Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 8:54:16 +0000 From: <mrwu@cello.qnet.com>(Howard J. Wu L.ac) To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2229$foo@default> Subject: Would that be an African Swallow or European Swallow?
> Dear All, One aspect I've never understood about this whole "birds
>introducing species across the world" angle (BTW whenever this crops up
>I'm always reminded of the Monty Python film "The Holy Grail" and the
>coconut -carrying swallow!!!!) is the ability of small birds to carry
>an aquatic species, even a short distance without it drying out.
>
> Its hard enough to keep some of these aquatic species going (even U.
>Gibba) in a "perfect" environment, never mind drying them out and
>transplanting a number of hours later. So what are the birds doing
>right that I'm doing wrong???? and specifically how do they carry these
>pieces of plant material (bearing in mind that most birds groom
>themselves on a fairly regular basis).
>
> John "gonna grow feathers" Wilden Southport Lancs. UK
>
Hello aldrovanda-philes
One thing I have noticed during my short time on this planet is
nature does lots of things by change that I can never do on purpose. And
weeds love to grow most where you don't want them no mater what you do.
Often I can't even eliminate duckweed out of my established ten gallon
tanks. Observation of volcano blast recover are a good example of how
well nature takes care of itself.
Let me play armchair biologist for a moment. It this case take
millions of messy duck launching from lakes over hundreds of years. They
don't groom in flight but only when they land. That U. gibba can grow
from any small piece could be why it is so ubiquious so I've read.
Then how else can aquatic spread across continents as they must have
originally? My guess is that the bird hypothesis comes from observing
other common aquatic plant dispersions along flight pathways. (In the
US we have the problem of milfoil and motorboats.) Then poor dispersion
of aldrovanda, a plant that must stay one ecological step ahead in its
habitat of plant competitors, could be why it's so endangered. Have bird
populations change these recent centuries? Aldrovanda and Utricularia do
seed. Utric's seeds are tiny compared to aldrovanda. Aldrovanda seed may
be tastier to birds
Lately U. inflata that was recently found in Washington state has
also been seen in the pulic lily ponds in Fresno, California according
to my LACPS friends. U. inflata is suposedly an east coast species. This
could be a case of bird migration. Then is also could have been humanly
moved on waterlilies.
Any more great ideas out there? The great biblical flood? Or could
this plant be hiding in hollow coconuts?
__________________________
= Howard J. Wu. L.ac =
= Bishop, CA =
= mrwu@qnet.com =
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