Doug Tallamy's book Bringing Nature Home argues that increasing biodiversity in residential landscapes is important to support wildlife. Tallamy notes that most insects can only eat plant species closely related to those they evolved with. As a result, non-native plants support far fewer insect species compared to native plants. Tallamy advocates increasing the amount and diversity of native plant species in yards and neighborhoods to provide more food and habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife.

1. Bringing Nature Home
Doug Tallamy

3. Top 10 Voter Concerns
Economy 80%
Health Care 66%
Gov’t Corruption 66%
Taxes 58%
Energy Policy 52%
Education 61%
Social Security 60%
Immigration 45%
National Security 52%
Afghanistan 35%

8. Biodiversity losses
are a clear signal
that humanity’s life
support systems
are failing.

9. What is
biodiversity?
What is
biodiversity ?

10. Every
species
on
earth

11. Each species has a specific
function in its ecosystem, and
there is much redundancy in
healthy ecosystems.
Several species do the same job.

12. Why
do we need
biodiversity
?

13. Biodiversity is essential to
ecosystems because it:
 Increases stability
 Increases productivity
 Decreases susceptibility to biotic invasions
David Tilman, Peter Price, Don
Strong

14. Plants and animals are
the rivets
holding the ecosystems
that sustain us
together.

15. Biodiversity =
ecosystem
services

25. We also need
biodiversity
for our own
mental health

31. Our kids have nature deficit disorder
because we have a deficit of nature!

32. Where does animal
diversity come from?

34. 950 million acres
Kershner & Leverett 2004

35. Sunlight Food
Photosynthesis
CO2 drawing
Water O2

36. Plants also
provide shelter

37. Plants are literally a matter of life and
death

38. Carrying Capacity
The number of individuals of a
particular species that can be
supported sustainably
without degrading the resource
base

39. Carrying Capacity
Population Size
Carrying Capacity
Time

40. Population Size Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity
Time

43. What have we done
to the carrying capacity
of the U.S. ?
Sanderson 2009

44. We haven’t
done this
only on
Manhattan!

45. We have turned
950 million acre
of virgin forests
into tiny patche
of secondary
growth woodlot

46. We have paved 4 million miles of roads in the U.S. (Hayden 2004)
This is equivalent to
37,879 sq miles,
or nearly five times the size of New Jersey

47. We have converted 62,500 sq miles to suburban lawn
in the U.S. This is over 8 times the size of New Jersey
dedicated to a non-native plant

48. The U.S. is a human- dominated
ecosystem

49. 41%
agriculture

50. 54 % cities
and suburbs

51. We have converted our
natural world into cities and
suburbs.

52. This is not about
humans
disappearing
from the earth;
it’s about humans
sharing the earth.

53. 127 spp of
neotropical
migrants
are
declining.

54. Even though
biodiversity
is an essential,
non-renewable
natural resource,
we are forcing it
to extinction.

55. Why can’t
biodiversity survive
in our parks and
preserves?

56. When we shrink a
habitat, we lose niche
space.
Consequences:
1) Only tiny populations can exist
in tiny habitats.
2) Tiny populations are vulnerable
to extinction.
Pimm et al. 1988

57. Population Size
few many
Time

58. Our natural
areas are not
large enough
to sustain nature

60. Today, our yards
support very little
biodiversity.
Our challenge is to raise
the carrying capacity of our
neighborhoods
so that they can be healthy, functioning
ecosystems.

61. Just
add
plants?

62. All plants
do not
support
wildlife
equally

63. Autumn Black
Olive Cherry

64. Non-native
Non-native plants
plants
support
support
fewer insects.
fewer insects

67. Number of Species
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Uninvaded Invaded

68. Abundance
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Uninvaded Invaded

70. Why can’t insects eat
aliens?
Why can’t insects eat aliens?

71. Foliage is defended by distasteful
chemicals

72. Most insects can develop
and reproduce only
on the plants with which they share
an evolutionary history.
(Ehrlich & Raven, 1964)

73. Insects that specialize on one plant
Insects that specializeare no longer able to eat other plants.
on one plant

79. 90% of all phytophagous insect species
can eat plants in only 3 or fewer families.
Most can tolerate only
a few closely related species.
(Bernays & Graham, 1988)

80. Who cares if our plants make
insects?

81. Animals that eat insects care!
Bill Duyck

97. Birds that eat insects
Icteridae (blackbirds & orioles)
Tyrannidae (tyrant flycatchers) Fringillidae (finches)
Laniidae (shrikes) Ploceidae (weaver finches)
Vireonidae (vireos) Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
Corvidae (crows & jays) Podicipedidae (grebes)
Alaudidae (larks) Ardeidae (herons)
Hirundinidae (swallows) Threskiornithidae (ibises &
Paridae (titmice) spoonbills)
Remizidae (verdins) Anatidae (ducks, geese & swans)
Aegithalidae (bushtit) Accipitridae (hawks, kites & eagles)
Sittidae (nuthatches) Falconidae (falcons)
Certhiidae (creepers) Phasianidae (turkeys & grouse)
Troglodytidae (wrens) Odontophoridae (new world quail)
Pycnonotidae (bulbul) Rallidae (rails, gallinules & coots)
Regulidae (kinglets) Aramidae (limpkins)
Sylviidae (Old World warblers) Gruidae (cranes)
Muscicapidae (old world flycatchers) Charadriidae (plovers)
Timaliidae (babblers) Recurvirostridae (avocets & stilts)
Turdidae (thrushes) Jacanidae (Jacana)
Mimidae (mockingbirds & thrashers) Scolopacidae (sandpipers &
Sturnidae (starlings) introduced phalaropes)
Prunellidae (accentors) Laridae (gulls & terns)
Motacillidae (pipits & wagtails) Columbidae (pigeons & doves)
Bombycillidae (waxwings) Cuculidae (cuckoos & roadrunners)
Ptilogonatidae (silky-flycatcher) Tytonidae (barn owls)
Peucedramidae (olive warbler) Strigidae (owls)
Parulidae (wood warblers) Caprimulgidae (goatsuckers)
Coerebidae (bananaquits) Apodidae (swifts)
Thraupidae (tanagers) Trochilidae (hummingbirds)
Emberizidae (sparrows& buntings) Trogonidae (trogons)
Cardinalidae (cardinals & grosbeaks) Alcedinidae (kingfishers)
Picidae (woodpeckers)

101. How much
food do
we need
to make in
our yards?

102. Lots ! !
L

105. Carolina
chickadee feeds
its young almost
exclusively
caterpillars

106. Both the
male and
female
forage for
caterpillars

107. A pair can
deliver
food about
every 3
min

108. 30
caterpillar
s in 27
min

111. Parents forage
from 6 am til 8 pm

115. A chickadee pair brings at least 300
(390-570) caterpillars to the nest per
day ( Brewer 1961);
Chickadees feed their young for 16
days before they fledge.
So to rear one clutch they must catch
at least
4800 caterpillars!

117. 25 caterpillars per
tree

118. At 25 caterpillars per tree, it will take 192
trees to produce one clutch of chickadees.
If each tree occupies 225 sq ft (15 x15’),
it will take 43,200 sq ft, or about 1 acre of
trees,
to provide enough food for one chickadee
nest.

119. 0.35 oz

120. How close are
our yards to making
this much food?

121. 1
0.92
0.9
0.79
0.8
0.74
0.7
0.6
Percent
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.09
0.1
0
Landscapable Alien Species Alien Plants Invasive Plants
Area that is Lawn

122. Biomass of
trees in
suburbia
Biomass of trees
in woodlots

126. Problems with Plant Introductions
 Chestnut blight
58 high-impact  Sudden oak death
insects and  White pine blister rust
diseases have  Dogwood anthracnose
been brought to  Greening disease
the U.S. on  Hemlock wooly adelgid
ornamental stock  Chestnut gall wasp
(Liebold et al.
 Japanese beetle
2012)  Light brown apple moth
 Citrus long-horned beetle

130. 85% of our invasive woody plants
have escaped from the ornamental
industry
Reichard & White
2001

131. Invasives from the Ornamental
Industry
Japanese honeysuckle Japanese barberry
Melaleuca Buckthorn
Oriental bittersweet Kudzu
Mile-a-minute Purple loosestrife
Autumn olive Yellow Iris
Brazilian peppertree Norway maple
Callery pear English ivy
Privet Porcelainberry
Burning bush Miscanthus
Japanese hop vine Carrotwood
Laurel fig Day lily
Multiflora rose Paulownia
Cork tree Butterfly bush
Amur honeysuckle Jetbead
Periwinkle Akebia
Oriental Wisteria Virgin’s bower
Old man’s beard White poplar
Wintercreeper Mimosa

132. It’s not just the types of plants in our
landscapes that are starving our
birds, it is the amount of plants we
use in suburbia.
house
To restore the ecological integrity of
urban ecosystems we must not only
use more plants, but use more
productive plants as well.

133. Does your yard have to
100% natives?

135. Is the solution
to simply plant
native plants?

136. Quercus (534) Thuja (50) Euonymus (11) Sideroxylon (4) Dirca (1)
Prunus (456) Diospyros (46) Frangula (11) Cedrus (3) Leiophyllum (1)
Salix (455) Gleditsia (46) Lindera (11) Cissus (3) Menispermum (1)
Betula (411) Ceanothus (45) Lyonia (11) Cotoneaster (3) Nemophila (1)
Populus (367) Platanus (45) Caragana (10) Hedera (3) Osmanthus (1)
Malus (308) Gaylussacia (44) Clethra (10) Lagerstroemia (3) Stewartia (1)
Acer (297) Celtis (43) Rhamnus (10) Myrtus (3) Metasequoia (0)
Vaccinium (294) Juniperus (42) Pyracantha (9) Tamarix (3) Vitex (0)
Alnus (255) Sambucus (42) Morus (9) Deutzia (2) Ceratonia (0)
Carya (235) Physocarpus (41) Elaeagnus (9) Lavandula (2) Cercidiphyllum (0)
Ulmus (215) Syringa (40) Chaenomeles (8) Lycium (2) Exochorda (0)
Pinus (201) Ilex (39) Cytisus (8) Melia (2) Firmiana (0)
Crataegus (168) Sassafras (38) Ficus (8) Paulownia (2) Grewia (0)
Rubus (163) Lonicera (37) Catalpa (8) Phoenix (2) Kalopanax (0)
Picea (150) Liquidambar (35) Chamaecyparis (8) Sophora (2) Kerria (0)
Fraxinus (149) Kalmia (33) Chionanthus (8) Sorbaria (2) Kolkwitzia (0)
Tilia (149) Aesculus (33) Maclura (8) Weigela (2) Nandina (0)
Pyrus (138) Parthenocissus (32) Taxus (8) Calycanthus (2) Phellodendron (0)
Rosa (135) Photinia (29) Cupressus (7) Gaultheria (2) Pseudosasa (0)
Corylus (131) Nyssa (26) Andromeda (7) Litsea (2) Rhodotypos (0)
Juglans (129) Symphoricarpos (25) Campsis (7) Menziesia (2) Stephanandra (0)
Castanea (127) Cydonia (24) Celastrus (7) Pieris (2) Styphnolobium (0)
Fagus (127) Ligustrum (24) Halesia (7) Staphylea (2) Tetradium (0)
Amelanchier (124) Shepherdia (22) Ledum (7) Abelia (1) Toona (0)
Larix (121) Liriodendron (21) Ailanthus (6) Bambusa (1) Zelkova (0)
Cornus (118) Magnolia (21) Clematis (6) Broussonetia (1) Adlumia (0)
Abies (117) Cephalanthus (19) Ptelea (6) Buddleja (1) Arceuthobium (0)
Myrica (108) Cercis (19) Zanthoxylum (6) Buxus (1) Berchemia (0)
Viburnum (104) Smilax (19) Albizia (5) Calluna (1) Borrichia (0)
Ribes (99) Wisteria (19) Ginkgo (5) Camellia (1) Cladrastis (0)
Ostrya (94) Persea (18) Decodon (5) Clerodendrum (1) Empetrum (0)
Tsuga (92) Arctostaphylos (17) Diervilla (5) Colutea (1) Eubotrys (0)
Spiraea (89) Ricinus (16) Gymnocladus (5) Forsythia (1) Itea (0)
Vitis (79) Taxodium (16) Hydrangea (5) Koelreuteria (1) Loiseleuria (0)
Pseudotsuga (76) Chamaedaphne (15) Cotinus (4) Laburnum (1) Nestronia (0)
Robinia (72) Toxicodendron (15) Eremochloa (4) Phyllostachys (1) Styrax (0)
Carpinus (68) Oxydendrum (14) Genista (4) Poncirus (1) Xanthorhiza (0)
Sorbus (68) Ampelopsis (13) Indigofera (4) Pterostyrax (1) Zenobia (0)
Comptonia (64) Arbutus (12) Pueraria (4) Sapium (1)
Hamamelis (63) Asimina (12) Leucothoe (4) Thamnocalamus (1)
Rhus (58) Berberis (12) Philadelphus (4) Vincetoxicum (1)
Rhododendron (51) Acacia (11) Phoradendron (4) Callicarpa (1)

139. E
Quercus (534) Thuja (50) Euonymus (11) Sideroxylon (4) Dirca (1)
Prunus (456) Diospyros (46) Frangula (11) Cedrus (3) Leiophyllum (1)
Salix (455) Gleditsia (46) Lindera (11) Cissus (3) Menispermum (1)
Betula (411) Ceanothus (45) Lyonia (11) Cotoneaster (3) Nemophila (1)
Populus (367) Platanus (45) Caragana (10) Hedera (3) Osmanthus (1)
Malus (308) Gaylussacia (44) Clethra (10) Lagerstroemia (3) Stewartia (1)
Acer (297) Celtis (43) Rhamnus (10) Myrtus (3) Metasequoia (0)
Vaccinium (294) Juniperus (42) Pyracantha (9) Tamarix (3) Vitex (0)
Alnus (255) Sambucus (42) Morus (9) Deutzia (2) Ceratonia (0)
Carya (235) Physocarpus (41) Elaeagnus (9) Lavandula (2) Cercidiphyllum (0)
Ulmus (215) Syringa (40) Chaenomeles (8) Lycium (2) Exochorda (0)
Pinus (201) Ilex (39) Cytisus (8) Melia (2) Firmiana (0)
Crataegus (168) Sassafras (38) Ficus (8) Paulownia (2) Grewia (0)
Rubus (163) Lonicera (37) Catalpa (8) Phoenix (2) Kalopanax (0)
Picea (150) Liquidambar (35) Chamaecyparis (8) Sophora (2) Kerria (0)
Fraxinus (149) Kalmia (33) Chionanthus (8) Sorbaria (2) Kolkwitzia (0)
Tilia (149) Aesculus (33) Maclura (8) Weigela (2) Nandina (0)
Pyrus (138) Parthenocissus (32) Taxus (8) Calycanthus (2) Phellodendron (0)
Rosa (135) Photinia (29) Cupressus (7) Gaultheria (2) Pseudosasa (0)
Corylus (131) Nyssa (26) Andromeda (7) Litsea (2) Rhodotypos (0)
Juglans (129) Symphoricarpos (25) Campsis (7) Menziesia (2) Stephanandra (0)
Castanea (127) Cydonia (24) Celastrus (7) Pieris (2) Styphnolobium (0)
Fagus (127) Ligustrum (24) Halesia (7) Staphylea (2) Tetradium (0)
Amelanchier (124) Shepherdia (22) Ledum (7) Abelia (1) Toona (0)
Larix (121) Liriodendron (21) Ailanthus (6) Bambusa (1) Zelkova (0)
Cornus (118) Magnolia (21) Clematis (6) Broussonetia (1) Adlumia (0)
Abies (117) Cephalanthus (19) Ptelea (6) Buddleja (1) Arceuthobium (0)
Myrica (108) Cercis (19) Zanthoxylum (6) Buxus (1) Berchemia (0)
Viburnum (104) Smilax (19) Albizia (5) Calluna (1) Borrichia (0)
Ribes (99) Wisteria (19) Ginkgo (5) Camellia (1) Cladrastis (0)
Ostrya (94) Persea (18) Decodon (5) Clerodendrum (1) Empetrum (0)
Tsuga (92) Arctostaphylos (17) Diervilla (5) Colutea (1) Eubotrys (0)
Spiraea (89) Ricinus (16) Gymnocladus (5) Forsythia (1) Itea (0)
Vitis (79) Taxodium (16) Hydrangea (5) Koelreuteria (1) Loiseleuria (0)
Pseudotsuga (76) Chamaedaphne (15) Cotinus (4) Laburnum (1) Nestronia (0)
Robinia (72) Toxicodendron (15) Eremochloa (4) Phyllostachys (1) Styrax (0)
Carpinus (68) Oxydendrum (14) Genista (4) Poncirus (1) Xanthorhiza (0)
Sorbus (68) Ampelopsis (13) Indigofera (4) Pterostyrax (1) Zenobia (0)
Comptonia (64) Arbutus (12) Pueraria (4) Sapium (1)
Hamamelis (63) Asimina (12) Leucothoe (4) Thamnocalamus (1)
Rhus (58) Berberis (12) Philadelphus (4) Vincetoxicum (1)
Rhododendron (51) Acacia (11) Phoradendron (4) Callicarpa (1)

142. Quercus (534) Thuja (50) Euonymus (11) Sideroxylon (4) Dirca (1)
Prunus (456) Diospyros (46) Frangula (11) Cedrus (3) Leiophyllum (1)
Salix (455) Gleditsia (46) Lindera (11) Cissus (3) Menispermum (1)
Betula (411) Ceanothus (45) Lyonia (11) Cotoneaster (3) Nemophila (1)
Populus (367) Platanus (45) Caragana (10) Hedera (3) Osmanthus (1)
Malus (308) Gaylussacia (44) Clethra (10) Lagerstroemia (3) Stewartia (1)
Acer (297) Celtis (43) Rhamnus (10) Myrtus (3) Metasequoia (0)
Vaccinium (294) Juniperus (42) Pyracantha (9) Tamarix (3) Vitex (0)
Alnus (255) Sambucus (42) Morus (9) Deutzia (2) Ceratonia (0)
Carya (235) Physocarpus (41) Elaeagnus (9) Lavandula (2) Cercidiphyllum (0)
Ulmus (215) Syringa (40) Chaenomeles (8) Lycium (2) Exochorda (0)
Pinus (201) Ilex (39) Cytisus (8) Melia (2) Firmiana (0)
Crataegus (168) Sassafras (38) Ficus (8) Paulownia (2) Grewia (0)
Rubus (163) Lonicera (37) Catalpa (8) Phoenix (2) Kalopanax (0)
Picea (150) Liquidambar (35) Chamaecyparis (8) Sophora (2) Kerria (0)
Fraxinus (149) Kalmia (33) Chionanthus (8) Sorbaria (2) Kolkwitzia (0)
Tilia (149) Aesculus (33) Maclura (8) Weigela (2) Nandina (0)
Pyrus (138) Parthenocissus (32) Taxus (8) Calycanthus (2) Phellodendron (0)
Rosa (135) Photinia (29) Cupressus (7) Gaultheria (2) Pseudosasa (0)
Corylus (131) Nyssa (26) Andromeda (7) Litsea (2) Rhodotypos (0)
Juglans (129) Symphoricarpos (25) Campsis (7) Menziesia (2) Stephanandra (0)
Castanea (127) Cydonia (24) Celastrus (7) Pieris (2) Styphnolobium (0)
Fagus (127) Ligustrum (24) Halesia (7) Staphylea (2) Tetradium (0)
Amelanchier (124) Shepherdia (22) Ledum (7) Abelia (1) Toona (0)
Larix (121) Liriodendron (21) Ailanthus (6) Bambusa (1) Zelkova (0)
Cornus (118) Magnolia (21) Clematis (6) Broussonetia (1) Adlumia (0)
Abies (117) Cephalanthus (19) Ptelea (6) Buddleja (1) Arceuthobium (0)
Myrica (108) Cercis (19) Zanthoxylum (6) Buxus (1) Berchemia (0)
Viburnum (104) Smilax (19) Albizia (5) Calluna (1) Borrichia (0)
Ribes (99) Wisteria (19) Ginkgo (5) Camellia (1) Cladrastis (0)
Ostrya (94) Persea (18) Decodon (5) Clerodendrum (1) Empetrum (0)
Tsuga (92) Arctostaphylos (17) Diervilla (5) Colutea (1) Eubotrys (0)
Spiraea (89) Ricinus (16) Gymnocladus (5) Forsythia (1) Itea (0)
Vitis (79) Taxodium (16) Hydrangea (5) Koelreuteria (1) Loiseleuria (0)
Pseudotsuga (76) Chamaedaphne (15) Cotinus (4) Laburnum (1) Nestronia (0)
Robinia (72) Toxicodendron (15) Eremochloa (4) Phyllostachys (1) Styrax (0)
Carpinus (68) Oxydendrum (14) Genista (4) Poncirus (1) Xanthorhiza (0)
Sorbus (68) Ampelopsis (13) Indigofera (4) Pterostyrax (1) Zenobia (0)
Comptonia (64) Arbutus (12) Pueraria (4) Sapium (1)
Hamamelis (63) Asimina (12) Leucothoe (4) Thamnocalamus (1)
Rhus (58) Berberis (12) Philadelphus (4) Vincetoxicum (1)
Rhododendron (51) Acacia (11) Phoradendron (4) Callicarpa (1)

147. Io Moth

175. Saddled Prominent

176. Double-lined Prominent

178. Double-lined Prominent

194. What does a
biodiversity-friendly
suburb look like?

195. To share suburbia with
wildlife, we need to:
 Create corridors connecting
natural areas
 Reduce the area now in lawn
 Begin the transition from alien
ornamentals to native
ornamentals

198. If we
replant
half of
the area
now in
lawn…..

199. 20 Million Acres
Adirondacks +
Yellowstone +
Yosemite +
Grand Tetons +
Canyonlands +
Mount Ranier +
North Cascades +
Badlands +
Olympic +
Sequoia +
Grand Canyon +
Denali +
Great Smoky Mountains

208. It is often
hardest to see
what is most
obvious
It is often hardest to
see what is most

226. Nature
is what
you make
it.

229.  We have paved 4 million miles of roads in the U.S.
 This is equivalent to 37,879 square miles, or nearly five
times the size of New Jersey

230. Lepidoptera Abundance
16
14
12
Caterpillars/site
10
8
6
4
2
0
Type of Landscaping
Lepidoptera Species Richness
9
8
7
species/site
6
5
4
3 Native
2
1
0
Type of Landscaping

231. Bird Abundance
20
15
Birds/pt
10
5
0
Type of Landscaping
Bird Species Richness
20
Species/site
15
10
5 Native
0
Type of Landscaping

232. Species of “Conservation Concern” at the
Study Sites
From “Partners in Flight” list of priority species for the mid-Atlantic piedmont
region
 Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
 Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
 Veery (Catharus fucescens)
 Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

235. Build a balanced
community

252. Planting natives
is a “grass roots” approach
to conservation

253. There is no
better way to
expose
children to
nature than to
bring nature
home to the
children.

255. “Gardening is
a way of
showing
that you believe
in tomorrow”
Unknown

257. BringingNatureHome.n
et

258. Tilia 149 Liquidambar 35
Fagus 127 Nyssa 26
Myrica 108 Liriodendron 21
Ostrya 94 Cercis 19
Carpinus 68 Lindera 11
Hamamelis 63 Morus 9
Diospyrus 46 Campsus 7
Platanus 45 Celastrus 7
Sassafras 38 Itea 0

260. Can a plant become native if it’s been here long
enough?
Plant Homeland herbivores Novel herbivores Years since
introduction
Phragmites australis 170 species 5 species 300+
Eucalyptus stelloleta 48 species 1 species 100
Opuntia ficus-indica 16 species 0 species 250
Clematis vitalba 40 species 1 species 100
Melaleuca quinquenervia 409 species 8 species 120

261. Compromise
With Alien
Credits!

268. 250
Time on Non-natives
Time on Natives
200
Minutes foraging by migrant birds recorded
150
100
50
0