HomeMy WebLinkAboutGardening with Native Species Slide DeckGardening for Healthy Ecosystems:
Preventing the Proliferation of Invasive Species
& Encouraging Native Plant Populations
Brittany Lagaly
Terrestrial Plant Specialist
Member of Danby’s
Conservation Advisory Council
February 10th, 2022
Outline of Today’s Presentation
•Why plant native species?
•What are invasive species?
•Why is biodiversity important?
•What are the environmental impacts of invasive species?
•Gardening with Native Plants
•Sources for Native Plants and Seeds
•Resources for Further Study
What are invasive species?
Non-native species that cause one or more of the following:
•Economic harm
•Environmental harm
•Harm to human health
Robert L. Anderson, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.orgUSDA APHIS PPQ - Oxford, North Carolina , USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station , USDA Forest Service, SRS, Bugwood.org
How did they get here?
The short answer: human activity
•Landscaping plants
•Food crops
•Pet and aquarium trade
•Stowaways in ballast water of large ships
•Hitchhikers on globally-traded products
•Quarried stone, lumber, landscaping plants,
wood pallets, packing material
New York has more invasive forest pests than any other state
•Active ports with ships from all over the world, high native biodiversity
The Poughkeepsie Journal
How do they spread?
Natural processes, such as:
•Seeds blown on the wind
•Movement of water
•Flooding, erosion, floating seeds and propagules
•Movement of seeds and propagules by wildlife
•Feet, fur, feces; earthworms spread invasive
seeds through soil activity
•Movement by birds
•The digestive tracts of birds conditions seeds by
thinning the seed coat; birds often roost in forest
edges and openings, invasives’ preferred
growing conditions
Jan Samanek, Phytosanitary Administration, Bugwood.org
Ollie Knott, Georgia Forestry Commission, Bugwood.org
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How do they spread?
Human activities, such as:
•Intentional planting for ornamental or utilitarian
purposes
•Mowing of plants that propagate vegetatively
•Use of contaminated fill dirt
•Transportation of seeds and propagules on:
•Vehicles, construction equipment, the feet of humans
and livestock
•Land disturbance
•The creation and maintenance of corridors
•Utility right-of-ways, roads, trails
Andrew J. Boone, South Carolina Forestry Commission, Bugwood.org
Max Williamson, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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What traits or conditions allow
a species to become invasive?
Lack of natural predators and diseases
Fast growth rate and high reproduction
Early leaf out + late senescence
Release from environmental controls on growth
Many of these traits are considered desirable by nurseries & landscapers
All of these traits give invasive species an advantage over native species
T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org
Brittany Lagaly
Ecosystems & Invasive Species
Ecosystems are tightly evolved,
interdependent systems
•Species evolve slowly over time in response to
their environment and one another
•Evolutionary “arms races” where species
evolve in direct response to one another
•Phenological processes within a given
ecosystem are tightly linked
•i.e. blooming time and insect emergence
The extirpation of native species by exotic invasives causes ecosystems to destabilize,
resulting in trophic cascades and declining biodiversity & resiliency.
Population regulation in snowshoe hare and Canadian lynx: Asymmetric food web configurations between hare and lynx
NILS CHR.STENSETH, WILHELM FALCK, OTTAR N. BJØRNSTAD, AND CHARLES J. KREBS
What does it mean for an ecosystem to be “healthy?”
A healthy ecosystem delivers ecosystem services and is resilient against environmental and
biological perturbations
•Healthy ecosystems purify water, sequester carbon, build & maintain soil, prevent flooding
and erosion, sustain insect & wildlife populations, etc.
•High biodiversity within an ecosystem increases the resiliency of the system
•High biodiversity ensures redundancies
•Large gene pool within each species allows populations to evolve in response to their
environment by ensuring variation within species
➢Healthy ecosystems have large populations of many different species
➢Invasive species impair ecosystem health primarily by reducing biodiversity
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Dense growth habits due to lack of predators
and diseases
•Dense stands smother native plants
•Shade-out the understory, monopolize soil
resources
•Results in reduced biodiversity & invasive
monocultures
•Dense growth and low, arching growth forms of
invasive shrubs and allow ground predators
access to bird nests
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, University of Silesia, Bugwood.org
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Reduce food and habitat for wildlife
•Fruits of invasive species often less nutritious than native forage
•Impact on migratory birds
•Often have laxative effects, robbing birds of nutrition
•Usually less palatable to deer, increasing grazing pressure on
native species
•By displacing native forage & host species, IS disrupt plant-
pollinator interactions, which are highly specific
•Interrupted phenology-based interactions
Ronald F. Billings, Texas A&M Forest Service , Bugwood.org
Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Physical alteration of forest structure
•Lianas physically weigh down and topple trees
•Invasive shrubs retard natural forest succession
•Increased grazing pressure on seedlings and
saplings causes age stand disruption, lack of
recruitment
•Allelopathic chemicals prevent tree seedlings
from germinating
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Chemical and physical alteration of soil properties
•Dense stands and rapid growth rates require lots
of nutrients
•Invasive plants rapidly break down leaf litter,
increasing soil carbon and nitrogen
•Creates nutrient-rich soils with a thin organic layer
•More susceptible to erosion and weathering
•Less soil moisture
•Too much fertilizer for native forest species
•Eliminates habitat for soil-dwelling insects,
invertebrates, and fungi
Robert Lee, Bugwood.org
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Increased erosion and flooding
•Some plants have evolved to propagate
through erosion and therefore encourage it
•Invasive knotweed
•When extensive, monotypic stands of invasive
plants die back in autumn, it exposes bare soil
to late autumn rains
•Giant hogweed, Japanese stiltgrass
•Thick mats of dead vegetation can alter
hydrology patterns in wetlands and riparian
areas, causing flooding
•Yellow flag iris Je
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Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Nitrification of waterways
•Invasive legumes (i.e. Autumn olive) form symbiotic
relationships with soil bacteria that allows them to pull
nitrogen out of the air and transform it into soil nitrogen
•Water near large stands of invasive legumes tests high in
nitrogen, which causes harmful algal blooms
Increased risk of fire
•An abundance of dead, dry plant matter can increase risk of
fire
•HWA/EAB, Slender false brome, common reed
Jason Van Driesche, Bugwood.org
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
Increased numbers of ticks with Lyme disease
•Dense stands of shrubs create the perfect habitat for both
mice and ticks
•Thick stands of respiring shrubs create a humid
microclimate that attracts ticks
•Mice are attracted to the protection given by the same
shrubs
•Mice are carriers of Lyme disease and transmit Lyme to ticks
•Deer are also attracted to the cover provided by invasive
shrubs
•Tick populations explode in the presence of deer
Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Ecosystems
The extinction of tree species
•Past
•American chestnut & chestnut blight
•American elm & Dutch elm disease
•Ash (22 species ) & the emerald ash borer
•Present
•Eastern hemlock & hemlock wooly adelgid
•Oak species & oak wilt
•Beech & beech bark disease
•Black walnut & thousand cankers disease
•Maple, et cetera & Asian Longhorn Beetle
Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
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James Solomon, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Plants, Birds, & Pollinators in Peril
The Solution:
Plant & Propagate Native Plants!
1.Fill your yards and gardens with as many flowering plants as possible, and make sure
flowers are available spring, fall, and summer. Mix clover and violets in with lawn grass.
2.Plant primarily native species. Gardens serve birds and pollinators best when they contain
at least 70% native plants. Straight-natives are best but cultivars of native plants can be just
as good. The cultivar flower should resemble the wild type as much as possible.
3.Plant trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that host the caterpillars of struggling butterfly
species. This will benefit both the butterflies and the birds that rely on caterpillars to feed
their young.
Spring Ephemerals
•Spring ephemerals are an important early food source for insects; populations are on the decline due to early leaf-out of IS
•Growing conditions should mimic moist, leafy woodland habitat
Trout Lily
(Erythronium americanum)Trillium
(Trillium grandiflorum)
Spring Beauty
(Claytonia virginica)
Cutleaf Toothwort
(Cardamine
concatenata)
Spring Ephemerals
•Spring ephemerals are an important early food source for insects; populations are on the decline due to early leaf-out of IS
•Growing conditions should mimic moist, leafy woodland habitat
Dutchman’s Breeches
(Dicentra cucullaria)
Bellwort
(Uvularia grandiflora)
Virginia bluebell
(Mertensia virginica)Marsh Marigold
(Caltha palustris)
Host Plants for Charismatic Butterflies
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
& Spicebush Swallowtail
Moist, well-drained soil
Full sun to partial shade
Juneberry (Amelanchier
canadensis) & Red-Spotted Purple
Medium, well-drained soil
Full sun to part shade
All Bloom
in Spring
Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
& Black Swallowtail
Medium to wet soil
Full sun to part shade
Host Plants for Charismatic Butterflies
Turtlehead (Chelone spp.) &
Baltimore Checkerspot
Moist to wet soil,
full sun to part shade
Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia
fulgida) & Gorgone Checkerspot
Medium soil, full sun to part shade
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea
purpurea) & Silvery Checkerspot
Medium soil, full sun to part shade
All Bloom
in Summer
Host Plants for Monarch Butterflies
Marsh Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Moist to wet soil
Butterfly Weed
(Asclepias tuberosa)
Dry Soil
Common Milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca)
Medium to dry soilAll milkweed bloom in the summer
Natives for Pollinators: Early Bloomers
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
(Coreopsis lanceolate)
Dry to medium soil, full sun,
deer resistant
Smooth Penstemon
(Penstemon digitalis)
Medium to moist soil, full sun
to part shade, deer resistant
Wild Lupine
(Lupinus perennis)
Dry soil, full sun,
deer resistant
Natives for Pollinators: Mid-Season Blooms
Mountain Mint
(Pycnanthemum virginianum)
Moist to wet soil,
full to partial sun,
deer resistant
Oswego Tea
(Monarda didyma)
Medium to moist soil,
full sun to partial shade
Dotted Mint
(Monarda punctata)
Dry soil, full sun,
deer resistant, host plant
Natives for Pollinators: Mid-to-Late Blooms
Garden Phlox
(Phlox paniculata)
Medium soil, full sun to part
shade, deer resistant,
walnut tolerant
Culver’s Root
(Veronicastrum virginicum)
Medium to moist soil,
full sun to full shade,
deer resistant
Anise Hyssop
(Agastache foeniculum)
Dry to medium soil,
full sun to part shade,
deer resistant
Natives for Pollinators: Mid-to-Late Blooms
Rattlesnake Master
(Eryngium yuccifolium)
Dry to medium soil, full sun,
deer resistant
Blazing Star
(Liatris spicata)
Medium to moist,
full sun,
deer resistant
Joe-Pye Weed
(Eutrochium spp.)
Moist to wet, full sun,
host species
Asters: Abundant Late-Season Blooms
•Asters comprise a large group of flowering plants (Asteraceae)
•Many species are host plants for moth and butterfly larvae
•Most prefer full sun and well-drained to medium soil, but many species are
adapted to partial shade
•Late season blooms keep
gardens and meadows
interesting in the late
summer and early autumn
•Dried seedheads provide
a reliable food source for
overwintering birds
•Hardy perennials that spread
via seed and rhizome
Native Asters for Full Sun
New England Aster
(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Hairy leaves, upright growth habit,
3-6 ft tall
Showy pink, purple, or white
flowers
New York Aster
(Symphyotrichum novae-belgii)
Smooth leaves, upright growth habit, 3-6
ft tall
Showy pink or purple flowers
Native Asters for Full Sun
Crooked Stem Aster
(Aster prenanthoides)
Prolific, rounded clumps
of white to bluish-white
flowers
Can tolerate moist soils
and forest borders
Attracts bees and
butterflies; a host plant
for several butterfly and
moth species
Native Asters for Full Sun
White Heath Aster
(Aster ericoides)
Conspicuous dense,
spikes of white flowers
Thrives in poor, dry soils
Attracts birds, bees, and
butterflies; host plant for
pearl crescent and field
crescent butterflies
Native Asters for Partial Shade
White Wood Aster
(Eurybia divaricata)
White flowers with
yellow discs and dark
stems
Attracts bees, birds,
and butterflies; Host
species for the pearl
crescent butterfly Big-Leaved Aster
(Eurybia macrophylla)
Can tolerate dry, infertile soil
Attracts bees, birds, and butterflies; Host species
for the pearl crescent butterfly; Deer resistant
Native Asters for Partial Shade
Heart-leaved Aster
(Symphyotrichum cordifolium)
Prolific light blue flowers, large
leaves provide attractive
ground cover
Attracts butterflies, bees, and
birds; Host species for several
species of butterfly and moth Whorled Wood Aster
(Oclemena acuminata)
Blooms late summer to
early autumn
Attracts butterflies; Host
species for the pearly
crescent butterfly
Solidarity with Solidago
•There are over two dozen species of goldenrod
(Solidago) native to New York State
•Contrary to popular belief, they DO NOT CAUSE
ALLERGIES – they bloom at the same time as ragweed,
a much less conspicuous plant
•They do produce copious blooms filled with nectar and
are a valuable food source for late season pollinators
•Aggressive in the garden but great for woodland
borders, meadows, milkweed gardens, etc.
•If you can, let the goldenrod grow ☺
Resources for Information on Native Plants & Pollinators
The Xerces Society: https://xerces.org/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Pollinator Project:
https://www.wildflower.org/project/pollinator-conservation
Nurseries that Specialize in Native Plants:
•Local Nurseries:
•Plantsman Nursery, 482 Peruville Road Groton, NY 13073
https://www.plantsmen.com/
•The Finger Lakes Nursery, 1432 Danby Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
•Twisted Tree Farm, 279 Washburn Rd, Spencer, NY 14883
•Online Nurseries:
•Ernst Seeds: https://www.ernstseed.com/
•Prairie Moon Nursery: https://www.prairiemoon.com/
•New England Wetland Plants: http://newp.com/
Be sure to check out our new Facebook group, let’s keep
the discussion going!
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Native Gardening Coalition of Danby
https://www.facebook.com/groups/642870846924393/