More....of everything. Biologists define biodiversity as a richness of species, genes, and landscape types (Noss and Cooperrider 1994, Takacs 1996, Stein et. al. 2000). Lydia Schultz, a birder friend of mine from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, fully applies this concept to her 1/3 acre house lot.
Zero Diversity
Schultz says that in order to attract more bird species to your property, simply plant more.....of everything. And arrange these into diverse groupings--grassy areas, aquatic zones, woodland types--even if these are no larger than 100 square feet each. And of course, the bigger the better.
Some Diversity
Creating your backyard habitat can be very easy once you understand that wildlife have three basic needs. These needs, food, water, and cover, promote use and provide the lifecycle needs of wildlife.
FOOD—planting a variety of native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants that provide nuts, seeds, nectar, fruit, and other sources of nourishment. Providing food through natural vegetation is preferred. It tends to encourage the “natural feeding mechanism” that wildlife use.
WATER – Providing water for both drinking and bathing is vital to wildlife. You can include it by having birdbaths, drippers, or small ponds.
SHELTER/REPRODUCTIVE AREAS (space) – Nesting and shelter areas where wildlife are protected from the weather and predators is essential. Various species require different landscape features for these needs. Providing a diversity of plant material that includes evergreen and deciduous trees, vines, shrubs, herbaceous plants, grasses, and ground covers lets wildlife select the right areas for their feeding, nesting, and shelter needs.
Very biodiverse
Dr. Aldo Leopold, the “father of wildlife management,” said, “Habitat is like spokes in a wheel….” By removing one or more spokes you virtually weaken its stability. To make a habitat more sustainable try to visualize replacing the “spokes” that may be missing. For more information on how to increase biodiversity on your property, see Establishing a Backyard Wildlife Habitat pdf available online from MSUCares at http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2402.pdf
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