[INFORMATIVE] The Impact of Unsustainable Gardening on Local Biodiversity

The Impact of Unsustainable Gardening on Local Biodiversity

By Amelia Taylor

Healthy Gardens are an important biofactor in our society for all of human life globally, from fresh food to pretty landscapes that are home to many species. It's very important to properly care for our gardens. Because of this, it's no surprise that unsustainable practices can deeply harm the quality of your homegrown food, and the local species it houses, and can even affect aquatic life. For example, 18.22% of the U.S. is experiencing drought. Therefore, water consumption is an important issue for those living in the area, including animals dependent on nature. Using excessive water on your plants is a common problem that even the most advanced of gardeners can deal with however, we have to pay attention to seemingly small things like using too much water or overusing pesticides because a lot of times that excess water will run with those chemicals into storm drains and end up in the city river, lake or even the ocean. This is preventable and our job as humans sharing this planet with nature is to conserve and protect our local species for our health and theirs.

What is Unsustainable Gardening
Unsustainable Gardening is an array of harmful, but common practices in gardening that most people don't realize harm the world around them. To educate others, here are some more mistakes that you should avoid:

1. Beware of adding too much fertilizer or compacting your soil; Soil health is important because it is the foundation for all gardens' success and determines the health and quality of what you're growing. As a gardener, you should inspect the texture, quality, pH, and composition of the soil that you buy or ensure the best quality for your plants and trees. The easy mistake, however, is polluting and overcrowding the soil with popular unsustainable ingredients that it doesn't need, like NPK fertilizers ( nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus) which are typically used for bushes and trees. This kills off mutualistic fungi and can compromise a tree's roots, leaving the plants more susceptible to bad bacteria and diseases. Common herbicides, despite popular belief, don't just kill what we can see. Weeds can also seep into the soil attacking the small microorganisms and ecosystems that live under the surface. Then there's soil compaction, which can be especially dangerous for trees since it reduces the micropore space in its roots and prevents the tree from storing water, oxygen, and other important gasses crucial to the health and survival of the plant. Soil compaction takes place when a heavyweight like excessive water or heavy machinery is placed upon the soil weighing it down substantially.

2. Planting invasive flowers instead of native plants; This one may be obvious. While they may be beautiful, they are incredibly harmful to the native life that surrounds them, popular flowers like periwinkle, baby's breath, and lily-of-the-valley are some examples that either attack other plants' roots or spread above ground rapidly killing any native flowers in your garden or lawn. They also increase the possibility of extinction of native plants and animals, which is one of the top causes of the biodiversity crisis.

3. Using gas-powered equipment; To reduce your carbon footprint and emissions, it would be in everyone's best interest to replace your gas-powered lawn mower or weed whacker because of the sheer amount of gasoline that needs to be utilized for them. Gasoline pollution is a pressing issue globally and is linked to adverse health effects such as cardiovascular disease, and neurological "conditions” according to National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment. Changing these practices can and will lead to a better planet for all humans and animals to enjoy.

What is Biodiversity / Biodiversity Crisis
Biological diversity is the variation of all life forms on the planet, ranging from the smallest insect to the largest animal, and everything in between. Each animal and plant on this earth has a role to play in every type of ecosystem, also known as a niche, as well as specific geographical habitats like tundra and grasslands suited for their species. A basic way that biodiversity can be categorized is by species function which is their feeding level. For example, there are autotrophs, heterotrophs, and chemotrophs. These have roles to play with the specific food cycles of plants and animals. Biodiversity is a key force of nature, therefore the conservation of animals, plants, and their habitats is crucial to the health of this planet. This can be done with special conservation zoos or protected wildlife reserves to ensure the well-being and health of animals and their offspring, as well as microorganisms and underground ecosystems. The biodiversity crisis is described by Britannica as a decrease in biological diversity in a species, ecosystem, or the planet as a whole. As I stated before, every single animal and insect has a niche, so their importance cannot be understated. For example, bees are a common garden bug, and we depend on them for food. They are one of the world's best pollinators and are a force of nature that we just can't live without.

What is Sustainable Gardening
Sustainable practices are simply the opposite of unsustainable practices, combining biodiversity conservation and organic gardening methods, such as proper water consumption, using fewer chemicals, garden design, and working with natural resources instead of against them. For example, putting effort and thought into the layout and design will ultimately have a huge impact on the sustainability and effectiveness of your garden by conserving resources, time, and energy. You should consider what kinds of plants you want to plant and where they would best survive without using excessive resources. Here are some more eco-friendly gardening practices to combat unsustainable practices.

1. Using harmless bugs as pest control; It may sound weird, but it works. You can use ladybugs, lacewing, dragonflies, and other pest predators to control the populations of any pesky bugs that keep eating your plants. In every garden, you will need three types of bugs, predators (non-stinging wasps, assassin flies, ladybugs), pollinators (bees, butterflies, and moths), and lastly, decomposers (beetles, ants, and earwigs). They all have incredible roles to play in garden environments and can be utilized to limit the use of pesticides.

2. Composting is a resourceful way to recycle your scraps more sustainably, and it helps the strength and resilience of the soil by reducing the need for NPK fertilizers, reducing erosion, and improving the growth of your plants overall. There are also better sustainable ways to start composting at home, rather than sending your waste to be processed in a factory, By resourcing a pile of grass clippings and twigs and adding fruit and veggie scraps you can begin your composting bin! There are numerous ways to start reversing the negative effects of unsustainable gardening practices in your backyard garden and to achieve the best garden and habitat for local species.

Conclusion
The dedication to resolving the unseen impacts of the biodiversity crisis on our planet caused by the lack of education and major corporations is important to begin repairing our ecosystems and restoring the health and wellness of animals globally.


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