© Project SOUND

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County Project SOUND – 2015 (our 11th year)

© Project SOUND

how ecology can help you garden

better and provide habitat

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve

February 7 & 12, 2015

Gardening like an Ecologist:

© Project SOUND

2015: Sustainable Living with California Native Plants

What is ‘sustainable living’

Thriving lives & livelihoods

Sustainable food security

Secure sustainable water

Universal clean energy

Healthy & productive ecosystems

Governance for sustainable societies

© Project SOUND

http://nancysteele.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/image0011.jpg

Living within our means to provide:

How does sustainable gardening fit in?

Provides thriving lives for us and those whose work supports the garden – [act/use locally]

Provides healthy food for us and others

Uses water wisely; protects & augments our groundwater

Uses practices that promote wise use of clean energy

Creates healthy and productive ecosystems in our gardens and neighborhoods – diverse habitats

Leads to governance for sustainability

© Project SOUND

Sustainable gardening: based on the

combination of art and science

© Project SOUND One of the most relevant scientific disciplines is ecology

© Project SOUND

http://nancysteele.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/image0011.jpg http://scienceunraveled.com/DDT+Pesticide+Effects+on+Ecology

What is ecology? The scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms and their environment

The study of how living things interact with their environment over space and time

Garden ecology: the study of how living and non-living things interact and change over time in a garden

© Project SOUND

http://scienceunraveled.com/DDT+Pesticide+Effects+on+Ecology

Garden ecology: you can be the ecologist

in your own garden – or in the wild

© Project SOUND

You can use ecological insights no matter

how established your garden is

© Project SOUND

One of the most obvious observations:

spatial patterns

Organisms [plants] have a spatial distribution

Usually it’s neither uniform or random

?? What explains the spatial pattern

Spatial ecology Study of spatial patterns and their

relationship to ecological factors

Two sub-disciplines Landscape ecology

Meta-population ecology

© Project SOUND

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_(biology)#mediav

iewer/File:Population_distribution.svg

uniform

random

clumped

The sub-discipline of Biogeography also

studies spatial distributions

Population distributions: often clumped

Can you think of any plants that have a uniform distribution?

What might a uniform pattern indicate?

© Project SOUND

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_(biol

ogy)#mediaviewer/File:Population_distri

bution.svg

random

clumped

uniform

• Plants in a garden

• Creosote bush (dry conditions)

• Purple sage - Salvia leucophylla

http://www.biosbcc.net/b100plant/htm/soft.htm

© Project SOUND

Purple Sage – Salvia leucophylla

Photo by Amy Findlay

© Project SOUND

Purple Sage (and it’s offspring)

Flowers: usually purple (lavender to pink-purple) in ball-like whorls

Leaves:

Relatively small (< 1 inch long)

White to gray-green “flame-shaped” – often with

a fold Look somewhat “pebbly”

Plants: usually large, mounded

Generally long-lived in nature

Brother Alfred Brousseau. ©St. Mary's College of

California

http://www.fw.vt.edu/DENDRO/d

endrology/Syllabus2/factsheet.cf

m?ID=775

© Project SOUND

Purple Sage: clues from nature

Large size in moister sites

Probably was browsed historically

Lots of inherent genetic variability

Drought-deciduous; likes some summer drought

Coastal forms bloom earlier than inland forms (?due to our milder climate)

http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_i

tem&id=170&search=

But why the interesting spatial distribution?

Salvia leucophylla thickets (some sites)

Surrounded by zones of bare soil (“bare zone“, 2-4 ft in width),

Ringed by areas of inhibited grassland (“zone of inhibition“) and finally undisturbed grassland at a distance of 10-20 ft.

Purple sage plays dirty

Produces monoterpenes, especially 1,8-cineole, camphor & beta-pinene

Inhibit cell growth, particularly the root stem cells (meristem cells), of young plants

© Project SOUND

The “Salvia phenomenon“

is one of the most famous

examples of allelopathic

interaction between higher

plants

Camphor

A simple observation launched an interesting

biochemical inquiry

© Project SOUND

Conclusion: sometimes spatial patterning is due to

competition between members of same/competing species

What does that mean for my garden?

Purple sage will compete fiercely when conditions are bad

Over time, the area around a Purple sage may eveolve

© Project SOUND

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/plants

/Lamiaceae/Salvia%20leucophyl

la.htm

Common types of spatial patterns seen in

plants in natural places

Gradients (trends) steady directional change in numbers over a specific distance

Patches (clumps) a relatively uniform and homogenous area separated by gaps

Noise (random fluctuations) variation not able to be explained by a model

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Some of nature’s patterns can only be

observed a larger scale

Annual wildflowers (and other plants that re-

seed well) provide a unique opportunity to

observe patterns in our own gardens

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

* Godetia/Farewell-to-spring – Clarkia amoena

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/images/garden_weekly/amoena_cu1_wk12_big.jpg

© Project SOUND

* Godetia – Clarkia amoena

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-

bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5263,5341,5343

CA and OR coast north of San Francisco Bay

Generally open, drying places, < 1500 ft.

Found in coastal scrub, prairies and dry open coastal slopes & bluffs

A staple of cottage gardens world-wide since the 1800’s

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Godeta is similar to our local Clarkias

Size: 1-3 ft tall

1-2 ft wide

Growth form: Annual wildflower

Upright, branched form

Foliage: Leaves simple

Typically blue-green to gray-green – may be tinged with red or magenta

© 2002 George Jackson

Ah, those annual

wildflowers

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Godetias: typical

annual wildflowers Soils:

Texture: any

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to light shade

Water: Winter: plenty of water

when growing

Summer: water until flowering slows, then taper off to none

Fertilizer: whatever – not particular

Other: can serial sow seeds every 2 weeks to get longer bloom (into summer with water)

© 2005 Doreen L. Smith

So what explains the ‘wildflowers in a

crack’ phenomenon

Abiotic factors: Increased water

Soils stay moist longer

Soils warm up quicker

Seeds more likely to stay on/near surface?

Micro-site changes from leaching?

Increased nutrients?

Biotic factors Decreased competition for light

from other annual wildflowers?

© Project SOUND

Factors related to germination/

seedling survival

There may also be factor associated with

the seed & its dispersal

Abiotic factors: Seed drop patterns (plants

hang out over the walkway)

Physical barriers/rough surfaces result in increased seed deposition

Wind patterns

Biotic factors Decreased predation of seeds

that are located on the peripheries or in areas where detection is difficult (primarily by birds)

© Project SOUND

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/White-

crowned_Sparrow_HMB_RWD4.jpg

Observations can lead to testable

alternate hypotheses

Clarkia amoena grows densely in nature; probably not due to competition for sunlight

© Project SOUND

Could easily test other

hypotheses in garden/

greenhouse experiments

You don’t have to know the mechanism(s)

to use the insights in your garden

Placement of wildflowers Along edges of paths, beds

To fill in bare areas

Plants will re-seed to these areas if happy for many years

Make existing habitat more suitable: Leave some areas without thick

organic mulch; let mulch degrade

Use gravel mulch (or none) in places where you want to encourage wildflowers

Know that wildflower removal is a part of spring gardening Hand weeding

Vinegar spray (decreases pH) © Project SOUND

Many CA wildflowers grow quite thickly:

no need to spend time ‘thinning’ them

© Project SOUND

Over short time periods, annual plants provide a

model that’s useful even at the garden level

© Project SOUND

The patterns are most obvious when you

observe a developing (young) garden

© Project SOUND

Cobwebby Thistle – Cirsium occidentale

http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2006/01/cirsium_occidentale_var_occidentale.php

© Project SOUND

Cobwebby thistles are nice thistles

Size: 1-4 ft tall

1-3 ft wide

Growth form: Biennial or short-lived perennial

Basal rosette of leaves in first year; flowers second year

Fast-growing; not invasive, but does re-seed

Tends to ‘move around the garden’

Foliage: Foliage gray-green, very wooly

Spiny, coarsely toothed leaves – very showy

http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera3.html#cirocc

Like all sciences, ecology attempts to

describe and understand patterns

In a given setting/time, how are plants distributed (patchiness; gradients) - description

What factors explain that distribution? Non-living (abiotic) factors

[resources; toxicities]

Plants of the same species

Other plant species

Other living things

Prediction

© Project SOUND

http://www.fairchildgarden.org/Portals/0/images/CTPC/Javier

s_Pictures/Feeley-Ecology-Cover-Small-small.jpg

What do the spatial patterns of seedlings

suggest about thistles?

© Project SOUND

Plant distribution is strongly affected by

abiotic factors

Three main types of abiotic factors important for plants:

Climatic factors: sunlight, atmosphere (incl. pollutants) , humidity/water, temperature, and salinity;

Edaphic (soil) factors: coarseness of soil, local geology, soil pH, aeration, etc.

Social factors: including land use.

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Cobwebby thistle has a few ‘gardening’ requirements

(note that we always discuss the abiotic factors)

Soils:

Texture: must be well-drained; sandy/rocky soils best

pH: any

Light: full sun to light shade

Water:

Summer: none to occasional; would do well with native annuals

Fertilizer: none – likes poor soils

Clearly there’s more going on than just

abiotic factors limiting establishment

© Project SOUND

Clearly there’s more going on than just

abiotic factors limiting establishment

© Project SOUND

We need to consider other factors,

including the relationships of seedlings to

their parents - dispersal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_dispersal#mediaviewer/File:Dispersal_diagram.jpeg

Population Ecology: the study of groups

of the same species

Demography: patterns of populations in time/space & their determinants

Dispersion pattern

Population density

Population dynamics Life strategies (that influence

population dynamics)

Migration

Mortality/natality

Survivorship curve

Carrying capacity

© Project SOUND

Biological dispersal – in general

Definition: refers to both:

the movement of individuals from their birth site to their breeding site

the movement from one breeding site to another ('breeding dispersal').

Important consequences for gene flow (the movement of ‘genes’ from one population to another) – more on this in May

© Project SOUND

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_dispersal#mediaviewer/File:Dispersal_di

agram.jpeg

Plants reproduce both

sexually & asexually

Sexually – by seeds

Vegetatively (natural clones) Offsets [Agave]

Plantlets [strawberry]

Bulblets [bulbs & corms]

Layering (rooting stems)

Other (broken pieces have the ability to root) [Willows]

© Project SOUND

Propagule dispersal: The key to

understanding plant ecology

Seed dispersal: the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant.

Plants have limited mobility; rely on a variety of dispersal vectors to transport propagules, including both abiotic and biotic vectors.

© Project SOUND

Animals tend to move away from densely

populated areas to areas with less

competition for resources

Density-dependent dispersal

© Project SOUND

Plants are characterized by density-

independent dispersal

Propagules (seeds; vegetative propagules) are distributed passively, mostly by vectors:

Biotic vectors Animals that allow seeds to ‘hitch-hike’,

Animals that eat fruits

Humans that purposefully move them

Abiotic vectors Wind

Water

Gravity

Other (ballistic) Plants that ‘fling their seeds’ [Lupines;

CA poppy]

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Flowers make a bold

statement

Blooms: usually April-July along coast

Bloom period: 3-4 wks

Flowers: Super-showy thistle flowers

Pollinated by bees, flies, butterflies (American & Painted Ladies)

Seeds: Will self-sow; rarely weedy

Vegetative Reproduction: no – not invasive

G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera3.html#cirocc

Propagule dispersal

also involves

relationships

Implication: strong inter-dependence between dispersion success and the dispersing vectors

This is true whether the vector is abiotic or biotic

Water-dispersed seeds require running water – consequences of drought

Animal dispersed seeds require adequate animal/bird dispersers

© Project SOUND http://maggiesscienceconnection.weebly.com/seed-dispersal.html

Clues to dispersal mode: patterns &

observation

© Project SOUND

what is the dispersal mechanism?

what dispersal pattern?

As always, reality is a

little more complex

© Project SOUND

Seeds can be dispersed away from

the parent plant individually or

collectively, as well as dispersed in

both space and time.

Another pattern – observed several years after an

El niño year at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

© Project SOUND

Golden Currant – Ribes aureum var.

gracillimum

Another pattern – easy to discern

© Project SOUND

Propagule dispersal: the key to

understanding plant ecology

The patterns of seed dispersal are determined in large part by the dispersal mechanism

Important implications for:

the demographic and genetic structure of plant populations

migration patterns

species interactions.

© Project SOUND

The distribution we see can reflect a

complex set of circumstances

© Project SOUND

http://people.mbi.ohio-state.edu/beckman.57/Research/img/droppedimage.png

Particularly so for plants that live longer than a season

Golden currant distribution: what do these

patterns mean?

Often in areas with seasonal water:

River banks (upper)

Seasonal streams

Ravines/arroyos

On flood plains

In CA, also found: On cliffs and bluffs

On sandy hillsides

On mountain slopes in mountain scrub - < 8000 ft

Studying seed dispersal is not all that

easy – particularly in the wild

Most studies just map the dispersal of offspring around a single or group of parent plants

Better to study the dispersal of seeds themselves - often difficult Seed rain studies (for wind

distributed seeds)

Studies of soil/duff seed bank

Modern technology is adding interesting insights Labeled seeds (radio-label or genetic)

GPS monitoring of bird/animal seed dispersers

© Project SOUND

http://theoffday.com/images/2014/12/page/87/

As expected, seedling density for

many plants is highest near the

seed source

Recent studies provide tantalizing

clues about the complexity of seed

dispersal Wind patterns are revealed

for Mahogany seedlings

As expected, highest density is nearest the ‘parent’ tree

More distant seed distribution primarily reflects the prevailing wind patterns at the time seeds disperse

Other trees have little effect – all are deciduous at dispersal time

© Project SOUND http://www.swietking.org/description.html

http://www.rockwoodventures.co

m/images/p5_Mahogany_Seeds

.jpg

Hints for your garden

Really get to know the physical characteristics & patterns in your garden: soils; light; wind; water flow

Look at the distribution of weedy plants that grow from small seeds (annual weeds; grasses). What clues do they provide about neighborhood sources?

Tip for the thrifty and time-efficient gardener/restorationist : when planting annual wildflowers, take into account prevailing winds

© Project SOUND

Bird dispersal – tropical fruit (nutmeg)

Toucans (dispersal agent) GPS tracked to see where they went; birds were studied to see how long seeds were retained

Modeled likely dispersal patterns: Most seeds were locally deposited

Dispersal was furthest for seeds ingested in the morning

Some seeds were predicted to be deposited at some distance from the parent tree

© Project SOUND

http://smithsonianscience.org/wordpress/wp-

content/uploads/2011/07/kays_etal_2011_BLD_Toucans-2.bmp

Dispersal modeling using

biologic and ecologic field

data

Look for examples of bird-seeded plants

in your garden

Your neighbor’s macadamia or other nut trees popping up in unexpected places

Oak seedlings appearing out of nowhere

Fruit tree seedlings where squirrels, raccoons or possums eat

Any other examples?

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

How are your Arroyo (Succulent) lupines

doing this year?

Oh my!!! They are everywhere!!

© Project SOUND

Succulent Lupine - Lupinus succulentis

Many plants have multiple modes of seed

dispersal Seeds of most plants are dispersed

by a combination of factors

Primary & secondary dispersion

Animal dispersion can result in either random or clumped patterns depending on animal behavior & biology:

Caching [jays; squirrels; ants]

Eating behaviors [where they eat]

Defecation patterns [latrines]

Foraging patterns

Just for fun: track the dispersal of a newly-introduced ‘seeder plant’ in your garden. What vectors play a role?

© Project SOUND http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mourning_dove

Dispersion costs resources (energy)

Most dispersal mechanisms require some sort of specialized ‘apparatus’ – takes energy away from other needs

Reproduction is important – but why spend precious resources on dispersion?

© Project SOUND

Dispersal costs resources - why disperse?

Costs: energy, risk, time and opportunity

Benefits for the individual: Locating new resources [water; nutrients]

Escaping unfavorable conditions Density-dependent predators & diseases

Environmental modifications by species [toxic soil chemicals; shade]

Avoiding competing with siblings/ parents

Benefits for the species: Avoiding breeding with closely related

individuals which could lead to inbreeding depression

Increasing geographic range - less risky for species survival; possibly more resources

© Project SOUND

The short answer:

plants disperse

because they have to

Dispersal is a key ecological process, that enables local populations to form spatially extended systems called metapopulations

Understanding the dynamics of metasystems may be key for species conservation – now and in the future

More on that in May

© Project SOUND

We’re beginning to appreciate that the

distribution we see (even for short-lived

plants) is often complex

© Project SOUND

http://people.mbi.ohio-state.edu/beckman.57/Research/img/droppedimage.png

That’s because lots of processes are going on simultaneously

Seedling survival: long road from seed to

seedling, adult plant

Patterns seen in mature plants

may not be a good indicator of seedling dispersal

Survival depends on both density-dependent & density independent factors

Density-dependent Biotic factors: competition;

density-dependent predation, disease

Density-independent Abiotic factors: temperature; soil

moisture

© Project SOUND

Dispersal and your

garden

Importance of the ‘founders’ When planting from seed, more

is better (in terms of genetic varviability)

Use locally obtained seed

Importance of seedlings Increase genetic variability

Become increasingly adapted to your local garden conditions – selection in action

Importance of ‘naturalizing’ Plants find their own place

Increase population size

© Project SOUND

Implications for the field of ecology

Need bigger, longer studies or dispersion – most previous have been too limited

Models based on (and tested against) field observations

Models may allow plant ecologists to model the effects of individual factors when other factors are kept constant

© Project SOUND

Predictions always need to be

tested in the field

What about larger patterns?

© Project SOUND

One topic that has received considerable

recent attention is the idea of ranges

Range: the geographic area where a species occurs

Actual

Potential

Historic

© Project SOUND

Range map for Achillea millefolia (Yarrow) complex

http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/astera/achil/achimilv.jpg

Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

© Project SOUND

http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/s.o.long

ipes.html

Local ssp. longipes

Range: western N. America from WA to Baja CA

Why might this species have such an extensive range?

© Project SOUND

Ashy-leaf Buckwheat – Eriogonum cinereum

© Project SOUND

Ashy-leaf Buckwheat – Eriogonum cinereum

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Eriogonum+cinereum

CA coastal endemic:

s Central Coast, w South Coast, from Santa Barbara County south to San Pedro

n Channel Islands (Santa Rosa Island)

On dunes and bluffs in coastal strand and

On slopes and ridges further inland in coastal sage scrub at elevations < 500 m.

Ranges can be

helpful to gardeners

Cosmopolitan species: species with large geographical ranges Sites where it grows usually share

a very common characteristic (often related to water availability)

Supply that factor, cosmopolitan species are easy to grow

Endemic species: geographically restricted species (must be specified; relative term)

May have many very specific needs

May be most successful locally

© Project SOUND

http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/astera/achil/achimilv.jpg

© Project SOUND

California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum

© Project SOUND

California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum

Southwestern U.S.

to Utah, Arizona, nw Mexico s Sierra Nevada, Central

Western California, Southwestern California, East of Sierra Nevada, Desert

Common. Dry slopes, washes, canyons in scrub < 2300 m.

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6045

var. fasciculatum

var. foliolosum

Why are plant species limited in their

ranges?

Interpreting the possible causes of a species’ range: requires consideration of three types of factors:

Dispersal

Niches

Spatial variation in environments

© Project SOUND

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6045

Ashyleaf buckwheat

California buckwheat

© Project SOUND

Buckwheat seeds Each flower houses a single ovary which forms a hard one-seeded fruit called an achene (a sunflower seed is another achene).

Buckwheat achenes are 1–3 mm long and typically fall from the plant attached to the dried corolla when mature.

The achene detaches (dehisces) from the flower when ripe.

Most local buckwheat seeds can be planted with no pre-treatment

Most buckwheat seeds germinate best when planted fresh – within 1 year of formation

http://www.cbgscience.org/great_basin/seed_bio_eriogonum.htm

corolla

© Project SOUND

Buckwheat seeds

disperse via many

pathways

Eriogonum seeds are dispersed by wind, rain, streams, and animals.

Due to their high oil content, the seeds float and are readily moved by flowing water and sheeting of water during heavy rains.

Birds & small animals are also likely dispersal vectors, particularly for annual species of Eriogonum. The oil-rich seeds are a valuable food source for many animals.

Many species of Eriogonum actively engage ants in their seed dispersal.

Some Eriogonum species even have specialized structures on the seed which store oil and attract ants.

Ants will often carry seeds of Eriogonum underground where they are provided a safe site for germination

Both species likely use

multiple dispersal vectors

Why are plant species limited in their

ranges?

Interpreting the causes of species’ range limits requires consideration of three types of factors:

Dispersal

Niches

Spatial variation in environments

© Project SOUND

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6045

The concept of the ecological niche

Many definitions – concept has evolved over time

Definition: Place or function of an organism within its ecosystem

Definition: that set of environmental factors (both abiotic and biotic) which permits populations to persist.

A niche is a very specific segment of ecospace occupied by a single species

© Project SOUND http://science.kennesaw.edu/~jdirnber/ecology/Lecture/LecComEcol/LecComEcolCom

p/LecCommEcolComp.html

Hutchinsonian

niche

Hutchinsonian niche: an n-dimensional hypervolume of conditions and resources [in reality, almost never completely known/defined]

Fundamental niche: what an organism's niche would be in the absence of competition from other species.

Realized niche: The niche that a species actually inhabits, taking into account interspecific competition

© Project SOUND http://science.kennesaw.edu/~jdirnber/ecology/Lecture/LecComEcol/LecComEcolCom

p/LecCommEcolComp.html

Limits to a plant’s range: several types of

factors

Abiotic factors [physical/inanimate factors]

Biotic factors [living things]

Anthropogenic factors [caused by humans]

Genetic factors [limit spread of a population]

Time

Combinations of the above

© Project SOUND

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/DomedAlliums

Abiotic factors: very important for plant range

Temperature

‘Growing’ season – e.g. time available for reproduction

Water

Soil factors Nutrients

pH

Structure [sandy; clay; rocky]

Geographic barriers [deserts; oceans; mountains]

© Project SOUND

Interestingly, there are very few ecological studies testing

the tolerances/limits for specific plant species

Comparison of possible niche requirements

Ashyleaf buckwheat

Blooms: Apr-Oct [Aug-Oct MNBY]

Soils: Texture: sandy to clay; well-

drained

pH: any local

Light: full sun near coast; part-sun further inland

Water: Summer: occasional summer

water (Water Zone 1-2 to 2)

Other: tolerates seaside conditions

California buckwheat

Blooms: May-Nov [July-Aug MNBY]

Soils: Texture: sandy to clay; well-

drained

pH: any local – 6.0-8.5

Light: full sun best

Water: Summer: occasional summer

water (Water Zone 1-2 to 2)

Other: long taproot – needs deep soil; needs to be ‘eaten back’ (fall)

© Project SOUND

Ashyleaf buckwheat

Very little known – not a heavy re-seeder in my experience

Hybridizes (like all native buckwheats)

California buckwheat

Spreads aggressively into new territories if planted there.

Hybrids with E. cinerium now spread into OR

© Project SOUND

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6045

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Eriogonum+cinereum

We’ll come back to the buckwheat’s

ranges in another lecture

© Project SOUND

Applications to our gardens

Locally native plants should be easier to grow than those from more different places/sites

Some plants (limited by temperature or very specific biotic relationships) are simply not feasible: often these factors are not currently known

Our gardens can be a ‘testing ground’ for some limiting factors [temperature; soil type]

We should include locally native species (from local seed) in our gardens when possible to conserve local genetic variants

© Project SOUND

Applications to our gardens

At least part of our garden space should be devoted to locally native species:

Species conservation

Ease of growth

Because they are pretty & unique (even ‘exotic’)

Provide a ‘sense of place’

A sense of how ecosystems are meant to develop over time

© Project SOUND

Cultivars: implications for our gardens and

beyond May be ‘easier to grow’

Wider tolerances

More vigorous

May have showier appearance (or other attributes that lead to their cultivation)

Consequances of garden-adapted species?

Consequences of potential for weediness?

Hybridization

© Project SOUND

‘Dana Point’ California

buckwheat – naturally-occurring

cultivar from Dana Point

Population trends over time

May reflect fluctuations in abiotic factors - and a plant’s strategies to succeed despite these fluctuations

Example: Lupine seeds & precipitation Hard seed coat – can remain in

the seed bank at least a decade

Germination strategy: not all seeds germinate at the same time

May reflect a combination of other factors, including those acting within a species

© Project SOUND

Arroyo (Succulent) lupine:

some years there’s a bumper

crop, other years none

Population ecology studies groups

Population ecology : the branch of ecology that studies

the structure and dynamics of populations.

study of population growth and factors that affect growth

Population: a group of [interbreeding] individuals

of the same species inhabiting the same area.

Can be defined at various spatial scales. Example: population of Arroyo lupine

in your garden

The population of the species in the Santa Monica Mtns

© Project SOUND

https://home.comcast.net/~sharov/PopEcol/lec1/flower.gif

As in other branches of ecology, goal is

description & prediction [discovering ‘laws’]

The major problem in population ecology is to derive population characteristics from characteristics of individuals and to derive population processes from the processes in individual organisms

© Project SOUND

https://home.comcast.net/~sharov/PopEcol/lec1/whatis.html

Forces of change in population density

Population density

A measure of the number of organisms that make up a population in a defined area.

Number of individuals (of a species) per unit of area

© Project SOUND

http://203.200.1.29/learnpremium/learnpremium/scienc~00/keysta~03/

lifepr~00/lifepr~00/thegro~00/popula~01/diagram60.gif

Births (reproduction rate)

Deaths

Immigration (propagules moving in)

Emigration (propagules moving out)

forces of change

© Project SOUND

We tend to view gardening ‘surprises’ from too close a vantage point

Oh my gosh – I KILLED THAT

PLANT

Lessons for your

garden

You can’t predict everything – we just don’t know enough (and perhaps never will!)

Birth & death happen; try to learn from ‘surprise’ events

Migration (in and out) happen; be a good neighbor – don’t plant invasives

Change is normal

Plants change with abiotic conditions (which are nothing if not unpredictable!!)

Plants change their environments in ways that we’re just beginning to appreciate – we should be surprised if our garden doesn’t change

© Project SOUND

Ecology is concerned with living things at

various levels of interaction

Population: interbreeding group of individuals of the same species

Community: all the interacting species that live in a given place at a given time

Ecosystem: a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.

© Project SOUND

http://king.portlandschools.org/files/houses/y2/animalmaineia/files

/species/puffin/Puffin%20webpages/ecology/Ecology.html

Why worry about providing habitat for

reptiles and amphibians?

They are cool creatures

They have as much right to live as we do

Some are locally native – and are still found even in neighborhoods

Are important part of local food webs

Eat insects, spiders

Amphibians are bio-indicators of environmental toxins

© Project SOUND http://www.world-builders.org/lessons/less/biomes/desert/hot-desert/desert_chain.gif

© Project SOUND

Some people are a little afraid of lizards…

The Western fence lizard eats beetles, flies, caterpillars, ants, other insects, and spiders.

If you're bigger than the lizard, it’s a friend; If the lizard is bigger than you....run!

Pacific chorus (tree) frog (Pseudacris regilla)

Require water for reproduction

Live in riparian habitat; also in woodlands, grassland, chaparral, pastures - even in urban areas including back yard ponds or moist places near water source

Spend a lot of time hiding under rotten logs, rocks, long grasses, and leaf litter

© Project SOUND

Much of their diet consists of spiders, beetles, flies, ants, and other insects and arthropods.

Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Found in a wide variety of open, sunny habitats, including woodlands, grasslands, scrub, chapparal, forests, along waterways, suburban dwellings

Suitable basking and perching sites include fences, walls, woodpiles, piles of rocks and rocky outcrops, dead and downed trees, road berms, and open trail edges.

© Project SOUND

Western fence lizard

Eats small, mostly terrestrial, invertebrates such as crickets, beetles, flies, caterpillars, ants, other insects, and spider

Occasionally eats small lizards including its own species.

© Project SOUND

http://www.solpugid.com/cabiota/western_fence_lizard.htm

They need open ground : have trouble when there are

too many weeds, plants are planted too thickly or in areas

with thick organic mulches.

Western fence lizard – likes to perch

Its preferred habitat in the wild seems to consist of low bushes, widely spaced rocks, logs, or clumps of brush.

They seem to prefer "objects upon which they could climb....Individuals were often seen basking or displaying on such objects“

If you have this lizard in your yard, you’re likely to see it – they acclimate to humans, so they’re fun to observe

© Project SOUND

http://www.humboldtherps.com/images/20080823HCHSimage-

Western_Fence_Lizard-McCloud_River-Siskiyou_County.JPG

Southern Alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)

Lives in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, grasslands, oak woodlands, pinon-juniper woodlands, some pine woodlands, and forests.

In dry zones seeks plant cover near water; near human habitation, often found under wood piles, rocks, debris or native shrubs

Most abundant in natural areas in denser ground cover where there are few open spaces - it’s a hider

© Project SOUND

http://srelherp.uga.edu/jd/jdweb/Herps/species/uslizards/Elgmulmul.htm

They are not happy when

you disturb their hiding

place!

The Alligator lizard diet is what you’d

expect

Feed on wide variety of prey - anything they can catch and swallow

Insects and their larvae, especially ground beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, ichneumon wasps

Other arthropods, such as spiders (including black widow spiders), centipedes, scorpions, sow bugs

Other lizards

© Project SOUND

Nope – not eating – this is sex

in the garden, lizard style!

© Project SOUND

California Legless Lizard - Anniella pulchra

© Project SOUND

If you have sandy

soil, you may see

the Legless Lizard

in your garden

Forages in loose soil, sand, and leaf litter during the day.

Eats primarily larval insects, beetles, termites, and spiders. Conceals itself beneath leaf litter or substrate then ambushes its prey.

Good Habitat: Leaf litter under trees and bushes in sunny areas. Often can be found under surface objects such as rocks, boards, driftwood, and logs. Can also be found by gently raking leaf litter under bushes and trees. Sometimes found in suburban gardens in Southern California.

http://www.wildherps.com/species/A.pulchra.html

Lizard habitat: what every creature needs

Food

Water

A place to hide, perch and sleep

A safe place to raise their young

Protection from human-related threats

Pesticides

Toxic mulches/groundcovers and other garden items

Cats (# 1 urban predator)

© Project SOUND

http://www.humboldtherps.com/images/20080823HCHSimage-

Western_Fence_Lizard-McCloud_River-Siskiyou_County.JPG

© Project SOUND

Guidelines for creating habitat for ground-dwellers

Provide dense shrub/grass cover – perching, cover & nest sites

Provide a brush pile/logs/rocks for cover

© Project SOUND

Guidelines for creating habitat

Provide sunning spots – with cover close by Leave some areas relatively ‘human-free’ for most of the day

Providing a garden ecosystem that provides

safe food can be more of a challenge

© Project SOUND

Reptiles and amphibians are closely tied to both the

terrestrial and soil ecosystems

Mineral component

Water

Air

Organic component [5% of total]

Living organisms [10%]

Roots [10%]

Humus [80%]

© Project SOUND

Soil: much more than

‘just dirt’

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/soil_breakdown.gif

http://ui.ggimgs.net/categories/536.jpg

The above- and below-ground

ecosystems are intimately

connected by a series of cycles

The soil ecosystem: just as complex as

the above-ground ecosystem

© Project SOUND

http://soils.frec.vt.edu/Strahm/Brian_Strahm___Forest_Soils_and_Ecology_Lab___Virginia_Tech_files/Worldview.jpg

But less is known about its ecology (more difficult to study)

The soil plays an essential role in recycling

Water (the soil water)

The mineral (chemical) building blocks of life

Carbon

Nitrogen

Other key minerals

The recycling is essential to all living things (plant & animal)

© Project SOUND

http://www.pikeconservation.org/soil_ecosystem.htm

How does the recycling occur?

Food webs – levels of producers, consumers

© Project SOUND

Producers

Primary consumers

(herbivores)

Secondary consumers

(carnivores)

Another way of viewing the living world: partitioning of

resources through space and time

© Project SOUND http://watershedmg.org/sites/default/files/newcontent/u26/SoilFoodWeb_lg_USDA.jpg

Leaf litter, plant litter, ‘duff’ – however you

call it it’s all good stuff

Dead plant material: leaves, bark, needles and twigs that have fallen to the ground.

The dead organic material (and its nutrients) are added to the top layer of soil, commonly known as the litter layer or O horizon ("O" for "organic").

Litter is instrumental in ecosystem dynamics, indicative of ecological productivity, and may be useful in predicting regional nutrient cycling and soil fertility

© Project SOUND

Leaf litter is FOOD and HABITAT

Some seeds only germinate (or germinate best) is leaf litter

Decomposers use the litter itself as food Earthworms

Fungi

Bacteria

Amoebae

Insect larvae

And many more

Reptiles, amphibians, birds, and even some mammals rely on litter for shelter and forage

© Project SOUND

Some butterflies &

pollinators spend a larval

stage in the leaf litter

Native plant ‘litter’ benefits the soil ecosystem

in a number of ways

Protects the soil surface from physical damage due to wind/rain etc. (natural mulch)

Moderates soil temperature swings

Conserves soil moisture

Recycles mineral nutrients back into soil (the very ones the plants have removed)

Provides food for ground-level and soil organisms

© Project SOUND

I mulch – isn’t that good enough?

© Project SOUND

Mulch vs leaf litter Composition

May be toxic to soil organisms and/or the animals that eat them [Cedar and redwood bark fumes toxic to lizards]

May not contain ‘needed constituents’ for soil ecosystem function (often unknown because un-studied)

Not enough content complexity to support range of creatures

Depth Depth needed for weed control is

often too deep for proper ecosystem function:

Interferes with water infiltration

Breaks down too slowly

Soil too cool/dark for seeds or insect larva to emerge

Consumers can’t get to their food

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Read my blog posting on ‘Mulches’ – July 2013

More on mulch/duff next time

What we are trying to achieve: a healthy

garden ecosystem

Water-wise (in our climate)

Life-friendly; sustains:

Humans

Other higher animals: Birds

Insects

Reptiles/amphibians

Higher plants

Other : microorganisms, others

© Project SOUND

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Life_Six_Kingdoms.png

Our station in life is to be stewards of the land, soil and sea © Project SOUND

What is our ‘niche’ (as

humans)?