Hello! This is my inquiry blog post #3! In this blog post, I will explain the second step of research from my project plan regarding the question: “How do human efforts and attempts to fix nature compare to letting nature heal itself?”
Inquiry question: “How do human efforts and attempts to fix nature compare to letting nature heal itself?”
My step 2 of research: Research about natural recovery processes in nature
Revegetation: Revegetation is the natural process of re-establishing native trees, shrubs, groundcovers and other plants. (1) This process is important in restoring ecosystems, especially in areas affected by human activities such as deforestation. (1) One main goal of revegetation is to stabilize the land surface. (2) This can be done by anchoring the soil with plant roots. (2) There are many benefits to revegetation. (1) This includes enhancing biodiversity, restoring wildlife corridors, and providing shade and protection from wind. (1) Moreover, revegetation improves land productivity over time and contributes to long-term climate resilience. (2)
Soil formation: Soil formation is a slow, ongoing process where rocks and sediments are transformed into soil through weathering, the breakdown of rock and minerals, and the accumulation and decomposition of organic matter. (3) Soil formation begins with weathering. Weathering is essential for the process of soil formation, as soil only develops because of the weathering of materials such as rocks and minerals at or near the Earth’s Surface. (3）There are two main types of weathering involved: mechanical and chemical weathering. (3) Mechanical weathering is when the weather physically breaks rocks into smaller pieces, while chemical weathering happens when the minerals in rocks react with water, oxygen, acids, or other chemicals to form new minerals. (3) Overtime, these weathered rock particles mix with organic matter, which are the remains of plants, animals, and microorganisms. (3) Other important factors in soil formations include climate, parent material, topography, organisms, and time. (3)
Biodegradation of oil: Biodegradation of oils is the natural process in which microorganisms like bacteria and fungi break oil down into smaller compounds. (4) This process helps improve the condition of an environment that has been contaminated by oil spills. (4) Some species like the Alcanivorax borkumensis possess specific enzymes such as oxygenase. (5) This allows them to breakdown hydrocarbons under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. (5) According to different researchs, environmental factors like oxygen, temperature, and nutrient levels all influence the efficiency of biodegradation. (5) Overall, even though Biodegradation of oils is slow, it is considered one of the most eco-friendly methods in reducing the environmental impact of oil spills. (5)
References:
- Revegetation Principles – Land for Wildlife notes https://www.lfwseq.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Revegetation-Principles.pdf
- Why revegetation is important in agricultural landscapes – Soils for life (2025) https://soilsforlife.org.au/why-revegetation-is-important/
- 10.3 Soil Formation – Steve Earl (2021) https://environmental-geol.pressbooks.tru.ca/chapter/soil-formation/
- Bioremediation of oil spills – Science World https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/bioremediation-oil-spills/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12991326896&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsfHLmsWfjQMVNBetBh3k1SNnEAAYASAAEgJPcvD_BwE
- Self-healing capacity of deep-sea ecosystems affected by petroleum hydrocarbons – Alberta Scoma, Michail M Yakimov, Daniele Daffonchio, and Nico Boon (2017, May 17th) https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.15252/embr.201744090
Thank you for reading! 🙂
