pdc+++ module 3 class 8. biodiversity

M3.8 PDC+++M3.8 PDC+++Biodiversity is the variety of life in all its forms, levels & combinations. To maintain the

biodiversity of the Gaian organism is of vital importance because each species represents a node of connexion in the complex web of Life which sustains us. At the moment our industrial & highly consumerist civilization is responsible for the disappearance of some 200 species per

day.

These are converted into human biomass on a daily basis, but we're destroying the foundation that support our own survival. So there is a big job to do. In this class we explore some direct

ways of increasing biodiversity at a local level, like seed recuperation, habitat protection, & starting to change our diet in a conscious way so that it adapts better to the indigenous

ecosystem of our region, instead of trying to adapt nature to our whims.

of the

PDC++ +

M3.8 BIODIVERSITYan integral exploration

wangari maathai

"Until you dig a hole, plant a tree, you water it

& make it survive,

you haven't done a thing.

You're just talking"

“The essential role of

the environment is still

marginal in discussions

about poverty. While

we continue to debate

these initiatives,

environmental

degradation, including

the loss of biodiversity

and topsoil,

accelerates, causing

development efforts to

falter.”

Kenia, 1 April 1940 - 25 September 2011

Diversity Principle, inside & outside

Seeds & Plant Propagation

Nurseries

Habitats & Transgenics

Vandana Shiva

an integral exploration

M3.8 Biodiversity

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, from the

genes to species and populations to

the complex ecosystems in which

they live

14 million speciesis an an estimate of the biodiversity of the Earthis an an estimate of the biodiversity of the Earth

we've only documented 1.7 millionwe've only documented 1.7 million

habitat destruction & pollution habitat destruction & pollution play major rolesplay major roles

in destroying animal & plant speciesin destroying animal & plant species

2004 team of scientist estimated that2004 team of scientist estimated that 15 to 37% will extinct due to global 15 to 37% will extinct due to global

warmingwarming

Importance of Biodiversity

• Biodiversity is crucially important also because because the Earth's Vital Cycles depend on a great variety of organisms

• Our lives depend on preserving biodiversity

"EarthCare" as an "EarthCare" as an ethicethic implies that we implies that we take care of all of Earth's creatures' take care of all of Earth's creatures' rightsrights

to thrive. to thrive.

Importance of Biodiversity

Climate change will severely test Climate change will severely test ecosystems' ecosystems' resilienceresilience, & resilience is a , & resilience is a

factor of biodiversityfactor of biodiversity

we are all "odd-balls"

And it is our weirdness interacting with other people weirdness

that CREATES

BIODIVERSITY

CULTURALDIVERSITY

a Social Model (RC) owning class

working class

sexism

classismracism

adultism/ageism

isolated BY OPPRESSIONS (which are combinations of PATTERNS)

ISOLATION is the pattern we perceive

but INSIDE each group there is also tension

The Oppressions (inner and outer) don't allow us to appreciate a care for our diversity

Internalized Oppression

External Oppression (institutions & people who limit & batter us from outside)

(patterns that limit & batter us from the inside)

LOTS OF PRESSURE!!

eg. adultismsexismracismclassism...

> we attempt to ‘liberate’ it byacting as oppressors wheneverthe opportunity presents itself (= PERPETUATES the pattern)

> or we anesthetize ourselves (drugs of any kind: it's their function = PERPETUATES the pattern)

Biodiversity it's a matter of the four quadrants



Nurseries


Vandana Shiva


M3.8 Biodiversity

Seeds• "The Seed is today's

Spinning Wheel" (Vandana Shiva)

• Patenting & Genetic Engineering are major threats

• Seed saving & recuperation of local species therefore crucial

• Also very good business!

•we have a great Seed Saving Manual in the e-Book!

•Collecting Heritage Varieties &

•Locally adapted crops

•very important for your bioregion

Seed BanksLearn how to Learn how to

collect your own collect your own seedsseeds

& how to & how to support your support your nearest Seed nearest Seed

BankBank

Combining a wide variety of species underpins any good designCombining a wide variety of species underpins any good design

A HerbA HerbSpiral isSpiral is

lots of lots of complementcomplementary varieties ary varieties

ininone placeone place

Grow your own locally adapted

varieties to enjoy

Plant Reproduction I•Sexual Reproduction (Seeds, some spores) -

involves genetic re-combination •Hybrids & non-hybrids > seed propagation

•Hybridization: a naturally occurring genetic process where individuals from two genetically distinct populations mate

Plant Reproduction II•Asexual Reproduction - exactly same plant

as 'mother' plant •There is a great number of methods for this,

see Plant Propagation section under Biodiversity in e-Book!

•Cuttings•Layering•Division•Budding/grafting

<< some of the most << some of the most commonly used wayscommonly used ways

there are lots! there are lots!

LayeringMany plants propagate themselves Many plants propagate themselves this way in nature: stems produce this way in nature: stems produce roots when they come into contact roots when they come into contact

with the ground. with the ground. Eg. Strawberries (below)Eg. Strawberries (below)

• Water stress Water stress minimizedminimized• Nutrients highNutrients high• Natural or assistedNatural or assisted• When root formed When root formed can detach from can detach from mother plantmother plant

can't go can't go wrong :)wrong :)

Auxins - when plant is wounded > Auxins - when plant is wounded > alter nature of cell division in alter nature of cell division in

cambium layercambium layer > embryonic root > embryonic root tissuetissue

• New year's growthNew year's growth• Stem snapsStem snaps• scratch to cambiumscratch to cambium• RosemaryRosemary• SageSage• some Basils some Basils • MintsMints• Geraniums ...Geraniums ...

Cuttings

Budding & GraftingLots of fruit-trees are reproduced Lots of fruit-trees are reproduced this way, can use different root-this way, can use different root-

stock.stock.

Also roses & vines for eg. (below)Also roses & vines for eg. (below)

• Budding when bark Budding when bark 'slips' (growing 'slips' (growing season)season)• apples, peaches, apples, peaches, pearspears• Grafting when Grafting when dormant (winter)dormant (winter)• Must match Must match cambium layerscambium layers

MarcottingLike with budding & grafting, used for Like with budding & grafting, used for fruit trees & bushes also because fruit fruit trees & bushes also because fruit

quicker than by seed.quicker than by seed.

• Woody stems 1-Woody stems 1-2cm2cm• Bark cut off sectionBark cut off section• When enough roots When enough roots appearappear• Cut off mother Cut off mother plant & pottedplant & potted• Also low-risk, like Also low-risk, like layeringlayering



Nurseries


Vandana Shiva


M3.8 Biodiversity

many types of nurserytree

nurseries especially

VITAL & easy

the Green Belt Movement

Through creating their own tree nurseries – at least 6,000 throughout Kenya – and planting trees, women began to control the supply of their own firewood, an enormous power shift that also freed up time for other pursuits. GreenBelt Movement

representatives visiting Haiti

nurseries of perennials

are particularly important

How to Grow $500,000 on One Acre,

and Peace on Earth

Anna EdeyAnna EdeySince 1976 Anna Edey has made one astonishing discovery after another,

which she has been developing ever since

under the name Solviva Solar-Dynamic Bio-

Benign Design.

Anna EdeyAnna Edey

StackingStacking

Chickens for Chickens for Heat & CO2Heat & CO2

Passive SolarPassive Solar

Water filled Water filled temperature temperature buffer wallsbuffer walls

www.solviva.comwww.solviva.com

Our more humble efforts at FincaLuna IOur more humble efforts at FincaLuna IStarted with seedlings on the groundStarted with seedlings on the ground

(whole terrace for business production) (whole terrace for business production)

Temporary for because still Temporary for because still observing, observing, etc.observing, observing, etc.

& more humble efforts at FincaLuna II& more humble efforts at FincaLuna II& now working up to the super-duper & now working up to the super-duper

definite article (after 10yrs of definite article (after 10yrs of observation :)observation :)

Nursery in Nursery in Zone 1 Zone 1

normally, this normally, this quite quite

important in important in our caseour case

Victorian Victorian GreenhousesGreenhouses

Research Project!Research Project!

PolyTunnelsPolyTunnels

CheapestCheapest

Easy to buildEasy to build

StrongStrong

& Ultra-& Ultra-ModernModern

100% Recycled100% Recycled

'double-glazed''double-glazed'

Sun-resistantSun-resistant



Nurseries


Vandana Shiva


M3.8 Biodiversity

Seeds

"Seed" could be said to be an archetype, a very important mythical symbol, full of meaning for us (consciously or not).

¿What does 'genetically manipulating' seed come to mean on a deeper, more symbolic level, for us & for our culture?

How Dr Ingham saved the WorldHow Dr Ingham saved the Worlda horror storya horror story

• In the 1990s, a European biotech company prepared to commercially release a genetically engineered soil bacterium for use by farmers.• They thought to engineer a bacterium that aggressively decomposes dead plant material- specifically wheat- into alcohol.• In its pre-modified, natural form, K. planticola is partly responsible for the decomposition of all plant matter -a vital step in the natural life cycle--and it's notoriously aggressive in this role.

The story of a bacterium

called Klebsiella planticola


• Burning off dead plant material, as was the standard practice, severely pollutes the air and damages the lungs of farmers.• They thought: why not turn it into alcohol instead?

¿The problem they were trying to avoid?

• So they spliced an alcohol-producing bacterium into K. planticola. Once their product was released, farmers would simply gather the dead plant matter into buckets and let it ferment into alcohol.


• Once the fermentation process necessary to turn that dead plant material into alcohol occurred, the sludge left over would be rich in nitrogen and other such beneficial substances, making it an ideal fertilizer.• The plan was to spread this sludge fertilizer back on the fields, thus eliminating all waste from the whole process.

The Road to Hell is paved

with Good Intentions


• The fermentation process didn't kill the modified K. planticola - it was still there, ready to turn dead plant material into alcohol.

• BUT ... It didn't wait until the plants were dead to start.• The normal K. planticola bacterium result in a benign layer of slime on the living root systems it inhabits ...

What went wrong?


• but the engineered version would also be producing alcohol in this slime - with levels as high as 17 parts per million, • and anything beyond 1 or 2 parts of alcohol per million is lethal to all known plant life.• So the engineered K. planticola gives all plant life it touches severe alcohol poisoning, putting them more than 10 times over the lethal limit. K. planticola is present in all plant life. It could be very damaging loose in the fields.

Did they test for this?

Not really ...


This bacterium was going to be released; it had all of the

necessary approval. It was only a matter of proper marketing and

shipping.

It was only by virtue of a random review by an independent scientist (Dr. Elaine Ingham, a professor at Oregon State University) that it

was caught in time.

the Environmental Protection Agency was the only overseer for all biotech releases, and their policy was to test new bacteria in sterile soil. The problem here being that the real world ... soil is anything BUT sterile.

The Moral of this The Moral of this Story?Story?

•Enjoy every day, do what you really love & make peace with Death (they could

be up to anything, don't take Life on Earth for granted - much less your own life)

• >> if enough of us DARE to follow our passions without fear, maybe we can sort

out this madness.

•Do whatever we can to ensure future law enshrines the Precautionary Principle: if we aren't sure it's harmless, we don't do it) & be realistic about what genetic engineering can mean for Life on Earth.



Nurseries


Vandana Shiva


M3.8 Biodiversity

Vandana Shivaphysicist, environmental

activist, feminist, and author of many books.

“It is time to learn from the mistakes of monocultures of the

mind and the essentialising violence of reductionist thought. It is time to turn to diversity for

healing.”

= 9 seeds

She established Navdanya, a movement for biodiversity

conservation and farmer’s rights, and directs the Research Foundation for Science,

Technology and Natural Resource Policy.

Navdanya was created 20 years ago, with the goal of saving seeds

Diversity creates harmony, and harmony creates beauty, balance, bounty and peace in nature and society, in agriculture and culture, in science and in politics.

Grandmother's University

Organic Farming

Earth DemocracySeed SovereignityFood SovereignityLand SovereignityWater Democracy

Women forDiversity



Nurseries


Vandana Shiva


M3.8 Biodiversity