Ecological Chemicals As Ecosystem Function Mediators Adn Potential Lead Pharmaeuticals

Download or read book Ecological Chemicals as Ecosystem Function Mediators adn Potential Lead Pharmaeuticals written by Charles S. Vairappan and published by Universiti Malaysia Sabah Press. This book was released on 2021-11-03 with total page 95 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The relationship between functioning ecosystem services and human well-being has been established as a bridge connecting nature and society. It has also become a central pillar of sustainability science that dictates the paradigms ofbsustainable development. The conceptual framework that systematically integrates the important roles played by natural ecological chemicals by establishing empirical links between nature and ecology not only varies but lacks clear support. The value of ecological chemicals as ecosystem derived natural of products warrants explicit acknowledgement, only then trade- offs between services and prioritization of policy can be realised. In the last 20 years, important roles played by the ecological chemicals in Bornean terrestrial and marine ecosystems were investigated and reported. Terrestrial plants produce Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) and structurally interesting secondary metabolites that facilitate their ecological processes that areaimed to establish communication such as defence, attraction, deterrent and territorial marking. Some of the most commonly utilized herbs and plants of traditional medicine importance showed very interesting chemical constituents, hence justify their traditional utilization for human well-being. The role of VOCs that originated from animal diet and emitted through decomposition of faeces was traced back to their important role as attractants of insects, particularly dung beetles that facilitates the remineralization of faeces and returns carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to the soil to replenish global C and N sinks. Marine flora and fauna are perhaps the most vivid producers of structurally interesting secondary metabolites with more than one ecological function. Halogenated secondary metabolites produced by red algae genus Laurencia are unique in theirstructural design and exhibited multiple biological potentials. Similarly, soft corals in the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME) produced a huge diversity of terpenoids and function as feeding deterrents of these soft-bodied invertebrates. Ecological chemicals obtained from the Bornean biodiversity also exhibited a wide array of medically important biological activities such as anti-microbial and anti-anticancer, also serves as important array of lead pharmaceuticals. Some of these compounds are very potent and have been patented as lead- pharmaceutical candidates from Bornean natural products.