Author: admen

The ecosystem concentrates biomass in neighborhoods, especially wherever pollinator sanctuaries can be found. The downside to our current predicament includes that this concentration makes it easier for predators to pick off the remainder thriving. One racoon can get both a bumblebee and earthworm and so much more. Generally, there’s enough biomass–food–for the racoon that it doesn’t hurt any of the pretty species. Except when you have a population that’s already in decline  then can we assume that losing one early is a blow to the species survival?

The native bumblebees in my backyard can survive a puppy rampaging with the zoomies, a late freeze, or a nocturnally scavenging racoon, but all three? The probability of survival goes down when the number of threats go up, even if the likelihood of any one to happen holds steady, which it doesn’t. Late frosts are becoming increasingly problematic for homeowners looking to support deciduous trees, spring ephemerals, and the native ecosystems not entirely tuned to the changing weather schedule.

Early spring is here. Immediately followed by late winter. Whiplash weather, but what’s really scary is when we get early summer. Not this year, yet, but the trend is unsettling because of what’s possible if too many trees die from drought (or pine beetle).

Trees aren’t just the lungs of the earth, they also are what helps move moisture inland from the ocean. Their cycles of inhalation and release of water vapor create clouds which creep along jet streams into the interior of continents. If a drought takes out sections of that biochain, then those of us in the middle of the landmass better hope we get rain (and snow!) from other directions. From all directions in a gentle patter because if the whiplash continues and drought leads to hydrophobic soil followed by deluge then more nutrients in the topsoil will end up washed away downstream and some algae will be very happy.

Or whatever but the low tonight is supposed to be 15 degrees and yesterday it was in the 60’s. Later this week it’s supposed to be almost 80. The moisture today gives me hope. Too many days with unrelenting heat and the trees will suffer. The annuals won’t germinate. They might not germinate anyway but I’m under mandate to be optimistic so let’s expect pasque flower, and wild strawberry. Sunflowers and echinacea. Butterfly weed and milkweed.