The shrinkage of natural landscapes with increased urbanization causes substantial shifts in ecosystems, particularly a decrease in bird diversity. Understanding the interactions between the urban heat island (UHI) effect, urban wetlands, and bird diversity is crucial to conserving biodiversity. Advised by Kristin Winchell, New York University undergraduate researcher Emerald Lin presented her poster at SICB 2025 focusing on exactly that!
UHI refers to a relatively warmer urban area due to more heat-absorbing surfaces and fewer natural landscapes and urban wetlands are essentially water bodies in urban areas. Lin conducted bird surveys and analyzed UHI and wetland characteristics at 11 sites throughout New York City, including urban wetlands in Queens, Staten Island, and Central Park. The study examined how these factors influence bird species richness and diversity.
Surprisingly, wetland size alone does not determine bird diversity or necessarily lessen the impact of UHI. In contrast, certain wetland characteristics, such as rocky areas, pavements, and mudflats, were associated with increased UHI effects, while floating plants, open water, irregular shapes, and less impervious surfaces were associated with decreased UHI impacts and increased bird diversity. Interestingly, rather than having a direct influence on species richness or variety, the UHI effect changed the makeup of bird populations, boosting the preponderance of waterbirds while decreasing the number of terrestrial birds.
More questions are raised by these findings. What effects do particular wetland characteristics and UHI have on various bird subgroups? What effects do connected wetlands have on species diversity and UHI? Lin is currently exploring these ideas and even planning to incorporate citizen science observations from eBird to analyze a greater variety of urban wetlands!
Contact Kristin if you would like to learn more about this project and findings!
Featured photo: © The Pool, Central Park
- SICB 2025: The Impact of Urban Heat Islands and Wetlands on Avian Diversity - February 3, 2025
Leave a Reply