Drone sowing and e-seeds are exciting, but ecosystem restoration is essential
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Then, moisture penetrates the fibers of the wood, and the spiral ends begin to twist, slowly leading the seed toward the soil, where it will germinate. The design of this incredible seed carrier, recently published in Nature, was inspired by the self-destruction mechanism of some grass species.
A drone drops a small wooden projectile into the field, which has serpentine ends on three sides and is tipped with a seed. It slowly descends to the ground and remains in contact with the soil elements until it rains. Then, moisture penetrates the fibers of the wood, and the spiral ends begin to twist, slowly leading the seed toward the soil, where it will germinate. The design of this incredible seed carrier, recently published in Nature, was inspired by the self-destruction mechanism of some grass species.
According to the authors, these seed carriers, also known as e-seeds, can be made in different sizes for different species and dropped by airplanes or drones to improve the health of fragile ecosystems. This bio-inspired engineering marvel has caught the attention and appreciation of many. But, from an expert’s point of view, it has logistical issues which may limit its functioning to a large extent. Unproven game-changers e-seed restoration is just the latest of many technologies touted as “game-changers”.
Several private companies have entered the market with revolutionary devices (mostly drones) claiming to restore ecosystems by planting billions of trees. Yet, to date, there is little evidence of their efficacy. This fascination with shiny technological gadgets can divert scarce resources from practical, grassroots solutions that will seriously impact our ability to restore degraded ecosystems globally. A large part of the world’s ecosystems have been damaged or destroyed due to human activities.
Global initiatives, such as the United Nations Decade for Ecosystem Restoration and the Bonn Challenge, encourage international cooperation to restore 350 million hectares by 2030. For decades, scientists and experts in this field have been working on solutions to aid and accelerate the restoration of degraded ecosystems. Most seeds fail. Often, the first step in beginning the natural recovery of terrestrial ecosystems is to establish native vegetation. Plantation is a common method, but on a large scale it can be costly. Direct seeding is faster and cheaper, but also riskier.
For starters, seeds need to reach the right place in the soil in order to germinate and grow. If seeds are scattered on the soil surface by hand, tractor or drone, they can be blown by the wind or eaten by animals. Even if they do germinate, the seedlings may dry out and die. As a result, most seeds will not become plants. This is why seed penetration into the soil is key to improving a seed’s chances of success. Generally the bigger the seed, the deeper it can go. This is often achieved by using a precision seeder, as is used in agriculture.
These machines break up the soil, plant the seed at a precise depth, and cover it. The e-Seed can achieve a similar result, ideally making seedbeds as effective as precision seeding. Unfortunately, this approach presents two problems: scalability and logistics. First, it is unlikely that the multi-step process required to manufacture e-seeds can be scaled up to the many billions of seeds of thousands of species that we need to restore entire ecosystems.
Second, the ends that drive e-seeds to the ground can easily tangle with each other, causing either the seed not to reach the soil or too many seeds falling in one place. The authors solved this problem by dividing the seeding box into compartments containing an e-seed. This prevented the seeds from falling into clumps but greatly reduced the number of seeds that could be distributed on each drone flight. Effective, not flamboyant Ecological restoration is an incredibly complex activity.
Therefore, we should strive for the restoration of the ecosystem as a whole and not get lured by the shiny technologies. However, we should welcome any efforts to improve the success of ecological restoration and promote the implementation of new technologies. But new technologies must prove their cost and practicality. We should focus on the most effective ways to restore native ecosystems, not the flashiest.
Disclaimer:IndiaTheNews has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.
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