Terraforming the Biosphere - Can Bioengineering Save Us?

Explore the potential of bioengineering to address critical environmental challenges in this thought-provoking lecture by Ricard Solé from Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona. Delve into innovative strategies for using synthetic biology to modify existing communities and ecosystems as a scalable approach to prevent ecological tipping points. Examine the complexities of intervening at multiple scales, from gene circuits to entire communities, and the need for new theoretical frameworks. Investigate potential applications for protecting drylands from desertification, tackling marine plastic pollution, and regulating carbon dioxide levels. Consider the implications, challenges, and ethical considerations of bioengineering approaches in ecosystem management and climate change mitigation.

Intro
What can be done
Drylands
Tipping points
Interventions
Plastic
Metagenomics
Work in progress
What do we know
What about the community
Can you prove analytically
Alternative scenario
Real possibilities
Field studies
Tradeoffs
Thank you
Algae biofuels
Economic markets vs ecosystems
No role of stochasticity
Metastable asymptotic state
Bioengineering vs geoengineering
Breeding vs genetic engineering