Biodiversity

Many human activities (in including almost all Engineering activities) have an effect on biodiversity and yet we know that the preservation of biodiversity is essential for the stability of the ecosystems that support human life. Major elements of this concern relate to the effects of destruction and alteration of natural habitats and also the effects of global warming.

There is therefore a need to be able to observe the change in biodiversity, which in turn requires that we are able to measure biodiversity. This is problematic as biodiversity is normally measured by the production of species lists and these have a limited use for this purpose (When, if ever, are they complete? How does the list give details about the viability of the populations? etc.) There are many other problems also linked with using indicator species in species lists as they have a property of reliability which normally not given and this aspect of reliability is essential if they are to indicate anything!

The research programme

Dr Feest has devised a simple but robust computer programme that allows the calculation of biodiversity indices that give a picture of the quality of the biodiversity in such a way that different sites can be compared and also changes recorded through time.

This research is being applied to a wide range of organisms (Macrofungi. Bryophytes, Spiders, Beetles). In practical engineering terms, this allows the recording of biodiversity before and after a project so that contract requirements such as “no net loss of biodiversity”, frequently used in road schemes, can be complied with. Similarly the post development monitoring of biodiversity that is requires by the SEA Directive can also become a possibility in a way that was not possible previously.

Dr Feest also has a research programme on the biodiversity of a delta in Turkey to support its proposal as a World Heritage Site and the basis of an Ecotourism industry to support the preservation of the species that constitute the reason for the WHS status.