Ready to learn about local ecology!
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River's Park Edge and its partners are pleased to offer all visitors a fun, educational challenge to locate ecological clues thoughout the park.
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Native plants
Every living being in an ecosystem is connected by a food chain that transfers life-sustaining energy, starting with the sun’s energy. Native plants absorb the sun’s energy, insects eat the native plants specific to their natural diets, those insects are eaten by other animals, those animals are eaten by their predators, and so on.
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River's Park Edge is home to many points of interest. But if you found this information interesting, keep seeking out more clues.
Seek for more ecology clues
Humans rely on this food chain to be intact — and diverse.
When non-native plants are introduced in an area, like through unnatural, unintentional landscaping, it disrupts the whole ecosystem. Many non-native plants grow aggressively, cannot be eaten by insects, are resistant to local diseases, and take up all the sun, water and nutrients. This leaves little to no resources for our important native plants, causing them to disappear.
Native plants have a lot of benefits:
- Native plants are usually low maintenance because they are adapted to local environmental conditions, requiring less water and no fertilizer
- Native plants provide shelter and food for wildlife, especially pollinators
- Native plants promote biodiversity and connect us to our natural heritage
- Native plants are beautiful and show colorful displays throughout the seasons
Native plants include trees, shrubs, grasses and more. The plants can be grown from seeds or seedlings. Avoid mixed wildflower seed packets, as many contain seeds native to other countries. If you’d like to include more native plants in your yard or area, Iowa State Extension and Outreach has some tips. Also, Council Bluffs is a Bee City now! Check out these resources for planting native, bee-friendly species.