‘Biodiversity’ is a wide ranging word and in its broadest sense means the variability of life. As it is put by the Australian Museum “Biodiversity is the variety of all living things; the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems they form”. Biodiversity is considered as three levels –
Genetic diversity – is the variety of genes within a species
Species diversity – is the variety of species within a habitat
Ecosystem diversity – is the variety of ecosystems within a given area, large or small.
So in terms of my area of interest and the areas I write about, this article mainly comes under the heading of species diversity as it applies to the urban and suburban habitat although there may also be some small-scale impact ecosystem diversity.
Importance of Backyard biodiversity
Working to improve biodiversity on a small scale in our back and front yards can have benefits for us as well as the larger ecology and, of course, if enough of us urban and suburban dwellers work on improving biodiversity in our areas it can impact on a larger scale!
• Nature does the work – By carrying out work to improve our ‘backyard biodiversity’ we can make growing productive species easier for ourselves by working with, rather than against nature. By planting appropriate species and installing garden features, we can attract beneficial bird and insect species which will help us by providing pest control and pollination services, so we don’t have to. By developing a backyard ecosystem and holding off chemical sprays, over time those chemical sprays can become redundant.
Microbats eat lots of mosquitos
• Improved Resilience – Rather than planting a lawn monoculture with a few common decorative plant species, if we provide plantings of natives and insectary plants and even vary the varieties and types of vegetables grown, our system is more resilient. A variety of plants means that any pest of disease is less likely to overwhelm our efforts. Most pests are specialists, and only attack one species of plant, by growing different species and varieties, it reduces our vulnerability to pest attack. Also, growing conditions will vary from year to year, with this variability increasing due to climate change. By varying the species and varieties we grow it becomes more likely that regardless of the weather conditions, some will do well and ensure a harvest even if others falter.
• Intrinsic value – while there are productive plant species and beneficial insect and bird species, ALL species have intrinsic value in and of themselves, even if they are not directly of value to humans. The loss of habitat and resultant loss of species in urban and suburban areas is something we can impact directly by supporting the return of biodiversity in the areas for which we are responsible. We all have an opportunity to be conservationists, by working to reduce habitat and species loss.
• Grow biodiverse and save water – biodiverse plantings generate their own ecosystem and together they can act like a sponge, absorbing water in a downpour and reducing runoff considerably. Again, by working with nature we can make life easier for ourselves in the long run.
• Save money – in these days of record temperatures in summer, we can use trees to cool the environment around out houses. This not only makes the outdoor environment more comfortable but reduces the amount of energy consumed to keep the indoor environment more comfortable. Reducing energy = reduced cost and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It is win, win, win! Also, by including productive fruit, vegetables and herbs integrated into our plantings, allowing us to eat directly from our gardens, we again save money and reduce carbon emissions.
Birds are great concentrators of fertility
• Amenity – I guess it does depend on what you find to be beautiful in the landscape but a biodiverse area tends to more attractive. A biodiverse planting of trees and bushes can produce flowers for longer and provide different types, shapes and colours of foliage, adding to the palette of beauty in your yard. As well as that, a beautiful and biodiverse garden can provide kerb appeal and increase the value of the property.
The diversity of life on Earth is essential to the health of our planet and to our wellbeing as humans. But nature is under pressure as never before. Our needs for food, water and land, and our demands for energy and more and more stuff are destroying habitats, polluting our air and water, and driving species of animals and plants to extinction. We are now losing biodiversity up to ten thousand times faster than it was disappearing 100 years ago. It is worth a bit of work in our home space to help bring our urban and suburban areas back into the realm of beautiful productivity that they once were, and even enhance it.
Some ideas can be found here
