Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 37(6): November 2011 Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 2011. 37(6): 259–264 259 Survey of Wholesale Production Nurseries Indicates Need for More Education on the Importance of Plant Species Diversity Nicole R. Polakowski, Virginia I. Lohr, and Teresa Cerny-Koenig Abstract. Recent pest outbreaks, such as emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle, have renewed concerns about the lack of genet- ic and species diversity in landscapes across the United States. However, the level of understanding of these issues by people in the green indus- try is not known. A survey on the knowledge of plant species diversity issues was distributed to Washington, U.S., wholesale nurseries. Re- spondents indicated a general awareness of the issue, but they had insufficient understanding of why the lack of species diversity is a problem. Respondents who had learned about plant species diversity in educational settings beyond high school were more likely than others to understand the issues. These results indicate the need for increased, in-depth education on why plant species diversity among landscape plants is important. Key Words. Biodiversity; Genetic Diversity; Nurseries; Overplanting. In urban landscapes throughout the United States, the same plant genera, and even species, are often planted repeat- edly, leading to low urban landscape plant diversity (Gal- vin 1999; Merritt 2008). In Toledo, Ohio, 57% of all ur- ban trees are in the same genus: maple (Acer) (Raupp et al. 2006). In the city of Seattle, Washington, 38% of all maples are from one species: red maple (Acer rubrum) (Seattle De- partment of Transportation 2011). Overplanting occurs not just at the species level, but even at the cultivar level. In Iowa, 60% of all red maples sold are of one cultivar: Red Sunset® (Acer rubrum ‘Franksred’) (Iles and Vold 2003). Homogeneous plantings are susceptible to increased pest and disease attacks. Across the U.S., insects and pathogens, such as Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma spp.) and now the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), have caused epidemic rates of tree deaths (Santamour 1990; Ball et al. 2007). The emerald ash borer has destroyed millions of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). Other examples of recent pest and disease outbreaks include the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) and sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum) (Ball et al. 2007). In landscapes, both the number of different species (biodiver- sity) and the diversity within a specific species (genetic diversity) are important (Lankau and Strauss 2007). Both increase a land- scape’s resiliency to stress and disease, and both are crucial to the health of urban ecosystems (Endress 1990). With a greater variety of species on a site, there is a greater likelihood that survivors will exist following a major environmental disturbance (Flemer 1981; Merritt 2008). In the nursery industry, a few cultivars that have superior qualities based on today’s conditions are selected and clonally propagated, yielding plants of known qualities, but with little genetic diversity (Morton and Gruszka 2008). When these cultivars are overplanted, there is a greater risk that an onslaught of new pests or environmental challenges will damage them and decimate large portions of our green areas (Iles and Vold 2003). To reduce the risks of too many trees of the same species in one area, city foresters and arborists are seeking a greater va- riety of species to increase urban landscape diversity (Ries 2009; Sydnor et al. 2010). State and local governments have begun passing environmental regulations, and cities are for- tifying their landscape ordinances (Merritt 2008; Zhang et al. 2009). For example, the city of Wichita, Kansas, passed an ordinance that regulates landscape coverage and plant type in addition to location of newly planted vegetation (McDon- nell 2005). Homeowners and businesses in Wichita who install new plantings are directed to plants from a diverse “preferred species” list to prevent overuse of a small number of species. “Challenges caused by serious new pests and diseases” has been listed as a major trend that will influence the introduction of new crops in the nursery industry (Widrlechner 2007), yet the current level of awareness in the industry of issues related to these challenges is unknown. To shed light on this, wholesale nursery producers—one segment of the green industry respon- sible for the introduction of new plants and capable of creating demand for new products with integrated branding and market- ing strategies (Drew et al. 2010)—were surveyed. They were asked questions on biodiversity and genetic diversity in land- scapes and about how they have gained knowledge of the issues. METHODS Survey An online survey with items related to landscape plant diversity, production at wholesale nurseries, and demographics was created. ©2011 International Society of Arboriculture
November 2011
| Title Name |
Pages |
Delete |
Url |
| Empty |
Search Text Block
Page #page_num
#doc_title
Hi $receivername|$receiveremail,
$sendername|$senderemail wrote these comments for you:
$message
$sendername|$senderemail would like for you to view the following digital edition.
Please click on the page below to be directed to the digital edition:
$thumbnail$pagenum
$link$pagenum
Your form submission was a success. You will be contacted by Washington Gas with follow-up information regarding your request.
This process might take longer please wait
