Ethics and Spirituality of Sustainability: What Can We All Do?

This article approaches the topic of sustainability in a broad, interdisciplinary fashion − in the manner of our total footprint on the planet, not just our carbon footprint. It proposes to bring together the two allied areas of sustainability and spirituality in a dialectical manner, with ethics as a balancing force and spirituality playing the role of the proverbial invisible hand guiding our quest for sustainability. It takes the view that, in essence, spirituality and sustainability are vitally interlinked. When the spiritual dimension of our being is underdeveloped, we turn into pleasure-seeking automatons, plundering the planet in a mindless race called progress. This makes us self-centered and greedy for material wealth which leads to social disharmony and over-exploitation of natural resources. When we live a life of greater self-awareness, we tend to consume less and, more so, less mindlessly. With this understanding comes the liberating realization that there is no sustainability without spirituality. For material development to be sustainable, spiritual advancement must be seen as an integral part of the human development algorithm. Our societies are human nature writ at large; therefore, we believe that the solution to society’s current chaos lies in the spiritual transformation of each one of us. The choice we face is between conscious change and chaotic annihilation. We believe that the most important eco-spirituality struggles will be won or lost during this decade. While policymakers and governments can play their respective roles, each one of us has to do our part by consciously adopting spirituality and sustainability as a way of life. Only an individual life rooted in the continuous harmony with nature − a life based on moral and spiritual awareness − can preserve the sanctity of the planet

Approaches to three-dimensional reconstruction of plant shoot topology and geometry

There are currently 805 million people classified as chronically undernourished, and yet the World’s population is still increasing. At the same time, global warming is causing more frequent and severe flooding and drought, thus destroying crops and reducing the amount of land available for agriculture. Recent studies show that without crop climate adaption, crop productivity will deteriorate. With access to 3D models of real plants it is possible to acquire detailed morphological and gross developmental data that can be used to study their ecophysiology, leading to an increase in crop yield and stability across hostile and changing environments. Here we review approaches to the reconstruction of 3D models of plant shoots from image data, consider current applications in plant and crop science, and identify remaining challenges. We conclude that although phenotyping is receiving an increasing amount of attention – particularly from computer vision researchers – and numerous vision approaches have been proposed, it still remains a highly interactive process. An automated system capable of producing 3D models of plants would significantly aid phenotyping practice, increasing accuracy and repeatability of measurements

Production of 3D printed scale models from microscope volume datasets for use in STEM education

Understanding the three-dimensional morphology of a biological sample at the microscopic level is a prerequisite to a functional understanding of cell biology, tissue development and growth. Images of microscopic samples obtained by compound light microscopy are customarily recorded and represented in two dimensions from a single orientation making it difficult to extrapolate 3D context from the 2D information. The commercialisation of fast, laser-based microscope systems (e.g. confocal, multi-photon or lightsheet microscopy) capable of generating volume datasets of microscopic samples through optical sectioning, coupled with advances in computer technology allowing accurate volume rendering of these datasets, have facilitated significant improvement in our 3D understanding of the microscopic world in virtual space. The advent of affordable 3D printing technology now offers the prospect of generating morphologically accurate, physical models from these microscope volume datasets for use in science education, outreach and engagement. 3D printed scale replicas will provide improved sensory perception, offering tactile as well as visual interaction, leading to improved understanding of structure function relationships. Here we present a technique to reliably generate detailed, physical 3D models from Z-stacks of optical sections from confocal and lightsheet microscopes using affordable, entry-level 3D printing technology. We use the technique to generate 3D printed models of a variety of different biological samples at a range of scales including pollen grains from two species of plant; blood cells from both human and earthworm species, a section of plant root; the compound eye of an ant; and a developing Zebrafish larva; all of which have been used in our teaching, engagement and outreach activities. Our methods can, in principle, be used to generate 3D printed models from microscope volume datasets of any small fluorescent or reflective samples

Unanticipated regulatory roles for Arabidopsis phytochromes revealed by null mutant analysis

In view of the extensive literature on phytochrome mutants in the Ler accession of Arabidopsis, we sought to secure a phytochrome-null line in the same genetic background for comparative studies. Here we report the isolation and phenotypic characterization of phyABCDE quintuple and phyABDE quadruple mutants in the Ler background. Unlike earlier studies, these lines possess a functional allele of FT permitting measurements of photoperiod-dependent flowering behavior. Comparative studies of both classes of mutants establish that phytochromes are dispensable for completion of the Arabidopsis life cycle under red light, despite the lack of a transcriptomic response, and also indicate that phyC is nonfunctional in the absence of other phytochromes. Phytochrome-less plants can produce chlorophyll for photosynthesis under continuous red light, yet require elevated fluence rates for survival. Unexpectedly, our analyses reveal both light-dependent and -independent roles for phytochromes to regulate the Arabidopsis circadian clock. The rapid transition of these mutants from vegetative to reproductive growth, as well as their insensitivity to photoperiod, establish a dual role for phytochromes to arrest and to promote progression of plant development in response to the prevailing light environment