Biodiversity services, that is, natural biodiversity services as opposed to human efforts to control aspects of 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 values on services provided by nature

Much is now being written on the valuation of the services, that is, the pricing of the services that nature naturally 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 preserving natural biodiversity services

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. These are lessons that humans should have learned during the little ice age. 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 preserving natural biodiversity services

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 preserving biodiversity services

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, by 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 which also helps 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 products 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.

• The value of nature 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.

Preserving biodiversity 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.

Biodiversity services for preserving natural biodiversity services

Non native Asian Privet invading East Texas

Environmental Services: Exotic Vegetation Management

It’s a fact of life.

Plants move. They migrate from one area to another using a bewildering variety of locomotion methods. Sometimes they travel by hitch hiking on people or animals, sometimes by wind or water, but travel they do.

If there is an invasive plant in your area, the chances are pretty high, that you will have it on your property eventually. If you are trying to manage a habitat, like a garden, a backyard habitat, or a lake, pond or stream, or even a deer lease, you will eventually have to deal with them. The more you learn about them, and how to deal with them, the better off you will be.

When exotic plants enter an area, they may alter the environment of the area so much that things become unbalanced. This can occur when the invader takes over an area occupied by a plant that one form of wildlife uses for food or cover. When this happens, the native plant may disappear, and the animals that use them for food may disappear as well. Other plants and animals may be in some way dependent upon the animal that disappears, and consequently remove themselves as well.

This chain reaction can work its way through a local environment pretty quickly, or it may take years. More subtle forms of the same scenario, dealing with microbial and fungal activity may be at work as well. In some cases, the damage may be almost irreversible.

How can you prevent this?

Observation can be an effective means of preventing the problem. To stop any potential problem, or to eliminate it early, you have to know that the problem exists. Some exotics can stay hidden for a while, so checking the area fairly often will give the earliest detection.

Once you find something out of the ordinary, you should properly identify it, and if it is an invasive exotic, take immediate action!

Infestations, and multiple sightings may require some drastic measures to prevent the elimination of some or all of the native species, so you should know what you grow.

We offer identification of non native species and treatments designed to eliminate them. ]]> http://burnsenvironmental.com/information/2008/09/environmental-services-exotic-vegetation-management/feed/ 0 http://burnsenvironmental.com/information/2008/09/our-direct-approach-to-creating-a-backyard-habitat/ http://burnsenvironmental.com/information/2008/09/our-direct-approach-to-creating-a-backyard-habitat/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:14:23 +0000 james http://burnsenvironmental.com/information/?p=96 There are many ways you can approach your backyard habitat project, some of them can be a little confusing. We have developed the following approach. We even created an acronym to make it easy to remember. D-I-R-E-C-T:

Decide>Identify>Remove>Encourage>Construct>Transplant

• Decide what you want to accomplish.

Is this to be a bird sanctuary, a small animal habitat, or do you simply want to attract butterflies? To some extent, by following these guidelines, you will have some of all.

• Identify what you already have.

What is already good about your landscape, and what is bad? What invasive non native plants are in the way? What will you need to do to get rid of them, and what will you use to replace them? This may cause you to want to modify what you initially wanted, as the opportunities expand. Keep in mind that you are dealing with living things, and that your project may evolve just as nature evolves.

• Remove the plants that are non native, or at least the ones that tend to be invasive.

It has been our experience, that wildlife can survive in a mixed habitat of natives and non native plant life, but that any non natives tend to throw things out of balance. Some birds will eat their fill of of non native berries or seed, and not be physically benefited. They will tend to seek out better nourishment, even if it is somewhere else. Remember, that you have limited space, so everything that grows, should benefit wildlife, or the wildlife will go.

• Encourage the plants that are native and beneficial.

There are several ways that this can be done, including a little pruning, and some of the other cultural practices that are normally used with landscape plants.

• Construct any additional structures, and water features.

You may need to provide extra cover, water, and food for the wildlife. It could be something as simple as a bird or bat house,a rock den area,a feeder for supplemental feedings, or a water feature complete with falls for the wildlife to drink from and wash in.

• Transplant any native plants needed to round out the habitat.

If you have done the things on the rest of the list, you may find that you need some other plants to help round out the native wildlife diet. Planting an extra seed bearing tree, or a few shrubs that might be the favorite food of one of your winged or furry friends, might be just the thing to encourage them to spend time at your place. Just make sure it is native.

Residential Habitat Services In East Texas

Aquatic Biodiversity: Protecting Lakes

Invasive Plants and Biodiversity: “What harm can a little plant possibly do?”

I get this question from a lot of people: “What harm can a little plant possibly do?”

Exotic Plants, Biodiversity: A Cause and Effect Tale

The following tale is true in most of it’s content, the names have been changed to protect the innocent!

Invasive Exotic Plant “Sleeper Cells”.

There are more in the wings!