Evolution in an Urbanizing World
In response to human impact on the environment—from increased light, sound, air, and water pollution, to higher levels of interaction with humans—organisms must adapt to novel conditions in order to survive. One area in which organisms adapt is behavior. von Merton et. al. (2022) explores how the behavior and personality of two shrew species (Crocidura... Continue Reading →
The European Starling Sturnus vulgaris Ever had such a fondness for an author, that you wanted to recreate what they wrote, in real life? That’s exactly what Eugene Schieffelin did with the European Starling in Central Park, NYC, when he decided to introduce as many of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works to North America... Continue Reading →
Monk parakeets Myiopsitta monachus Sometimes referred to as the Quaker parrot due to their quaking vocalizations, the monk parakeet is a small, green parrot with grey breast and head feathers accented with blue feathers on their primaries. In addition to their unique color, these birds can often be picked out by their noisy/screechy vocalizations.... Continue Reading →
This new feature on the blog will focus on urban introduced species across the globe, giving brief histories of where they came from, how they got where they are now & more on their ecology and evolution. The Gold Dust Day Gecko Phelsuma laticauda Best known for the starring role as the “Geico” gecko, the... Continue Reading →
Pigeons are one of the most common, iconic birds we see in cities. Did you know that pigeons are prey for larger, predatory birds? We like Red-tailed hawks so much they've been featured as our urban observation multiple times. Here, we see a New York City red-tailed hawk that caught a pigeon for lunch. Do... Continue Reading →
We usually see wild otters in the rivers (even in urban areas), but they do spend some time on land. David Tan spotted these smooth-coated otters on the astroturf of a football field. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or animal that... 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 →
Suboptimal movement across the urban landscape can lead to injury or death and, thus, has a high fitness cost. Many cities have developed wildlife corridors that allow animals to move through the urban matrix while reducing their chances of being struck by a vehicle. But what if impervious surfaces, such as bike paths, can act... Continue Reading →
Upstate New York has a deer overabundance problem. The subject of conservation efforts after hunters nearly wiped them out in the 1800s and released from predation pressure, deer population numbers have exploded creating conflict with humans and putting important plant species under intense browsing pressure. Dr. Bernrd Blossey and Dr. Paul Curtis at Cornell University's... Continue Reading →
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.