[Jeff in Kentucky]

From a longer article by The Times



March 9, 2010



‘Gribble’ marine pest may be key to biofuel breakthrough, say scientists



Gribble, which resemble pink woodlice, plagued seafarers for centuries by boring through the planks of ships and destroying wooden piers.





A team of British researchers has learnt that gribble have a gift for digesting wood, like termites.



Enzymes produced by the tiny creatures are able to break down woody cellulose and turn it into energy-rich sugars. Gribble could convert wood and straw into liquid biofuel.



A gribble-like processing plant could make sugars from woody raw material that can be fermented into alcohol-based fuels for vehicle engines.



Researchers at the universities of York and Portsmouth made the discovery after carrying out an extensive study of digestive genes from the gribble species Limnoria quadripunctata.



The results of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research was made possible by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Sustainable Bioenergy Centre, a £26 million network of expert groups looking at bioenergy.



Duncan Eggar, the BBSRC’s Bioenergy Champion, said: “The world needs to quickly reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and sustainably produced bioenergy offers the potential to rapidly introduce liquid transport fuels into our current energy mix.”





1 of the comments:



Three hearty cheers for the Four Spotted Gribble

Who likes nothing more than having a nibble

Along boats’ bottoms, & piers made of wood,

But be assured, they will bring us some good.



For scientists have watched and noted the fact

Their munching’s not wanton: it is a fine act.

For they turn cellulose into sugar



To make fuel so ecologically sound

That drivers will queue up from miles around.



Yet, who will believe this potty scribble,

Telling you of the Four Spotted Gribble.

At odds with our philosophy it seems.

Once, such strange things only appeared in dreams.

[btthegreat]

Don't we need trees too?

[Jeff in Kentucky]

We can use weeds and scrap wood after logging, if this fuel source works out (gribbles).