First of all, biodiveristy is far more than just birds. Native plants have
co-evolved with insects, fungi, animals and provide support to ecological
systems that we don't have the slightest clue about. Non-native plants have
not co-evolved with the rest of the community, thus their connections are
different, and almost always more limited. What insect populations use the
flowers, leaves or stems in what ways? What does the leaf litter of Russian
Olive do to the soil nematode population? Which birds depend on these
insects? What soil mites associate with the roots of the plants, which feed
weevils, which feed shrews? The list of linkages goes beyond our ability to
measure, count and understand. A new plant or animal in a system, which
becomes dominant also has linkages, and this can impact many species. We can
see and understand simple things like, starlings taking over nesting spaces
of Martins or flickers, we slowly notice when butterfly populations
decline, nobody notices soil fauna changes or non-showy insect population
changes. Yet, these changes nobody notices have huge impacts on everything
else, including eventually birds.


Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer
The Environmental Science School
HYPERLINK
"http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm"http://www.nonprofitpages.com/ni
ca/SVE.htm
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