even dictators and ruling theocrats) and elected representatives whose education has been primarily in law, business and the military, should read this book. Maybe we ought to buy an extra copy and send it to our representative in Washington. Couldn't hurt.
Bottom line: the text is a little pollyannaish at times and the material is familiar to those trained in the life sciences, but the message is an important one, and that message is expressed in a vivid and easily assimilated way. The drawings by Turnbull are wonderful.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “Understanding Evolution and Ourselves”
December 1, 2023
this was a really fun read! very much the little history of enviro. i love a science book w pretty pictures and witty commentary. i learned a lot but none of it was difficult to understand. a nice basic intro!!
June 7, 2009
The natural world provides invaluable services to us everyday, from the control of pests to the decomposition of our waste to the transport and purification of our water.
So far, an excellent read... I'm about halfway through.
... more to come when I finish.
So far, an excellent read... I'm about halfway through.
... more to come when I finish.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews