Factors

Aec,ng Habitat Quality in Small Scale Grassland Plan,ngs

Larry Allain Na+onal Wetlands Research Center Lafaye7e, Louisiana

Purposes of small prairie plantings

Aesthetics Education Preservation of plant species and their genetic variation Attracting wildlife (animals)

Area and quality of grassland habitat is rapidly declining Grassland animal species are declining faster than those of any other habitat type.
BREEDING BIRD SURVEY (FWS REGION 4) 1966-2000

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Northern Bobwhite

Loggerhead Shrike

Grassland plantings at schools, businesses and homes can contribute to prairie plant conservation but their value as animal habitat varies.

Animal Habitat
Factors eec+ng habitat quality: Scale Animal groups: Heterogeneity Rep+les Community Structure Amphibians Landscape posi+on Birds Diversity Mammals Species makeup Insects and other invertebrates Water Nes+ng areas Pes+cide levels Case studies: Na+onal Wetland Research Center Lafaye7e Elementary School White Lake Gueydan Restora+on

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality

> 10,000 acres

single large

several small

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality

Random extinctions increases as area decreases More small locations provide more variation in environmental conditions Ecosystem function is often scale related (prairie chicken and bison)

> 10,000 acres

single large

several small

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Homo/Heterogeneity

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Homo/Heterogeneity

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Homo/Heterogeneity

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Homo/Heterogeneity

Habitat variation provides more opportunities for animals

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Landscape posi+on

Mermentau Elementary

Midland High School

Lafayette Middle School

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Landscape posi+on

Butterfly abundance and diversity was negatively correlated with development within a 1 km radius (Davros et al. 2006).

Mermentau Elementary

Midland High School

Lafayette Middle School

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Landscape posi+on

Percent woody cover in the landscape was an important variable explaining species abundance (Davros et al. 2006). Mermentau Elementary

Midland High School

Lafayette Middle School

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Community Structure

Density

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Community Structure

Density Height

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Community Structure

Density Height Plant architecture

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Community Structure

Density Height Plant architecture Herbaceous/wood

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Plant species richness

More plant species provide more opportunities for animals

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Species guilds or func+onal groups

Foliage (Larval host plants) Pollen-nectar (flower types and phenology) Legumes (nitrogen fixing) Warm/cool season forbs and grasses Vines/shrubs/sedges Deep/shallow rooted

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Water

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Nes+ng places

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Protec+on from predators

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Freedom from pes+cides

Factors Eec+ng Amphibians Water

Frogs and toads are found near water.

Toads prefer patches of bare ground where they can burrow.

Leopard frogs prefer ephemeral ponds

Tree frogs like tall vertical structure where they can climb.

Factors Eec+ng Rep+les Community Structure

Tall vegetation for cover Prey - insects, frogs, small mammals, and other snakes.

Factors Eec+ng Birds

White Lake

Factors Eec+ng Birds

National Wetland Research Center

Factors Eec+ng Birds

National Wetland Research Center

Factors Eec+ng Birds Landscape posi+on

Ag fields, old fields and other grasslands with no trees- morning dove, Northern
bobwhite, savannah sparrow, sedge wren, eastern kingbird, scissortail flycatcher , eastern meadowlarks, redwing blackbirds, swamp sparrow, Le Contes sparrow, dickcissel

Savanna or grassland with woody brush dickcissels, northern bobwhite,

eastern kingbird, eastern bluebird, cedar waxwings, Indigo buntings

Grassland areas near forest Northern bobwhite, common nighthawk, cardinal,

blue jay, American robins

Wooded suburburban gardens Ruby throated hummingbird, redheaded

woodpecker, blue jay, American robins, brown thrashers, European starlings, cardinals, Indigo buntings, house sparrows

Forests Downey woodpecker, tufted titmouse, red-eyed vireo, prothonotary warbler,

yellow-rumped warbler

Factors Eec+ng Birds Landscape posi+on

Red-winged Blackbird

Gueydan Restoration

Factors Eec+ng Birds Scale/Landscape posi+on

*
Sedge Wren Savannah Sparrow

Le Contes Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

Eastern Meadowlark

Gueydan Restoration

Dickcissel

Priority Species

Factors Eec+ng Birds

Raptors

Scale/Landscape posi+on

Gueydan Restoration

Community Structure (Density)

40

Savannah Sparrow *
% presence

40 30 20 10 0

Le Contes Sparrow *

% presence

30 20 10 0 low med high

low

medium

high

40

Sedge Wren *
% presence

40 30 20 10 0

Swamp Sparrow

% presence

30 20 10 0 low medium high

low

medium

high

Factors Eec+ng Birds Landscape posi+on

Loggerhead Shrike

National Wetlands Research Center

Factors Eec+ng Birds

This also serves as an adaptation to eating the toxic lubber grasshopper. The toxins degrade in 12 days and can then be eaten. Lubber grasshopper

Factors Eec+ng Birds

Killdeer

Factors Eec+ng Birds Scale/Landscape posi+on

Eastern Bluebird

Mocking bird

Center for Ecological and Environmental Technology

Common Night hawk

Factors Eec+ng Mammals

Can be found in nearly all habitat but most abundant near water. Often travel in drainages. Nests in tree hollows or old animal burrows in the ground. Omnivorous and opportunistic. Common Raccoon

Found in woodlands, savannas, and forest edges. Eats mostly insects but also consumes fruits, mushrooms, eggs of ground nesting birds. Root in the ground and can do substantial damage to small prairie plantings. Nine Banded Armadillo

Factors Eec+ng Mammals

Lives in forests, forest edges, and grasslands. Nests in slanted holes in ground. Nocturnal. Eat forbs and grasses in warm weather and twigs and tree bark in winter. Dont need a water source. An upland species unlike the Swamp Rabbit. Cottontail Rabbit

Lives in forests or forest edges near water. Nest in abandoned burrows, brush piles, hollow logs and under buildings. Eat invertebrates, fruits, eggs, and small vertebrates. Also scavenge carrion. Opossum

Factors Eec+ng Mammals

Common in grassy areas. Eat primarily seeds and plant parts but also consume invertebrates, small vertebrates, and bird eggs. Nest in balls of leaves in burrows or in dense vegetation.

Hispid Cotton Rat

Common in grassland bordering water and are good swimmers. Eat seeds and plant parts, insects, snails, and other animal material. Nest in round balls of leaves in dense vegetation. Marsh Rat

Factors Eec+ng Mammals

Found in open habitat and urban areas. Opportunistic omnivorous predators that eat invertebrates, small mammals, birds and eggs, fruits and other vegetable matter. Often nest under buildings. Striped skunk

Common in upland grasslands. Nests in burrows, fallen logs, or refuse. Eats earthworms, spiders, centipedes, slugs, snails and a variety of plant material. Eaten by owls, hawks, snakes and skunks. Least shrew

Factors Eec+ng Mammals

Common in both forests and grasslands. Eat insects, rodents, rabbits, birds, domestic poultry, numerous fruits (including watermelons) and grasses. Also scavenge carrion. Nest in a variety of places. Coyote

Other mammals: Southern short-tailed shrew, least shrew, eastern mole, Bairds pocket gopher, fulvous harvest mouse, eastern harvest mouse, field mouse, cotton mouse, wood rat, red fox, gray fox, long tailed weasel, mink, prairie vole

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Insects most important animals in small plantings?

Most abundant Most diverse group of living things Available for education purposes Provide essential ecosystem services

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Insects most important animals in small plantings? Essential ecosystem services: Food Population control and habitat structure Predation Pollination Soil biota Decomposers Unknown ecosystem services

Insects food for other classes of animals

Quarternary Consumer 1 Kg

Tertiary Consumer

10 Kg

Secondary Consumer

100 Kg

Primary Consumer

1000 Kg

Producers

10,000 Kg

Insects food for other classes of animals

Quarternary Consumer Decomposers are often ignored 1 Kg

Tertiary Consumer

10 Kg

Secondary Consumer

100 Kg

Primary Consumer

1000 Kg

Producers

10,000 Kg

Insects control habitat structure

Gulf Fritillary

Insects control habitat structure

Baccharis beetle larvae help control Baccharis in Coastal Prairie Insecticides that kill Baccharis beetles may be contributing to an invasion of Baccharis in ranch lands.

Insects control popula+ons

Assassin bug eating fly Stick mantid eating love bug

Lady beetle eating aphids

Insects control popula+ons

Differential grasshopper Major crop pest in Midwest

Red-legged Grasshopper most commonly in Southeastern US

American Bird Grasshopper

Major food source for overwintering neotropical migrants

Insects pollinate plants

Why care about pollinators? Value of insect-pollinate crops in US = $18 - $27 billion Plants with showy flowers are insect pollinated (goldenrod/ragweed) No pollinators no seeds

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Plant a diversity of insect pollinated plants

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Flowering Phenology
(Louisiana Coastal Prairie)

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Plant species in clusters (Heterogeneous)

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Provide water

Factors Eec+ng Insects

Provide a place to nest Dead wood Bare ground Constructed nes+ng sites Shelter (windbreak)

Most bees only move a short distance from their nes+ng spot

Crea+ng Habitat For Insects

Avoid pesticides

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Conclusions

Keep ecological principles in mind when designing a planting Make attracting insects a priority Ensure no insecticides are used in and around Educate those exposed to plantings about the importance of bugs, rats, and weedy looking prairies

Factors Eec+ng Habitat Quality Conclusions

Keep ecological principles in mind when designing a planting Make attracting insects a priority Ensure no insecticides are used in and around Educate those exposed to plantings about the importance of bugs, rats, and weedy looking prairies

If you build it they will come

Examples of plants with long bloom period

Gaillardia aestivalis

Silphium gracile Chamaecrista fasciculata Solidago sp.

Ruellia humilis Liatris pychnostachya Asclepias viridis Hyptis alata

Examples of super attractant plants

Gaillardia aestivalis

Silphium gracile

Eryngium yuccifolium Solidago sp.

Liatris pychnostachya Monarda fistulosa Symphyotrichum praealtum