Wild Solutions: How Biodiversity Is Money in the Bank

This small volume is a compact introduction to biological systems thinking. Profusely illustrated, it brings numerous concepts into clear focus. Excellent science writing for the general reader! We need more books like this which clearly communicate the beauty and intelligence of the natural world. This is essential information to inform our designs and decisions.

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

Wild Solutions is a beautifully written little book containing a well-reasoned, passionate argument for the conservation of all the creatures in the natural world, not just the ones that look cute on T-shirts or postcards. The over riding theme of this book is not that we should save nature because we can make a quick buck off of it; rather, we should save nature because the natural world is one big laboratory, available to humanity free of charge, that not only supports us with a variety of ecosystem services but also continuously shows us new and better ways of living. The message is that species must be conserved because it is impossible to determine which will be vitally important in the future. Humanity tends to judge the worth of a species based on its value to us now without knowing fully or even considering the role the species may play in nature. We really do not know what species will be important in the future. Moreover, we do not know yet to what extent how important the known species are in ecosystem processes. Too often we learn of the organism's role and importance in ecosystems only after it is gone. One important point of the book is that we do not realize or even appreciate the extent to which we are dependent on the natural world. As the case of Biosphere Two clearly showed the world, placing a value on the importance of a species without knowing its role in ecosystems and food chains, merely based on arrogant and selfish notions of whether or not we derive some value from it is foolhardy. Biosphere Two also showed us that humanity can not do without Nature, but Nature, given its multi-billion year history, can and has done without us. The authors liken the world's creatures to a natural internet that is responsible for the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the rich fertile soil that we depend upon for the food that we eat. All of these gifts from Nature, unfortunately, are being tainted, damaged and destroyed by the greedy and selfish actions of humanity. Although many of the example organisms may not be new to some readers, the way in which these organisms interact, and the way in which Humanity has taken advantage of these interactions to enrich our lives gives all a deeper understanding of the importance of these and other organisms.While some may criticize the call to save the natural world for economic gain, no one can argue with the authors' assertion that the natural world has served and will continue to serve as a basis for the development of new industries. Nor can it be argued that the natural world will become more important as a springboard for the solution to some of mankind's most pressing problems. While I firmly believe that the preservation of species and habitats solely for present or future economic exploitation is both arrogant and shortsighted, it tends to remain the only way to convince the world powers and corporate sultans to tread lightly around environments and habitats.

Beattie and Ehrlich propose that nature represents an enormous reservoir of capital in the form of chemicals and genes that, having evolved over millions of years, can serve people by providing solutions to such things as diseases, better crops, mining, and energy. In support of their thesis, they've written this book, which is filled with dozens of examples of natural solutions for such things as human illnesses and pest control. A secondary and supporting thesis is that natural ecosystems are complex, with hundreds of interdependencies that link sub-populations in the ecosystem in unpredictable ways. As a result, it's often difficult, if not impossible, to predict how a seemingly minor alteration of an ecosystem will ripple through at different levels. It seems that one of their goals is to encourage the listing of natural ecosystems as valuable assets. Too often, they argue, the true value of natural ecosystems is lost in economic policy, with the serious loss of important natural solutions that might otherwise have greatly benefited humankind. While I agree that natural ecosystems should be appreciated for their capitalistic value, I think the book's arguments are only moderately persuasive in that regard, and unlikely to convince many capitalists to deal more gently, or responsibly, with earth's natural resources. I also think their argument places the environmental movement on a slippery slope. By asserting that natural ecosystems should be protected for their capitalistic value, they open the door to counter arguments that natural systems with limited, or no, capitalistic value need not be protected. I'm personally more persuaded by holistic and ethical arguments, like those of Native American culture, which views humanity as an integral part of nature; a part that cannot remain morally and ethically whole without showing respect and care for Mother Earth. However, I'm not so idealistic as to think the Alaska wildlife refuge will be saved by appeals to ethics, beauty, solitude, and spiritual oneness with nature. So, in retrospect, I suppose if Beattie and Ehrlich can convince even a few Texas oil men in the new administration to go easy on the environment "for the money" it will have been worth it.I didn't buy this book because of its main thesis. I bought it because it is chock full of interesting tidbits and information about how animals interact with each other and their environment. The book is easy to read, captivating, and well written. The illustrations, by Christine Turnbull, are abundant and add considerably to the book. Each is artfully composed in simple black and white with detail and clarity that brings additional insight to the text (there are 40 all together). In one sense this book might have been called "The Second Earth." There isn't a whole lot about the big animals that people think of. There are no accounts of tigers or bears. Discussions about animals larger than a cat are few. Mostly its about ba