Blair Baumann

Parker Duncan
Chris Curran
Benchmark 4
A. Increasing Plant Diversity
1. We choose to plant the Pickerel Weed, Buttonbush, Giant Coneflower, Frog Fruit, Red Milkweed,
Mexican Petunia, Water willow, Gaura because of their ability to survive substantial amounts of sun
exposure and large amounts of water.
a. Suitability to plots abiotic factors and soil conditions:
We selected these plants mainly due to their high demands for both water and sunlight. Our plot receives
minimal shade to go along with the irrigation problem, which leads to muddy grass and a flooded
concrete pathway. We wanted plants that would effectively soak up as much water as they could. This can
lead to sustainable equilibrium, as they retrieve the nutrients needed for themselves while also helping
with irrigation. Also, these plants will still be able to thrive soil that is less fertile than wed like (mainly
in regards to nitrogen).
b. How to provide food for animals:
All of the plants we are adding to our plot will be essential to the food web. Not only do they serve as
food themselves for the herbivores present on our plot, but they attract many pollinators. The buttonbush
and red milkweed specifically attract bees and butterflies (monarch for the milkweed) which are
necessary to pollinate all of the flowers. Another example of the food they will provide is that the
buttonbush flower heads mature into hard spherical ball-like fruits with multiple tiny two-seeded nutlets.
2. The primary invasive species of our plot are the daisy weed and the prostrate spurge. Both of these
plants are weeds, so they are currently growing in unwanted areas. We believe it will be best for our plot
and its equilibrium if we rid of the invasive species with a natural process. Since these two plant species
only cover approximately 6% of our plot, we will be able to remove them by hand. Prying the weed
upward while pulling it out, ensuring the roots are removed also, and cutting any regrowth from leftover
root pieces will effectively remove the daisy weed and prostrate spurge permanently from our plot.

3. Plant Palette
Red Milkweed

Gaura

Pickerel Weed

Mexican Petunia

Buttonbush

Frog Fruit

Giant Coneflower

Water Willow

4. Table of Plant Species

Common Name

Scientific Name

Characteristics

Rationale

Appearance

Pickerel Weed

Pontederia
cordata

Perennial plant,
Purple, Requires
full sun, Blooms
in late
summer/fall

Will help get rid

of excess water
from our site

Green leaves with

stems that grow
anywhere from
1-3 feet, Purple
flowers

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus
occidentalis

Perennial plant,
White, Requires
average amount
of sun, Blooms in
summer

Grows in wet soil

and will easily
adapt to the
surrounding area
of the drain

Green leaves with

White, spiky balls

Giant coneflower

Rudbeckia
maxima

Perennial plant,
Yellow and
Brown, Requires
full sun, Blooms
in summer

Suitable for moist

soil and attracts
butterflies

Green leaves with

stems that grow
anywhere from
3-6 feet, Yellow
petal flowers with
brown centers

Frog fruit

Phyla nodiflora

Perennial plant,
White, Requires
average amount
of sun, Blooms
summer and early
fall

Excellent ground
cover and can
tolerate
substantial
amounts of water

Green leaves with

reddish or purple
tints, White petals

Red Milkweed

Asclepias rubra L.

Annual plant,
Red, Requires full
sun, Blooms in
summer

Attracts a wide
range of
pollinators
including bees
and monarchs

Green leaves with

stems that grow
from 3 to 5 feet,
Red clumps of
petals make up
the flower head

Mexican Petunia

Ruellia simplex

Annual plant,
Purple, Requires
full sun, Blooms
freely (anytime)

Grows at the
waters edge and
will be used on
the side of the
walk-way

Green leaves with

stems that grow
from 3 to 4 feet,
Purple petals

Water willow

Justicia americana

Perennial plant,
White, Requires
an average
amount of sun,
Blooms during

Grows in
consistently moist
soil

Green slender
stalks rising from
leaf axils, White
petals

spring and
summer
Gaura

Gaura lindheimeri

Annual plant,
White and Red,
Requires full sun,
Blooms in fall

Blooms in fall and

attracts many
butterflies

Green leafs with

stems that grow 3
to 5 feet, White
and Red petals

5. Bubble Diagram

B. Increasing Animal Diversity

1. We chose to include the Monarch Butterfly, American Red Squirrel, Honey Bee, Springtail, Praying
Mantis, Red Tailed Hawk, Vermilion Flycatcher, and Blue Jay since they are all native to North Texas.
a) Monarch Butterflies will be especially attracted to our plot. Our introduction of Red Milkweed
was done with the Monarchs in mind. Red Milkweeds serve as the primary food source for Monarchs as
they pass through North Texas on their migration. We expect that the introduction of the Red Milkweed
will create a suitable habitat for Monarchs to find nutrients. We also expect an increased number of
Honey Bees. Based on the number of flowers we plan to add, we anticipate an increase in the honey bee
population around our plot. These flowers will provide the bees with nectar, which is used for food by the
bees. As pollinators, these bees will lead to an increase in the plant population as well.

b) The Monarch Butterfly and Honey Bee are , once again, native animals that will find a suitable
habitat in our plot. We believe that the increase in organic matter on our plot will lead to both increased
soil quality, and an increase in decomposers on our plot. Insects like the Springtail may see their
population increase dramatically due to an increase in the supply of food.

2. Animals and insects will be attracted to our plot from the brightly colored flowers which we will plant.
Insects like the Honey Bee, which are seen in an increased frequency in the areas around our plot, will
travel to our plot in order to receive the nectar from our plot. Monarch Butterflies will also come to our
plot based off of the introduction of Red Milkweed, their main source of nutrients. As pollinators frequent
our plot, native birds, who are already in the area, will spend more time hunting on and around our plot.
As organic matter is left to decay on our plot from dead insects and plants, the decomposer population
will rise. All of this will lead to the formation of an ecosystem on our plot.
3. Table of Animal Species
Common Name

Scientific Name

Characteristics

Benefits

Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Reddish orange with

black markings,
migration pattern
between Canada and
Mexico.

Pollinator, aesthetically
pleasing, would help
preserve their
dwindling habitats.

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus
hudsonicus

Small squirrel with

reddish-grey fur,
solitary animals, often
perform small scale
migrations when food
sources run low.

Attract larger predators,

bury acorns that may be
left to grow into trees,
would migrate away
from plot if food
sources ran low and
return when sources
have replenished.

Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Live in colonies, are

social and cooperative,
essential pollinators

Pollinator, increase the

biodiversity of the plot

Springtail

Collembola

2 distinct body shapes,

between 1 and 3
millimeters in length,
decomposers

Decomposes decaying
organisms

Praying Mantis

Stagmomantis Sp

6 legs, 2 wings, and 2

antennae, males are
able to fly using their
wings, prey on insects

Preys on insects,
increase biodiversity of
the plot

Red Tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

18 to 25 inches in
length, wingspan of 4
feet

Preys on insects, will

remain in same
territory for years at a
time

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus

13 to 14 cm, head and

underbelly are a
brilliant scarlet color,
mostly vegetarian
animal but will
consume small insects

Preys on insects,
increase biodiversity,
aesthetically pleasing

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

9 to 12 inches long,
bright blue top and
white to grey on its
underbelly

Preys on insects,
consumes acorns and
seeds, aesthetically
pleasing

4. Food Web