Urban Ecology Blog Post #2

Introduction 

With spring just around the corner, most people will either be planting their favorite flowers, trees, etc., maybe they'll just be admiring the beautiful plants around them, or they may be doing both! But, did you know that some of our favorite plants and trees aren't native to North America? Honeysuckles, bluebells, silk trees, bradford pears, and many more are not native to North America. Some non-native species can even be harmful to the environment, which is why it's important to promote native biodiversity. In my post today we'll talk about what native biodiversity is, why it's important, and how we can better promote it.

Defining Native Biodiversity

So what is native biodiversity? "Native biodiversity refers to species that occur naturally in a given geographic area" ("What Is Native Biodiversity?," 2024). To break it down further, biodiversity refers to the variety of life within a particular habitat or ecosystem ("What Is Biodiversity?," 2024), and a native species is a species that occurs naturally within an area or habitat ("Native Species," 2024). So native biodiversity is just the variety of naturally occurring life within a certain area. 

The Importance Of Promoting Native Biodiversity

Promoting native biodiversity is important because native plants support economic prosperity and quality of life, they create necessary habitats for wildlife, and are considered the foundation of healthy functioning ecosystems ("About Native Plants," 2024). Having native plants for landscaping is considered healthier for people and animals, they are better if you want to conserve water, which lowers time and money, they are considered beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, and native plants are also generally low maintenance once they're established ("Why Native Plants Matter," 2024). 

(Anderson, 2023)

How We Can Promote Native Biodiversity

The first step in promoting native biodiversity is getting ourselves and others informed. How can we as a community, and as individuals, help promote native biodiversity if we aren't aware of how important it is. We can also help by keeping our ecosystem clean and treating it with respect ("6 Ways To Preserve Biodiversity," 2024). Another important thing we can do is plant native species instead of non-native species, whether it's for our garden, flowerbed, or planting something for our local bees, planting native species is the way to go ("6 Ways To Preserve Biodiversity," 2024).  

("Outdoor interpretive sign: Migratory bird, native plant garden, bird-friendly landscapes Audubon, Michigan, in insect & pollinator gardens series: #092-2120-01C-11519 — Pulse design outdoor interpretive signs," 2020)

Conclusion

To summarize, native biodiversity is the variety of naturally occurring life within a certain area. It's important to promote native biodiversity because native plants support economic prosperity and quality of life, create necessary habitats for wildlife, and are considered the foundation of healthy functioning ecosystems. Having native plants for landscaping is healthier for people and animals, it's better for water conservation, they are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, and native plants are generally low maintenance once they're established. We can promote native biodiversity by learning more and informing others, keeping our ecosystem clean and treating it with respect, and by planting native species instead of non-native species. 

References

6 Ways To Preserve Biodiversity. (2024). Yale Sustainability. https://sustainability.yale.edu/blog/6-ways-preserve-biodiversity#:~:text=Plant%20local%20flowers%2C%20fruits%20and,that%20specialize%20in%20native%20species

About Native Plants. (2024). Bureau Of Land Management. https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/about-native-plants#:~:text=Native%20plant%20communities%20create%20habitat,severe%20flooding%20and%20prolonged%20drought

Anderson, C. (2023, July 17). Why bees are important to you. Carolina Honeybees. https://carolinahoneybees.com/why-bees-are-important/

Native Species. (2024). Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100224991

Outdoor interpretive sign: Migratory bird, native plant garden, bird-friendly landscapes audubon, Michigan, in insect & pollinator gardens series: #092-2120-01C-11519 — Pulse design outdoor interpretive signs. (2020, February 5). Pulse Design Outdoor Interpretive Signs. https://www.pulsedesign.com/news/outdoor-interpretive-sign-migratory-bird-pollinator-native-plant-garden-guide-audubon-habitat-restoration-pulse-design-nature-series-11519

What Is Biodiversity? (2024). American Museum Of Natural History. https://www.amnh.org/research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/what-is-biodiversity

What Is Native Biodiversity? (2024). Biodiversity Gardening. https://www.biodiversitygardening.com/what-is-native-biodiversity.html

Why Native Plants Matter. (2024). Audubon. https://www.audubon.org/content/why-native-plants-matter