5 amazing ways nature is helping the planetby Sameer Singh | 30-03-2020 20:25 |
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Here are five remarkable things nature is doing for us. 1. Beavers are having a big impact in Britain When wild beavers were reintroduced to parts of the UK they soon started to have a positive effect on their local environment. By cutting down trees and building dams, they have helped to limit the effects of localized flooding. The holes they dig in and around the waterside have become a habitat for other creatures too.  Image from pinterest.at 2. Whales are helping in the fight against climate change The world needs to do more to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and oceans. Technology to absorb carbon is one potential option. We could plant more trees. And scientists think putting additional efforts into saving whales could have a big impact too – they say a single whale captures more CO2 in its lifetime than 1,000 trees. And what¡¯s more, whales support the growth of phytoplankton, which store huge amounts of carbon. 3. Farmers are using ducks instead of pesticides Who needs chemicals when you have hungry ducks? In many parts of the world, such as France and Japan, ducks are used as a natural form of pest control. They are regularly found in rice paddies, for example, eating their way through insects that infest the crops. 4. Dogs are sniffing out disease in citrus crops The Asian citrus psyllid is devastating orange trees around the world, spreading a bacterial disease that stops the fruit from ripening and eventually kills the tree. ¡°It¡¯s like a cancer. One that¡¯s metastasized, and can¡¯t be eradicated or cured,¡± says Tim Gottwald, plant pathologist at the US Department of Agriculture. Trained sniffer dogs can spot the smell of the infection much faster than any other method, thanks to super-sensitive noses that are perfectly adapted for picking up unusual odours. 5. Coral reefs are keeping ocean ecosystems alive Coral reefs support a huge amount of marine life, offering protection from strong waves as well as from predators. They also contribute $172 billion to the global economy, and the sea life they support helps feed 1 billion people. But they are also endangered. Warming waters have led to the bleaching of as much as 90% of Australia¡¯s Great Barrier Reef. Reference:www.weforum.org
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