[PCA] Risks of transplants & enhancements

Wed Jul 9 21:10:47 CDT 2008

Bonnie,

Agree -- if you would like to share with PCA list, send directly to:  native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org

PCA's feature at D.C. meeting this morning was on I-70 Glenwood Canyon (natives) restoration.

Larry

Larry Morse
Washington, D.C. 
larry.morse.dc at earthlink.net
(Larry.E.Morse at LEM-Natural-Diversity.com)
(202)-543-2488
< http://www.lem-natural-diversity.com/ >

> [Original Message]
> From: Harper-Lore, Bonnie <Bonnie.Harper-Lore at fhwa.dot.gov>
> To: <larry.morse.dc at earthlink.net>
> Date: 7/8/2008 11:08:45 AM
> Subject: RE: Risks of transplants & enhancements
>
> Thought-provoking.
> Bottom line...sometimes we have no choice...but need to think about
> consequences in space and time (Rachel Carson paraphrase).
>
> 1.  Natural area protection....to have even considered the pine
> plantings described, is an example of our not understanding individual
> species' life histories or plant community dynamics well enough to be
> tinkering. 
> 2.  High costs......did someone have to research this one?  Really?  Of
> course it is cheaper to preserve rather than create an artificial
> community.
> 3. Value.....we do not have to degrade a natural area in order to
> stablize a dune, a roadside, tailings, etc.  There are ground covers
> that can be seeded with native commercial seed.  To me, THE ONLY time we
> transplant is when a development, highway, etc. will wipe out a
> population without our help.
> AND THEN we must do so very thoughtfully with the best science we can
> find behind us.  Some species are transplantable...others unlikely
> without great care and understanding.  Matching the species needs and
> growing conditions as precisely as possible will always be key.
>
> Guess I have an opinion about this one!
>
> Thanks, Larry, for sharing.
>
> P.S.  As climate change continues, all bets will be off, based on the
> science you and I know.
>
> Happy Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
> Bonnie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Larry Morse [mailto:larry.morse.dc at earthlink.net] 
> Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 12:17 AM
> To: Abi Rome; Alan Whittemore; Alison Dibble; Barb Kirchner; Beth Wells;
> Bill Grafton; Bob Faden; Harper-Lore, Bonnie; Brent Steury; Bruce
> MacBryde; Carmen Josse; Carol Kelloff; Chris Adamson; Chris Lea; Chris
> Partain; Cris Fleming; Dan Sealy; Deblyn Mead; Denny Grossman; Diana
> Morse; Donna Ford-Werntz; Doug Ripley; Eelke Jongejans; Jamie Whitacre;
> Jane Hill; Janet Sullivan; Jean Worthley; Jennifer Swenson (Duke); Joan
> Feely; John Kartesz; John Randall; Julie Moore; Jun Wen; Karen Anderson;
> Karen Redden; Kate McLaughlin; Kelly Gravuer; Lide Wijkeser; Mary Klein;
> Mary Pat Rowan; Meghan Noe Fellows; Nancy Adamson; Pat Ford; Patricia
> DeAngelis; Paul Peterson; Peter Whitney; Rhonda Stewart; Richard Halsey;
> Rob Soreng; Rod Simmons; Rodney Bartgis; Ron_Hiebert; Sally Claggett;
> Sara Tangren; Sherry Adams; slu; Stan Shetler; Steffi Ickert-Bond;
> Stephen Syphax; Steve Young; Terri Killeffer; Terry Bachman; Wendy
> Strahm; Zack Murrell
> Subject: FW: Risks of transplants & enhancements
>
> From Adolf Ceska, Botanical Electronic News (BEN):
> >
> > > RISKS OF TRANSPLANTING PLANTS OF NON-NATIVE ORIGIN
> > >    AND 'ENHANCEMENT' OF POPULATIONS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
> > >
> > > From: Zdenek Kaplan et al. [Kaplan at ibot.cas.cz]
> > >         
> > > [This is an abbreviated version of the official position of the 
> > > Czech Botanical Society - signed by 16 prominent botanists - on the 
> > > attempts
> to
> > > 'save' endangered plant species by planting them willy-nilly where
> people
> > > would like to see them growing.  This is a free translation of the
> statement
> > > published in the _Bulletin of the Czech Botanical Society_ 42 (2):
> 337-338,
> > > 2007.]
> > >
> > > Since the 19th Century, there have been recorded attempts to
> 'enhance'
> our
> > > flora by planting non-original plants into native plant communities.
>
> The
> > > goal of those attempts was to 'enrich' the indigenous flora and make
> them
> > > more similar to the floras of surrounding areas.  This activity 
> > > results
> not
> > > only in the introduction of new elements into the framework of the
> original
> > > plant communities, but it may also result in negative  changes that 
> > > we
> are
> > > not able to predict:
> > >
> > > 1) Introduction of alien elements can result in introduction of 
> > > alien genetic material to the locality, which can lead to 
> > > hybridization with members of the original population, and to 
> > > genetic erosion of natural populations.  In this way, the original
> gene pool can be destroyed.
> > > Furthermore, the hybridization of alien plants with the original 
> > > plant population may lead to new, more vigorous genotypes that may 
> > > outcompete
> the
> > > original population that people are trying to preserve.
> > >
> > > 2) With the introduction of new plants, alien plant pathogens can be
>
> > > unintentionally introduced.  Such an element can lead to elimination
>
> > > of
> the
> > > original population.  There is also danger in introducing genetic
> material
> > > that might lessen the population's ability to resist possible
> infection.
> > >
> > > 3) New plants placed in a particular locality can lead to the
> disruption of
> > > the competition balance.  The introduction can result in the
> disappearance
> > > of the original genotype.  In extreme cases, the new genotype can 
> > > become weedy and  outcompete and replace the original population.
> > >
> > > 4) The intentional introduction of native plants into natural 
> > > habitats
> will
> > > impede further studies and hence possible protection of endangered
> plants
> > > based on knowledge of their ecology.  Even with good documentation,
> after
> > > some time it is difficult to tell which populations are indigenous 
> > > and
> which
> > > are introduced elements.  For instance, the repeated planting of
> _Nymphaea_
> > > species [in the Czech Republic] has made it impossible to tell which
> sites
> > > are native and which are the result of intentional plantings.
> > >
> > > The aim of this article is to show to the potential 'Engineers of
> Nature'
> > > the dangers and irreversible damage that can be done by intentional 
> > > transplanting into natural vegetation.  We are certain that their
> efforts
> > > are well meant; however, it must be remembered that even the road to
> hell is
> > > paved with good intentions.
> >
> > Larry Morse
> > Washington, D.C.
> > larry.morse.dc at earthlink.net
> > (Larry.E.Morse at LEM-Natural-Diversity.com)
> > (202)-543-2488
> > < http://www.lem-natural-diversity.com/ >
>
>
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