Today, over half of the world’s 7 billion population are living in urban environments with this number forecasted to increase to 2/3 by 2030 (UN 2004). The development of urban areas involves destruction of forests and other native bird habitats, which can lead to a loss of diversity and abundance of birds and native plants that can no longer survive in the new environment.
This is troubling as birds perform certain ecosystem services, services humans can benefit from, such as pollination, consumption of pests and bring aesthetic value. Native plants provide a valuable food source to wildlife and help prevent soil erosion.
In this study, we aim to determine if there is a correlation between urbanization and bird and plant diversity, and if …show more content…
Thus, our hypothesis is supported by the data we collected. In Sage Hill, we found 70% of area is covered by the green plants with great biodiversity, and this environment provides more suitable habitat for variety of birds (refer to figure 1). This is because in native landscapes, complex vegetation, lower human disturbance as well as the clean atmosphere provide countless life supports for insectivorous species, increasing their richness and diversity (Yu, T., & Guo, Y. 2014). On the contrary, the limited variation of bird species in urban areas may result from different urban disturbances (such as vehicle exhaust, traffics, noises), even though we put effort in introducing a of variety plant species into the urban place. The study also shows that “the urbanization processes lead to biodiversity homogenization, resulting from natural habitats transformation into industrial and urbanized areas. So, the reduction of the spaces for bird survival results from urban development and decline of animal populations. ”(Foster, 1996; Hostetler and Knowles Yanez, …show more content…
Also while in the development of the land, there should be considerations in decreasing the amount of light pollution that the buildings and sidewalks create at night. Maintaining the original soil composition by limiting or completely avoiding paving the natural soil over with concrete that would stunt the growth of vegetation that birds require in order to reproduce and survive. Based on our observations, birds require a habitat that has a variety of tree species in a relatively high abundance so that there are various trees or bushes that the birds can make a home in and that there is enough vegetation to provide food. These types of habitats can vary greatly, such as more urban or more suburban habitats that provide the same factors as mentioned above in greater or lower degrees. All birds do require the same type of habitat requirements as mentioned above, but they do not require a more suburban or urban habitat. This is because of the existence of many urban bird
This is troubling as birds perform certain ecosystem services, services humans can benefit from, such as pollination, consumption of pests and bring aesthetic value. Native plants provide a valuable food source to wildlife and help prevent soil erosion.
In this study, we aim to determine if there is a correlation between urbanization and bird and plant diversity, and if …show more content…
Thus, our hypothesis is supported by the data we collected. In Sage Hill, we found 70% of area is covered by the green plants with great biodiversity, and this environment provides more suitable habitat for variety of birds (refer to figure 1). This is because in native landscapes, complex vegetation, lower human disturbance as well as the clean atmosphere provide countless life supports for insectivorous species, increasing their richness and diversity (Yu, T., & Guo, Y. 2014). On the contrary, the limited variation of bird species in urban areas may result from different urban disturbances (such as vehicle exhaust, traffics, noises), even though we put effort in introducing a of variety plant species into the urban place. The study also shows that “the urbanization processes lead to biodiversity homogenization, resulting from natural habitats transformation into industrial and urbanized areas. So, the reduction of the spaces for bird survival results from urban development and decline of animal populations. ”(Foster, 1996; Hostetler and Knowles Yanez, …show more content…
Also while in the development of the land, there should be considerations in decreasing the amount of light pollution that the buildings and sidewalks create at night. Maintaining the original soil composition by limiting or completely avoiding paving the natural soil over with concrete that would stunt the growth of vegetation that birds require in order to reproduce and survive. Based on our observations, birds require a habitat that has a variety of tree species in a relatively high abundance so that there are various trees or bushes that the birds can make a home in and that there is enough vegetation to provide food. These types of habitats can vary greatly, such as more urban or more suburban habitats that provide the same factors as mentioned above in greater or lower degrees. All birds do require the same type of habitat requirements as mentioned above, but they do not require a more suburban or urban habitat. This is because of the existence of many urban bird