Aleta and Ecolog:
Good point. The issues are complex, but not beyond at least adequate
understanding; everything is connected to everything else.
BTW, some biologists got into a bit of a mess in parts of the west when they
were successful in eradicating "salt cedar" from some reaches of major
rivers because they failed to introduce the indigenous plants and structures
that the birds had used prior to the invasion before destroying the salt
cedar "surrogate" habitat. Apparently the birds were using salt cedar as a
substitute "habitat" despite its inferior quality.
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aleta" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2013 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Arguments for Native Plants
Ted,
I'd like to add two points to the many appropriate reasons provided--
Native plants also maintain appropriate structure in native communities,
which have typical vegetation layers, structural complexity, cover and
density appropriate to native wildlife species. Physical structure can be
vital to wildlife species' abilities to find cover, create shelter and
nesting, evade predators, etc. As an example, picture the dense stands of
invasive purple loosestrife, multiflora rose, Japanese knotweed (and many
others) and think of the complex herbaceous, shrub, tree and aquatic plant
communities they replace.
I would also like to add nuance to the basic issue you mentioned of native
plants providing food for wildlife....native plants can provide more
nutritional or nutritionally specific foods to wildlife, which can be
critical when their intake is providing energy for winter survival,
migration, etc. Non-native plants may provide distraction from native
foods...junk food if you will.
On Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 10:16 AM, Ted Turluck <[email protected]>
wrote:
Hello List Members,
I am working with native plants and would like to make sure I have all
the
arguments for native plants correct. If I am missing some, please let me
know. My goal is to promote native plants for use in landscaping and
grazing.
Native plants provide habitat and food for native wildlife. This is
particularly important with increasing urban development and the habitat
loss that goes along with development.
Native plants make up a large part of the ecological heritage of an area.
They made up the environment in which the first settlers lived and the
resources they used.
Native plants are less likely to become invasive because the herbivores,
parasites, and pathogens they evolved with are still present.
That is all I have at the moment. Please let me know what other arguments
I
need to add or how I can strengthen the ones I already have.
Thanks!
--
Ted Turluck
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