Biodegradable Ecosystem Engineering Elements are 3D structures made out of potato starch. They are used for habitat improvement and serve as a starting point for ecosystem restoration.
Wetlands mangroves, salt marshes and shellfish reefs are productive ecosystems that can provide invaluable ecological services. However, al these ecosystems are threatened ecosystems suffering from anthropogenic activities. Damaged ecosystems often lack the following:
BESE-Elements® can serve as a foundation for nature restoration.
BESE-elements® present a starting point: a temporary structure and protection for organisms, facilitating their establishment. After establishment, the ecosystem provides a structure on its own and during the process the BESE-elements® break down.The potential uses for this starch-based three-dimensional structure are almost endless. We are just starting to uncover the possibilities of the diverse range of applications, which include:
Could a byproduct of chip manufacturing be the next big thing in coastal conservation?
The research proposal 'Developing biodegradable multipurpose structures for generating ecosystem services - bridging thresholds', has finished first...
