Tag: pollution
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Beyond the Shade: The Growing Disadvantages of the London Plane
When I was younger, I remember thinking to myself: “This tree is losing its skin, is it dying?” I believe I can’t be the…
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How do we make birds feel more at home?
Cover photo: Birds on a lantern post (Source: Business Insider) Taking a walk through the busy streets of the city, life appears to all…
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Lichens versus Urban Traffic
In my previous blog post I wrote about the beauty and uses of lichens in the city, and I mentioned their use as indicators…
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Artificial light at night may make African mouse species vulnerable
When thinking about a city at night, chances are that you include some twinkling streetlights in your mental image. Billboards, streetlamps, and neon signs…
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Hidden Biodiversity: Lichens in the city
In urban ecology, a lot of attention has been paid to groups such as birds and trees and how they adapt to life in…
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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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New Lit Alert: Body size and survival of urban and rural populations of a common wolf spider are not influenced by lifelong exposure to lead pollution
Body size and survival of urban and rural populations of a common wolf spider are not influenced by lifelong exposure to lead pollution Lucy…
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From Twigs to Trash: The Surprising Evolution of Bird Nests
Did you know that it has been estimated that the anthropogenic mass, representing all human-made objects, would exceed the living biomass in 2020 ±…
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Vintage nests: Birds turning trash into treasures
Sadly, plastics and litter have become part of the urban and often rural environment. It can be found almost everywhere and in any form…
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Urbanization and the Avian Endocrine System
In a previous post titled Meta-analysis of Urban Bird Phenology, we discussed how urban conditions have affected the average value of phenology and reproductive…
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Marine Habitats in Urban Ecosystems
As urban centers continue to grow, so too does the research that investigates how urbanization influences evolution. However, urban marine ecosystems are often overlooked.…
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Monarchs, Milkweed, and Metal: Is Roadside Zinc Pollution Harming Butterflies?
Heavy metal pollution is a widespread threat to urban ecosystems. Although many types of heavy metals are required by organisms at trace levels, the…
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Toxic Toads in a Toxic World
The Common European Toad, Bufo bufo, is a pond-breeding amphibian found throughout Europe, including in urban environments. Ecological changes (e.g., predator communities) in anthropogenic habitats present…
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SICB 2020: Lead Pollution of Human Water Supplies Impacts Songbirds
Heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, are common pollutants in human-affected ecosystems, including cities. These metals can bioaccumulate, or reach high concentrations in…
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High Lead (Pb) Exposure May Lead to Adaptation in House Sparrows
City life can be difficult for many organisms. Cities are louder, brighter, hotter, and often more contaminated with toxins than nearby less-developed areas. Ever-increasing…