You can take samples in your yard just like urban researchers do, such as those in the Ecological Homogenization of Urban America project, hosted by a team of intercollegiate scientists. Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the project personnel are trying to understand if cities that have similar road patterns, housing areas, and similar vegetation types create a distinct urban ecology that occurs across a continent (visit the project website at http://ecologicalhomogenization.com/). Scientists from leading universities in six U.S. cities: Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Phoenix; are participating in understanding their local environment. They invite the public from that area to let them come to their residence and sample their yard. To do this, they:
- Identify and map all of the plants that are growing there.
- Take soil samples
- Take measurements of atmospheric conditions such as air temperature, humidity and soil moisture content.
After a few months of sampling, they send homeowners a report of their ecological index score. If you live in those cities, contact the research team to sample for you. If you don't, you can DIY by taking your own samples to see what you have. We look forward to their results.
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