Читать книгу Fundamentals of Conservation Biology - Malcolm L. Hunter Jr. - Страница 59

One of the single biggest uses we make of other living creatures, measured in gigatons, is burning them as biomass fuel. Trees provide most of this material, with over two of the seven billion people on Earth relying on wood for cooking and heating (FAO; see www.fao.org/forestry/energy); peat and agricultural residues are another significant portion. Of course, all forms of life are full of carbon and will burn given sufficient heat and oxygen. Closely related to fuel are various oils and waxes used for lubricants, chemical feedstocks, and other specialized uses. Some of these substances are unique to certain species. For example, sperm whale oil has special properties as a lubricant, properties so valuable that sperm whale populations have been grossly overexploited. Fortunately, scientists have discovered that a plant, the jojoba, which can easily be cultivated, produces an oil with qualities very similar to sperm whale oil, enabling sperm whales to slowly recover.