Investigating the effects of urbanization on winter avian diversity in Tennessee: A community science and GIS approach

Authors

• Caryn D. Ross, University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFollow
• David A. Aborn, University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFollow
• Mark S. Schorr, University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFollow
• Azad Hossain, University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFollow

As the human population increases, habitat transformation due to urban expansion is inevitable, affecting many wildlife species. Birds are frequently used as model species to study the effects of urbanization on wildlife populations due to their environmental sensitivity and ease of observation. While previous studies have investigated changes in species richness and abundance related to urbanization, there is a need for broader-scale, geographically explicit studies associating changes in bird diversity with urban expansion. Using extensive bird census data and high-resolution digitized land use data, this study revealed that species richness, diversity, and evenness within count areas all showed significant positive correlations over the 40-year period, but no significant pattern directly related to urbanization, suggesting the influence of an unidentified independent variable. These results will facilitate the implementation of more effective avian and environmental management strategies in the state of Tennessee.

Recommended Citation

Ross, Caryn D.; Aborn, David A.; Schorr, Mark S.; and Hossain, Azad (2026) "Investigating the effects of urbanization on winter avian diversity in Tennessee: A community science and GIS approach," Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 19: Iss. 2, Article 3.
DOI: 10.15365/1932-7048.1407
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol19/iss2/3

DOI

10.15365/1932-7048.1407