Masters of web design – city spiders build smaller, fuller webs
European garden spiders build smaller, fuller webs in cities where there are fewer, smaller insects to eat.
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Cities
Urban Areas May be Unlikely Sanctuaries for Bee Populations
Facing declining populations worldwide, bees may have found an unlikey refuge in urban gardens.
Read MoreFor greater urban tree cover, it’s time to respect our elders
Article: Hilbert, D.R., A.K. Koeser, L.A. Roman, K. Hamilton, S.M. Landry, R.J. Hauer, H. Campanella, D. McLean, M. Adreu and
Read MoreUrban Parks Make Twitter a Happier Place
Experiencing nature has been linked to many mental health benefits, and now we know it can even lighten the mood on Twitter. Researchers have found that visits to urban greenspaces result in happier, less negative, and less self-absorbed tweets.
Read MoreBegging birds: behavioral responses to human feeding in China
Bird feeding is a popular activity enjoyed around the globe. However, we don’t really understand how bird feeding can impact the behavior of birds. A new study from China took on this question by studying black-headed gulls. Read on to find out how food provisionings affected the behaviors of these birds
Read MoreA lifetime of noise: what are the costs?
The visible cringe. The reflex to cover your ears. A constant piercing noise can be a horrific experience for a person. Research has shown that noise pollution can negatively impact the health of humans, animals and possibly entire ecosystems. What are the consequences of a lifetime surrounded by noise? Two scientists aim to characterize the costs of chronic noise pollution on the survival, growth and reproductive success of animals over their entire lifetime.
Read MoreMicrohabitat temperature makes a mega impact on urban coastal biodiversity
Anywhere people live, we build things! Along the coast, our construction projects are especially important for protecting us from strong wind and waves, and for providing opportunities for recreation in and along the water. This development is important, but how is it impacting the animals and algae that make their homes on the coast?
Read MoreIt’s all in the genes: how water pollution keeps silver carp at bay.
Silver carp are a notorious invasive fish that are spreading throughout the Mississippi River Basin. Despite their rapid-fire range expansion, silver carp have yet to make it to the Great Lakes. A recent study explores the possibility that polluted Chicago-area waters may be preventing the spread of silver carp into Lake Michigan and beyond.
Read MoreTeenagers feel less connected to nature than children and adults, study finds
Understanding trends about how connected to nature different age groups typically feel is critical because it could potentially help target conservation efforts in the future. If certain groups are losing connection to nature, how can educators or policymakers intervene to counteract that? If there is an age where connection to nature tends to increase, how can conservationists reinforce that trend? A recent study surveyed over two thousand people in the United Kingdom and found that teenagers tended to show lower levels of connection to nature than both children and adults.
Read MoreUsing urban trees to reduce home energy use: Location, location, location
Urban trees may — in some contexts — make residential greenhouse emissions worse.
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