#Local ecosystems

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

The two tracts of land at the edge of the ancient forest in Borneo were relatively small: One was just 74 acres, the other 195. They had also been heavily degraded by human activity. One site consisted of abandoned rice paddies, leaving barren spaces largely devoid of wildlife. The other was deforested grassland that caught fire every year.

But starting in 2009, people from neighboring communities were hired by a local environmental group to help restore the land. They planted native seedlings, yanked out weeds, dug firebreaks and watered the area during droughts. Aided by the region’s heat and abundant rain, the young plants, which included native hardwoods and fruit trees, grew swiftly, and soon created a canopy.

Late in 2020, cameras were set up on the replanted tracts. The land bordered Gunung Palung National Park, home to endangered orangutans, pangolins, white-bearded gibbons and macaques, and researchers wanted to see if wildlife was coming back.

Their findings were heartening. The cameras documented 47 species of mammals, birds and reptiles, 18 of them at risk for extinction, including an endangered Sunda pangolin and two endangered Bornean orangutans.

The study, recently published in the journal Tropical Natural History, shows that community involvement can play a vital role in restoring wildlife habitat and forest ecosystems, according to researchers.

“When we do community-run reforestation, things really grow back faster,” said Nina Finley, the research manager at Health in Harmony, an American nonprofit organization that conducted the study along with an affiliated organization in Indonesia, Alam Sehat Lestari, and staffers from the national park.

Earlier reforestation efforts with less community involvement resulted in young plants that were vulnerable to weeds and wildfires, Ms. Finley said. But after villagers were hired to regularly weed and water the land, the survival rate of saplings rose substantially, and is now above 70 percent.

Ms. Finley said that addressing the needs of the people living nearby first was key to the project’s success.

[loonowizard-blog]

How to help your local ecosystem

[hallabou]

The Significance of Bonsai Tree Blooms on Local Ecosystems

Introduction:

Bonsai trees, renowned for their miniature stature and exquisite beauty, have captured the hearts of many enthusiasts worldwide. While their intricate forms and delicate foliage often steal the spotlight, the significance of bonsai tree blooms on local ecosystems remains a lesser-known aspect. Beyond their ornamental appeal, these miniature marvels play a vital role in supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health. This article delves into the profound impact bonsai tree blooms wield on local ecosystems, shedding light on their ecological significance.

Enhancing Pollinator Diversity:

Bonsai tree blooms serve as vital nectar and pollen sources for a myriad of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and birds. Despite their diminutive size, these blooms offer rich rewards, attracting pollinators from far and wide. As pollinators flit from bloom to bloom, they facilitate cross-pollination, essential for the reproduction of various plant species. By providing a diverse array of floral resources, bonsai trees contribute to the conservation of pollinator populations, thereby promoting ecosystem resilience.

Supporting Food Webs:

The blooms of bonsai trees not only sustain pollinators but also serve as a crucial component of local food webs. Pollinators that frequent bonsai blooms often serve as a vital food source for predators such as birds, spiders, and predatory insects. This intricate interplay within the ecosystem highlights the ripple effect of bonsai tree blooms on higher trophic levels. By nurturing a web of interactions, these miniature blossoms foster ecological balance and stability within their surrounding environment.

Fostering Microclimate Diversity:

In addition to their ecological contributions, bonsai tree blooms play a role in shaping microclimates within their immediate vicinity. The presence of blooming bonsai trees can modify temperature and humidity levels, creating microhabitats conducive to the proliferation of diverse plant and animal species. Furthermore, the shade provided by bonsai foliage offers respite for understory plants and organisms, further enriching local biodiversity. Thus, bonsai trees serve as microcosms of biodiversity, nurturing a tapestry of life within urban and suburban landscapes.

Promoting Environmental Awareness:

By cultivating bonsai trees and witnessing their blooms, individuals develop a deeper appreciation for nature and its intricate workings. The act of caring for bonsai trees fosters a sense of stewardship towards the environment, inspiring individuals to take proactive measures for conservation. Through educational initiatives and community engagement, the significance of bonsai tree blooms on local ecosystems can be underscored, encouraging broader participation in environmental conservation efforts.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the significance of bonsai tree blooms extends far beyond their aesthetic allure, encompassing a myriad of ecological benefits. From enhancing pollinator diversity to supporting local food webs and fostering microclimate diversity, these miniature blossoms play a pivotal role in sustaining local ecosystems. Moreover, by fostering environmental awareness and appreciation for nature, bonsai trees serve as powerful ambassadors for conservation. As custodians of our natural world, let us recognize and celebrate the profound impact of bonsai tree blooms on local ecosystems, nurturing a harmonious relationship between humanity and the environment.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT

[ornitharts]

“Average Aguefort student kills 3 rats a year” factoid actualy just statistical error. Average Aguefort student kills 0 rats per year. The Rat Grinders, who grind and kill over 10,000 each day, are an outlier adn should not have been counted

[marigoldendragon]

I know not what about these creatures compels me so, but I couldn't take it anymore. I needed a mini Rollo. I can only hope that it doesn't multiply.

Congratulations @r-aindr0p your creations mad it past border security and into Australia.

[astrocket]

Watched the Lorax (2012) at school, hated it, and decided to take it out on the Once-ler

[exasperatedoctopus]

The amount of nonsense the ds9 crew puts up with from Quark is ridiculous.

A non-exhaustive list of Quark’s crimes as of s2:ep12:

1. He directly let in a bunch of criminals into the station that proceeded to kidnap the worm-portion of Dax

2. He blackmailed Julian and O’Brien into having a public tennis match, then tried to drug Julien to fix said match

3. He has been caught actively consorting with arms dealers on multiple occasions

4. He literally broke into someone’s private quarters to steal a secret box and summarily kicked off a cold case murder investigation when he got chumped for it

Nobody’s even surprised by it at this point. The earth is round, DS9 is a miserable, shambling wreck of Cardassian engineering, and Quark commits Crimes

[sarahmackattack]

I made orbstructrions for making PollinatORBS (née seed bomb, but everything's so violent in the world, I didn't want the CHILDREN to see the word bomb. Or me. I don't want to see the word bomb if I don't have to. I am 35.)

Will the teachers I email this to use this worksheet? Maaaan who knows. Does the pollinatORB I drew kinda look like a turd thats being rolled by a dungbeetle? YEAH A LITTLE. But. Whatever kids. We're going with it.

Help a little bug near you. Look up native plants in your area. Plant a couple of em. Whisper to the first bug you see that you're happy to see them.

You can download the instructions here.

[sanska]

@madatobiweek Day 7: Free Day

It was always going to end this way

[analog-television]

being someone who genuinely cares about local birds and other wildlife it's admittedly hard for me to divorce domestic cats from the invasive species label. like sorry but they objectively ARE invasive and highly destructive to the point of being included on the 100 worst invasive species list (that's up there with cane toads, zebra mussels and rats - which i don't think people struggle with accepting as invasive. perhaps because they're less adorable?)

anyway. that doesn't mean i dislike cats, not at all. however im only truly happy to see them within a domestic context, aka at home or maybe on a catio - definitely not out there in nature. they are sweet loving animals towards PEOPLE. ive had cats all my life, i can attest to loving their presence around me.

but for the love of god keep them indoors. if you can recognize the harm other invasive species cause, then maybe you can recognize that the same is true for cats? you wouldnt CHOOSE to let a cane toad scamper freely in australia, so why would you let your cat do the same in YOUR LOCAL ECOSYSTEM? that said - something being invasive doesn't make them "evil", they're just trying to survive like any animal would - but they're not native to that ecosystem and the harm comes from out competing local flora and fauna.

anyway. recognizing cats are invasive and liking cats as companion animals are not mutually exclusive. but... you can at least reduce your own cat's impact by keeping them indoors where they belong.

[beatcroc]

pest control TWO!!!!! heres the first one

adn heres the obligatory bonus bc i can't help myself :')

[existennialmemes]

From now on if someone brags that they climbed or plan to climb Mount Everest, don't be impressed. Be super judgemental.

Like pal, you're really gonna spend tens of thousands of dollars *at least* to risk your life and others' and damage the local ecosystem, just to say you did it? At any point did you even consider just going to therapy instead??

[sadcena]

Walon Vau's Fuck Ass Dog

[miyrumiyru]

Why should you join iNaturalist

"iNaturalist is an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature."

It looks like nothing, but by uploading your wildlife observations on iNaturalist, you really help to preserve and protect your local wildlife, will further your country & world because our scientists can using these observation data for research biodiversity of the world. You could discover and endangered species in your area, even whole new species by a proud citizen scientist. Who knows? :D

Look around yourself! even in a mess city, lives are always around you. by understanding other lives around you which isn't a human, We can take a look inside how beautiful and important they are in our lives.

"You see there? there is a pretty white butterfly!" v.s. "That white butterfly is a Small white aka Cabbage white, you know why their name is cabbage white? because their caterpillars like to eat mustards leaves!" See differences? you can show your wildlife knowledge to your freinds!

...and many more!

[br1ghtestlight]

animationepic plz its never too late to give them a canon interaction

[mageknife]

like it will never be lost on me that no matter what you do minrathous gets blighted. i’ve saved minrathous on all runs but one. it always suffers. the game starts with destruction in minrathous and ends with destruction in minrathous. the entire magisterium gets blighted whether the venatori stage their coup or not. You Cannot Avoid Destruction In Minrathous. and then according to the end cards the new archon takes their seat and suddenly everything is fine. it’s a perfect utopia now that definitely didn’t suffer a month of blight and violence and didn’t have giant fucking ooze tendrils shooting through it. i know the vg end cards gloss over Everything but the way they gloss over tevinter especially gets me going