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effects of urbanization on the environment.
negative effect of urbanization in local environment
effects of urbanization on the environment.
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INTRODUCTION
The most drastic influences of human modifications result from urbanisation, a progression characterised by human disturbance, buildings and other artificial infrastructure (Hahs and McDonnell 2006). Such modifications have significant effects on biodiversity, often with little thought being given to the long term effects and ways of mitigating them.
In most cases, human alteration of the environment has reduced biological diversity by replacing the native flora with new ecological spaces. However, urbanization, especially in suburbia, can introduce many new resources (McDonnell and Pickett 1990; Pickett et al. 2001) which coexist with the natural biota and increases diversity of avifauna in semi-urban environments. It is hypothesised that “intermediate areas should have greater spatial heterogeneity of environments than other urban areas” (Marzluff 2005) which have the capacity to provide resources to a greater diversity of bird life.
A concern under much observation in the ecological community is the impacts of urbanisation on native birds. It is known that native species are declining in cities which are dominated by those that possess the specific traits to adjust with its intensely modified landscape (McKinney 2006) – predominantly the exotic species. This poses the need for conservation plans to be enforced in order to maintain native bird species within the urban environment.
This report characterises and evaluates the structural elements of specific locations around the city of Melbourne in order to observe the impacts of urbanisation on avifaunal communities. Specifically, how these influences impact native and non-native birds in urban areas and how we must stress the need for mitigation against ...
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- Watson, D. M. 2003, ‘The ‘standardised search’: An improved way to conduct bird surveys’, Austral Ecology, vol. 28, pp. 515-525.
- White, J. G., Antos, M J., Fitzsimmons, J. A., & Palmer, G. C. 2005, ‘Non-uniform bird assemblages in urban environments: the influence of streetscape vegetation’, Landscape and Urban Planning, vol. 71, pp. 123- 135.
- Whitney, G. G., Adams, S. D. 1980, ’Man as maker of new plant communities’, Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 17, pp. 341 – 448.
- USDA Forest Service. 2006, i-Tree Canopy Program (Version 6.0) [Computer Software]. Retrieved from http://www.itreetools.org/canopy/
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Ever since 1973, when the Endangered Species Act came into being, conservationists and private landowners have been debating over whether to preserve the habitats of many endangered species found in unprotected areas (Ligon et al, 1986). Increasing levels of human development has led to the cutting of old-growth forests and construction of roads and other physical barriers to wildlife. These activities have greatly contributed to the fragmentation of wildlife habitat, which has had detrimental effects on the population structure and survivorship of the affected area’s indigenous species. One species that has been affected by habitat fragmentation is the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), a nonmigratory bird with a home range covering most of the southeastern United States (Roise et al, 1990). Habitat fragmentation has led to the loss of genetic variability, nesting sites, and suitable population sizes to support cooperative breeding requirements. These factors have been responsible for the precipitous decline of the red-cockaded woodpecker. Because the red-cockaded woodpecker provides important ecological and economic benefits to both humans and the environment, we should strongly consider enacting a conservation plan for this species.
Burton, Robert, ed. Nature's Last Strongholds. New York: Oxford UP, 1991. Print.
Every day many species are slowly becoming either endangered or extinct and recently an endangered bird species called piping plovers, started nesting on Revere Beach. What would seem as a miraculous discovery, many are averse to their new inhabitants on the beach. Many Revere residents are complaining because the piping plovers now occupy parts of “their” beach. But in the article “Revere Beach should welcome the piping plover” The Editorial Board believes that the presence of the piping plover could be greatly beneficial to the city of Revere and I certainly agree. What led me to select this particular article is my concern for the many endangered species in the world like the piping plover. Human hands have led many species to become endangered
Abate, Tom. “Which bird is the better indicator species for old-growth forest?” Bioscience Jan. 1992: 8-9.
While exploring the Gulf of Maine Exhibit at the aquarium, I was surprised that many of the species found throughout New England’s coast are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change. One species that was emphasized in the exhibit is the piper plover, a small bird that lives along vegetated coastlines. As coastal birds, piper plovers require a large habitat near the shore, however, this habitat is quickly diminishing due to rising sea levels. A study conducted by University of Massachusetts-Amherst revealed that over the next century, piper plover migratory habitats in Long Island will have decreased by 5-12% (Seavey et al). The diminished habitat gives Piper Plovers less space to breed, causing some populations to migrate further
Bonsall, M. B., Dooley, C. A., Kasparson, A., Brereton, T., Roy, D. B., & Thomas, J. A. 2014. Allee effects and the spatial dynamics of a locally endangered butterfly, the high brown fritillary (Argynnis adippe). Ecological Applications, 24(1), 108-120.
8. Taylor, Dan. 1998. Audubon Society Inspired to Action by Bird Die -offs . 17 Jan. 1998 . E-mail . Available bkus@sunstroke.sdsu.edu
Eastman, J. (1997).14-Crow and Jay Family (Corvidae). Birds of forest, yard, and thicket. (pp. 127- 145). Mechanicsburg, Pa: Stackpole Books. Retrieved from: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) [Accessed 3 March 2014]
As scientists, we have come to this island to observe the evolution of finches when forced into an unfamiliar habitat with a changing food supply.
The expansion of the human-built environment into the natural one—infrastructure development—has a significant impact on biodiversity, mainly through the destruction, degradation and fragmentation of natural habitats. It has been identified as a key threat to many bird species, with residential and commercial development posing a particular concern for globally threatened
On January 15, 2009, United Airlines flight 1549 ditched into the Hudson river immediately after take off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport only five passengers were seriously injured and seventy-eight passengers reported minor injuries. It was brilliant piloting of Captain Chesley Sullenberger that saved everyone from a horrendous death but how did this event occur? From reports and interviews, the aircraft suffered damage to both of the aircraft’s engines. The cause of the failure to both engines, was non other than a flock of Canada Geese that flew into both engines, during the first two minutes of the flight.
del Hoyo, Josep, Andrew Elliott and Jordi Sargatal. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol 1, Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, 1992.
Birds have direct and indirect economic and cultural values for people. Birds are important for humans due to many reasons. Birds provide us food, medicine, fertilizers and also bring about pollinations. Birds are a part of the food chain. Birds also perform vital ecological role, besides their economical role. They are critical links within the vast food chains and webs that exist in the ecosystem. The economic importance of birds can be studied into two parts – A) Beneficial effect B) Harmful effect.
These motives are behind the current world’s 50% urbanization rate. Among all countries, Canada heads the urbanization process with 80% of its total area (Snell par.7). The ever-increasing urbanization rate is characterized by human-related destructive activities, which lead to creation of urban centers by destroying inherent biodiversity. The rate is increasing each passing day. However, one thing to note is that destructive activities embody the causes of urban biodiversity wicked problem. The easy way of identification provides land conversion, climate change, consumerism, land fragmentation, and invasive species as the main causes of the wicked problem of urban biodiversity. These causes constitute every aspect of urban life. For instance, there is no way that people living in urban areas can do without proper infrastructures (such as houses, roads, and communication lines). All kinds of infrastructure need space, and, in creating it, there is clearance of all natural vegetation and conversion of land to other uses. The result is annihilation of nature and predisposition of climatic changes. The only easy approach to identify an appropriate solution to the wicked problem of urban biodiversity is to decrease the rate of urbanization by
As biological Controls – *Birds are very helpful in controlling injurious crop pests. *There are a wide variety of insect eating birds. *Sparrow generally eat seeds of noxious weeds. *Birds of prey such as hawks, eagles and owls kill rodents, hare and ground squirrels etc which destroys the crops. *Birds can destroy up to 98% of over-wintering codling moth larvae, a major pest of apples worldwide. *No doubt, in the absence ofbirds, many of these insects may become even greater pests, destroying our agricultural and forestry crops. As key stone species –*Some birds are considered keystone species as their presence in (or disappearance from) an ecosystem affects other species indirectly. *For example, woodpeckers create cavities that are then used by many other species. *After the extinction of the dodo, it was discovered that a tree whose fruits had been a primary food item of the dodo was unable to reproduce without its seeds passing through the dodos’ digestive tracts, which process scarified the seed coat and enabled