Evolution in an Urbanizing World
When your car isn't running as smoothly as it used to, you take it into the car shop to get it checked out. Most of the time, there's some component that got old and needs to be replaced. Sometimes, there's wildlife hanging out in the warmth of the engine. This bushy-tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) chewed... Continue Reading →
There have been multiple sightings of these two turkeys in my neighborhood. I was trying to get home and these two just stayed in the middle of the street, blocking my way. These turkeys are HUGE and have zero fear of my car! Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing... Continue Reading →
Urban habitats and landscapes are considerably different from their rural and natural counterparts. Rural and natural habitats experience diluted human effects (e.g., disturbance, low pollution), while urban areas and urban wildlife endure more significant impacts from humans. When we think about the influence of cities and urbanization, we typically think of more "direct" impacts such... Continue Reading →
The rate of urbanization is increasing greatly and with that, comes large human populations. Our population has increased from 6 billion people in 2000 to roughly 7.8 billion people in 2020 and in North America alone (~370 million people), over 80% of people reside in cities. These urban areas serve as an epicenter for human... Continue Reading →
Pathogens are organisms that cause disease, and zoonotic pathogens are those that can be transmitted between animals and people. Where pathogens are found can be determined by environmental changes. Urbanization is known to mediate environmental changes in cities as well as impact biodiversity. In Brazil, Belo et al. (2011) found a higher prevalence of parasites... Continue Reading →
As areas become more urbanized, fauna are continually exposed to novel anthropogenic structures and are forced to adapt. However, adapting is not always an option. For example, we see that individuals across various groups have not adapted to roads and train tracks (e.g., deer, bears, birds) and the outcome is fatal. Instead of creating barriers... 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 →
When we see wildlife in our neighborhoods, it seems like we hit the lotto. They are rare gems to spot and even get a picture. Most of the time, we are happy to see them. However, when people let their cats roam freely, the cat can encounter wildlife that may be less than friendly. Recently,... Continue Reading →
Many organisms seem to do poorly in urban areas, and it is unclear which organisms will become extirpated in cities. Typically, organisms that are experiencing population declines are ones that we would think are negatively impacted by urbanization. However, this may not always be the case. Recently, Ziege and co-authors studied populations of the European... Continue Reading →
Last week we brought you a bald eagle in Manhattan, this week we present you with a woodpecker found in Union Square Park in NYC. Urban birders win again! Parks are a great refuge for many organisms that find themselves living inside the big cities. Check out the other animals found near Union Square Park.... Continue Reading →
If you've walked around a city with pigeons, you might have noticed that many of them are missing toes or have deformed feet. These foot deformities are common and may arise due to a number of different ailments including: chemicals that make surfaces sticky or apply an unpleasant odor; physical deterrents that are placed on... Continue Reading →
Here we go again NYC, urban birds! I am always amazed at how many of our observations come from NYC. Before this blog, I had thought that such a large city would only support pests, like pizza rat. Here's a pair of hawks nesting near a clock tower in Marcus Garvey Park (Harlem). A special... Continue Reading →
As the largest city in the United States, New York City seems to be full of all sorts of urban wildlife! This week, we bring you the smoking cockroach. If your pesticides won't kill it, neither will smoking cigarettes. Urban birds are known to incorporate cigarette butts into their nests, which may function as... Continue Reading →
Coyotes seem to be everywhere in North American neighborhoods. Here is a spotting from @evoecolab in his front yard. We have explored aspects of urban evolution in coyotes in a previous post by Kevin Aviles-Rodriguez. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago one of the students in my department, Stephanie Lieffrig, had this Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) land on her AC unit in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, New York. Hawks, along with Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) are quite common in New York City and AC units are a rather common perch... Continue Reading →
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