Saturday, 6 October 2018

Repository!

We have seed banks, to ensure that, in the event of a catastrophe, we don't lose the genetic diversity of plants. It has now been suggested by scientists that we should develop a store for the range of beneficial bacteria that inhabit the human gut in different populations of our species (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/oct/04/build-noahs-ark-for-beneficial-gut-microbes-scientists-say). These bacteria can do many useful things including reducing our tendency for certain diseases and manufacturing vitamins. Seems a good idea but, the way things are going, there might also be a need to conserve the bacteria involved in biogeochemical cycles. Beneficial fungi might require a protected 'home' as well. Come to think of it, we really need secure protections for all types of organism if we insist on treating the planet as an infinite resource.
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1 comment:

Kate said...

Yes. Agree 100% with the seed bank concept. But do you know how many 'individuals' are generally represented of each type? I am concerned that it may have to contain more than realised. I once talked to Someone Clever about the chances for regenerating populations (like the Chatham Is Black Robin Petroica traversi, which got down to five, but there are many species in NZ to choose from, sadly) and he said that once a population gets below a couple of thousand, the chances of there being enough genetic diversity in it to be responsive to *ordinary* environmental pressures (this conversation was held before we knew about the rapid rate of global climate change) were virtually nil. Which was depressing.

8 October 2018 at 20:26

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