Re: Native Plant Rescue

**D*@aol.com**

Gene and Carolyn, may I put in my 2-cents? 

I heard Dr Tallamy speak at the Millersville (Pa.) conference on Native  
Plants in the Landscape last summer, and was very impressed -- maybe depressed  
would be a better word -- with his research numbers. His book wasn't out at the  
time, and I haven't yet read it, I have to admit. But I included some of what 
he  said at the conference in a column written shortly after that, for 
International  Pollinator Week 
(_http://www.greaterphiladelphiagardens.org/column.asp?ColumnID=27_ 
(http://www.greaterphiladelphiagardens.org/column.asp?ColumnID=27)  is  the link). But below is the relevant bit, if you are interested. (His 
own web  site is _http://copland.udel.edu/%7Edtallamy/_ 
(http://copland.udel.edu/~dtallamy/) .) 

Denise Cowie in Philadelphia
_www.greaterphiladelphiagardens.org_ 
(http://www.greaterphiladelphiagardens.org)  

From the column:

Quoting some scary statistics
Professor Doug Tallamy made a similar  point when he addressed the annual 
Native Plants in the Landscape Conference at  Millersville University on June 8 
(a conference for which Bartram’s Garden and  the Mt. Cuba Center are 
co-sponsors). 
Tallamy is chair of the Department of  Entomology and Wildlife Ecology of the 
University of Delaware in Newark, and he  knows his insects. He’s been 
studying their interaction with plants for years  (his book, Bringing Nature Home, 
will be published by Timber Press this  summer), and he quotes some scary 
figures on habitat loss and the impact of  alien plant species.
“Insects that evolved in eastern North America cannot  survive on plants from 
Europe or Asia,” he told the conference. But less than  half of the plant 
genera in the mid-Atlantic states are natives. 

Seeking 'Lepidoptera abundance'
Talking of “Lepidoptera abundance” [the  prevalence of butterflies and 
moths, both pollinators], he said that there are  3,500 species of caterpillars in 
the mid-Atlantic. 
Research had shown that  “aliens supported 4.5 species on average, and 
natives supported more than 70  species on average,” he said, “which means that 
natives support more than 29  times as many caterpillars as aliens.”
Fewer caterpillars doesn’t only mean  fewer butterflies and moths as 
pollinators, it means fewer birds, too, because  birds eat the caterpillars. 

Is there a solution?
What to do? Well, you could convert some of your  lawns to 
pollinator-supporting gardens, creating corridors from one backyard  habitat to another until 
you have a much larger habitat, as suggested by the  National Wildlife 
Federation. And you can grow more native plants, especially  trees and shrubs – which 
support greater numbers of insects than herbaceous  perennials.
More important than planting native perennials, says Tallamy, is  growing 
native shrubs and trees – because they support more species. Among the  most 
valuable native woodies, he points out, an oak tree supports 517  Lepidoptera 
species, a willow supports 456, cherry and plum trees 448, birch  413, and so on. 
Non-native woodies simply cannot compete with those numbers.  Nowhere near it.

Pollinator populations on decline
Last October, the National Academy of  Science issued a report that said 
long-term population trends for some North  American pollinators – bees, birds, 
bats, and other animals and insects that  spread pollen so plant fertilization 
can occur – are “demonstrably  downward.”
The report by the National Research Council said research  indicates 
shortages of pollinators for agriculture already exist, and that  decreases in wild 
pollinator populations could disrupt ecosystems in the future.  
“Despite its apparent lack of marquee appeal, a decline in pollinator  
populations is one form of global change that actually has credible potential to  
alter the shape and structure of terrestrial ecosystems,” said committee chair  
May R. Berenbaum of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. 

In a message dated 1/4/2008 10:17:44 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
genebush@netsurfusa.net writes:

Hello  Carolyn,
I have seen this book mentioned elsewhere and the  title came up at 
dinner here over the holidays with guests. Has anyone  read the chapter on 
"Why Can't Insect Eat Alien Plants"? Pretty broad  statement at face value. 
Obviously insects DO eat alien plants, pollinate  and feed. So, is he saying 
they cannot or is he stating the consequences  of the behavior? Inquiring 
minds and all that....
Gene E.  Bush
Munchkin Nursery & Gardens,  llc
www.munchkinnursery.com
genebush@munchkinnursery.com
Zone  6/5  Southern Indiana

----- Original Message ----- 
From:  "Carolyn Ulrich" <cultivated@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [GWL] Native  Plant Rescue

> Continuing this thread, I'd like to recommend the  new book by Douglas
> Tallamy of Univ of Delaware--Bringing Nature Home:  How Native Plants
> Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens (Timber), especially  the chapter "Why
> Can't Insect Eat Alien Plants?" It's all about  pollination. Habitat
> loss is scary stuff.
> Carolyn  Ulrich

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