Think about it

Opportunities Lost

AKA: Why we need to protect the environment.

... this past weekend I was invited out to dinner. While there I was engaged in a very interesting discussion with some other people about the environment and alternative fuel sources. One person suggested that we dam up all the local rivers and use them for hydroelectric power. I commented that this would disrupt local ecosystems, which in turn would have a detrimental effect on a number of species in those locales, possibly resulting in extinction of more than a few of them. Some of which we may not even know exist.

The reply? If they can't manage to get around the dams, to hell with them.

This report is support for my own position. Once we start damaging ecosystems, we run the risk of losing species. When we do so, we may actually be reducing our own ability to identify and develop extremely useful treatments for our own medical benefit. That is supported by the data reported on in this manuscript.

In addition, there is a massive largely, currently untapped, repository of bacterial species, currently unclassified ... most not even known to exist ... which may carry defenses which we could develop for antimicrobial therapies. Metagenomics will eventually be able to identify such antimicrobials, but if we wipe out those environments before we ever get to test them ... it is an opportunity lost.

References
Mangoni, M., Maisetta, G., Di Luca, M., Gaddi, L., Esin, S., Florio, W., Brancatisano, F., Barra, D., Campa, M., & Batoni, G. (2007). Comparative Analysis of the Bactericidal Activities of Amphibian Peptide Analogues against Multidrug-Resistant Nosocomial Bacterial Strains Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 52 (1), 85-91 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00796-07

Okuyama-Nishida et al. Prevention of Death in Bacterium-Infected Mice by a Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptide, L5, through Activation of Host Immunity. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2009; 53 (6): 2510 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00863-08

Introducing ...

... Melanerpes carolinus, more commonly referred to as the Red-bellied Woodpecker. As I was leaving for work this morning, I heard his rapping against one of the trees close to my house (but not on my property). He's not hard to miss if you look in his general direction, with his red-topped head. Of course, for all I know, he can be a she (I'm not a birder, and I'm sure there is an easy way to tell the two apart). I decided today to get a closer look at this fellow, so I grabbed my astronomy binocs from out of my car (I keep them in the trunk in case I ever get the urge to star-gaze while I'm out at night and find a nice dark spot) and trained them in his direction. It's the first time I used these binocs to bird watch and man was it impressive. It was as if I could reach out beyond the binocs and grab onto this guy. He was oblivious to me, going about his way rubbing up against the tree, and flicking (yes, I could see him flicking) his tongue here and there, presumably to catch some bugs that only he could see.

Watching him for a few minutes really was a great experience, one that I will remember for quite some time. I only hope that I might be able to share such experiences with my future kids, nieces, and nephews ... and that in turn, they also may be able to pass down a love and appreciation for nature and Earth's beautiful creatures. Their ability to be able to do so is up to us.