Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Community, Conservation & Citizen Science | Page 9

Chris Richardson, Ph.D., Adjunct
Professor, Lesley College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences, will collect data on bat
activity, diversity, and health.
Assistant Professor Albert Liau will test the air quality
of Mount Auburn to help determine whether Mount
Auburn’s bountiful trees make a noticeable difference to
the ecosystem, and will measure other physical features
using data from the Cemetery’s microclimate study, which
is underway. Meanwhile, Assistant Professor Amy Mertl will
conduct a biodiversity survey of both pollinators and ants,
examining the two groups together for a better indicator
of overall insect diversity. Finally, Adjunct Professor Chris
Richardson will collect data on bat activity, diversity, and
health, and use bioacoustic equipment to detect bat flyways.
In the second year of the project, Dave Morimoto will
serve as the A. J. & M. D. Ruggiero Memorial Trust Educator-
in-Residence. During that time, he will synthesize Lesley’s
research data and collaborate with Kwiatkowski at Mount
Auburn to map the biodiversity of the Cemetery’s ecosystem.
The map will identify wildlife corridors, insect and pol-
linator localities, and bat and bird hot-spots, among other
findings, in order to monitor the ecosystem as part of a
longitudinal (Long Term Ecological Research, LTER) study.
Over the long term, the findings from the various
initiatives in Mount Auburn’s partnership with Lesley
will enable the project to make specific recommendations
for the Cemetery’s Wildlife Action Plan in the context
of the bigger ecological picture. On a larger scale, these
recommendations can also impact local urban planning.
Understanding how urban ecosystems function can directly
affect how cities and towns plan and preserve their green
spaces, not only for human recreational purposes but also
for maximizing urban biodiversity and ecosystem services.
On the educational side, the project will provide citizen
scientists and Lesley students with the opportunity to be
a part of research that not only transforms their view of
themselves and their place in science, but also furthers
efforts by Mount Auburn and local communities to
improve the conservation of natural ecosystems and global
biodiversity, which is increasingly affected by humans.
“This is one of the most popular places to see migratory
birds in Massachusetts,” said Dave Barnett, President & CEO
of Mount Auburn. “It’s also internationally renowned for its
beautiful landscape and significant horticultural collections.
Many scientists believe that urban ecosystems such as Mount
Auburn are the last frontier of ecology and that ordinary
citizens can contribute to the growing area of study of how
people and nature can benefit one another within an urban
environment.”
About the Lesley University
Founded in 1909 for aspiring kindergarten teachers, Lesley
University prepares socially responsible graduates with the
knowledge, skills, and understanding for a more just, humane,
and sustainable world.
Amy Mertl, Assistant Professor,
Biology, Lesley College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences, will conduct pollinator
studies.
2017 Volume 2 | 7