Post AcuMbbouUs1xEyFm1w by joewynne@mindly.social
(DIR) More posts by joewynne@mindly.social
(DIR) Post #Acu72FtkVmtFnqCW24 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2023-12-17T14:12:15Z
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Oak trees are anchors of species diversity in the temperate forests of the Americas and Europe. A single oak growing in a sidewalk well behind my apartment in the Bronx is home to seven species of ants and countless other insects, birds, fungi and small mammals. Oak trees host the widest array of galls. (I have a theory about galls being a kind of sign post for complex ecologies. In Australia it's the Eucalyptus trees that host the most diverse collections of galls. 1/
(DIR) Post #Acu72GvufEDP0qDl2m by twizzt@sauropods.win
2023-12-17T15:05:08Z
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@futurebird This makes me feel obligated to give a shotu out to Douglas Tallamy. He has several books out now but I would encourage everyone to read Brining Nature Home. It will equip you to answer the constant What good are bugs for anyway? question and give you a greater appreciation for the trees around you.
(DIR) Post #Acu72HqdGLaLqkl3S4 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2023-12-17T14:16:25Z
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If my theory about galls as indicators for complex ecologies is true that makes sense... the Eucalyptus trees are kind of the Oaks of Australia. Though, to my surprise there are some native oak species in Australia... they are... different. "She Oaks" ... with slender pine needle like leaves... My god there is so much I don't know about trees and plants!Australia isn't really temperate so it's not that shocking that oaks aren't playing the same role. I need to look at NZ next... 2/
(DIR) Post #Acu72Jf0WXTVTHKnbs by futurebird@sauropods.win
2023-12-17T14:18:45Z
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The notion I have about galls is that they represent a complex relationship between plants and animals that requires a long period of stability to evolve. Islands of stability lead to complex ecologies, extinctions and catastrophes erase complexity. There's not much more to it than that. What plants are anchors of ecological diversity where you live?3/3
(DIR) Post #Acu7N8bmoGzJH8kxKC by twizzt@sauropods.win
2023-12-17T15:09:02Z
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@futurebird I believe it was in that book that the research of one of his students was highlighted in the Create website that tells you the keystone plants in your region. It now covers nearly the whole US. If you own any land at all, it's worth looking at.https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants/keystone-plants-by-ecoregion
(DIR) Post #Acu9VA5ZODCC5kdobw by SoftwareTheron@mas.to
2023-12-17T15:32:53Z
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@twizzt @futurebird Um, typo? "Brining".
(DIR) Post #Acu9ov1L7egZ9N5Eae by SoftwareTheron@mas.to
2023-12-17T15:36:28Z
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@twizzt @futurebird That looks really interesting, thank you. My house was built on heathland (southern UK) and I've wondered before how to go about supporting it as a habitat.
(DIR) Post #Acu9sLmU5IMb0ylsVU by twizzt@sauropods.win
2023-12-17T15:37:03Z
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@SoftwareTheron @futurebird yeah. Dyslexic and disgraphic... I fixed it.
(DIR) Post #AcuMbbouUs1xEyFm1w by joewynne@mindly.social
2023-12-17T17:59:43Z
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@SoftwareTheron @futurebird Seconding the author and book recommendation made by @twizzt I started a threaded series last weekend applying concepts in a related article on Tallamy in the Smithsonian ⬇️. This guy produces really useful information for us to rebuild #biodiverstity while avoiding less useful practices.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-you-should-cultivate-native-plants-in-your-garden-180982823/