Systemic racism blunts the genetic diversity of urban wildlife

From piping plovers to coyotes, eastern bluebirds to mountain lions, urban wildlife takes many forms — differing from other undomesticated wildlife in that such animals have adapted to a life that involves close contact with humans. That proximity sometimes has effects on both sides, creating feedback loops that can be positive or negative. For example, some human activities may encourage the domination of West Nile Virus vectors like house sparrows over other bird species, whereas restoring wetlands can attract more diverse species of birds and insects like dragonflies.

And remarkably, systemic (human) problems like inequality and racism can have outsized impacts on the evolution of urban wildlife as well. The two may seem unrelated, but a growing body of research has made this link apparent. A 2020 study in the journal Science compared racist practices like redlining, a form of residential segregation, to patterns of plants and animals in urban environments.

In more affluent areas, where there are often more green spaces (like parks and community gardens) there is a "luxury effect" in which plants and animals are more diverse compared to poorer neighborhoods. And this can actually influence the evolution of the creatures that live there.

We need more protected areas, but that's not all
New research published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found a strong link to a decline in genetic diversity in wildlife that is influenced by systemic racism in human infrastructure.

"Systemic racism alters the demography of urban wildlife populations in ways that generally limit population sizes and negatively affect their chances of persistence," the authors write. In other words, how we design our urban living spaces is yet another example of environmental racism that is damaging to wildlife as well.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/other/systemic-racism-blunts-the-genetic-diversity-of-urban-wildlife/ar-AA13b51w?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=0f041b4b67e64fa3addc7fd03de8521d

Whilst I strongly agree that we need more protected areas for animals joined by corridors ... this idiot is a kook!

You'll pardon me if I don't click on the link?

<Insert whistle intake/exhale.> Wow. Coyotes aren't much attracted to pavement. Go figure!

On a more serious note, these idiots really do need to be pressed down, and shut up. They're too stupid, and our youngsters are so lacking in education, they'll actually listen to them.

Parks, green spaces, playgrounds, open spaces can only exist in affluent, primarily white neighborhoods.

Compton, California is one of the state's most depressed, high crime areas. It has very few parks. It's too dangerous for children to play outside. It is decayed and filthy.

Compton was once all white. It was a centralized version of Beverly Hills. Lynwood was even more affluent. There were parks, playgrounds, tree lined streets and neighbors who talked about crabgrass.

Then wealthy blacks moved in. Nice people. They had backyard bar B ques and talked about crabgrass too. These nice people had baggage. Old friends, brothers, cousins, uncles. They weren't nice. They didn't care about crabgrass. They were criminals who stole what they could and tagged the rest just to let people know what gang had moved in.

It was too dangerous for children to play outside. The parks became dumping grounds for old furniture and junk. Drug sellers used the parks as a place to sell. Drug users used the parks as a place to shoot up. Gunfire became common.

Before long Compton became all black, violent and had no grass at all.

EvilCat Breath wrote:Parks, green spaces, playgrounds, open spaces can only exist in affluent, primarily white neighborhoods.  

Compton, California is one of the state's most depressed, high crime areas.  It has very few parks.  It's too dangerous for children to play outside.  It is decayed and filthy.

Compton was once all white.  It was a centralized version of Beverly Hills.  Lynwood was even more affluent.  There were parks, playgrounds, tree lined streets and neighbors who talked about crabgrass.

Then wealthy blacks moved in.  Nice people.  They had backyard bar B ques and talked about crabgrass too.  These nice people had baggage.  Old friends,  brothers, cousins, uncles.  They weren't nice.  They didn't care about crabgrass.  They were criminals who stole what they could and tagged the rest just to let people know what gang had moved in.

It was too dangerous for children to play outside.   The parks became dumping grounds for old furniture and junk.  Drug sellers used the parks as a place to sell.  Drug users used the parks as a place to shoot up.  Gunfire became common.

Before long Compton became all black, violent and had no grass at all.

And they blamed it on Whitey racism, just as they'd been doing for a 100 years.  The only thing that changed is that they now have the Nat'l Academy of Sciences publishing their incredulous nonsense.

2cent wrote:

EvilCat Breath wrote:Parks, green spaces, playgrounds, open spaces can only exist in affluent, primarily white neighborhoods.  

Compton, California is one of the state's most depressed, high crime areas.  It has very few parks.  It's too dangerous for children to play outside.  It is decayed and filthy.

Compton was once all white.  It was a centralized version of Beverly Hills.  Lynwood was even more affluent.  There were parks, playgrounds, tree lined streets and neighbors who talked about crabgrass.

Then wealthy blacks moved in.  Nice people.  They had backyard bar B ques and talked about crabgrass too.  These nice people had baggage.  Old friends,  brothers, cousins, uncles.  They weren't nice.  They didn't care about crabgrass.  They were criminals who stole what they could and tagged the rest just to let people know what gang had moved in.

It was too dangerous for children to play outside.   The parks became dumping grounds for old furniture and junk.  Drug sellers used the parks as a place to sell.  Drug users used the parks as a place to shoot up.  Gunfire became common.

Before long Compton became all black, violent and had no grass at all.

And they blamed it on Whitey racism, just as they'd been doing for a 100 years.  The only thing that changed is that they now have the Nat'l Academy of Sciences publishing their incredulous nonsense.

It's where the NWO money is, which isn't to say it's right or even desirable. LOL.

Indeed NWO money is betting that it cannot work.