<
https://theconversation.com/drone-seeding-and-e-seeds-sound-exciting-but-ecosystem-restoration-needs-practical-solutions-204274>
"A drone drops a small wooden projectile with three spiral tails and a seed
mounted on the tip. It gently lands on the bare ground and sits there, exposed
to the elements, until it rains. Then, the moisture penetrates the wood fibres,
and the spiral tails start twisting, slowly pushing the seed into the ground,
where it will germinate.
The design of this incredible depth-seeking seed carrier, recently published in
Nature, was inspired by the self-burying mechanism of a few plant species,
such as those of the genus
Erodium.
According to the authors, these seed carriers, also known as E-seeds, can be
built in various sizes for different species and dropped by aeroplanes or
drones to restore degraded ecosystems.
This bio-inspired engineering marvel has received a vast and well-deserved
share of attention and praise.
But, from a restoration practitioner’s point of view, it has logistical issues
that can greatly limit its application at scale."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
