Well-being Biodiversity in MQDC Projects

Biodiversity is critical in real estate development. Research & Innovation for Sustainability Center (RISC) has researched urban biodiversity and applied its findings with MQDC to develop the world's first biodiversity standard for real estate projects.
This standard has 4 elements: conducting a biodiversity survey prior to project implementation, conserving plants and moving animals to safe locations, encouraging biodiversity through design, and monitoring biodiversity after project completion.
In addition to conducting research and putting it into practice, RISC shares knowledge with the public to spread its approaches and boost urban biodiversity.

The database of all plant and animal species can be found at click.

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Why Don’t Spiders Get Stuck in Their Webs? What’s stronger than steel and more flexible than rubber? Spider silk!Spider silk is incredibly tough. If a strand were as thick as a pencil, it could stop a Boeing 747 in mid-flight. Think about Spider-Man shooting his webs when fighting villains or swinging between buildings… Those webs are incredibly strong!But there’s more to spider silk than just its strength.Spider silk has different types of threads – sticky and non-sticky. Each thread serves a unique purpose. Spiders have 7 silk-producing glands in their abdomen, and each gland produces a different type of silk:• Glandula Aggregate: Produces sticky silk.• Glandula Ampulleceae – major: Produces strong, durable silk for walking.• Glandula Ampulleceae – minor: Produces temporary walking silk during web-making.• Glandula Pyrifomes: Produces adhesive silk for attachment.• Glandula Anciniformes: Produces flexible capture silk for catching prey.• Glandula Tubiliformes: Produces silk for building nests or egg sacs.• Glandula Corontae: Produces sticky, adhesive silk.Since spiders create these fibers, they know exactly where to walk on their webs without getting stuck. Their legs also have tiny hairs and special hooks that allow them to walk confidently on the sticky strands.Beyond catching insects or prey, spider silk has another intriguing function: it helps spiders sense their environment through vibrations. With such incredible properties, spider silk has inspired many innovations, including bulletproof vests, safety belts, and even surgical sutures.Nature’s wonders surround us every day. Stay tuned for more on the world’s amazing creatures from RISC.Story by: Kotchakorn Rattanama, Biodiversity Researcher, RISCReferences:Esme Mathis. (2022). Australian Geographic. "Unspinning the secrets of spider webs." From: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2024/07/cobra-bite-treatment/ (Accessed on 1 August 2024)http://oservice.skru.ac.th/ebookft/601/chapter_7.pdf (Accessed on 1 August 2024)

By RISC | 1 month ago