Wild Solutions: How Biodiversity Is Money in the Bank
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Beattie, Andrew J. / Ehrlich, Paul R. / Turnbull, Christine, PUBLISHER: Yale University Press, We live on an unexplored planet, ignorant ong>ofong> more than eighty percent ong>ofong> the species that share our world. In this fascinating and abundantly illustrated book, two eminent ecologists discuss the ong>biologicalong> diversity ong>ofong> the Earth, showing how the natural systems that surround us play an essential role in protecting our basic life-support systems. Andrew Beattie and Paul Ehrlich tell us about the millions ong>ofong> species providing ecosystem services that maintain the quality ong>ofong> our air and water and the fertility ong>ofong> the soil, dispose ong>ofong> domestic, industrial, and agricultural waste, and protect crops from pests. The authors also describe how ong>biologicalong> diversity opens the way for new medicines, pharmaceuticals, construction materials and designs, and manufactured goods. They point to innovative industries that harness species for the ong>biologicalong> repair ong>ofong> damaged landscapes, ong>biologicalong> mining, ong>biologicalong> pest control, and biomonitoring ong>ofong> the environment. The organisms upon which these activities are founded -- although ong>ofong>ten microscopic, obscure, or bizarre -- provide natural capital that is worth infinitely more than anyone has previously guessed. The authors urge us to protect the ong>biologicalong> wealth ong>ofong> our Earth and keep it from being destroyed by human activity.