University campuses as valuable resources for urban biodiversity research and conservation

Liu, Jiajia; Zhao, Yunpeng; Si, Xingfeng; Feng, Gang; Slik, Ferry; Zhang, Jian

doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127255

Cited by 40 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…As tracked B . candidus tended to avoid open land features like agriculture, land managers could potentially limit conflict by reducing vegetation cover near buildings–but this is yet untested, and cannot come at the expense of broader biodiversity benefits of university campuses (Liu et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another study from Nepal identified using a bed net whilst sleeping offered strong protection against snake bite regardless of socio-economic status (Chappuis et al, 2007). As tracked B. candidus tended to avoid open land features like agriculture, land managers could potentially limit conflict by reducing vegetation cover near buildings-but this is yet untested, and cannot come at the expense of broader biodiversity benefits of university campuses (Liu et al, 2021).…”

Section: Implications For Human Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animal movements are driven by the behavior and the search to fulfil animal’s needs (Avgar et al, 2013), needs that can be met by resources: food, water, shelter, mates, and suitable nesting sites. Such movement is also modulated by simultaneous efforts to minimize predation risk (Eifler and Eifler, 2014; Liu et al, 2021), avoid inhospitable areas (Beyer et al, 2016), and conserve energy or water (Christian, Webb and Schultz, 2003). Barriers to animal movements are increasingly anthropogenic, such as impassable structures (e.g., roads, walls, and dams), as well as large expanses of developed areas or agricultural land, which is unsuitable for many species of wildlife (Brooks, 2003; Brodie et al, 2016; Berger-Tal and Saltz, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

Hodges

Marshall

Hill

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Animal movement can impact human-wildlife conflict through a variety of features: increased movement can lead to greater chance of encounter, remaining still can lead to greater or lesser detection, and activity can modulate their impact on humans. Here we assess the movement and space use of the highly venomous and medically important Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) on a suburban university campus. We radio-tracked 14 kraits for an average of 114 days (min: 19, max: 218), with an average of 106 fixes (min: 21, max: 229). We assessed movement pathways and activity with dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement models, evaluated patterns of revisitation to identify site fidelity, and determined whether individuals selected for particular land-use types with Integrated Step Selection Functions. Most individuals displayed some level of attraction to buildings (n = 10) and natural areas (n = 12); we identified a similar unambiguous pattern of attraction to buildings and natural areas at the population level (of our sample). Snakes remained in shelter sites for long periods of time (max = 94 days) and revisited sites on average every 15.45 days. Over 50% of fixes were within human settlements and 37.1% were associated with buildings. We found generally seasonal patterns of activity, with higher activity in wet seasons (when classes are typically in session on campus), and lower activity in the hot season (when there are a number of short breaks causing students to leave campus). These results show frequent proximity between Malayan kraits and humans at Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand; thereby, suggesting a near constant potential for human-wildlife conflict. Despite the fact that no snakebites from this species occurred at the university during our study period, substantial education and awareness training should be considered to raise awareness to ensure continued coexistence on campus.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For Human Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

Hodges

Marshall

Hill

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…A recent review found published studies of animal and plant assemblages on over 300 university campuses globally (J. Liu et al 2021).In Sydney, the Western Sydney University has eight campus sites, three of which support remnant natural habitats on the Cumberland Plain. In particular, the Hawkesbury Campus supports 575 ha of remnant natural habitats, as well as large parcels of agricultural land dissected by roads and the main campus (Norris and Burgin 2011; Mo 2020).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent review found published studies of animal and plant assemblages on over 300 university campuses globally (J. Liu et al 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reptiles and Amphibians on a University Campus in a Peri-urban Area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

2022

RandA

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Building upon a previous species inventory published in 2004 and based on observations between 2008 and 2011, I herein describe the reptile and amphibian assemblage on a university campus in the northwestern corner of the Sydney metropolitan area, Australia, recording 26 species of reptiles in nine families (Chelidae, Agamidae, Carphodactylidae, Scincidae, Varanidae, Typhlopidae, Colubridae, Elapidae, Pythonidae) and 13 species of amphibians in three families (Pelodryadidae, Limnodynastidae, Myobatrachidae). Included are records of the Macquarie Turtle (Emydura macquarii) and Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii), neither of which were considered indigenous to the campus in the previous inventory, and one observation of two Ornate Burrowing Frogs (Platyplectrum ornatum), which previously were thought to be only historically present at the site. Seven species predicted to be present on the campus by the previous inventory were confirmed by observations in this study. These observations demonstrate how green spaces on the periphery of one of the world’s largest cities can harbor a diverse assemblage of reptiles and amphibians.

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Discovering urban nature: citizen science and biodiversity on a university campus

Tiago,

Leal,

Rosário

et al. 2024

Urban Ecosyst

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Preserving biodiversity is a paramount global concern and, in this regard, monitoring urban biodiversity has increasingly taken on a significant role. Citizen science has emerged as a resource for addressing this challenge, offering a cost-effective approach capable of producing extensive data while promoting public engagement. In this work, a Lisbon university campus was used to determine the effectiveness of a citizen science project launched on the BioDiversity4All/iNaturalist platform to monitor urban biodiversity and analyse the influence of different engagement actions on biodiversity observations. The data analysis was based on biodiversity observations, including the temporal evolution of observations, the most frequently observed taxonomic groups, and the impact of promotional actions on project data. Additionally, the profiles of the observers were analyzed to assess their level of engagement and continued involvement in citizen science. The project had an effect on the increase in the number of observers and observations, and it was also possible to see a positive effect of the organized activities. The two indices used showed that Researchers and Students were the observer categories responding the most to the project, followed by Naturalists and Others. The results highlighted the capacity of citizen science to increase interest in biodiversity among both the university community and the general public. Furthermore, this work underlines the role of different strategies such as BioBlitzes, social media campaigns, and formal education activities to reduce the impact of relevant limitations associated with citizen science, namely taxonomic, aesthetic, and temporal biases.

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University campuses as valuable resources for urban biodiversity research and conservation

Cited by 40 publications

References 50 publications

Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

Reptiles and Amphibians on a University Campus in a Peri-urban Area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Discovering urban nature: citizen science and biodiversity on a university campus

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