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Final Project for my Biogeography Field Analysis course
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Birds and Human Interaction on Venice Beach
By Emilie Nguyen
Geog 163
Final Project
IntroductionHypothesis: When there are more people on the beach, there are less birds and when more birds, less people.
Null Hypothesis:Common birds especially gulls are more tolerant to human presence.
Location: - Pier in Marina Del Rey: extension of Washington Blvd- Left side: Venice Beach- Right side: Marina Del Rey
Variables
Independent Variables:- Low/High tides- Right & Left sides of the beach- Weather: temperature, wind, waves, etc- Sunrise and sunset- Human activities: feeding, dog walking, etc
Dependent Variables: - People: children, adults, etc- Birds: Western gull, CA gull, Glaucous-winged gull, Heermann’s gull, crow, sparrow, and Barn swallow.
MethodologyEquipment: - Binoculars
- Recorder- Tide schedule booklet
Time period: - 3 days a week for 2 weeks- twice a day during low and high tides for one hour each time
Sources: - Internet to check weather - Interview with lifeguards and curious people- Bird book to identify different species
Study area: - length between lifeguard towers: 565m- width: 120m
Left vs. Right sides
Low vs. High Tide
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28
Entry Points
# o
f B
ird
an
d P
eop
le
Low Tide Birds
Low Tide People
High Tide Birds
High Tide People
Comparison bet. Low & High Tide
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28
Entry Points
# o
f B
ird
an
d P
eop
le
Low Tide Birds
Low Tide People
High Tide Birds
High Tide People
Low & High TidesLow Tide Right Side
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
Entry Points
# of
bir
d an
d pe
ople
Birds
People
High Tide Left Side
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 3 5 7 9 11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
Entry Points
# o
f B
ird
an
d P
eo
ple
Birds
People
Results: how low & high tides affect birds & humans
Low Tide: average
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Birds People Birds People
Right Left
Dependent Variables
# o
f b
ird
an
d p
eop
le
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
High Tide: average
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Birds People Birds People
Right Left
Dependent Variables
# o
f b
ird
an
d p
eop
le
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Low Tide: average
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Birds People Birds People
Right Left
Dependent Variables
# o
f b
ird
an
d p
eop
le
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
High Tide: average
0
5
10
15
20
25
Birds People Birds People
Right Left
Dependent Variables
# o
f b
ird
an
d p
eop
leSaturday
Sunday
Monday
Results: how independent variables affect birds and people
Gulls vs human behaviors:
2 categories of human activities: - passive (laying dow, standing, sitting, fishing etc)- active (running, walking (w/ dogs, swimming, surfing, playing, feeding birds etc)
Birds behaviors:- resting on the sand/water in group- picking into the sand and water- flying when disturbed
Weather: sunny/warm vs. chilly/windy
Sunset + high tide = ?
Discussion: Study on Human Disturbance
Human disturbances leave a “behavioral footprint” according to Webb who studied flight initiation of Western gulls behavior at the Santa Monica Pier.
Flight initiation distance is the distance at which a bird moves away from an approaching threat, and reflects an economic decision, whereby animals flee when the perceived costs offlight outweigh the perceived benefits of remaining in place.
Flight initiation distance decreased with distance becausethe gulls habituated to their local level of disturbanceand became more tolerant in more disturbed areas.
Conclusion:
Gulls: - predominant species on the beach - tolerant around people who are passive- more adult gulls present in crowded beach- group together in quiet place & less people- people affect gulls behavior- gulls adapt to people but not vice versa
Intolerant Species:
Human
