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Dr. Dyer's work contributes to the body of knowledge about the ecology of the rainforest and the role of the plants and caterpillars.  This study examines the ecology of the rainforest in both Costa Rica and Equador.  Ecology is the study of relationships of organisms to their environment.  He is also examining the role of the plants in deterring pests or controlling unwanted insects.  In the lab he has examined the effects of piper cenocladum's amides and imides on herbivores.  "Current advances in ecology could provide useful guidelines for management of agricultural systems, plantations, and natural preserves.  We use results from our research on tritropic interactions to construct predictive models that can be used as guidelines for choosing appropriate natural enemies in biocontrol." http://www.tulane.edu/~piper/res.htm   This is a form of bioprospecting, searching for noninvasive biological controls that work within the ecological system.

Wikipedia defines bioprospectiong as, " the collecting and cribbing of biological samples (plants, animals, micro-organisms) and the collecting of indigenous knowledge to helping discovering genetic or biochemical resources.  In short, it is the search for new medicines or chemicals in the rich biodiversity of our planet utilizing the knowledge of indigenous people  Once a plant or animal has been identified scientists try to isolate the natural product." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioprospecting  Currently scientist are searching in the rainforests and coral reefs.  There is even some work combing the ocean floor for microorganisms.  This can be a very lucrative endeavor, "approximately one-quarter of all prescription drugs in the United States, for example, contain active ingredients derived from plants." Conforto (2004).  A large part of this "prospecting" is being conducted in the southern hemisphere, due to its rich biodiversity.  "Almost one-half of the 121 plant-based prescription drugs in the entire world originate in the tropics. Moreover, 74 percent of these drugs were discovered by simply researching native folklore claims." Conforto (2004)  There is also research being done of soil microorganisims.  Plotkin states that nearly all classes of antibiotics are from natural sources. (http://www/actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/plotkin.html)

The rich potential from new medicines and chemicals is prompting the preservation of biodiversity in both the environment and the indigenous human populations of the southern hemisphere.  We need to look at preserving and providing economic incentives to the cultures that hold this knowledge.  There is a whole body of work discussing pitfalls of biopiracy.  Biopiracy taking the resources or knowledge without compensation.  In 1992, The UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero, Brazil attempted to help prevent the loss of just such diversity.  The objectives of the CBD (Convention of Biological Diversity) are "(a) the conservation of biodiversity, (b) the sustainable use of its components, and (c) the equitable sharing of the benefits resulting from the commercial use of genetic resources." Moran et al. (2001)

In conclusion, the work of Dr. Dyer and others illustrates the importance of preserving the rich biodiversity of our planet.  There is no telling where the next new pain medicine, pest control, or cure for cancer will be found.  We need to also preserve the rich cultural knowledge of the indigenous people living in these areas.

Resources:

http://www.tulane.edu/~piper/res.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioprospecting

http://www/actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/plotkin.html

Katy Moran, Steven R. King, and Thomas J. Carlson.  Biodiversity Prospecting:  Lessons and Prospects. Annual Review of Anthropology 30 505-26 2001.

David Conforto.  Traditional and Modern-Day Biopiracy:  Redefining the Biopiracy Debate. Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation 19 no 2 357-96 2004.