Draft an Argumentative Research Essay

Ecological and Economic Significance of Clover Lawns over Grass Lawns: A Comparative Argument Author’s Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor Name Assignment Due Date Introduction Based on some estimates, grass lawns cover approximately 2% of the urban and suburban localities of the United States and the UK. Hence, America's lawns cover approximately 50,000 square miles (Lane et al., 2019). The grass lawn culture was popular among English nobility and was transferred to the United States in the late nineteenth century (Toher, 2016). The scope of developing grass lawns is mainly concerned with enhancing aesthetic value and cultural enrichment, as growing glass generally adds to the beauty of the landscape and people with little attention to their environmental impact (Ignatieva et al., 2020). Conversely, clover lawns offer a better scope as they are easily cultivable, less expensive, environment and pollinator-friendly, and require less maintenance (Toher, 2016). Hence, this discussion aims to provide arguments to answer whether clover lawns are a better alternative to grass lawns. Growing grass lawns is a highly disadvantageous venture due to various issues. For instance, grass lawns require significant water intake, and according to one estimate, turf glass requires almost 1.5 inches of water supply weekly in the early morning (Lane et al., 2019). Unlike clover lawns, grass lawns consistently need a supply of artificial manure and other ingredients, including pesticides and insecticides. According to one estimate, additional supplements are required at least four times a year, reflecting on the costly nature of these lawns. Moreover, these herbs fail to draw useful insects and birds; therefore, they do not contribute much to pollination (Lane et al., 2019). Grass species draw on the essential soil nutrients, increasing the soil's infertility (Toher, 2016). Hence, these negative implications of grass lawns verify their undesirability and unsuitability for urban and suburban localities. The advantageous aspects of clover lawns have been the subject of various research-based findings. Based on one such discovery, even a single species of clover (white clover) can attract as many as 37 bee species, thereby contributing to active and enhanced pollination and biodiversity (Larson et al., 2014). Likewise, an evidence-based experiment provided proof that growing clover species in gardens significantly increases soil enrichment and fertility, decreasing the reliance on artificial fertilizers (Van Eekeren et al., 2009). Clover plants also require less mowing as their regrowth rate is much lower than that of grass lawns, and their cost is also less than that of grass lawns (Toher, 2019). Based on some critics, there exists a counterargument favoring grass lawns over clover lawns. For instance, one such argument propounds that clove plants are not a suitable choice over grass lawns due to their short lifetime. Moreover, clover plants, due to their delicate nature, are not useful in terms of carrying out recreational activities. However, these counterarguments do not hold significance if they are compared with the environmental, ecological, and cost benefits they offer. Hence, analysis of these arguments leads to the development of a thesis that clover lawns serve as an environment-friendly alternative to grass lawns as they attract pollination and increase biodiversity, enhance soil fertility, and reduce maintenance costs. The following paragraphs, therefore, provide a scholarly and evidence-based argument to reinforce this thesis. Discussion Unlike turf grass species, various species of clover plants, due to their flowers, provide a safe place for various pollinators. Consequently, clover lawns hold an advantage over traditional grass lawns in terms of enrichment of local fauna and biodiversity and greater soil fertility. Various studies have corroborated this positive impact of clover lawns. In one such study, a survey of insect populations of grass lawns and clover lawns revealed that in comparison with grass lawns, clover lawns populated with flowering species, such as dandelion (Taraxacum officinale and white clover (Trifolium repens), provide habitat to more than 37 bee species (Larson et al., 2014). This study also identified that urban clover lawns, compared to grass lawns, are as species-rich as any spring-blooming flora of a suburban setting (Larson et al., 2014). Hence, this argument serves to reinforce the ecological significance of clover lawns over grass lawns. Soil biodiversity is another significant criterion that determines the ecological importance of lawns; in this regard, comparing clover lawns with grass lawns further highlights the edge that clover lawns enjoy over grass lawns. For instance, based on the findings of one study, clover plants belong to the legume family; therefore, their roots provide a healthy habitat for symbiotic root bacteria (Harris & Ratnieks, 2021). Some of these fix the atmospheric nitrogen and increase soil fertility; these bacteria include Rhizobium and Pseudomonas (Harris & Ratnieks, 2021). Other studies have also verified the essential nature of replacing the traditional grass cover of soil with flowering species, such as clover plants, to increase the microbial biota of the soil (Bender et al., 2016). In this regard, the addition of legume species such as clover plants serves as an option to increase soil biodiversity. The use of flowering plants to enhance the biodiversity of locality and soil has been a fruitful practice in recent years. To illustrate, one may mention the use of a combination of grass and flowering herbaceous plants, mainly clover plants, to make the soil rich in biodiversity. In one such practice, a combination of 70–80% grass and 20–30% nativ...