NOT ALL GREENSPACE IS CREATED EQUAL: EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF GREENSPACE METRICS AND THE LUXURY EFFECT ON WILDLIFE DIVERSITY AND PEOPLE IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Adrianna Elihu; Aelihu89@gmail.com; Janel Ortiz

With increased urbanization, wildlife are challenged to adapt to human-dominated environments. Urban greenspace size and proximity to other greenspace, have been found to positively influence wildlife communities. For humans, access and greenspace availability have shown to improve health. Benefits are furthered for some by the ‘Luxury Effect’ where wealthy neighborhoods have higher rates of biodiversity. Here I will identify and quantify greenspace metrics to determine relationships with wildlife diversity and how socioeconomic factors influence greenspace and access to wildlife. Twenty-five camera traps are set along a transect from Diamond Bar to the San Gabriel Mountains to document wildlife. Greenspace metrics and socioeconomic variables will be analyzed using 3 m unsupervised land cover classification and 2020 U.S. Census data. I expect greenspace that is larger, complex, and in less urbanized areas to have higher species richness and areas with higher socioeconomic status to have higher species richness supporting the ‘Luxury Effect’. Twelve of the 25 sites, have eleven species documented. Data analysis is ongoing for socioeconomic variables. Recognizing significant greenspace metrics that positively affect wildlife can aid city planners and urban ecologists to develop or modify greenspace that improves biodiversity and access to the outdoors and wildlife for everyone.

Poster Session  InPerson Presentation