Media Tip Sheet: Urban Ecology at #ESA2024

Interest in urban ecology is growing rapidly as cities expand and the need to understand urban ecosystems becomes more pressing. The Ecological Society of America’s upcoming Annual Meeting in Long Beach, Calif., Aug. 4–9, features a diverse array of talks and posters dedicated to this dynamic field.

Researchers from around the world will present their latest findings on how urban environments impact biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. In addition to a Symposium devoted to the urban ecology of Greater Los Angeles, dozens of talks and posters will offer valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of managing and conserving urban ecosystems.

The presentations listed below are just a fraction of the scientific research being shared at ESA’s Annual Meeting. ESA invites staff journalists, freelance journalists, student journalists and press officers to register for free as media attendees up to and throughout the week of the conference. For eligibility information, please visit ESA’s press registration credential policy page.

Members of the media will be able to attend all scientific sessions and will have access to a press room where they can enjoy refreshments, internet access, a printer and an interview area. A virtual registration option is also available. Virtual attendees will have access to 13 livestreamed hybrid sessions, a variety of on-demand recorded content and the full online program that will be available on the meeting platform until summer 2025.

Monday, August 5
1:30 PM – 1:45 PM	Indigenous-led pathways for meaningful collaborations and solutions to urban ecological restoration and management Presenter: Ary Amaya, UCLA and Anawakalmekak Contributed Talk – Rm 203B
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM	It's not just your imagination: Trees really are cool Presenter: Melissa McHale, University of British Columbia Organized Oral Session – Grand Ballroom A
Tuesday, August 6
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM	Analyzing ecological interactions between urban trees and vertebrate species: a comparative study of New Delhi and Bengaluru, India Presenter: Madhusudan Katti, North Carolina State University Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM	Rooted inequities: Unveiling socio-economic disparities in Baltimore street tree diversity and distribution Presenter: Meghan Avolio, John Hopkins University Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM	Investigating the role of reproductive traits in structuring urban plant communities Presenter: Stephanie Rivest, IRBV & Université de Montréal Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM	Temperature differences related to urban socioeconomic gradients affect mosquito population growth Presenter: Sarah Rothman, University of Maryland Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM	How is success defined in urban afforestation initiatives? A case study of the New York City Million Trees initiative Presenter: Elizabeth Cook, Barnard College Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
Wednesday, August 7
1:30 PM - 1:45 PM	Assessing the relative importance of climate, biogeography, history, and socio-economic drivers of ecological homogenization of cities Presenter: Marc Cadotte, University of Toronto, Scarborough Organized Oral Session – Rm 104B
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM	Urban street trees host more endophytes and human pathogens than rural trees Presenter: Kathryn Atherton, Boston University Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM	Equitable pollinator habitat in cities: promising or problematic? Presenter: Susannah Lerman, U.S. Forest Service Contributed Talk – Regency DEF
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM	Exploring the past, present, and future of urban ecology in Los Angeles Presenters: Eric Wood, California State University, Los Angeles; Natasha Khanna-Dang, California State University, Los Angeles; Jamiah Hargins, Crop Swap LA; Jonathan Ocón, Clark University; Alejandro Fabian, TreePeople; Rebecca Ferdman, LA County Chief Sustainability Office; Jason Douglas, University of California, Irvine Inspire Session – Brand Ballroom B
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM	Ecological impacts and energetic trade-offs of a resilient coral in Honolulu Harbor Presenter: Madelief Schelvis, University of Hawaii at Manoa Contributed Poster – Exhibit Hall, Poster 48-125
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM	Invasive species across kingdoms: Seasonal impacts of invasive Amynthas earthworms on urban biogeochemistry in native and non-native forests Presenter: Kelsey Parker, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center Contributed Poster – Exhibit Hall, Poster 45-104
Thursday, August 8
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM	Lessons learned managing vacant land as pollinator habitat Presenter: Mary Gardiner, The Ohio State University Organized Oral Session – Grand Ballroom B
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM	From the theoretical to paws on the ground - validating connectivity models with hyper-local ground-truth data Presenter: Auxenia Privett-Mendoza, Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy Latebreaking Poster – Exhibit Hall, Poster 12-124
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM	High concentrations of harmful heavy metals, and evidence of urban-tolerant hunting behaviors, found in the diets of Stanford University’s peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) Presenter: Maya Xu, Stanford University Latebreaking Poster – Exhibit Hall, Poster 32-285

 

On-site Press Room

Location: Room 203A, Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

Press Room hours:
Sunday, August 4:12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Monday, August 5: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday, August 6: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday, August 7: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday, August 8: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm

Phone number: (562) 499-7731  

 

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The upcoming ESA Annual Meeting will take place August 4–9 in Long Beach, California, and will feature thousands of oral and poster presentations on the latest ecological science. Learn more on the meeting website. ESA invites press and institutional public information officers to attend for free. To register, please contact ESA Public Affairs Manager Mayda Nathan directly at mayda@esa.org. On-site registration and virtual registration (providing access to the entire program and a limited number of hybrid sessions) are also available.

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The Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world’s largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge, committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 8,000 member Society publishes six journals and a membership bulletin and broadly shares ecological information through policy, media outreach and education initiatives. The Society’s Annual Meeting attracts 4,000 attendees and features the most recent advances in ecological science. Visit the ESA website at https://www.esa.org

 

Follow ESA on social media:
Twitter/X – @esa_org
Instagram – @ecologicalsociety
Facebook – @esa.org

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