Science is the Poetry of Reality

Nationally Known Entomologist Promtes Native Plants

Nationally known entomologist promotes native landscape plant use
Published: Feb 17, 2010 10:31 am - 0
By Connie Nelson
Star Tribune, Minneapolis
 Feb. 16--Douglas Tallamy might just turn your idea of gardening on its ear. That’s because Tallamy judges plants not by how they look, but by how they function in the environment.

 Tallamy, a professor of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware, has studied the link between native plants and native wildlife. What he’s learned is that the loss of native plants results in loss of native insects, which provide food for birds and other animals. In his book, "Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens," he argues that what we grow in our own back yards makes a difference in our world. He’ll bring that argument to town next week when he speaks at the Wild Ones conference.

 Q You have a unique take on gardens, don’t you?
 A Most gardeners look at plants as ornaments. I look at what they do. I just want people to realize their gardens have a function. We’ve designed our landscapes only for aesthetics. We put in pretty plants and if we see an insect, we kill it. That’s an extremely artificial environment. We’re not looking at our gardens as living, changing ecosystems.

 Q What’s wrong with looking to plants for pretty?
 A There’s nothing wrong with it, unless everybody does it. It’s imperative that we change the way we treat our landscapes. We have a serious extinction crisis on our hands. Ninety percent of all birds rear their young on insects. If there are no insects, then there will be no birds.

 Q Does one yard really make a difference?
 A We have this idea that nature is happy somewhere else. But we’ve taken 95 percent of nature. Fifty-four percent is in cities, 41 percent goes to farms. If nature is going to survive, it’s going to be in our yards and parks.

 Q You paint a dire picture. Are we that bad off?
 A Well, humans need nature. We need a biodiverse ecosystem to live. But we can learn to share. That’s my main point: We can coax nature back into our yards -- for our own good.

 Q Don’t we have nature in our yards already?
 A Well, a lawn is a pretty barren place, considering that many of them used to be forests. We’ve put some of the trees back, but they usually aren’t the ones that were there before. Plants provide food and shelter for insects and birds and other wildlife. But when you use plants that are from outside of our food web, they don’t participate.

 Q Can you give us an example?
 A Sure. If you have a typical yard you have a lot of grass and a couple of trees, say they’re ginkos. You may have a few birds that fly by, but your yard isn’t going to sustain those birds. Ginkos evolved in China, so if you plant one over here, the insects, birds and other animals in your yard don’t recognize it. It could just as well be a plastic tree.

 Q You don’t seem to be a fan of introduced species. You call non-natives "aliens."
 A I’m not against them, but from an ecological point of view, aliens are a bad thing. In the U.S., 85 percent of woody invasive plants are escapees from our gardens. And we’ve got more than 3,400 species of invasive plants.

 Q So, is going native the answer?
 A It’s not just about natives. It’s about trying to get more and more different kinds of plants -- true diversity -- even in small spaces. Woody plants have a much more powerful impact on diversity than perennials because they support a lot more insects, which in turn, support a lot more birds. If you can grow some native woodies and then plant a few alien perennials, you’d be meeting me halfway.

 Q Have native plants gotten a bad rap?
 A Natives haven’t been given a chance. Big growers are out there pushing cultivars, not natives. There’s not big money in them, so you don’t see splashy ad campaigns promoting natives.

 Q You have some radical ideas. Have you gotten push-back from gardeners?
 A No. Well, not yet anyway. What I hear people saying is, "Oh, I would never have thought of it that way." I’m not a garden insider, I’m an entomologist, so I can offer a different perspective. If I’ve gotten a few people to think about the function of their plants, then I’ve been successful.

 Connie Nelson --612-6763-7087
 DESIGN WITH NATURE
 What: A conference sponsored by the Wild Ones, a native plant and landscape group. Topics include soil restoration, growing native shrubs and trees, and creating natural habitats.
 When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 27.
 Where: Radisson Hotel, Roseville.
 Tickets: $45 for nonmembers, $20 for students. Registration closes Feb. 22.
 Info: 612-293-3833 or e-mail designwithnature.conferencegmail.com.

NASA Finding: Road Transportation Emerges as Key Driver of Warming

Road Transportation Emerges as Key Driver of Warming in New Analysis from NASA
ScienceDaily (Feb. 26, 2010)

For decades climatologists have studied the gases and particles that have potential to alter Earth's climate. They have discovered and described certain airborne chemicals that can trap incoming sunlight and warm the climate, while others cool the planet by blocking the Sun's rays.

In their analysis, motor vehicles emerged as the greatest contributor to atmospheric warming now and in the near term. Cars, buses, and trucks release pollutants and greenhouse gases that promote warming, while emitting few aerosols that counteract it.


The complete article can be found here.

Horoscope

Image by HelloMokona via Flickr

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22

There are those who would remove you from a position of authority at this time, were you to let them. It's time to be more firm and aggressive.

Rare Bird Alert

Thursday, February 25, 2010

 Dial-a-Bird is a service provided by your Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo Ornithological Society. Press (2) to leave a message, (3) for updates, meeting and field trip information and (4) for instructions on how to report sightings. To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200.

 Highlights of reports received February 18 through February 25 from the Niagara Frontier Region include EARED GREBE, WILSON'S SNIPE, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, TURKEY VULTURE and NORTHERN SHRIKE.

 At Dunkirk Harbor, EARED GREBE continues on the east side of the main pier, providing close up viewing of a rare species. BALD EAGLES in the harbor included counts of 19, 13 and 11 during the past week.

 Also in the harbor, at least 14 waterfowl species highlighted by 591 COMMON GOLDENEYES and 341 BUFFLEHEADS, plus GADWALL, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER and RUDDY DUCK. Also, 7 PIED-BILLED GREBES, 2 HORNED GREBES, very low numbers of BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS, and on February 19, 727 GREAT BLACK-B. GULLS.

 In southern Chautauqua County, February 18, at the pond in the Town of Clymer, 4 WILSON'S SNIPE. Not often reported, WILSON'S SNIPE have a history of wintering in the Southern Tier. February 23, it was reported that 3 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS have been at a feeder this winter in Jamestown.

 Small numbers of TURKEY VULTURES also winter in the region, but a TURKEY VULTURE over the Town of Lewiston on February 21 would likely be among the the first migrants.

 One of the few reports this winter of NORTHERN SHRIKE - February 19 to 21 on Mapleton Road in the Town of North Tonawanda.

 From the upper Niagara River this week - Two adult BALD EAGLES at Navy Island. 4 more BALD EAGLES, 124 TUNDRA SWANS and over 7000 CANVASBACKS between Strawberry and Motor Islands. 12 LESSER SCAUP still at Mid-river Marina in Tonawanda. MERLIN roosting in the loop drive woods at Beaver Island State Park. PEREGRINE FALCON on the lock at Squaw Island Park in Buffalo's Black Rock section and another PEREGRINE FALCON on the south Grand Island bridge.

 On the lower Niagara River, 2 LITTLE GULLS among several hundred BONAPARTE'S GULLS at the Lewiston Docks, and abundant LONG-TAILED DUCKS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS continue off Fort Niagara State Park at Lake Ontario.

 Also this week - at the Dunkirk Airport, 2 BALD EAGLES, NORTHERN FLICKER, 12 AMERICAN ROBINS and 2 WHITE-THR. SPARROWS. In the Iroquois Refuge and Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area, 4 PILEATED WOODPECKERS. And on Youngstown-
 Wilson Road in Porter, 12 HORNED LARKS and 160 SNOW BUNTINGS. 

Rock Climbing in the Niagara Gorge Harms Cliff Ecosystems

Here's another reason to protect the Niagara Gorge. Click the blue text to read the article on the Science Daily webpage.

ScienceDaily (Apr. 3, 2002) — While it stands to reason that rock climbers might harm habitats such as the ancient, stunted forests that grow on cliffs around the world, there has been little unambiguous evidence that this is so. Now the first study to isolate rock climbing from other factors confirms that the sport damages cliff ecosystems. "Our work clearly shows that rock outcrop ecosystems suffer dramatically when exposed to recreational rock climbing," says Douglas Larson of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. This work is presented in the April issue of Conservation Biology by Larson and Michele McMillan, who is also of the University of Guelph.

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See Also:

Plants & Animals

• Endangered Plants
• Nature
• Ecology Research

Trends & Issues

Reference

• Coastal erosion
• Ivy
• Lichen
• Slash and burn

The popularity of rock climbing has soared in North America over the last 20 years, disturbing areas that had been untouched for ages. However, previous studies on the ecological effects of rock climbing have been contradictory.

McMillan and Larson studied the ecological effects of rock climbing on vegetation (vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens) on the heavily-climbed limestone cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, which is near Toronto in southern Ontario. These cliffs have the most ancient forest east of the Rocky Mountains, with eastern white cedars that are more than 1,000 years old. The researchers compared the vegetation on three parts -- the top edge (plateau), the middle (cliff face) and the base (talus) -- of climbed and unclimbed cliffs.

The researchers found that rock climbing greatly decreases the diversity of vegetation on cliffs. Notably, climbed faces had only 4% as many vascular plant species as those that were unclimbed. Moreover, the diversity of bryophytes and lichens in climbed areas were roughly 30 and 40% of that in climbed areas, respectively.

Rock climbing also decreases the cover of vegetation on cliffs. For vascular plants, the cover on climbed plateau and talus was roughly 60% of that on unclimbed areas. For bryophytes, the cover on climbed plateau and talus was about a fifth of that on unclimbed areas. While climbing did not affect the extent of lichen cover, it did change the types of species that grow on cliffs. Delicate lichen species were replaced by tough ones: in unclimbed areas the most common lichens are so fragile that they crumble to the touch, while in climbed areas the most common lichens are so sturdy that they can even withstand rubbing.
McMillan and Larson also found that in climbed areas, the proportion of non-native plants was three times higher (81 vs. 27%). Rock climbing reduces plant density, thus increasing the number of sites where non-native plants can grow. Furthermore, rock climbers can introduce seeds and living pieces of non-native plants via their shoes, clothing and equipment.

To help protect cliff ecosystems, McMillan and Larson recommend banning new climbing routes in protected areas along the Niagara Escarpment, and explaining why to rock climbing associations and schools. "Recreationists are far more likely to abide by management plans when they are aware of the ecological rationale behind the restrictions," say the researchers.  

Rare Bird Alert

Image by Larry Meade via Flickr

Website: www.BOSBirding.org

 Thursday, February 18, 2010

 Dial-a-Bird is a service provided by your Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo Ornithological Society. Press (2) to leave a message, (3) for updates, meeting and field trip information and (4) for instructions on how to report sightings. To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200.

 Highlights of reports received February 11 through February 18 from the Niagara Frontier Region include EARED GREBE, BALD EAGLES and KING EIDERS.

 February 18, on Lake Erie at Dunkirk Harbor, an EARED GREBE off main pier. To the east of the harbor, on the outer ice rim, an exceptional count of 19 BALD EAGLES, including 9 adults. Also in the harbor, HORNED GREBE, PIED-BILLED GREBE, over 500 each of COMMON GOLDENEYE and COMMON MERGANSER, LESSER SCAUP, 21 GREAT BLUE HERONS, GLAUCOUS GULL residing along the pier, 400 GREAT BLACK-B. GULLS, and only 11 BONAPARTE'S GULLS.

 February 13 and 14, waterfowl on the Niagara River above the Peace Bridge included 3, distant, KING EIDERS - a winter male and female, and an immature male, seen from the Erie Basin Marina tower in Buffalo.

 On the Niagara River at Fort Niagara State Park, over 2000 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 436 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and 3 SURF SCOTERS, counted from the park boat launch Off the main parking lot, 76 RED-THROATED LOONS on Lake Ontario, about a half mile offshore.

 Other Niagara River reports this week - 24 LESSER SCAUP at the Mid-river Marina in Tonawanda. At the north Grand Island bridges, 500 CANVASBACKS, 6 TUNDRA SWANS and 20 GREAT BLACK-
 B. GULLS. Among abundant LONG-TAILED DUCKS at the boat launch in Lewiston, LITTLE GULL, ICELAND GULL, and a NELSON'S GULL, the hybrid of GLAUCOUS and HERRING GULL. And at Goat Island in Niagara Falls, New York, THAYER'S GULL, 4 ICELAND GULLS, 3 L. BLACK-B. GULL and GLAUCOUS GULL.

 In the Niagara County Town of Hartland, at least 9 SHORT-
 EARED OWLS on Wruck Road, just south of Route 104. These owls are typically observed from the shoulder of the road at dusk and dawn. GREAT HORNED OWLS this week on Francis Road in Bethany, and on Feeder Road, north of Route 77 in the Iroquois Refuge.

 Also this week, a striking, mostly white-plumaged RED-W. BLACKBIRD among 150 RED-W. BLACKBIRDS on Porter Center Road. And, 170 SNOW BUNTINGS and 45 HORNED LARKS on Tufts Road in the Town of Pavilon, outside Batavia.