#biodiversity preservation

[plethoraworldatlas]

As U.S. conservationists continue to fight for federal protections that would cover gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, research released Wednesday highlights just how important the apex predators are to the western United States.

The study was published in the journal BioScience and led by William Ripple, a scientist at Oregon State University (OSU) and the Conservation Biology Institute known for his work on trophic cascades and carnivores as well as his demands for climate action.

The paper uses gray wolves to show the trouble with "shifting baselines," which, "in ecology encapsulate the gradual and often unnoticed alterations in ecosystems over time, leading to a redefinition of what is considered normal or baseline conditions."

As the study details:

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) in North America have experienced a substantial contraction of their historical range, at one point almost disappearing from the contiguous 48 United States. However, their conservation is important in part because of the potential cascading effects wolves can have on lower trophic levels. Namely, the proliferation and changes to behavior and density of large herbivores following the extirpation or displacement of wolves can have major effects on various aspects of vegetation structure, succession, productivity, species composition, and diversity, which, in turn, can have implications for overall biodiversity and the quality of habitat for other wildlife.

"By the 1930s, wolves were largely absent from the American West, including its national parks," Ripple said in a statement. "Most published ecological research from this region occurred after the extirpation of wolves."

"This situation underscores the potential impact of shifting baselines on our understanding of plant community succession, animal community dynamics, and ecosystem functions," he continued.

The researchers examined journal articles, master's theses, and Ph.D. dissertations from 1955 to 2021 that involved field work in national parks in the northwestern United States for whether they included information on the removal of gray wolves.

They found that "in total, approximately 41% (39 of 96) of the publications mentioned or discussed the historical presence of wolves or large carnivores, but most (approximately 59%) did not. The results for the theses and journal articles were similar."

While the researchers focused on wolves, Robert Beschta, co-author and emeritus professor at OSU, noted that "in addition to the loss or displacement of large predators, there may be other potential anthropogenic legacies within national parks that should be considered, including fire suppression, invasion by exotic plants and animals, and overgrazing by livestock."

Ripple stressed that "studying altered ecosystems without recognizing how or why the system has changed over time since the absence of a large predator could have serious implications for wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration."

"We hope our study will be of use to both conservation organizations and government agencies in identifying ecosystem management goals," he added.

Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), welcomed the study, tellingInside Climate News that "I think this is a really important paper, because sometimes science advances at a certain rate without a self-introspection."

"Nature is a really complex tapestry," she said. "It's woven together by threads that hold it together and keep it strong. When you start to pull threads out like you remove apex predators, the whole thing begins to unravel."

The paper comes amid a wolf conservation battle that involves Weiss' group. In February, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) determined that Endangered Species Act protections for the wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains were "not warranted."

Two coalitions of conservation organizations, including CBD, swiftly filed notices of their intent to sue over the decision if FWS didn't change course. After the legally required 60-day notice period passed, they filed the lawsuits in April.

Earlier this week, "the cases were voluntarily dismissed and immediately refiled to avoid any potential arguments from the defendants that the plaintiffs failed to give the secretary of the interior proper 60-days' notice under the Endangered Species Act," Collette Adkins, an attorney who leads CBD's Carnivore Conservation program, told Common Dreams in an email Thursday.

"Plaintiffs believe that their case was properly noticed," she said, "but we refiled to avoid any further disruption of the proceedings."

[sandhya17]

A beautiful evening brown butterfly outside my door; those spots are false eyes to ward off predators.

[gagliandi]

Malcesine: Enchantment Between Lake and Mountain

Nestled between the crystal-clear waters of Lake Garda and the imposing peaks of Monte Baldo, Malcesine captivates visitors with its timeless beauty. This medieval town, with its cobblestone streets, ancient buildings, and breathtaking views, offers a perfect mix of history, nature, and culture. A Journey Through History The historical heart of Malcesine is dominated by the Scaliger Castle, a…

[delicatelysublimeforester]

Green Hearts Unite: Celebrating Charity in Afforestation

[livelocalorganic]

Uncover the Benefits of Eco-friendly Farming for Our Health and Environment

Introduction Eco-friendly farming, also known as sustainable or organic farming, has gained significant attention in recent years. With concerns about the environment and our health, many individuals are turning to sustainable farming practices to mitigate the negative impacts of traditional agriculture. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of eco-friendly farming for our health and…

[gauricmi]

Balancing Ecosystems: Integrated Pest Management Pheromones for Environmental Harmony

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach to pest control that prioritizes ecological balance and sustainability. Within the realm of IPM, the use of pheromones presents a promising strategy for managing pest populations while minimizing environmental impact.

Understanding Integrated Pest Management Pheromones: Integrated Pest Management pheromones are chemical signals produced by insects to communicate with members of the same species. By leveraging these natural compounds or their synthetic counterparts, pest behaviors can be manipulated to achieve pest control objectives.

Utilizing Pheromone-Based Monitoring Systems: Integrated Pest Management pheromone traps and monitoring devices provide valuable insights into pest populations and dynamics within agricultural ecosystems. By tracking pest activity, farmers can make informed decisions regarding pest management strategies.

Implementing Targeted Pest Control: Integrated Pest Management Pheromones offer a targeted approach to pest control, focusing on specific pest species while minimizing harm to beneficial insects and non-target organisms. This precision helps maintain ecological balance within agricultural landscapes.

Reducing Chemical Pesticide Usage: One of the key benefits of Integrated Pest Management pheromones is their potential to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides. By utilizing pheromone-based techniques, farmers can decrease the use of broad-spectrum pesticides, thereby mitigating risks to environmental and human health.

Preserving Biodiversity: Integrated Pest Management pheromones play a role in preserving biodiversity by minimizing the disruption of natural ecosystems. By selectively targeting pest species, these strategies help maintain diverse insect populations and support ecological resilience.

Get More Insights On This Topic: Integrated Pest Management pheromones

[ggacworldwide]

Sustainable Farming: NPowerFarmers Guide to Environmental Stewardship

Greetings, NPowerFarmers! As we progress through the NPowerFarmers Guide, our focus turns to a crucial aspect of responsible farming: environmental stewardship. Sustainable farming practices not only contribute to the health of your farm but also play a vital role in preserving our planet. Let’s explore key considerations for embracing environmental stewardship in agriculture. Sustainable…

[smaelstrom]

His autistic rizz and monsterfucker tendencies captivate me

Also his fat tits

[covenawhite66]

West African countries such as Liberia, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, communities have designated biodiversity hotspots, including forests and lagoons, as sacred. This system has served as a conservation tool respected by these communities for generations. The community's existence is intricately linked to the well-being and survival of the biodiversity and natural resources surrounding it.

The Western African method is to reinforce communal stewardship of the land, rather than ownership. The system starkly contrasts with some current, non-Indigenous North American methods of prohibiting humans from living in certain protected areas. Placing a dollar value on conserving these areas risks destroying the very belief system and way of thinking that have ensured their survival in the first place. Their value of biodiversity cannot be translated into monetary terms.

[nabaath-areng]

Being brought up on a farm and only ever going back indoors to head right back out again for my whole life, the decreasing amount of insects has been extremely noticeable and it's been going on for years. Of course it's been worrying with the climate catastrophe, and once I became a beekeeper and learned more about my village's local flora it became even more glaring.

So imagine my surprise this year when there are more insects than I can count. Sitting on my porch (practically my room during summers) I'm noticing species I haven't seen since I was at least a young teenager, and there are more butterflies of different varieties than I even remember from my childhood!

There are so many bees flying around too, probably from the hives down by the old homestead buildings by the church and school, owned by the woman I know from the local beekeeper's association.

What's more is that this year there has been no drought OR flooding, so there are a lot more flowers blooming for longer, and everyone in my village as well as the surrounding villages are reporting a burst of activity in their hives... as well as higher activity from the wild bees and pollinators. For the first time in years it's starting to resemble the way it was when I was younger.

All that is to say, the climate catastrophe is real, and in my area it's causing a lot more violent thunderstorms... but oh my god all this reminds me why I persist despite the despair that tries to dig its claws in.

I may not be able to do major change on a global scale, but you can bet me and everyone here will at least try and support this little place. We can keep going in the fight against the municipality that wants to urbanize at the cost of our precious biodiversity, and we can continue to fight to keep out the cities that tries to enroach on us and get closer.

It is rare for villages in Götaland to remain this free from urbanization despite being nestled right in the middle of multiple major cities, and there's no excuse to destroy what little there is left of it down here in the south.

[thestudentfarmer]

9-5-2024 Garden and homesteading update,

Hello, hello!

Life's been keeping me a bit busy recently but I do have a bit of an update for the garden~

Finally Got manure in to fill in a few beds and top off rows. (Which I've started and got going to prep for winter)

Pulled everything but the carrots, cucumber, peppers and 1 tomato (tho the tomatoes on a wire line. I'm still thinking bout pulling it)

I found a few of the armenian cucumbers that might have viable seed, ive got to pull them apart and clean them tonight to dry and give a viability test. I'll leave the cucumbers growing for now. The pollinators and hummingbirds have been using them for shade and fuel. Plus I like the flush of lush foilage and ground cover. It's been extra hot this summer so we haven't seen as much produce as I usually crow about from them. When the weather starts going back to regulalry below 95*f I'm hoping to see more fruiting.

Started up a new bed in the garden. Its a raised bed, two boards tall. This one will be layered on the bottom as usual with cardboard thickly to repell and deter the grass a little bit. Instea dof paper shreds, i cracked up the sunflower stalks I've been saving up to fit the bed size and filled it a good bit with the smaller ones. Topping it off with the manur/compost. I also threw some of the dead cucumber vines with the sunflower stalks to sort of fill it. Not tight packed, just loosely. Just wanna see of it'll work similar to hugelkultur. (Link at end to Wikipedia page).

The sweet potato vines are starting to take off. Thankfully this means I'll have some greens to split between family and the chickens soon. Maybe even some spuds at the end of the season 🤞

The thyme plant kicked the can, the asparagus is ferning out, but not stalking. The basil is seeding pretty good. So with luck some wild seeded basil starts soon.

The sunchokes have stunted a bit, this week I'm gonna see about putting a shade up to see if that'll help them out.

The hollyhocks in the hen alley have been sort of taken over by grasshoppers. So not too much growth among them. Think I'll need to spend a few nights catching them, freezing them and giving them to the chickens for a little extra snack time delight. (Plus getting them out of the garden) I think at that time I'll also lay out some new cardboard as the ground cover has disintegrated pretty well. Looking good beneath on the soil.

Started filling in the area I wanted to put melons in, may instead end up using that area to grow winter veggies, like cauliflower, cabbage or broccoli.

Still need to mix the seed starting soil, cut up some cardboard tubes (gonna try to use them for some seed starting) and get those winter crops started up.

Getting ready to dig out my floral patch to plant elsewhere. (I've been waiting for cooler weather.)

And start up the new direct seed rotation plan (carrots, lettuce, radish, nasturtium and other)

And a few other minor tasks related to the garden and some major ones later too that I'm not gonna get ahead of myself yet on grandoise plans 😂

That's the garden update for now :)

🌱💚Happy Gardening and homesteading💚🌱

Links for additional infos:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%BCgelkultur

[herbalnature]

A green sea turtle glides effortlessly above a vibrant coral reef, surrounded by a dense school of fish. The underwater world teems with life in this serene snapshot of oceanic harmony.

[sandhya17]

Froggy Love: The Dance of Amplexus

[wholelottabotany]

Food Gardening Friday: Herb Harvesting

For the fullest flavor, harvest herbs before they flower. If you've been harvesting branches all season, your plants probably never get a chance to flower. However, by late summer, even herbs that have not flowered will start to decline as the weather cools. This is a good time to begin harvesting and drying your herbs

How to:

-Cut healthy branches from your herb plants.

-Remove any dry or diseased leaves. Yellowed leaves and leaves spotted by a disease are not worth drying. Their flavor has already been diminished by the stress of the season.

-Shake the branches gently to remove any insects. There are always hitchhikers and since you won't be thoroughly washing the stems, you want to get rid of as many as you can now.

-If you've picked your herbs while the plants are dry, you should be able to simply shake off any excess soil. Rinse with cool water only if necessary and pat dry with paper towels. Hang or lay them out where they will get plenty of air circulation, so they can dry out quickly. Wet herbs will mold and rot.

-Remove the lower leaves along the bottom inch or so of the stem. You can use these leaves fresh or dry them separately.

-Bundle 4 - 6 stems together and tie as a bunch. You can either use a string or a rubber band. -The bundles will shrink as they dry and the rubber band will loosen, so check periodically that the bundle is not slipping. Make small bundles if you are trying to dry herbs with high water content, so they get air flow between the branches and do not rot.

-Punch or cut several holes in a paper bag. Label the bag with the name of the herb you are drying

-Place the herb bundle upside down into the bag. You can include the loose leaves you removed from the bottom inch of the stems if you like.

-Gather the ends of the bag around the bundle and tie closed. Make sure the herbs are not crowded inside the bag.

-Hang the bag upside down in a warm, airy room. -Check in about two weeks to see how things are progressing. Keep checking weekly until your herbs are dry enough to crumble and ready to store.

When to Harvest Your Herbs for Drying -For the fullest flavor, harvest herbs before they flower. If you've been harvesting branches all season, your plants probably never get a chance to flower. However, by late summer, even herbs that have not flowered will start to decline as the weather cools. This is a good time to begin harvesting and drying your herbs. -Cut branches in mid-morning. Let the morning dew dry from the leaves, but pick before the plants are wilting in the afternoon sun. -Do not cut the entire plant, unless you plan on replacing it. You should never cut back by more than two-thirds or remove more than about one-third of a plant's branches at one time. Storing dried herbs: 

-Store your dried herbs in airtight containers. Small canning jars work nicely. Zippered plastic bags will do as well.

-Be sure to label and date your containers.

-Your herbs will retain more flavor if you store the leaves whole and crush them when you are ready to use them.

-Discard any dried herbs that show the slightest sign of mold. It will only spread.

-Place containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. There are amber colored canning jars that block sunlight to help withhold damage.

[delicatelysublimeforester]

Unveiling the Green Guardian

[welcometomybraincomics]

You don't think alot a out lightpollution, i mean, I do, but I dont often comprehend its extent. But today. I was riding a plane at night and even from thousands of miles in the air, the shine of city lights were clearly visible until they disappeared into the horizon.

So if you ever think we don't actually have that many lights, yes the fuck we do