Post by NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

From biotech 🧬 to ECOTECH 🌍: from controlling nature to working with it   What if the next technological leap is not about engineering life at the scale of cells and molecules, but about designing with entire ecosystems?    In a new Science Advances paper, an international team including 5 researchers from NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research introduces Ecosystem Technology (“ecotech”): an approach that brings together ecology, engineering and earth sciences to design solutions that work with nature, not replace it. Where biotechnology transformed the world at the level of cells and molecules, ecotech focuses on populations, ecosystems and the biosphere — shifting from optimizing parts to understanding the interactions that make natural systems resilient. Think of offshore wind farms that don’t just generate renewable energy, but also support marine life. Foundations designed with coral-like structures could attract fish and help ecosystems develop — turning infrastructure into habitat. “At NIOZ, we see every day how powerful natural processes are in coastal ecosystems,” say NIOZ-authors Johan Van de Koppel and Tjeerd Bouma.  “By using those processes intelligently, we can develop solutions that are effective, sustainable and adaptive.” “And scalable and equitable,” adds their co-author Marte Stoorvogel.  “With ecotech, we can accelerate solutions for climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration,” says Tjisse Van der Heide.  “It’s a perspective where economy, nature and technology reinforce each other,” concludes their colleague Jim van Belzen. “That is essential for a livable future on our planet.” Read the online article here: https://lnkd.in/eZ-Pyj9J   #ecotech #naturebasedsolutions #climate #biodiversity #NIOZ