Sign in

Connect with:
Facebook Google Twitter
or

Lost your password?

  • Biological Strategies
  • Inspired Ideas
  • Resources
  • Collections
Join Sign in

Innovation Inspired by Nature

  • Learn
    • What is Biomimicry?
    • Function & Strategy
  • Contribute
    • Volunteer
  • Community
    • Group Directory
    • Member Directory
  • AskNature Labs
  • About
    • AskNature Team
    • Partners
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
Join Sign in
  • Learn
    • What is Biomimicry?
    • Function & Strategy
  • Contribute
    • Volunteer
  • Community
    • Group Directory
    • Member Directory
  • AskNature Labs
  • About
    • AskNature Team
    • Partners
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
collections

ashley muse: Favorites Edit title

Profile Photoashley museMay 16, 2010
Shared with everyone Edit visibility
Edit Hook
Edit Summary
strategy

Communities recover from floodsriparian habitat

Riparian systems recover from floods by having plant communities that are adapted to the disturbances.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Cooperate within an ecosystemCoordinate by self-organizationManage disturbance in a community
strategy

Native plants persist in changing conditionswetland ecosystems

Some native plant species in wetlands have long-term persistence despite fluctuating water levels because they have long-lived seeds deposited in the soil seed bank.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Disperse seedsGenerate soil/renew fertilityMaintain biodiversityManage disturbance in a communityProtect from excess liquids
strategy

Disturbances maintain habitatScandinavian heath and beech forests

Scandinavian subalpine and alpine habitats are maintained when they continue to experience pulsed disturbances.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Biological control of populations, pests, diseasesMaintain biodiversityManage disturbance in a community
strategy

Microtopographic relief fosters diversitywetland ecosystems

Wetlands create diversity by having microtopographic relief that creates microhabitats for plants and animals.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Maintain biodiversityManage disturbance in a community
strategy

Species richness helps system respond to disturbanceecosystems

Ecosystems survive biotic and abiotic disturbances by having multiple species that respond in different ways.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Manage disturbance in a communityProtect from animals
strategy

Estuaries rely on ecosystem engineersdiatoms

Estuarine ecosystems rely on diatoms because they act as ecosystem engineers by binding sand to stabilize the environment.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Control erosion and sedimentMaintain biodiversity
strategy

Canopies enhance species diversitywetland ecosystems

Different kinds of plant canopies in wetlands enable great species diversity by providing a variety of microenvironments.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Maintain biodiversityRegulate climate
strategy

Varied landscapes increase population stabilityecosystems

Landscapes with diverse topography and habitat types encourage population stability in butterflies, likely from greater availability of resources and microclimates.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Maintain biodiversity
strategy

Mangrove forests calm coastal watersred mangrove

Roots of red mangrove forests protect coastal shorelines by absorbing energy from waves.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Capture, absorb, or filter solidsControl erosion and sedimentRegulate hydrological flows
strategy

Stabilizing loose sandspiders

Some spiders stabilize loose sand in their burrows using silk.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Control erosion and sediment
strategy

Foraging aids revegetationgreater bilby

The foraging behavior of bilbies helps revegetate arid landscapes by creating pits that naturally catch plant matter, seeds, and nutrients.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Capture, absorb, or filter chemical entitiesCapture, absorb, or filter solidsControl erosion and sedimentCycle nutrientsGenerate soil/renew fertility
strategy

Habitat regulates water flowspeatlands

Peatlands regulate water flows because they lack topographic relief and well-defined channels, and have shallow water tables.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Regulate hydrological flows
strategy

Hydroskeleton changes shaperibbon worms

The movement of ribbon worms is governed by the fiber arrangement of their hydrostatic skeleton.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Modify size/shape/mass/volumeMove in/on liquids
strategy

Seeds float to the best conditionsred mangrove

Seeds of mangroves find optimal conditions by reacting to time passage and light conditions.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Disperse seedsModify buoyancyModify positionRegulate reproduction or growth
strategy

Flotation in turbulent watersHeteropterid bugs

Water insects maintain flotation in turbulent waters thanks to an undersurface coating of water-repellent hairs.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Manage turbulenceModify buoyancyModify surface tensionProtect from excess liquids
strategy

Pulled support stalks experience lower stress forces

Long and skinny support stalks (stipe) of seaweed experience lower stress forces when pulled rather than bent.

Profile PhotoDimitri Smirnoff
Manage tension
strategy

Seeds survive various conditionsmangroves

Some species of mangrove seedlings enhance their chances of survival due to several characteristics: sharp spikes stick in the ground, photosynthesizing stem, and adaptations for both salty and fresh water.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Disperse seedsProtect from loss of liquidsProtect from temperature
strategy

Siphuncle Controls Buoyancynautilus

The siphuncle of nautiloids controls buoyancy by active transport of ions and osmosis between the siphuncle and shell chamber.

Profile PhotoAskNature Team
Modify buoyancyMove in/on liquidsMove in/through gases
Profile Photo
Contributed by ashley muse
Support Us

Mission

The Biomimicry Institute empowers people to create nature-inspired solutions for a healthy planet.

  • Biomimicry 101
  • what we do
  • about
  • blog
  • shop

asknature

Explore biological intelligence organized by design and engineering functions.

  • Biological strategies
  • inspired ideas
  • learning resources
  • collections

Design challenges

Practice biomimicry or advance your biomimicry concept with our support.

  • About
  • Challenges
  • news
© 2018 - The Biomimicry Institute
  • Cookie Settings
  • Terms of Service & Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
Heap | Mobile and Web Analytics

Add to Collection

Add New

@

Not recently active

We use cookies to give you the best browsing experience. Find out more about our cookie policy here.