thoughts on habitat

This week has led me to think more locally and small when it comes to habitat. I have generally thought of habitat as ecosystems. Many authors also talk about loss of habitat in mega terms - deforestation, loss of marine and fresh water habitat, etc Thinking of habitat as meeting the needs of the living things on or in it brings it home to the yard , log or even single plant level. Danivail's posts on caterpillars and butterflies is inspirational, real habitat observations. Looking at habitat at this level is more hopeful. It is clear that individuals can have an impact in small spaces. I walked through an oak, maple forest adjacent to a wetland with minimal shrub or mid storey plants, but a lovely forest floor. there were less invasives than I usually see on a walk in the woods in Eastern Massachusetts. On one corner there are Canada mayflower, princess pine, spotted wintergreen and then delightful little early spring wildflowers I had only read about - starflower, fringed polygala that look like little pink propeller airplanes , of course violets. what do they love in this cool, shaded forest? is the soil more acidic from the decaying leaves? Is it the moisture level of the nearby water, some combination of nutrition left in the floodplain? The relative lack of unfair competition (invasives) Is it the perfect storm of all of it. There is a whole world of life here I know I'm not seeing - the fungi, insects..... so inspiring to see this successful habitat .

Posted on 20 May, 2020 13:53 by maryjb