[APWG] [Wineberry] Those they leave for me to enjoy. Why is that?
SteveYoung at aol.com
SteveYoung at aol.com
Wed Jun 30 19:17:47 CDT 2004
I have to comment that for many exotic invasives the native birds seem quite
content to eat their fruit, alas hastening their spread. For example, Winged
Euonymus, non-native Lonicera species, Multiflora Rose, and White Mulberry to
mention a few. There may be some additional factor than general unfamiliarity
of the exotic plant. For example, the dense spininess of Wineberry may be
especially repellent to native birds...? Just a thought. Cheers,
Steve Young
In a message dated 6/30/04 5:04:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ialm at erols.com
writes:
Hal,
In regards to wineberry the birds leave for you to enjoy, it takes many
tens to hundreds of thousands of years for instinct to change for most
birds through mutations and selection, and thousands of years if cultural
evolution can work for birds. In the approximately 100 million years
the continents have been separated such adaptions are normal and
presumbably desirable for biodiversity but not at the pace of today.
The Eurasian and American continents have been apart 100 million
years. Occasionally living species cross with birds, logs etc. and
nature can adjust. However, the great influx of living material today
has brought in many species that proliferate in the new continent
with nothing that eats them or controls them.
Does anyone have more information on the selectivity by birds of
native blackberries and raspberries over non-native wineberry. Thanks!
Marc
Marc Imlay,
Board member of the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council,
Hui o Laka at Kokee State Park, Hawaii
Vice president of the Maryland Native Plant Society,
Chair of the Biodiversity and Habitat Stewardship Committee for the
Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Planes" <planes at bellatlantic.net>
To: "Marc Imlay" <ialm at erols.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 9:38 PM
Subject: Last Sunday at Chapman's
Marc,
I just wanted to say thanks for the guided tour on the Sassafras Trail
at Chapman State Park Sunday. It was a highlight of a pleasant and
enjoyable annual gathering of the Conservancy for Charles County and I
appreciate your contribution.
I enjoyed your comments on the various plants and the volunteer work to
eradicate invasive species and was stupified by the vision of three-foot
diameter sassafras trees. I was especially gratified to learn the
identity of wineberry, as I have been snacking on a patch of those on my
property near Zekiah Swamp over the three decades we've lived here. The
wineberries border my back garden at the edge of a forest and are near
my raspberries. The birds plunder my raspberries mercilessly despite my
efforts to protect them with netting and they help themselves to the
berries of various bushes and hollies that I keep around just for them.
But, strangely, they don't seem to touch the wineberries. Those they
leave for me to enjoy. Why is that?
Thanks again.
Hal Delaplane
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