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Exotic Plants Destroy Native Understory

By on February 24th, 2010

Some seasons give a little better look at the nature of the forest floor than others. In these photos from a park in East Texas it is evident that the dominant plant in the understory is a non native. In this case, the only green in this scene is Asian Privet, which , in East Texas, is evergreen, and the rest of the understory, what little there is,  is asleep for the winter. It is easy to tell that not many native plants live in this tree dominated site.

Asian Privet in East Texas

The photo below is a closeup of an environmental terrorist. Asian Privet.

Close up of Asian Privit in winter

In the photo below, the only greenery is invasive. It is a mix of Asian privet, and other non native vines, which all have abundant fruit, but it lacks the nutrition needed for native wildlife. This area has been overtaken by the invasive exotic plants in less than 20 years, and almost all forms of native plant life in the understory are gone as a result of the invasion.

understory dominated by invasive Asian Privet

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Biodiversity Services Financing Biodiversity

By on February 23rd, 2010

In most discussions concerning the value of natural biodiversity services The topic of how to value what nature provides is well covered, but when it comes to placing actual monetary value on an acre, or a million acres of forest or wetland the topic is much less traveled. The safest figure is this:

Whatever it takes!

The practical question that should be asked instead is: How do we finance the preservation of biodiversity?

One practical model that seems to be working well, and I say this at the risk of irritating some of my friends and colleagues,  is the one carried out by “Ducks Unlimited” “Wetlands For Tomorrow“. Whether you like the idea of preserving wildlife for hunting and fishing, or not, you should remember, that it is preserving wildlife, and preserving biodiversity. Ducks Unlimited finances the purchase and preservation of wetlands through donations, and through the sale of goods. The money is used to buy wetlands, and pursue the restoration of natural biodiversity. A good example of  such restoration is that after 100 years, the  tide returns to Nisqually estuary through the efforts of the Nisqually tribe,  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Ducks Unlimited. Other major funds were also provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U. S. E P A, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Nisqually Estuary project is just one of many such projects in which Ducks Unlimited participates.

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Plant Biodiversity Wildlife Biodiversity

By on February 13th, 2010

Plant biodiversity has a direct effect on wildlife biodiversity

Wildlife biodiversity can not be sustained without sustainable plant biodiversity.  The loss of wildlife biodiversity in an area will, in almost every case, begin with the loss of botanical diversity.

It is really pretty simple. The wildlife that inhabits a region will be there primarily because of the food supply and cover provided by native plants in that area. If the food supply and cover that they need to survive somehow changes, they will move on in search of “better pastures” so to speak. Fauna depends on flora, native wildlife is dependent on native plants, and wildlife biodiversity is dependent on plant biodiversity.

Native plants and native wildlife

It should be obvious that the native plants and native wildlife are well suited to each others needs, and that any disruption in the normal cycle which would change the plant makeup, would change the animal makeup as well.

Rapid loss of plant biodiversity

The loss of plant biodiversity can occur rapidly when construction, timber harvesting, forest fires, or other events take place.These activities may be necessary, or unavoidable, and often result in the recurrence of native populations at a different level of the natural cycle.

In the case of forest fires, some of this is natural, and will result in the natural resurgence of plant and animal populations in keeping with the cyclic nature of forests. If the forest has been allowed to go through these cycles under normal conditions without human intervention, the results will be profitable for the forest ecology. If man intervenes by preventing all fire in the understory, the result will eventually be massive fires, and massive destruction.

Slower loss of plant biodiversity

Whether you agree, or disagree about the results of rapid, large scale temporary loss of biodiversity, there is something that should be of concern to all of us, no matter where we live. That is the slow and insidious encroachment of non native invasive plant species. Plants which have long been staple food and cover plants for native animals, are disappearing slowly from their native homes, because of invasive, non native plants. And as plant biodiversity goes, so goes wildlife biodiversity.

Each species of plants that vanishes from an area will take with it a source of food or cover for some wildlife species. This may be limited in scope, and have only what appears to be a minor impact on the wildlife population. This seemingly minor effect is, however, magnified by the fact that another species, that lives by predation of the effected species, will also have a smaller population as a result, working it’s way through the food chain gradually. The loss of plant biodiversity may move slowly over time, having an almost invisible impact on the forest, and the loss of wildlife biodiversity may appear just as minor, but the effect is the slow, impending, eventual eradication of most native wildlife biodiversity.

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Biodiversity Conservation Valuing Biodiversity Services

By on February 11th, 2010

Biodiversity Conservation Valuing Biodiversity Services

Biodiversity can be a complicated issue. The seeming complexity can be furthered by oversimplification leading to misunderstanding at one point, and the exaggeration of the complexity at another. Nowhere is this more evident than in biodiversity conservation and the valuation of biodiversity services.

Conserving biodiversity services

What are we conserving? Biodiversity services, that is, natural biodiversity services as opposed to human efforts to control the environment, are the services that nature in a given location supplies to itself. Included are such things as pollination, soil replacement, self fertilization, microbial activities for self composting, planting, and the self production of self sustaining fungal activities to name only a few. These activities themselves are dependent on the continued biodiversity of a given region. They are self sustaining only as long as each element in the environment remains intact, and productive.

Placing value on biodiversity services

Much has been written on the valuation of biodiversity services, that is, putting a price on the services that nature provides in sustaining itself, and the value it provides with regard to the effect of it’s continuation, or loss on the lives and productivity of human beings.

Following are a few of the elements that should be considered in this valuation:

Food production benefits of  biodiversity conservation

As an example, consider that new crops for food production are being discovered on a fairly regular basis, and this needs to continue in order to meet growing global demands for food, and changing global climatic conditions.  As weather conditions change, crop viability changes as well, longer winters mean shorter growing seasons, requiring food crops which can be grown and harvested within those limitations.

Biomedical benefits of biodiversity conservation

Other considerations are such things as biomedical research. How do we place a specific value on a thousand acres of pristine forest with regard to the potential discovery of new material of value to human beings as it relates to human health, or discoveries of value to industry? This also reaches into the area of human health on other levels. A decrease in the numbers and varieties of available species to host a pathogen, may cause the pathogen to mutate in order to survive in another species, and a decrease in biodiversity may mean a decrease in the predators available to destroy disease carrying insects and vermin.

Pest Control benefits of biodiversity conservation

Preserving species has a direct impact on insect populations. It has been determined that 99% of crop destroying, and disease carrying insects can be controlled by natural predations, with such normal biological controls as birds and bats. This service, that nature provides free of charge, can be adversely altered by severe changes in a regions biodiversity.

Shade and evapotranspiration to preserves local climates through water cycling.

The earths vegetation uses vast amounts of water, which are then transpired through foliage, and evaporate back into the atmosphere. This not only purifies the water, and cools the region, it also has an effect on regional weather patterns, some of which are needed for the local environments continued health and production.

Water and air filtration.

We all know that plants “breathe” carbon dioxide, and “exhale” oxygen and water. Vegetation is our most efficient air scrubber, cleansing the air that is needed to support animal life, and storing away carbon.

Breaking down of waste and production of soil nutrients

The necessary ingredients for breaking down plant and animal wastes exist in abundance in nature, and are needed for continued soil nutrient production, as well as soil stability.

Erosion control

The control of erosion on the planet is largely a function of plant life. Both the tops and the roots of vegetation prevent water from washing soil away. The quantity of rainfall on the earth each year is so high, that it could completely cover the worlds entire landmass. Regional vegetation is the most efficient control for the erosion that this huge quantity of water would otherwise cause.

Crop and forest pollination

Both the pollen that is needed for pollinating crops and forests, and the creatures needed for performing the pollination are produced as a result of biodiversity. This process is necessary for the sustainability of crops and continuation of of the process. When invasive vegetation destroys the biodiversity of a region, the native pollinators may decide to leave the region to seek more appropriate vegetation.

Replanting and plant migration

The diffusion of a plant species from an area of greater concentration, where it has less chance of getting the sunlight needed to grow to maturity, to an area of lesser concentration, where it can become established, to a great extent depends on the diverse animal life present. Mammals and birds in particular, help to spread seed to new locations. If the area lacks the diversity needed to maintain such species, they will move on. This, then leaves the plant species with little means of locomotion aside from wind and water.

Biodiversity conservation for natural beauty

This is one of the truly undervalued aspects of the service that nature provides. It may be a little ethereal, but it is important psychologically. Imagine a world without it!

Sustaining sustainability

The primary concern should be the continuation of these services, without which all other potential gains are lost.

Biodiversity conservation for advancing science.

There are more reasons for preserving regional biodiversity than for discovering new medications and food crops. Even on this account, there is more than what we can glean at the present. Looking into the future, and the way that various localized species interact and evolve in a given set of parameters such as physical location, and micro climates, has much to offer. The current tools for scientific investigation, are themselves evolving, and as they evolve, supplying a consistent, purely native setting to study is very important.

In our quest for new and practical genetic material of interest, we need to remember the fact that if these areas do not remain stable in their biodiversity, future benefits will be lost. After all, what good would further advances in scientific methods do, if there were nothing left to study?

  • From a practical stand point, what we must do, is identify the problems. In our ecosystem in the Southern United States, that will be invasive exotic species.
  • We must Isolate the problem to prevent any further spread.
  • We must eradicate the problem using the most effective means, with the least impact to the rest of the habitat.
  • We must prevent future infestations.

See also: Biodiversity Services Financing Biodiversity

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Environmental Information

By on August 9th, 2009

We will post more as time allows, but for now, check out these sites:

Everyone loves a beautiful, freshly cut green lawn, well, almost everyone. More and more people are moving away from the traditional large grass covered areas, opting instead to use more trees, shrubs, and other plants, and they are “going native” with the varieties.

Evolving Lawn and Landscape Cultures | Burns Environmental

Would you rather prevent forest fires, or control forest fires? Would you prefer to control Ebola, or prevent Ebola?  The best control for any problem is not to stop it with the least toxic means, but, to stop it before it starts! The best pest control, the most green pest control, is pest prevention. That is, the least toxic means in every case.

Green Pest Control Best Practices | Bugs And Weeds

We would like to have dialog on things that are really green. So we want to provide some topics as a springboard for further green thinking. Some of it may surprise you.

Thinking Green | A Springboard For Green Thought | Ecouniqueco