Research Overview
The St. Louis Wildlife Project aims to address a variety of questions surrounding urban ecology and biodiversity in the St. Louis metro area, including how the dynamics, abundance, and distribution of urban wildlife are affected by the urban system. Data are collected using motion-activated camera traps along an urban-to-rural gradient, made possible with the cooperation of numerous city, county, state, and national parks, as well as private lands. Our research contributes to the understanding of urban ecology in St. Louis, and helps inform a global view of wildlife in rapidly growing urban landscapes.
methods
The Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor transect, which includes 34 camera traps.
Our research methods were designed in accordance with the UWIN methodological guidelines, allowing for data comparison and analysis not only within St. Louis, but between St. Louis and other partner cities. 34 camera traps are set up along transects following an urban-to-rural gradient. Our first transect, the Henry Shaw Ozark corridor transect, extends from the Gateway Arch Park to Route 66 State Park. Camera traps are set within 2 km of the transect and at least 1 km apart from each other. 4 rounds of sampling are conducted each year, with data collected for 4 weeks each season. Camera trap photos are analyzed and verified, and data is entered into the shared cloud-based database.
This study design offers the potential to investigate additional research questions. Get in touch here if you are interested in collaborating with us.
