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> >Ground Zero in an abandoned industrial pa
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It=E2=80=99s wise to err on the side of caution with exotics, because of =
possible displacement of native species, but the Schlosberg=E2=80=99s =
point is a good one.
=20
Down here in Yarmouth, purple loosestrife has been present in Broad =
Brook Marsh for over twenty years. It has persisted, in spite of early =
efforts to eradicate it. On the other hand, there has been little, if =
any spread.
=20
On the other hand, cat-tails along the tributary draining the golf =
course are booming. Not sure of that is due to course fertilization or =
to birdy (mainly Canada geese) do=E2=80=99s, or both, or other=E2=80=A6
=20
Fifty years ago, Japanese knotweed was considered an ornamental and =
called =E2=80=9CCanadian bamboo=E2=80=9D by some. Not so much now. =
Gotta start looking into how to eat that stuff=E2=80=A6
=20
Back to Broad Brook Marsh, the middle marsh is dominated by something we =
call =E2=80=9Cblack grass=E2=80=9D because of the colour of the flowers. =
Not sure what the species is, but I have never noticed it in abundance =
anywhere else. That could be a result of my limited powers of =
observation, but when some botanist is in the vicinity in early to =
mid-summer, it might be worth a look.
=20
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Nick Hill
Sent: May 5, 2018 9:31 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: Glossy Buckthorn was :Re[4]: [NatureNS] Dog-strangling vine =
in Nova Scotia
=20
I think this is one of the deficiencies in the way we value things. We =
are not looking to science and following through logic of testable =
hypotheses and reduced consequences. Rather we say how does CFIA regard =
this...NCC..and we don't think these are second hand positions that may =
relate to science or may relate to how things are done elsewhere or to =
our fear of the exotic
=20
There are various ecologists looking at how biological communities are =
put together and they come up with assembly rules and limiting =
dissimilarities of species...how dissimilar do spp need to be to find a =
new niche to squeeze into the community. Whether a species comes into a =
new community could be understood and every species at one stage was =
exotic to Nova Scotia. The mixing up of species will continue and the =
only way we have of maintaining the structure of biological communities =
is to maintain them and reduce the wholesale disturbance that now throws =
open a community to opportunistic species.
=20
It isn't whether a species is ours or theirs...good or bad...it's only a =
question of whether we are protecting evological processes. We have =
abandoned agriculture and two ecologically valuable rosas are filling a =
succession gap. We are fortunate that these are here to repair our =
disturbances.=20
=20
If we doubt It, we do removal experiments to see whether things are =
better if succession had waited another decade for the arrival of a =
slower growing native species.
=20
We need to look to experiment not barcodes saying alien or native.
=20
=20
=20
=20
On Sat, May 5, 2018, 6:50 PM David&Jane Schlosberg, =
<dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
David, your posts are always interesting. I consulted Papa Google, and =
it seems the glossy buckthorn is damned by a great many =
people=E2=80=94Nature Conservancy, Tree Canada, et al. Could it be that =
this plant is damaging to the ecosystem in climates like Ontario, but =
not such a problem in Nova Scotia? Your comments have helped me =
appreciate the complexity of ecology. It=E2=80=99s worse than middle =
eastern politics. =F0=9F=98=89
=20
Jane Schlosberg
=20
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> On =
Behalf Of David
Sent: May 5, 2018 5:09 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Glossy Buckthorn was :Re[4]: [NatureNS] Dog-strangling vine in =
Nova Scotia
=20
Hi Nick & All,
Glossy Buckthorn IMHO is a positive for thinned woodland; thinned =
by windfall, tree death or cutting. Provided seeds are present it =
becomes established and grows rapidly and thus captures many mobile =
nutrients which might otherwise be lost. It discourages the gross =
overstocking by Ash which otherwise become a thicket of runts. =
Buckthorn, unless held up by other shrubs typically grow lanky, flop =
over and die. The odd one survives the floppy stage and generates a =
nurse canopy for real trees which typically take longer to get =
established. My once Buckthorn thickets are now largely Buckthorn =
fragments.=20
By arrangement I would be delighted to walk anyone interested =
through some of the patches which remain. It spreads rapidly because =
[gasp] birds mob these shrubs in season. But it does not "invade" small =
openings in the canopy so is absent or very sparse in most of my =
woodlot.=20
=20
Frankly I think the notion that it is undesirable is founded upon =
prejudice and nothing else.
=20
Yt, DW, Kentville
=20
------ Original Message ------
From: "Nick Hill" <fernhillns@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: 5/5/2018 4:37:04 PM
Subject: Re: Re[2]: [NatureNS] Dog-strangling vine in Nova Scotia
=20
Calm...i lived in southeast Kentucky
We had kudzu vine that swallowed abandoned houses...crossex roads via =
phone lines
Scary but before we call Jesus and Mary we notice it did not enter =
intact woodland and was restricted to about 30m from the roaside.
We do have a couple of plants that are 9f concern because they do get =
into fairly intact ecosystems. I'd put glossy buckthorn at the top of =
the list and then in terms of potential for harm given reports from =
elsewhere, I'd be concerned about the spread of garlic mustard.
=20
Glossy? It's naturalized now and is part of swamps and early forest =
succession. It's not the end of the world...its green it's a laxative =
for birds and it fits into a red maple alder tudspuck sedge swamp with =
no apparent diversity or community function effects.
=20
Fight clearcutting and our inability to get any marine protected areas =
for the eastern shore because we don't want any impingement on rockweed =
harvest or oil and gas development.
=20
Great name!
=20
On Sat, May 5, 2018, 1:21 PM David, <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:
Hi Dave P., Bev and all.
What an unfortunate name to be saddled with. Just this side of=20
'wanted dead or alive'. I wish to add to Bev's comments about the=20
abundance of 'invasives'.
As a general rule of thumb animals and plants eventually generate=20
conditions which threaten their well being/survival. And those which=20
prevail may do so by "invading" fresh territory which