Birds and Butterflies Along Urban Gradients in Two Ecoregions of the United States: Is Urbanization Creating a Homogeneous Fauna?

Abstract

Humans are transforming Earth’s landscape to an unprecedented degree in both magnitude and rate (Meyer and Turner 1992). We alter the landscape through the extraction of resources, the development of industry, the practice of agriculture, the pursuit of recreation, and the building of structures. These alterations affect every ecosystem on Earth (Vitousek et al. 1997).