Evolution in an Urbanizing World
A variety of species – animals, plants, fungi, microbes – share our cities with us. Some we love, some we hate, and some we hardly notice. Some of these species existed naturally before we built cities. Some were obliterated during urban construction but have since re-entered the city. And others have been purposefully or accidentally... Continue Reading →
Yesterday we shared some new research with you about the effects of light at night (ALAN) on anoles, featuring new research by contributor Chris Thawley. Today, we stick with that theme of activity at night and the night-light niche. In January (before I knew my fieldwork would be postponed indefinitely), I headed to the beautiful... Continue Reading →
This week we are cross-posting (again) from Anole Annals. Check out the original post here, written by Pavitra Muralidhar. How we perceive and interact with the world is strongly shaped by natural light. How much light there is at a given time determines whether we’re sleepy or awake, and whether we’re bracing for winter or... Continue Reading →
A couple of weeks ago I got a text from my mom, "Can you talk now?" A Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginians) had taken up residence in her planter box, and one of the joeys (baby opossum) was not moving. Being the family wildlife "expert" I was called in. We got on a video chat and... Continue Reading →
This week we are cross-posting from Anole Annals. Check out the original post here. Seven years ago I asked for the help of Anole Annals readers as I started to think about how different species of anoles throughout the Caribbean tolerate urbanization. This question, it turned out, was a lot more complex than I had... Continue Reading →
In some communities people will feed the local birds, ensuring that they will have a great view of these birds. Oftentimes, pigeons will locate these feeding spots and aggregate. In this neighborhood in downtown Toronto, one person purposefully leaves food for the pigeons. Although feeding wildlife is not advisable and can lead to unintended consequences... Continue Reading →
Recently, our research has been center stage in a number of different platforms! There was a documentary, Darwin in Times Square- the Science of Urban Evolution, that went live last week (if you live in France and Germany). There was an article in the New York Times about Elizabeth Carlen's research on pigeons. This was... Continue Reading →
Wild javelinas can be pretty dangerous to encounter. They have tusks that can cause serious damage and tempers to boot. Thankfully, this javelina did not cause any harm, just running through an urban neighborhood in Tucson, AZ. https://twitter.com/HannahTiedeTV/status/1232135937787695104?s=20 Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a... Continue Reading →
This week we are cross-posting from the Ecology & Evolution blog written by Dr. Emily Puckett and Elizabeth Carlen. Check out the original post here. Observations of numerous animal populations have documented morphometric changes in response to urbanization. Examples abound including: urban populations of anole lizards have longer limbs and more toe lamellae that aid in moving... Continue Reading →
Urban areas are hot. The urban heat island effect causes urbanized regions to be significantly warmer than nearby forested areas, and the tropical islands of the Caribbean are no exception to this pattern. Just spend a few minutes in the noon heat in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and you will beg for the cool reprieve... Continue Reading →
Usually, when you hear about a bear wandering through a neighborhood, it is in some rural area in Alaska. This week, we bring you a bear walking through a neighborhood near Los Angeles, CA! The more we urbanize our land, the more unexpected wildlife we will see in our neighborhoods. https://twitter.com/CBSLA/status/1230866141863563264?s=20 Do you have a... Continue Reading →
As winter is finally ending and warmer weather is on the way, we bring you one more winter observation. Many birds fly south for the winter, but some stick around and brave the cold. This owl is one of those birds that stayed in the city during the winter months. https://twitter.com/ABBestphotos/status/1226710932547502080?s=20 Do you have a... Continue Reading →
Urbanization can significantly alter environments in ways that impact abundance and behavior of urban animals. Fewer natural predators and greater food availability - as well as increased contact with humans - may lead to altered stress responses, increased boldness, and decreased vigilance compared to non-urban populations. The eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) has been very... Continue Reading →
Typically, researchers have found that many different species of bee populations decline in urban areas. But not all bees do poorly in the city. Here is a swarm that piled onto a car while someone was shopping at their local pharmacy! Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual?... Continue Reading →
Heavy metal pollution is a widespread threat to urban ecosystems. Although many types of heavy metals are required by organisms at trace levels, the environmental availability of heavy metals is increasing to potentially toxic levels due to human activities such as mining, industrial combustion, and automobile use. A key goal for ecotoxicologists, evolutionary biologists, and... Continue Reading →
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.