Biodiversity & Landowners | We’re All Connected
Everything is Connected
Biodiversity is defined by the Ecological Society of America as, “the range of variation found among microorganisms, plant, fungi, and animals. Also the richness of species of living organisms.”
The phrase, everything is connected, has different meanings for everyone. Within the Biological sphere, it becomes a little more significant. For example, Iron was formed naturally from supernovas releasing massive amounts of energy into space. Iron is also a key component found in hemoglobin within our bloodstream. Hemoglobin is essential for transferring oxygen throughout the body. Without it, we do not live.
From a cellular level, “plant species harness the energy of the sun to fix carbon through photosynthesis, and this essential biological process provides the base of the food chain for myriad animal consumers.” Within an ecosystem, regardless of how big or small, all species interact to produce a healthy environment.
Everything is connected.
Benefits of Biodiversity
From early on in my studies with Biology, I learned about keystone species – species that are so important to an ecosystem, without them, the ecosystem would begin to deteriorate – and just how fragile our ecological processes become when we (the dominant species on Earth), continue progression and expansion without a second thought on how we’re altering ecological relationships along the way.
How does Biodiversity benefit us?
· The greater the amount of species increases the opportunity for sustainability for more life forms
· Biodiversity offers greater resistance to disease and pests
· Purifies and removes toxins from our waterways
· Decomposes waste matter
· Untapped resources in medicine
The speed at which technological innovation is advancing is stunning. Compare this with the Biological side of evolution; it’s taken these Biological processes (engineering) millions of years to accomplish. If disruption and climate change continue, what’s the outcome?
Status Today | How Landowners can Help
Here in the Midwest, bountiful prairies used to blanket the area. The reason for the fertile soil the farmers utilize today is from the extensive root systems (biosphere beneath the soil) these prairies enriched. Today, only 5% of these grassland remains.
As agriculture continues to expand to reach global demands, we need to take matters into our own hands for ways to promote biodiversity locally. As landowners, we can create pockets of habitat that string together a highly functional biome.
A look at this graph will offer a striking example of how little private developed land we have to work with. *Further in this article are maps outlining the different coverages for rangeland, crops and pastureland. Quite remarkable how it’s geographically fragmented.* Yet, if all landowners pitch in, diversity and species will have plentiful food, protection and continue to thrive. Kyle Brazil of the Nat’l Bobwhite Conservation says, “Small changes in native vegetation can cause a disproportionate positive return on wildlife, so every little bit helps.”
If you’re developing a new house, think native. From Jeffrey C. Milder’s article, “A Framework for Understanding Conservation Development and Its Ecological Implications,” he states: “The ecological impacts of land development are complex and often nonlinear (Hansen et al. 2005). Moderate levels of development—especially when it is carefully planned and designed—can sometimes increase species richness by increasing the diversity of habitat types available on the landscape (Marzluff 2005).”
Developing My Own Yard
Moving from Chicago to Minnesota, I didn’t have a job yet, didn’t have a place to live and didn’t know many people. But I did know one thing – whenever I did buy a house, I would transform my land into a place to attract many diverse species.
How do you accomplish this? Plant different habitats.
My yard contains: 1) Showy pollinator garden 2) Tallgrass prairie mix 3) Sedge meadow 4) Butterfly rain garden 5) Woodland mix
In total, the habitats I planted contain over 40+ different plant species to attract many different insects, birds and microbes.
Going back to the beginning, biodiversity benefits numerous species, protects against disease, purifies our waterways, while also connecting us with nature.
Is building native habitats for you? I promise, if you try it, you’ll love it.
If you build it, they will come.
For further reading, check out Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy.
