Diversity of Flowering Plants Imperative to Pollinator & Predator Health

There was an article on BBC online which highlighted research which seems to support the importance of bees having access to a variety of flowering plants. This was also the subject of another article earlier this year which mentioned the benefits of wildflowers near agricultural fields because Bees receive better nutrition from such Wild flower variety. But now there is this theory of "doctor bees" within  Bee Colonies who may be directing their peers to plants which can help "sick bees" to recover may further show their organisational and social skills. However if these coworkers of Hive Doctor Bees fall ill and are too weak, then these Doctor Bees will go over & find just the right type of honey in their hive which was made from the pollen of a particular plant and get the sick bees to feed on it. This should prove logical to most gardeners, landscapers and even Farmers planting for more biodiversity or variety of flowering plants not only for the bees, but all the other beneficial insects as well. There has also been some recent research work done on specifically selected honey being used by some medical professionals to fight infection in wounds of their patients. Here are some of the important points from that article:

"Now it seems honeybees may have a way of helping to keep their workforce healthy - by employing bees that feed "medicinal honey" to other members of the hive."

"A group of worker bees called "nurse bees", if they are infected with a parasite, selectively eat honey that has a high antibiotic activity, according to Silvio Erler of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Halle, Germany and his colleagues."

"These bees are also responsible for feeding honey to the larvae and distributing it to other members of the colony. So it's possible they are the hive's doctors, prescribing different types of honey to other bees depending on their infection. If that is true, it could be a big part of how bees fight disease."

(Source BBC) "Honey Bees Play Doctors and Nurses"

Early in 2014, my wife and I watched a documentary on the global issue of colony collapse disorder on just how and why Bees are so important to Agriculture all around the globe. There were a couple of interesting points mentioned, aside from the usual controversy of GMOs and Chemical Insecticides. One important clue was revealed in the California's Central Valley agricultural areas whose orchards are extremely dependent on the services of Bee Keepers. These Bee Keepers move their hives around to provide pollinating services to various Almond, Peach, Cherry and other orchard Farmers. The fact is that these bees being used in this way are over worked and under stress. They also are being forced to pollinate and feed on a monoculture diet with little else in the way of additional dietary supplements in the form of natural dietary variety which comes from a community of plant life. Hence they have to artificially provide these Commercial Bees with synthetic anti-biotics which would be present in a normal healthy diet involving great variety of pollen food choices such as countless wildflowers for which they have zero access under a sterile industrial Ag environment. Above right you can see one example of something which is mixed with water and laid out close to the hive for the honeybees to access. Of course, bees are not the only self medicating creatures. You can bookmark this video and watch it from the link below here later which came from the Animal Planet program about the importance of biodiversity of grasslands for herbivores who also find a treasure trove of pharmaceuticals in such pristine habitats called "Most Extreme Animal Medics - Using Plants To Self-Medicate". This is actually one of Joel Salatin's of Polyface Farm's talking points with what he calls "Salad Bar Beef"

Most Extreme Animal Medics - Using Plants To Self-Medicate

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 Update: February 18, 2015

 UMass Amherst: ‘Nature’s Medicine Cabinet’ Helps Bees Reduce Disease Load

AMHERST, Mass. – "Researchers studying the interaction between plants, pollinators and parasites report that in recent experiments, bees infected with a common intestinal parasite had reduced parasite levels in their guts after seven days if the bees also consumed natural toxins present in plant nectar."

 They found that toxic chemicals in nectar reduced infection levels of the common bumblebee parasite by as much as 81 percent by seven days after infection. UMass Amherst evolutionary ecologist Lynn Adler says, “We found that eating some of these compounds reduced pathogen load in the bumblebee’s gut, which not only may help the individual bees, but likely reduced the pathogen Crithidia spore load in their feces, which in turn should lead to a lower likelihood of transmitting the disease to other bees.”

The eight chemicals studied were nicotine and anabasine found in nectar of flowers in the tobacco family, caffeine from coffee and citrus nectar, amygdalin from almond nectar, aucubin and catalpol from turtlehead flowers, gallic acid from buckwheat nectar and thymol from basswood tree nectar. 

Adler notes, “A lot of our spices and medicines come from plant secondary metabolites. Think of aspirin and chili powder. Because we’re big, we can eat a little chili powder on our food and it’s just a taste sensation. But for an insect the same dose might be fatal. That’s what the plant is counting on.”

(Source) 

Image: Leif Richardson - Dartmouth

White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)

One thing I found interesting, is that the Evolutionary Ecologist, Lynn Adler, found it puzzling as to just how the bees know or found out which flowers contain the correct chemicals to deal with specific illnesses, diseases or parasites. Ultimately who can know where such instinctive programming originated without assuming some sort of metaphysical or religious bias. What does matter in the immediate present is looking into studying & researching ecosystems as a whole. One should ask themselves, "What mechanical components exist in nature and how do they mutualistically interact and perform with one another for the perfect function of a healthy ecosystem ?" These researchers should be spending more valuable time So here is million dollar question Lynn Alder asks as to how things came about:

As for whether bees know about the benefits of plants’ chemical medicine cabinets and can treat themselves when they are sick, she adds, “That is the million dollar question, the one most often asked when I give talks about these ideas. Unfortunately, it’s too early to tell. We just don’t know yet.”

Ultimately there is no way to know without inserting various person metaphysical assumptions and or biased religious beliefs. It is curious however, that Lynn Alder has no problem about how plants knew what they had to do in order to survive. Apparently, the origin of these compounds for which she makes metaphysical assumptions about how the plants displayed almost sentient being consciousness behaviour in that that somehow they just knew what they needed to do in order to survive, replicate themselves and save themselves from obliteration by diseases & insects. As she put it, they needed to evolve themselves into becoming 'amazing chemists' by experimenting with various chemical algorithms to ward off countless enemies ?  Take a look below:

“Because plants just sit there and can’t run away from things that want to eat them, they have evolved to be amazing chemists. They make biological compounds called secondary metabolites, which are chemicals not involved in growth or reproduction, to protect themselves. They are amazing in the diversity of what they can produce for protecting themselves or for attracting pollinators.”

(Source) 

For me, much of these debates about origins is a waste of time and counter productive to finding real world solutions NOW on how humans need to better manage the Earth. But I guess we're kidding ourselves now aren't we. That's not how these various ideological-religious factions work is it ? This obsession with control of worldview is further and further disuniting this planet, and frankly, NEITHER SIDE seems to care. What fascinates me is that quite often it is the developing world farmers who are more open to such Biomimicry or working with Nature, than their industrial farming counterparts in the rich nations. Industrial Nation Farmers are shackled ideologically and psychologically to what the Industrial Ag corporations and the governmental advisors are feeding them. Add to that all those US Farm Subsidy entitlement programs for which ONLY conventional farmers are entitled to and not organic, they have exacerbated the problem of educating and weaning Industrial Farmers off the welfare state programs. In the mean time, the Earth's health continues to downgrade because basically the ongoing degradation of the natural world is actually financed by the  very Officials in positions of responsibility and care. Something radical has got to happen soon or the damage will be irreversible. Does everyone get this ? Or is obsession with worldview still more important ? Somehow I have a spooky feeling it's still the later. 

Another quick note from the Japan Times

Courtesy: Leif Richardson

Bumblebee on a flower in Saint-Malo, France

Several interesting paragraphs in their article were relevant as to why Farmers should be changing their agricultural practices to a more holistic approach away from the monopolized chemical practices encouraged by industrial corporations with a vested interest in keeping the status quo. This article's interview dealt more with the head researcher of the study, Leif Richardson, who is credited with the two photos, above and at the right here. He actually explains a bit further, deeper and specifically on the importance of this research as far as practical application on the Farm.

 “The results suggest that growing plants high in these compounds around farm fields could create a natural ‘medicine cabinet’ that improves survival of diseased bees and pollination of crops,” Dartmouth College in New Hampshire said in a statement.

He also hits on something else extremely important and that is just  where the problem with Colony Collapse Disorder is found to be the worst around the globe. While many documentaries on CCD have mentioned it being a global problem, it is at it's worst in North Americas, Europe, China and Australia. Why ? Doesn't take a genius to figure out who leads the way through profiteering in the conventional industrial agriculture business model and which  corporations within those Nations stand to gain big time with the status quo and wish to monopolize the world's food supply. 

Further experiments will show whether the compounds also benefit honeybees, which have been hit in North America and Europe by a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder, said Leif Richardson, who headed the study. Parasites have been fingered, but insecticides and intensive monoculture, which destroys the bees’ habitat, have also been cited as possible causes."

Japan Times: Natural Chemicals in nectar can fight bee disease

In any event, the developing world farmers do not reside in wealthy nations with generous welfare entitlements. They are also closer to the land than most industrial nation farmers. Even still, count on a major fight by giant Ag corporations who have some of the largest war chest bank accounts to get what they want and with the blessing of the governments which back them. For people with a clue, this should be a wake up call as to who and what you are putting your faith and trust into. 

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Update: September 1, 2015 - Darmouth 

 Parasitized bees are self-medicating in the wild, Dartmouth-led study finds

 (Phys.org: Source)

I love this article. Do I hear "Let's promote Monoculture" anyone ??? Bees need a great healthy variety in their diet, not some limited genetically modified junk foods. Look at what junk food has done to human beings. This is why a great variety of beneficial pollen producing plants [shrubs, perennials, etc] need to be planted around the fringes and margins of farms and their fields. This is why agricultural fields need to be smaller with chaparral and other shrub barrier mounds as safe food and home habitat havens for beneficial pollinator/predatory insects. 

"Bumblebees infected with a common intestinal parasite are drawn to flowers whose nectar and pollen have a medicinal effect, a Dartmouth-led study shows. The findings suggest that plant chemistry could help combat the decline of bee species."

 "The researchers studied the effects of a group of plant secondary metabolites found naturally in floral nectar -- iridoid glycosides -- on bumblebee foraging and plant reproduction. Iridoid glycosides can deter deer and other herbivores, but the researchers' earlier studies showed the compounds have a medicinal effect on parasitized bees by reducing their parasite load."

"In the new study, the researchers looked at concentrations of two iridoid glycoside compounds, aucubin and catalpol, in nectar and pollen in four populations of turtlehead, a bee-pollinated wetland plant found throughout eastern North America. They then manipulated concentrations of the chemicals in those flowers to study their effects on bee foraging." 

One really fascinating thing was that the parasites also seem to have a beneficial effect on making the bees pollinate these specialized iridoid glycoside concentrated nectar flowers more and that these flowers responded by donating more of their pollen to other flowers which brought about higher reproductive success rates of their own. So are the parasites evil ? Clearly humans are going to have to rethink their view of the complex mechanisms found in Nature and how disrupting the balance of Nature is what creates problems. Accepting blame and personal responsibility is not a natural imperfect human thing to do. However, such responsible admissions are going to be necessary if people are going to learn from their mistakes and make the needed corrections to put the natural world right. Allowing giant corporate business entities carte blanche to do whatever they wish to increase their precious corporate bottom lines is no longer going to cut it anymore. 

"The results showed that relative to healthy bees, those infected with the intestinal parasite greatly preferred visiting flowers with the highest iridoid glycoside concentrations. Bees attacked by a second antagonist, a parasitoid fly, did not respond in this way to nectar chemistry. The researchers also found that flowers with the highest concentrations of nectar iridoid glycosides donated significantly more pollen to other flowers following bee visits, showing that nectar chemistry can affect plant reproductive success.

(Read the entire article here)

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image: inaturalist.org

Eriastrum densifolium

Now switching some gears here and moving over towards a different direction away from Honey Bees for the moment. Most conversation when it comes to the subject of pollination is always about the European Honey Bee and after that of course follows Bumble Bees. Nothing wrong with that of course, but rarely are all the other more important Pollinators like various flies, mosquitos, wasps, etc, etc ever focused upon and they should be. One of my goals this past summer's visit to California was to drive back up to my former long time residence in Anza and photograph a plant which I always found important to my property's landscape ecosystem and Garden's environment. It's a plant that most folks in and around Riverside County probably don't really pay much attention to unless they actually see it growing en masse in some field which is highlighted by the richness of the cobalt blue flowers when they bloom. The plant is called Woolly Stars (Eriastrum densifolium). Perhaps a better known variety is Santa Ana River Woolly Stars because it has had some controversy surrounding it's protection from developers between the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside. While the flowers are strikingly spectacular, the foliage is somewhat dull grey and sparse in appearance and probably that way most of the year except for those two hottest summer months of the year when it is in full bloom. Try looking up info on this plant and you won't find very much other than the usual out of touch intellectual descriptive dry data which serves mostly to document the plant's existence. And that is really a shame because there is so much more to this plant other than a handful of dry dull stats only a Botanist could love. 

photo mine

Woolly Stars
Eriastrum densifolium

For residents of Anza and Terwilliger Valleys, this plant to the right here in the photo next to a friend's horse corral is one you have often seen, but perhaps ignored other than when in full bloom and never gave it any credit of worth beyond that short showy display of blue flowers in the summertime. It's only a foot or more tall shrub which has beautiful flowering blooms for those two hottest months, but as far as landscape value, not nearly as impressive as perhaps other larger chaparral ornamental species. But believe it or not, it's also an important wildlife magnet for not only pollinators, but also beneficial insect predators. When I lived up in Anza and opened up some spaces in my wild landscape within my property's acreage, this little shrub spread. It loved the openness, the direct sunlight and decomposed granite sandy soils. This is probably why it is more often found naturally in washes and especially floodplains like bajadas or alluvial fans in and around Riverside county. This one in the photo at right was taken at a friend's place in Terwilliger on Yucca Road. In fact what was surprising to me was the mass display of these blue flowers in the open fields east of this shot. I say surprising because this particular area has been very hard hit by the past three year's drought which has effected all of California. And yet still, it was found together in large groups in full bloom this past June/July when I was there for visit. Below is the picture of the field at the end of bloom which surely others in Anza have also seen but never thought much about the plant. Now it's not overly spectacular at this point, but still impressive given the drought extremes.

photo mine

Now take another look at a photo below here taken back during a wetter rainy season in 2011 along the Hwy 243 from Beaumont to Idyllwild where a far more brilliant display was recorded and posted on Palomar's Wayne's Word Botany pages. Notice the potential ? I'll post the link below it as other beautiful pics of other flowers along Hwy 243 are posted for folks enjoyment. You might also take special note of the Chaparral in the background behind this field which also shows a deeper green healthy colour, probably the last time this region experience a good soaking rainy season.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/idyllwild1.htm

image: Richard Bartz (Wiki-commons)

Bee Fly (Bombylius major)

Of course the main reason for my bringing up the subject of this plant was certainly not for it's Horticultural value in the landscape. I highly doubt anyone would put up with the dry dull grey rangy looking foliage which is common most of the year. But once again for me it was it's incredible ability as a beneficial insect magnet for my wildscape and garden in Anza. On very hot days when these plants were in full bloom, the first thing you first hear is the intense high pitched humming of what turned out to be hundreds of Hover Flies and Bee Flies. I first noticed Bee Flies on my property back in 1985 when I planted a Mediterranean type plant from Asia called Blue Mist (caryopteris x clandonensis) which was given to me by a friend. These mini-helicopters do their amazing and incredible acrobatic tricks with regards their flight. Aside from the high pitch of their humming, it was these entertaining maneuvers that captured my attention. I could sit for the longest time watching these Bee Flies moving from Woolly Star flower bundle to another Woolly Star. The info on these flies is that they also thrive in hot dry sandy or gravely locations, which would account for their abundance throughout the Anza area. The other interesting similar types of pollinating critters which visit this Woolly Star shrub are the Hover Flies as seen here in the photo collage below left here. 

image: Alvesgaspar (Wiki-commons)

A poster of hoverflies (Syrphidae)

When you research both groups of Bee Flies & Hover Flies, the info on them reveals that there  are many 1000s of species or varieties and that there are most likely many more 1000s yet to be discovered and  identified. The other interesting service these critters provide aside from their incredible importance to pollinating numerous plants worldwide, is when they are in their youth where they are described in larval stages as predators or parasitoids of the eggs and larvae of other insects. Hence both Fly groups are beneficial as biological controls for your gardens, landscapes and if respected enough, could well have extremely positive benefits on a larger scale farming operations if Farmers were open-minded enough to break away from the Industrial Ag sector and attempt going more the organic farming route. In the Wiki entry on the Hover Flies, there is a nice summary on what some people are doing with certain species of Hover Fly. 

"Unlike adults, the maggots of hoverflies feed on a variety of foods; some are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant or animal matter, while others are insectivores, eating aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects. This is beneficial to gardens, as aphids destroy crops, and hoverfly maggots are often used in biological control. Certain species, such as Lampetia equestris or Eumerus tuberculatus, are responsible for pollination."

"Many species of hoverfly larvae prey upon pest insects, including aphids and the leafhoppers, which spread some diseases such as curly top. Therefore, they are seen in biocontrol as a natural means of reducing the levels of pests. Gardeners, therefore, will sometimes use companion plants to attract hoverflies. Those reputed to do so include alyssum, Iberis umbellata, statice, buckwheat, chamomile, parsley, and yarrow."

(Source)

Oregon State University

Many folks will recognize many of the flowering companion plants listed in the above description for attracting garden predators for biological control agents in the garden. However, there are countless varieties of natives in any ecosystem area around the globe which will work equally well as a beneficial insect magnet. All a person has to do is some personal research and if that fails, then take personal responsibility and start observing things for yourself. For example, this picture to the right is of a native California Coffeeberry. The beautiful bright evergreen foliage and multi-coloured berries are the reasons people choose them from their Native plant nurseries for the landscape.  

image: James Soe Nyun
California Coffeeberry
'Eve-Case' in bloom

But I guarantee you, positively nobody ever intends on planting them for their flowers. So why is that ? Well, take a close look at the photo to the left. Dull ? Mundane ? Drab olive green ? Yes of course, according to the flawed viewpoint of some Governmental land managers, they are probably just too dull and mundane to be bothered with by the average gardener. Yes, all those words could be used to describe the average person's taste in what a garden's flowering plants should like like when in bloom. The photographer of that photo above left, James Soe Nyun, said Coffeeberry flowers are mostly nondescript to most humans. He got that right. I'm different on the other hand. The California Coffeeberry behind my old place in Anza I found to be an amazing magnet for every kind of insect winged creature available. For me it was the presence of all these critters which gives these flowers their beauty. Every type of Fly, Mosquito, Gnat, Bee, Wasp, Beetle, Moth, etc, etc, etc which normally never hang out with each other, were in fact crawling over each other on these blooms to get a taste of what ever invisible pheromones this plant with inconspicuous flower clusters was giving off. But especially those tiny little predatory wasps which prey after the bad garden insects. They were most abundant. There were Bumble Bees hovering above all this insect party chaos, but they were too intimidated to come down and take their chance at a sip of the brew. As far as I've known, I'm the only one who has written about this until now. The photographer I mentioned above where I found that picture also had a description of why he took it and the words of a unhappy camper of a gardener who described the exact same phenomena I did, but with a rather negative slant. 

"The coffeeberry’s flowers are much more nondescript to humans. On the recent garden tour I spoke to a homeowner who was wishing that she hadn’t planted her coffeeberries so close to paths because the bugs seem to go crazy over its blooms, more so than just about any other native plant. Here we have the humble blooms of Frangula (Rhamnus) californica ‘Eve Case.’ "

(Source)

image by Dr. Alistair Dove
Systematic & Ecological Parasitologist

While I totally and adamantly disagree with that lady Gardener's take on the California Coffeeberry flowering phenomena, I am also at the very same time overjoyed by the fact someone else describes exactly what I have been saying all along about the native California Coffeeberry chaparral plant for landscape use. In fact she said it draws "bugs" insects more than any other California native plant. Yup, sure enough, that's what I've been saying all along. Nice to be verified, even if in a rather unusual sort of way. The ultimate goal for any Gardener, Landscaper or commercial Farmer should be to attract those very critters such as the tiny parasitoid wasp in the above right photo which scouts out your garden and preys upon the very things you don't want taking up residence there. Like the numerous caterpillars which chew up all manner of leaves and fruits from your vegetable garden or fruit orchard. 

Insect Paparazzi: Brian Marlow

This is the exact thing people pass over when out and about in Nature looking to photograph some magnificent scene for which to publish on a Google Plus or Facebook page. What a waste. Not that I don't enjot pretty scenery, I do, but if you do actually see such unusual phenomena happening, don't discount it, document it and send it to those who study these things for purposes of Biomimicry or Biomimetics. In the descriptive pages I referenced regarding hoverflies and beeflies, the experts admit they don't know what exact role most of those critters play within most ecosystems. No kidding, it would be a challenge. They are just so tiny and elusive. Go beyond getting that perfect shot of a common honeybee pollinating a flower. Document other things like the mass display of insects on a shrub like California Coffeeberry. It is also imperative you know the time of year differing plants bloom and what they attract, especially if you are laying out strategic plans for organically maintained landscape. I can really only speak from my own experience in Southern California in the chaparral backcountry. The Coffeeberry for example is one of the earliest bloomers and with what looks to be this year's heavier than normal rainfall in California, this would be a golden opportunity to document this chaparral shrub which attracts more beneficial "bugs" insects than any other California Native. Other Natives like California Holly (Toyon) is an early summer bloomer and Redshank or Ribbonwood are late Summer bloomers. Keep in mind also, the same shrub or other flowering plant will bloom at different times depending on elevation. I have observed both of these shrubs having similar beneficial insect attracting abilities. Find out as much as you can in and around whatever environment you live in  and plan accordingly your garden and landscape which will allow you to pursue a course of a more organic nature. But you first need to deprogram yourself and break away from all those glittering labeled chemical goodies you see at those commercial Garden Center or Home Improvement stores. Forget their illustrations and the easy to use instructions. Realize that when you use that industrial junk to kill the supposedly bad insects, you also kill the good ones, even if you don't see any of them. 

When I first worked as a representative and field tester for many of the products put out by one of my former employer, Coors-Biotech, back in the late 1980s, there was so much promise about even the idea behind Biotechnology. The idea was of course that these people and their companies were going to learn from Nature and replicate what nature does for solutions to our problems. How was I to ever know that most of today's corporate industrial biotechs actually view nature as flawed and poorly designed ? That Human scientific genius would one day view themselves above nature and take it upon themselves to correct what they view as Nature's flaws and poor designs. And as a result our natural world in general would go so far down hill that many other experts would be saying life on Earth is on the brink of extinction ? This is why the average person's view of a Biotech Scientist is more that of a mad scientist. Not that they are truly insane, but the results of much of what they have done have hurt rather than help the natural world. Biotechs were supposed to practice what we call biomimicry or biomimetics which is ultimately copying what Nature does and hw it functions. Not this obsession of obscene profiteering through patent lawsuit filing thugs we have today. That was never what biotechnology was supposed to be about. But nevertheless, we are assured Science will just find a way, except when it doesn't.  

From Raw Materials into Electronic
 Mind Numbing Gadgets

The Corporate and Governmental entities are going to pursue whatever their heart's desire for wealth and power. It should be acknowledge that the planet will suffer no matter what. Others will have religious and ideological motives for defending these entities. Aside from some Divine or other extraterrestrial intervention, it seems highly unlikely that humans will find real solutions for saving this planet. Seriously people, look at the daily News Reports as to what is going down all across the globe. Does it look like true peace and security is just on the horizon or around the corner ? Now, you'd think that the experts would be interested in safer organic approach solutions inspired through Biomimicry, but the problem is, these things I've mentioned above have zero profit value for most corporate Entities and their share holders. If they cannot patent it and monopolize an industry, they are not interested in an organic natural approach to custodianship of our planet Earth. For those with families who do care and want their children to have a deeper appreciation of our natural world, then understand it starts with proper parenting to educate your own children. Don't expect the public school system to do that job for you. Thus far they've failed because what is taught is only the textbook solution provided by an industrial mandate. In the mean time, there are some folks who have come up with some tools to help parents teach their children more about the Outdoors which seems to be foreign to most people living in the Industrial Nations today. Take a look at this documentary below when you find the time.

Ever Consider Swapping Screen Time for Wild Time ? (Project Wild Thing) 

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Two important follow ups to this post

 PART I - "Attracting Wild Bees & Wasps to Landscapes & Farms is the best Insurance Policy"

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 PART II - "How to construct the best Insurance Policy for your Agricultural Business Venture"

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Other important reading on various pollinators

http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/why-bees-need-help

http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/wildflowers-and-natives.html

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/plants-to-attract-beneficial-insects-zl0z1005zvau.aspx

Michigan State University Extension: "Attracting Beneficial Insects with Native Flowering Plants"

Extinction Phenomena: Should We be looking under Boards and Rocks too ?

credit: Spectrum Analytic

The conspiracy sites abound with all manner of rumors of the evil government programs of geo-engineering and other weather modification projects. The detrimental effects of the junk they are spraying from retrofitting former Bombers for weather modification for rain making and it's accumulation within forest soils. Aluminum being one of the most controversial components of the cloud formation particulates used for droplet formation. I don't necessarily like the conspiracy sites as they seem to sensationalize such potential ecological ruin with a obsessive passion normally found on the conventional News Stations where all manner of daily human suffering is reported with such an enthusiasm as to repulse an otherwise interested concerned viewer. But unfortunately humans seem to have that tendency to be attracted to such stories as a form of bizarre entertainment and I think that is where the conspiracy sites gain their momentum. However, the stories of cloud seeding and geo-engineering become more and more believable as more believable sources like the U.S. Military even now admitting on their own websites that this is what they are involved in and have been working on for years.[decades] So the rumors become more and more believable with each passing month as more reports and desperation of the times demand government's somehow fix the global ruin of weather mechanisms.

See the sites:  (USAF Air University: Center for Strategy and Technology) and (United States Naval Research Laboratory)

Normal Root Tip & Damaged One

There are relevant links at the very bottom of this post to weather modification as a weapon, but let's go back now to the possible effects of toxins found in rain and their effects on plant growth. It's basically not whether such toxins are the results of geo-engineering cloud seeding or pollution from all other human inventions like Factories, Energy Generation Plants, Automobiles etc. But the facts remain that such a chemical contamination within rain does exist no matter what the source and hence the decades long research into development of aluminum resistant plants has been going on. Especially so since the 1970s when all the News we heard was about "Acid Rains" , remember ??? Take the upper photo at the very top of this post. It is well known that aluminum toxicity can inhibit plant growth. The difference in the foliage from both of these Wheat plants are apparent from our above ground viewing vantage point. But what about underground, what happens there ? That's where the next magnification image above left helps us see things more clearly. Numerous studies have shown that as a defense against aluminum toxicity, plants will restrict their intake of water and nutrients. Of course this weaken the plant as can be observed above ground. But below ground, mycorrhizal colonization can also be restricted. The above image may also offer clues. The damaged root tip no longer has a normal functional root cap. When I was first interested in mycorrhizae back in the late 1980s and learning from Dr Donald Marx of PHC in his workshops, he said that germination of PT Mycorrhizae is triggered by the root tip cap actually coming into direct contact with the fungal spore. The spore will do nothing when or if it just touches any part of a woody root structure, but it's that root cap that is vital. Again, from that illustration above, the root tip on the right is mutated to the point of not have the same function and colonization may be impossible, hence further reduction in plants ability to obtain the healthy amounts of water and less nutrient uptake for the tree or shrub to survive. 
(I'll post relevant links at the bottom)

Could Acid-Rain be Killing Us ?

Okay, okay, so I got side tracked a bit. So what does all of that have to do with the Killer Rains otherwise known as Acid Rain ? I'll use this term killer rains as the modern day chemical makeup of rainwater appears to be deadly now days in certain areas over a long period of time. When I visited my former property this past Spring, I believe that more was going on than simply a lack of good rainfall. For some years now I have noticed changes in the wild with regards plant growth and foliage health. I have seen it here in Sweden and on my last two visits there in California, but especially this past Spring 2013. Here in Sweden, it was last year's [2012] growth on all broad leaf trees and shrubs that was attacked and eaten by all manner of insect pests and diseases and any and all fruit production [berries, apples, cherries, etc] was almost ZERO in both the wild and urban gardens and landscapes. This Spring almost everything Evergreen [Cypress, Juniper, Yew, Fir, some pines, etc] are either complete dead or halfway there. [ See Here ] This problem also is both in the Wild and Urban Landscapes. Urban landscapes I've always understood why bad things happen as a result of ignorance and mismanagement, but never so thoroughly deep in the wilds. Scandinavia in general is also known for ill effects from Acid Rains which originate from industrial central Europe like Germany and Poland. This is what I noticed with regards Manzanita and Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata) this past Spring in San Diego & Riverside Counties. Both are struggling in many places. The recovery of chaparral after Fire has also been radically slowed when you compare passed performance of where it traditionally always sprang back with a regrowth vengeance. Not this time. Take a look below of my old place and two year photo comparisons and ask yourself, "What is causing all of this ?".

Photo: Mine

This photograph was taken by me in April 2013. The reason I took this shot was because of the major foliage decline of the two Big Berry Manzanita shrubs and the fact that when I last viewed both of these shrubs in July of 2011, they were the perfect picture of  vibrant health and beauty for which they are known. I actually have two pictures, not the same angle, but illustration of what has happened since 2011. See if you can see what I mean below.

Photo: Mine

The Manzanita on the very right side of the photo is the same as the photo above on the right side. This shrub or small tree was very healthy, although I had concerns over the present owner's major chaparral removal which often times for unknown reasons, will kill Manzanita on people who clear land and leave only what they consider shrubs worth saving, like Manzanitas.

Photo: Mine

This Manzanita was the prize of the entire property when We first purchased it in 2005. This pathetic looking skeleton is only a fraction of it's former glory. If I have old pictures of it, they are the old Kodak type and buried away in boxes somewhere. But now look over on the right side above at the gal in the pink shirt. That is the Manzanita on the left side of that top photo. Both shrubs which were healthy in 2011 are now in danger of failing completely. Whatever negatives have been going on inside the soil has been going on for some time now. The large tree in the middle was once 10 times the spread of what you see here. It made me sick when it started dying back in the early 1990s. This tree had large branches that grew up into the sky, then angled down to the ground, proceeded to re-sprout roots where it touched the ground and grow out and upwards again, mostly to the west and southern exposure of the main tree trunk. There are some other puzzling indicators that lead  me to believe something other than mere drought conditions are causing these issues of plant growth and health decline. 

I've started wondering and reflecting lately if something underground that we don't see is perhaps also in decline. When plants decline we look for pests and disease we can detect on the plant itself. If nothing is present to the naked eye, then is it merely dying from old age ? It's so easy (& natural) to take note of all the LARGE living Flora & Fauna  we are familiar with when disappears from the landscapes they once occupied and worry or wonder, "Hey what's going on ?"  Humans by nature are very materialistic minded with little attention any more given to the spiritual side of things. (spiritual - things invisible to the material eye) That's where the expression, "out of sight makes out of mind", takes on more meaning than you may realize when it comes to environmental issues. Has anyone ever considered with all the excitement in the Eco-Activist world, that there just may be a major rapid decline of soil organisms or even the possible extinction of some species ? Even the smaller hidden insect critters which till and work the soil, generally go unnoticed as many are either permanently underground or only come out at night to perform their biological ecosystem maintenance tasks. The foundation for the material life on earth's surface (aside from water) is it's countless trillions upon trillions of microbiological organisms and other millions of species of nanocritters. I've always often thought that they truly never get the real respect they deserve. 

For example, back in 2006 before I left El Cajon CA to move to Sweden, in my mum's landscape under the mulch were literally thousands upon thousands of Sowbugs and Pillbugs (Rolly Pollies). When I was a kid, you could pull up a rock or log and find all manner of sowbugs, pillbugs, earwigs etc. This past Spring of April 2013 when I went back to visit, I noticed while I was cleaning up the landscape and trimming shrubs and trees within the woodland garden, I had a tough time finding many and I deliberately looked for them too. Why ? You see, when I first established that woodland theme back in 2002 and applied generous portions of mulch over the top of the soil for moisture retention and it's aesthetic value, I found that the ecosystem there inside the soil broke down the mulch rather rapidly. The system literally thrived.  I really wasn't expecting that. So for a few years before coming here, I was in the habit of bring over several truckloads a year of mulch I received for free and applying it onto the surface of the landscape. Three four times a year this would be applied and almost immediately the new material was broken down. Earthworms, sowbugs, pillbugs, earwigs, mycorrhizae, bacteria and the list is endless of other beneficial soil nano-machines which recycled the decaying vegetative debris by consuming and pooping it into the surrounding soil which in turn benefited the plants greatly. But most people don't have this view of critters in their gardens and landscapes, why ?

Perform a short Google on Pillbugs and/or Sowbugs. What's the number one viewpoint they are associated with in the description of them ? Perhaps it's something similar to  what the University of Kentucky says about them on their website: "Sowbugs and Pillbugs are similar-looking pests . . " and it continues. Now this is coming from a Science Research website of Higher Education. While it does mention their major contribution to the consumption of dead decaying organic matter, it nevertheless calls them pests and/or nuisances. So do most of the other links on the next couple of pages, generally companies seeking to sell their wares of magical toxic Chemical Elixirs to eradicate the pests. So any education from the start is basically squashed like so many insects. When I was a kid we had them, but they were always kept in check by the chickens who scratched the mulch in search of such goodies. These domestic foul actually simulated what takes place in nature with many ground foraging birds who accomplish the same task by rummaging through the dander underneath most trees and shrubs. Even still, I have seen less and less of these much maligned critters. But does anyone else notice this ? Is it important ? As time goes on, real Science of discovery and wonder realizes (too late) the importance of many things humans have killed and eradicated for whatever reasons. So it's an educational problem. 


Other things that have perplexed and concerned me are the lack of many beneficial microbiological organisms which should normally be found in very healthy populations out in the wild, but there's a feeling they are disappearing. One of my reasons for feeling this way is the very positive response of some surrounding chaparral shrubs for which I utilize as Mother Trees or Nurse Plants for newly planted forest trees. I've been informed and criticized for inoculating to soil around transplants when out planting in the wild. The reasons given are, "well the microscopic spores are everywhere in the wild, therefore you don't have to inoculate" . Really ? Than why do neighbouring Scrub Oak come to life when their roots connect with a Jeffrey Pine sapling I've just planted and inoculated with a mycorrhizal blend which contains Pisolithus tinctorius. Now the question is, "Wasn't this fungi already present along with countless others ?"  What happened to "the spores are everywhere in the air" ? I know, it's not much to look at, but boy it sure creates a rich flush of growth within the host plant community for which it is present. To most folks the truffle from PT Mycorrhizae looks no more than like some Dog's turd. It's true and it's one the the identifying characteristics I look for when hunting them. Which brings me to another important observation this past Spring 2013. I went to all the traditional collecting locations I had frequented in the wild for decades and there was nothing. No truffles. Even the place where I worked which was an urban setting, there were these Canary Island Pines which produced truffles at their root drip line base and that of Australian Bottlebrush for the almost 5 years I was there every single year and there was nothing. So what's happening ? This leads me to the point I made at the beginning here at the top of the page. Could it be the chemistry makeup of the junk that may be infecting our planet's rainfall content ?


Recently, [actually for decades) there has been talk of the detrimental effects on vegetation with regards Acid Rain. Mostly this was really hit hard on back in the late 1970s and 1980s, then it sort of died out. Now it's back in the news and with good reasons. Monday August 26, Eurekalert published the article,  "Eastern US water supplies threatened by a legacy of acid rain"  , from a research study by the  Cary Institute  , which researched  the effects of Acid Rains on forest soils and fresh water availability. Another paper on the effects of Acid Rain on mycorrhizal root colonization and root hair development was by Penn State's - College of Agricultural Sciences. The title is  Acid Rain: Implications for Forest Productivity . Like the Cary Institute's paper, it referenced the acid's ability at dissolving locked up chemical compound like limestone which makes the water more alkaline, but also dissolves aluminum which would normally be locked within mineral, but set free to create a type of toxicity for fungal growth and tree root colonization. Plants themselves with actually shut down nutrient and water uptake as a defensive measure, but that weakens them as you know. Here is a vital paragraph from that paper:

"When acid precipitation moves through the soil, chemical processes take place which  allow aluminum to break away from tightly held sites on particles of soil clay. The  aluminum is then dissolved in the soil water. If the soil water has a pH less than about  5.4, the aluminum in solution is generally toxic. As German scientists describe it,  aluminum under these conditions destroys or at least inhibits the function of the fungal  mycorrhizae and small root hairs of the trees."

"Aluminum toxicity is believed to be a primary factor in limiting plant root development,  i.e., depth and branching, in many acidic subsoils of the southeastern United States.  Disruption of the mycorrhizae and small roots seriously affects the ability of trees to take  in nutrients and water, and may even affect the trees' defense against natural pests and  diseases. With this deterioration in root function, the vigor of the trees is reduced and  may cause lower productivity or death in the most severe instances. For example, oak  trees subjected to gypsy moth caterpillars or drought may experience greater mortality  than expected if also under stress from acid precipitation."  

Interesting read and I encourage reading that entire paper to understand acid rain effects not just on forests, but every type of plant community around the globe. One of the things I mentioned was above is the problem of climate change and the terrible solution of geo-engineering or weather modification to reverse this downward weather trend, but in an unnatural artificial manner. This really isn't exactly new, it's been happening for some time, but the accumulation and toxic buildup of a point where nature is now being effected is new. For example, Russian authorities authorized the use of rain making weather modification over Chernobyl to prevent radiation release through west to east storm rainfall from reaching and releasing it's deadly contents on Moscow. This was actually reported on in the British news journal, The Telegraph in the article entitled -  'How we made the Chernobyl rain' .  Unbelievably and most sickening is the press release a few hours ago of world leaders embracing Weather Modification to counteract the effects of climate change which has brought drought and freakishly severe storms to many parts of the Earth. Once again, the Telegraph brought to everyone's attention the global meetings which have been arranged for discussing this proposal. Here is the post of a few hours back:  Scientists are attempting to control the weather by using lasers to create clouds, induce rain and even trigger lightning  No attempt at discussing anything about rebuilding Earth's natural weather creation mechanisms (Various Forests and other Vegetation Communities) or actually curbing the irresponsible industrial activities which have caused this mess in the first place. 

 But how can you educate an average global population of humans being mostly disconnected from the Natural World around when they are distracted by the artificial one Industrial Science has created for them ? How can you explain the extreme importance of things like Fungus, Bacteria, Insects and other beneficials they have mostly indoctrinated into believing are basically evil to the clean modern day sterile science-based world those in charge have provided for them ? It's hard to convince people to fight for something they mostly hate or have no idea exists or the danger to continued life on Earth if they are lost. With the discoveries good science have revealed, one has to believe that it really is that easy to find real world solutions for changing things around. But something holds things back. What is it ? If you are a regular viewer who get's their science from Discovery, History or National Geographic Channels, then don't hold your breath for much truth on the matter. The latest scientific focus appears to be on Ancient Aliens who once visited and colonized and ran the Earth and governed all of it's inhabitants while providing amazing technologies for building great civilizations. Wow, maybe these aliens are still around and preventing mankind from progress out of jealously. Okay, but is there a better explanation ? What do you people think ? What leadership will you believe in and follow ? Though this sounds absurd, it nevertheless is uncanny why this World's leadership continues on rejecting the real science. Remember, your life and that of your descendants may depend on the irresponsible decisions they make. Now, real quick, start looking under all those boards and rocks. Maybe you've been missing something important all these years ?  Turn around and counteract the ill effects brought on by "Nature Deficit Disorder" !!!  

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 Interesting Reading References: *

Image: United States Air Force University

They said on this site that they were working on owning the weather for military purposes  and they would create clouds as mirrors for pin pointing specific enemy targets on ground. This was back in 1996 as referenced in the link below. The image below here from this  year 2013 shows that they have already done this with HAARP. No conspiracy website, just an admission from their own Military pages. The facts are that they are not even pretending any more or attempting to hide anything from the public. Fix-it-Pill technological artificial advances as opposed rebuilding back up the biological mechanisms seem to be the scheme of choice no days. The potential for growing economies is considered far more more important than rebuilding what was lost out in nature. The attitude of "Damned if we do, Damned if we don't" takes precedent here as continued building economies to avert Social chaos is considered the lesser evil from global biological degradation. In the case of natural world mechanisms which drive and moderate weather systems, the artificial innovations are deemed doable to counteract human needs for raw materials to keep their consumerism going unchecked. 

Weather as a Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather in 2025

US Naval Research Laboratory (Feb 2013)

Sequence of images of the glow plasma discharge produced with transmissions at the third electron gyro harmonic using the HAARP HF transmitter, Gakona, Alaska. The third harmonic artificial glow plasma clouds were obtained with HAARP using transmissions at 4.34 megahertz (MHz). The resonant frequency yielded green line (557.7 nanometer emission) with HF on November 12, 2012, between the times of 02:26:15 to 02:26:45 GMT. 


NRL Scientists Produce Densest Artificial Ionospheric Plasma Clouds Using HAARP

credit: Pakistan Media Watch (2010)

The article claimed: "HAARP Conspiracy Debunked By Preeminent Pakistani Nuclear Scientist" Unfortunately a lot has changed since then. Yes Conspiracy Sites are a dime a dozen these days,  but more and more evidence being reported shows that such ambitions by men/women in power have no limits. Especially with a major military and economic Super-power like the USA, they have no plans for giving up their position any time soon. That's why such technological research continues on. It's certainly not a responsible thing to pursue, but  this is how this world works.


Some major News Today: 

Scientists are attempting to control the weather by using lasers to create clouds, induce rain and even trigger lightning.

Unbelievable!