Category: Urban Environments
Blog news (3) Books (2) Citizen Science (20) Conference Proceedings (73) Defining Urbanization (6) Guest Post (9) How To (13) Museums/Natural History Collections (3) Natural History Notes (10) New Lit Abstracts (101) New Research (181) New Research Tools (7) Notes from the field (15) Public Outreach (21) sustainable development (2) Uncategorized (39) Urban Environments (54) Urban Evolution in the Media (12) Urban observations (87) Urban Wildlife (13)
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How Does Urban Development Affect Soil Microbial Community?
Microorganisms are essential members of soil ecosystems, and they form complex, interactive networks [4] including communications and interactions with each other that are similar…
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Is ALAN an advantage or disadvantage for bats?
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is one of the most significant environmental changes of the past century.1 In 2020, there were approximately 361 million…
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Navigating towards a quieter urban environment: mitigating the threat of traffic noise
In today’s urban environment, the constant presence of traffic noise is undeniable, infiltrating even the most hidden corners of the woods. Previous studies have…
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The rise of Culex molestus: True Urban Evolution or a mere eco-type?
A number of years ago there was quite a lot of media attention regarding a possible case of in situ evolution of Culex pipiens…
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Why the long neck? Signs of avian botulism to look out for!
Have you ever seen a duck, goose, coot or any other waterbird laying long out on the ground or surface of the water? Do…
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Of leopards and men; the presence of a lethal predator in Mumbai
Darkness sets over India’s largest city. Of course, a city with a population exceeding 12 million people will never be truly dark. Or silent.…
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Arms race in the war on raccoons
“Madrid declares war on plague of raccoon and parrot invaders” The Guardian (2013, July 22) “Toronto wages war on Raccoon Nation”The Canadian Press (2015,…
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Urbanization and Local History Affect the Saguaro Cactus in the Sonoran Desert
With the rapid expansion of the city, the degradation of the natural environment has gradually aroused widespread concern in society. In recent years, the…
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The fox and the bag: a modern fable
A statue of a fox, as long as 16 meters with a height of over 10 meters, with a bag between its teeth sits…
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Reptiles in the city: Should we welcome our reptilian overlords?
Think about a classic urban species. The first ones that come to mind are usually rats, pigeons and cockroaches. I’d bet that less than…
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Nature and the City or Nature in the City?
If I were to ask a typical citizen what comes to mind when they hear the word ‘nature,’ they would likely think of jungles,…
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Light Pollution as a Barrier for the Visibility of Aurora borealis in Urban Environments
Unfortunately, I missed something of which I think is one of the most fantastic natural phenomena the world has to offer. Instead of watching…
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Preserving Urban Insects: A Call to Action
Did you know that we are currently witnessing the largest extinction event on Earth in 250 million years? In this context, let’s delve into…
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Cats versus rats in the city – a surprising winner
Cats are a staple in human culture. They have been fed by us, housed by us, even worshipped by us, and are still helping…
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Domestic cats in Urban Environments: Should an Invasive Apex Predator be allowed to stay on the hunt?
Domestic Cats (Felis silvestris catus; Felis catus) are a human commensal, said to have started their relationship with us during the era of the first…