Digital Commons Network^™

Agricultural Water Management In A Changing Mid-Atlantic: Stakeholder Experiences And Attitudes Towards Alternative Water Sources, Weather Variability, And Related Factors, Alexa Siglar, Michele Romolini

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Water and agriculture are inextricably connected, and so are the impacts of climate change upon water supplies which will impact agriculture with greater intensity as the earth continues to warm. In the mid-Atlantic, climate change will intensify extremes such as flood and drought, resulting in greater water quantity variability (NIACS). Other consequences of climate change will include significant sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, as well as increased temperatures and decreased water quality (NIACS). In a region already experiencing significant but commonly overlooked impacts on water quality and quantity due to population and development increases, land use modifications, and agricultural …

Examining And Developing Environmental Stewardship Funding Networks In Los Angeles, Lily Maddox, Michele Romolini

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Following general patterns in non-profit funding, environmental grants have a continuing history of being inaccessible to the groups that could benefit from them the most. While many environmental stewardship organizations (ESOs) are in need of funding for projects, Los Angeles lacks a clear network of environmental funders that is accessible to all potential actors. In this study, we will be researching existing funder coalitions as well as philanthropic trends in Los Angeles. The findings from this review will be used to compile a database of environmental grant sources in Los Angeles detailing funders as well as specific grant programs, and …

Core Results From A Three-Year Management Study Of Human-Coyote Conflict In Culver City, Ca With Suggestions For Conflict Amelioration, Anna Monterastelli, Melinda Weaver, Michele Romolini, Eric Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

A three-year management study of urban coyotes (Canis latrans) by the LMU Center for Urban Resilience is being conducted in Culver City, CA in order to assist local government officials and residents in managing human- coyote conflicts. The study is in response to an increase in predation of domestic cats (80+) by local populations of coyotes. Our research has been focused on the ecological factors that have been drivers of the recent increase in predation events.

Multiple techniques were employed to better understand coyote behavior, including radio telemetry, diet analysis, remote camera trap systems, molecular analysis and direct …

Diet Analysis Of Scat From Coyote Pack In Culver City, Anna Monterastelli, Melinda Weaver, Eric Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Culver City’s residential and recreational areas have experienced more frequent encounters with native wildlife in recent years. The increase in these interactions with the city’s population and coyotes (Canis latrans) in particular have sparked interest in understanding why these canids have habitualized to urban environment. A possible hypothesis for this occurring could be that the coyotes’ diet has evolved to prey upon domesticated cats, which are also highly prevalent in urban areas. A dry fecal analysis has been developed to quantify how often the coyotes have incorporated cats into their diet. To track the consistency of their diets, …

Urbanization’S Effect On A Coyote Population In Culver City, Colby Mallett, Eric Strauss, Melinda Weaver

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Due to the increased rates of urbanization in once biodiverse areas, it is now critical to study the effects of urbanization on species abundance and biodiversity. This study investigates the impact of urbanization in the Culver City area on coyote abundance. As part of a larger multi-year study, four sites across Culver City were studied and split into two groups, inner city, known as the urban area, and edge of city, known as the rural area. Coyote abundance was determined through the use of systematic camera trapping at each site for the year of 2020. A final total that accounts …

Happiness Index In Belfast, Northern Ireland, Lucille Njoo, Eric Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Northern Ireland (NI), which was torn apart by the Troubles in the late 20th century, has a history of political and socioeconomic hardships and thus currently harbors many social conditions that typically would be connected to lower life satisfaction (BBC, European Commission). However, NI’s happiness index is the highest of the countries in the UK, and higher than that of the United States (ONS, OECD). One proposed explanation for this apparent contradiction is that NI's happiness is due to a strong social capital (ONS). In order to explore the relationships between happiness, social capital, and socioeconomic status, I surveyed 30 …

Public Opinion Of Coyotes In Long Beach: Surveys And Interviews, Barbara Velasco, Michele Romolini

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

It is important to understand public opinion on urban wildlife in order to effectively manage it. Coyotes have adapted to survive in urban environments and do not have a favorable presence in Long Beach, California due to their predatory nature. This research project seeks to provide a clearer understanding of how the residents of Long Beach feel about the coyote population and how they interact with it. The data obtained from this project will fill knowledge gaps about the types of encounters residents have with coyotes and help create management plans to effectively deal with local safety concerns. Residents were …

Population Studies For Predator Aversion Project At The Venice Beach Least Tern (Sternula Antillarum) Colony, Ian Wright, Oscar Repreza, Maria Curley, Peter Auger, Eric Strauss, Emily Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

In the Fall of 2017, the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) contracted with a consultant of the State of California Dept. of Fish & Game Wildlife Branch, Ryan Ecological Consulting, to collaborate on solutions to American crow Corvus brachyrhyncos predation on Least tern eggs and chicks in the Venice Beach Least tern colony. Least terns prefer nesting in low sand dunes with light vegetation. As a result of urban expansion and beach combing, Least terns, a federally endangered bird, have lost much of their preferred nesting habitat in Southern California and have become vulnerable to crow …

An Analysis Of Coyote (Canis Latrans) Abundance, Movement Patterns & Distribution, Jaclyn Findlay, Dominic Baechler, Peter Auger, Eric Strauss, Maria Curley, J. Kleya, Emily Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

No abstract provided.

Surface Flow Measurements In The Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh, Calvin Foss, Michele Romolini, E. Simso, Sarah Bruce-Eisen

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh is a 26-acre constructed wetland located in coastal Los Angeles, CA. The Marsh serves an important ecological function of capturing and filtering runoff from the surrounding urbanized area before it enters the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Mosquito populations in the Marsh are monitored by Los Angeles County Vector Control to prevent public health risks. Knowledge of the areas in the Marsh with the least water movement, an indication of the highest probability of mosquito breeding, may help to maximize the efficiency with which the control is being exercised. Additionally, knowledge of the marsh hydrology will …

An Analysis Of Coyote (Canis Latrans) Abundance, Movement Patterns & Distribution, Jaclyn Findlay, Dominic Baechler, Peter Auger, Eric Strauss, Maria Curley, J. Kleya, Emily Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The LMU Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) is currently in the third year of a three-year project to inform a long-term coyote Canis latrans management plan for the City of Long Beach, California. This plan will be applied by the Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau. The project consists of using game cameras set up at a tree nursery study site in Long Beach to determine coyote abundance, movement patterns, and distribution. This includes studying where the coyotes are spending the most time, if they are transient / mobile, what packs are present, and peak activity. Preliminary analysis of temporal …

Analyzing Public Opinion Of The Silver Lake Reservoir, Reilly Grzywacz, Michele Romolini, E. Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Silver Lake, California is a diverse residential neighborhood located five miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, with a population of approximately32,890 people. Silver Lake was built around its local reservoir, the facilities of which provide habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic, social, and wellness benefits for visitors. Presumably, the reservoir also mitigates the urban heat island effect. Since the reservoir was recently refilled with water, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (SLNC) plans to update the reservoir management plan, informed by public input and assessment. A team of CUResresearchers surveyed 249 citizens in person around the Silver Lake neighborhood to …

Mosquito Larvae Density Study At Ballona Freshwater Marsh, Oscar Repreza, Ian Wright, J. Dorsey, Michele Romolini, Eric Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The Ballona Wetlands is a 51-acre freshwater marsh ecosystem located in the Playa Vista Community of Westside Los Angeles, California. The 25 acres north of Loyola Marymount University are part of a riparian corridor that is used for community beautification and enjoyment, while the 26 acres situated to the west of LMU comprise a large freshwater marsh that has been the focus of efforts to restore the ecological function of the area. Along with beautification and community enjoyment, marshes have the potential to serve as sites for mosquito breeding.Mosquitoes represent a significant health risk, as they are known as vectors …

Genetic Diet Analysis Of Coyote Scat From Populations In Long Beach, Matthew Sheridan, Grace Riggs, D. Willette, Eric Strauss, Peter Auger, Maria Curley, Emily Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Interactions between humans and local wildlife are inherent to urbanization and have created a demand for wildlife/human management solutions. Coyotes (Canislatrans) are prominent in urban ecosystems and can cause a variety of residential threats. The aim of this study is to monitor coyote distribution and activity in Long Beach, CA to better understand urban predatory behavior and develop local wildlife management techniques. One method for better understanding urban coyotes is through scat analysis, which provides insight into the specific animal species that comprise their diet. This study focuses on prey species identification using DNA isolated from coyote scat samples. DNA …

Wildlife Services Coyote Management Project: Owl Pellet Dissection, Grace Riggs

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The “Wildlife Services Coyote Management Project” aims to advance the understanding of the urban coyote population in the Long Beach area. In addition to using pre-existing data already gathered by local wildlife services, the team is working to assemble more information on the behavior and distribution of urban coyotes by means of scat analysis. Now in its second year, the project will augment its data through gene=c analysis of scat and building up the repertoire of animal skeletons through means of owl pellets to further study coyote diet. Owl pellets have been proven to be an effective means of finding …

Patterns Of Urban Hummingbird Nest Distribution On The Lmu Campus, Amy Weber

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Urban environments provide numerous benefits to hummingbirds including feeders, planted flowers, and nesting sites.

The thermal environment, among other factors, may be important to hummingbird’s choice of nesting microhabitats (Calder 1974).

Allen’s and Anna’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin sedentarius) breeds during the winter months in Los Angeles (Clarke 2017).

Between 2012 and 2016, five active hummingbird nests were discovered and monitored on the LMU campus.

In 2017, 15 active nests were monitored on the LMU campus. The locations of these 15 active nests and 45 older nests seemed to exhibit a clustered pattern, and individual nests often were in close proximity …

Plastic Perception: An Analysis On Single-Use Consumerism, Lindsay Beck, Nicole Alaverdian, Alexxa Melendez

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Plastic has become essential to everyday use as the material is very costeffective and therefore used to create various single-use products. According to the Ocean Conservancy, the amount of ocean plastic in weight will outweigh fish by 2050. Concerns about plastic pollution have provided an incentive for people to buy reusable products, which has been encouraged by legislation banning certain single-use products from being freely distributed. Data indicates that massive quantities of singleuse plastic are simultaneously being produced and thrown away daily; however, there is little data that indicates whether reusable efforts have made a difference in slowing this process. …

Monitoring Mosquito Larvae Population Density In The Ballona Wetlands Freshwater Marsh, S Bruce-Eisen

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Mosquitoes play an important role in wetland ecosystems. Their larvae feed on algae and plankton, and also provide a valuable food source for migrating bird species. However, adult mosquitoes can be a public health concern due to their possible transmittance of vector-borne diseases. The importance of protecting both the ecosystems used by mosquitoes and public health has prompted the monitoring of mosquito populations in the BallonaWetlands. This research aims to investigate and understand how the freshwater marsh supports the early life history stages of mosquitoes, and what role the BallonaWetlands play in mosquito population dynamics in west Los Angeles. The …

Integration Of Hummingbird Research Into Public School Science, Kaitlyn Yee, Maria Curley, Lisa Fimiani, Emily Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Hummingbirds are beautiful, acrobatic and mysterious synanthropes in urban ecosystems, providing important benefits to humans such as pollination, insectivory, and biophilia. However, environmental factors that affect behaviors that lead to such services are largely unknown, and could be altered by urbanization and climate change. Though their extremely high metabolism can make detailed observations of hummingbird behavior difficult, simple and low-cost methodologies, such as remote monitoring equipment deployed at feeders and nests, allow students at all levels of education to closely observe hummingbirds directly from their school sites. The Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) and the Center for Equity for English …

Who Would You Bring Home? People’S Perceptions Of Animal Adoptability, Nicole Gaglione

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Although the motto “adopt don’t shop” has increased the general public’s awareness surrounding shelters and animal adoption, there is not a whole lot of information based on people’s perceptions of what makes an animal “adoptable” or not and how this impacts shelter animals’ quality of life. In one study, it was discovered how the act of shelter employees labeling each dog based on its breed could have a major impact on the dogs adoptability. So why is this? Why are people so caught up in the breed, attractiveness, age, health, or as one study describes the “sociability” of dogs as …

Diet Composition Of Long Beach Coyotes Via Solids Scat Analysis, Armaan Zare, Delisa Madere

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Canus latrans (coyotes) have posed threats against both urban wildlife and domesticated animals all across the United States. In the urban and residential areas encompassing Long Beach, green areas such as parks and golf courses create a series of wildlife corridors that coyotes may use to provide themselves with food, shelter, and a means of refuge for breeding. Along with wildlife corridors, anthropogenic food sources also contribute to the increased coyote density in the city of Long Beach; this inevitably leads to more frequent coyote-human interactions. Now in its second year, our study aims to accurately assess the diet of …

Frequency And Rate At Which Female Hummingbirds Tend Their Nests, David Ramirez

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

No abstract provided.

Coyote/Human Interactions In The City Of Long Beach, Ca, Hayley Hart, Nicole Infantino

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

No abstract provided.

A Temporal Analysis Of Urban Coyote (Canis Latrans) Activity In Long Beach, Ca, Stephen Gloudeman

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The coyote (Canis latrans) is found across the United States in both rural and urban ecosystems. They have always filled a niche in the ecosystem in the wild as both scavengers and hunters, but in urban environments they have adapted to anthropogenic food sources and pose a threat to communities. In communities such as Long Beach, CA, the presence of a coyote can be dangerous to pets and humans, which is a concern of residents. This arm of the ongoing study includes the implementation of game cameras to understand daily coyote activity and movement throughout the community. The data give …

Genetic Diet Analysis Of Coyote Scat From Populations In Long Beach, Alexis Isaev, Matthew Sheridan

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Interactions between humans and local wildlife are inherent to urbanization and have created a demand for management solutions. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are prominent in urban ecosystems and can potentially cause a variety of residential threats, as seen at Long Beach, CA. Currently, a project is underway assessing the coyote population, in order to better understand how the animals function in the city and how best to manage them. The main components of the study include monitoring coyote activity and dispersal patterns, how the urban environment affects coyote living strategies, and a dietary analysis. The dietary analysis has two components: a …

Tree Canopy And Environmental Distribution Justice In Los Angeles: A Look Into Tree Planting Groups, Natalie Menicucci

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The distribution and maintenance of urban tree coverage in Los Angeles is an issue of environmental justice. Researchers have found that there is a direct relationship between tree coverage and income and race in the city. Los Angeles has a tree planting initiative, called “City Plants,” with a goal that people in every neighborhood have equal access to trees and their benefits. Yet it is not clear how or whether tree planting organizations embody this in their practices. To address this problem, the purpose of this study is to examine how decisions on planting locations are made by planting groups, …

Sustainable Diagram On Food Waste Reduction Programs In Mitigating Carbon Footprint—A Loyola Marymount University Case Study, Timothy Mandema

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Food waste is an economic, social, and environmental problem with broad implication. The direct impacts from fossil fuel use, food waste rotting in landfills, water use, and transferring food waste create environmental stressors associated with climate change. Increasing methods to reduce food waste are becoming common practice across private sector as a tool to reduce economic cost and carbon footprint. This study aims to evaluate the food waste diversion efforts at Loyola Marymount University’s dining hall. The research approach examining Loyola Marymount dining halls’ sustainability efforts will be broken down into two separate stages: analyzing food waste data pre- and …

Mapping The South Los Angeles Food Desert, Alice Tiffany

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The USDA defines a food desert as“a low income-census tract where either a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. ”This is the case with South Los Angeles, where grocery stores are scarce, magnifying the dependency on corner and convenience stores, and fast food restaurants. Government and advocacy organizations recognize this as an issue of inequity, yet the problem persists. Meanwhile, the data that is available is not comprehensive and is quickly becoming outdated. The aim of this study is to develop a detailed, current map of where fresh, healthy food …

Assessing Urban Parklands: Novel Use Of Game Cameras To Study Park User Behavior In The Baldwin Hills, Jorge Gamboa

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

The preservation and conservation of public open spaces are essential in urban settings as they promote the growth and sustainability of local communities and surrounding environments. The Baldwin Hills Conservancy manages the Baldwin Hills Park System and aims to promote recreation, restoration and protection of urban parks. This study’s goal is to provide park managers a longitudinal study of the attitudes and behaviors of park visitors. The study includes the use of game cameras to examine visitation and access to the parks, which serves as a passive, novel methodology in order to study human movement patterns into and around the …

Influence Of Demographics On Use And Understanding Of Urban Green Spaces In Los Angeles, Ca, E. Simso

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Urban ecology is the study of how humans interact with their built surroundings, particularly in cities, which are densely populated and have significantly altered natural environments. Urban green spaces are vital areas that support community health and environmental benefits. In this study, residents from Inglewood, Santa Monica, and Culver City, California were surveyed to determine how demographics affect their use and understanding of green spaces in their neighborhood. Data was collected from 98 individuals at parks, libraries, and farmers’ markets to best represent each city’s known demographics. Statistical analysis was done to determine the differences between these cities and the …