Biodiversity Media Project: Blog Post

In the summer of 2011 at the American Museum I studied urban biodiversity. Urban biodiversity is the study of how biodiversity is in a densely populated area such as New York City. Urban biodiversity is important, and for many reasons. One is that each species has a valuable genetic code unique to that species. These codes could be found as useful in the study of genetics, biochemistry, etc. In addition, there have even been trends found that link the amount and type of biodiversity to factors that influence our own lives. For example, it has been scientifically proven that if one has a certain number and type of tree growing along a street, it will affect the number of burglars and robbers that are likely to break into the houses on the street. Says Michael Foster about this discovery: “An interesting article explores the connection between street trees and human health. Check out Growing Quality of Life: Urban Trees, Birth Weight, and Crime by John Kirkland.” on the UBN blog. Knowing more about biodiversity allows us to make more of these connections; that in turn gives us a chance to benefit, as Michael Foster puts it, “human health”. With the trends being discovered, biodiversity also serves another important purpose. Humans have been steadily bringing about the Sixth Extinction, which may lead to the extinction of all mammals. The Sixth Extinction differs from other past extinctions in that it is not caused by forms of life living on Earth. It is humans, however, that inspire environment harming characteristics, which may lead to the loss of entire species around the five kingdoms of taxonomic classification. The Sixth Extinction also differs from past ones in that it can possibly be stopped or suspended. Biodiversity, especially in an urban environment, where humans are omnipresent helps to measure the rate at which this Extinction is occurring/will occur. A drop in the number of a species could indicate, for instance, that humans have taken their toll on them.

For this project, I took data regarding the types of life around the streets and parks of the big Apple. I used no rulers nor pipettes, instead, I counted upon tools that were mostly digital, including the HTC Aria, a Macbook, and several apps and programs to the job. Before commencing the study, I decided that it was likely that the there would be not much difference in the species richness between my plots and transects, because this was in an urban environment of over 10,000 people where humans were the dominant species.



My first plot was a 50x50 step plot. Located in the middle of Central Park, over a grassy meadow near the Central Park Oval. The plot, being very large required the use of randomization to analyze. Within it were several trees, many insects, a large mass of grass. We conducted the analyzation by using the website Random.org to produce us with a set of random numbers on our phones. We used those numbers to find the numbers of steps that we should take in order to find random spots throughout our plot. Whenever we can to a stop, we produced a circle on area that we were studying with a piece of string. Then a thorough examination of the area was conducted, sifting through soil, canvassing the trunks of the trees, brushing through the grass. Pictures were taken every section that we can past. In plot one, we came across the two large clusters of mushrooms at the base of a tree, we strongly suspected that although there were well over a hundred caps, the clusters were connected below the ground and were one large colony. Later, the idea of them being honey mushroom fungi emerged. On other trees we also observed many tiny mushrooms that involved deep squinting to fully observe. At some points, there was nothing but grass and weeds, in those spots, the we sifted to uncover organisms, though we came upon none.



The second was a transect that was shared by thousands of New Yorkers and tourists, the very sidewalks of the city. Once again, we called upon the numbers of Random.org, using the numbers generated to figure out the number of steps between each stop where we would take data. At many points, we came to a stop on solid asphalt, and could find organisms visible to the naked eye. The shoes and people wearing them had caused many of the other organisms to leave or get killed. At other stops, we came to a spot where a tree was planted in the asphalt and there we were able to find more organisms. There were trees, and in addition to that there were also various plants growing in the patches of soil that surrounded the tree. Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) and pansies, (V. tricolor). We also came upon some bright green plants that we suspected were potato vines. At some parts, we stumbled upon planters that were set up by residents and/or store owners. These were not that many in number, and were planted by the dominant species. Here, the dominant species were responsible for controlling the species that were allowed to exist in this area. This went on for several blocks.
These two places were studied on the same day. The temperature fluctuated slightly over the course of the day, from 21-24ºC. However, the arithmetic mean and media were both 22 degrees. The variance was about 0.41 and the standard deviation, σ, roughly 0.64. Please refer to Figure for reference. Our sampling efforts in collecting any data was rather high, as we divided the plots in a large number of randomized sections. After collecting data, we returned and spent time analyzing it. We counted on Google Docs to provide us with fusion tables, spreadsheets, and documents to allow us to make calculations and have them posted. With this, we relied upon spreadsheets mainly to make calculations, such as for finding the Simpson’s Diversity Index and the Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index. The fusion tables provided us with the data we collected, while the documents allowed us to make drafts of our blog posts etc.
It was noted that in at least a couple randomized spots of our plots that the dominant species of humans maintained control of what species were allowed to even exist in New York. The trees had been planted at regular intervals that were regulated by humans. Decorative plants had been picked out for planting. This sort of choosing often either leads to or is the result of invasive species. The potato vine, for example, is native to South America, though it grows in the city of New York among the more indigenous plants. The pansy is another example. Other species were also encouraged or discouraged. There were many people, especially children, chasing after squirrels and feeding pigeons. Even as an act of recreation, the biodiversity was affected by the whims of even the youngest of the dominant species. With this sort of behavior, biodiversity is constantly controlled by humans. For further information, please follow the link to the article Human Domination of Earths Ecosystems, at http://bit.ly/pWE7ht.
The plots had different values for species richness. The plot in Central Park registered eight different divisions on the taxonomic classification. The transect in New York, however, had only five. This demonstrates the way humans are in control of the biodiversity within an urban center such as New York. Central Park is considered one of the most natural places in the city, where one can be surrounded by a more pristine environment on the pristine-urban gradient. Thus, many more of our natural species exist, giving us a wide range of organisms. In sidewalk environment, where the ground is paved and plants are picked, pruned, and weeded by humans, only those picked for their beauty and aesthetic purposes are allowed to grow. Therefore, the organisms are limited to a handful of taxonomic divisions, in contrast with the larger number found in Central Park. The New York City and State governments should put greater emphasis on the biodiversity in New York. We live in a place where urban biodiversity is key to our success and survival as humans, and the government should place greater emphasis on the conduction of studies that track urban biodiversity in this way.