Environmental Studies

The fall 2024 class of Wildlife Ecology worked in groups to develop novel research ideas related to the ecology of our campus. The entire class worked together to plan, generate hypotheses, and collect data for all of the projects. Then students worked in groups to analyze data and present scientific posters and then each student wrote their own final project. The best final projects are included here in the Purchase College Journal of Ecology. 

We are especially thankful for the help of guest lecturer Dr. Hanna Makowski, postdoctoral researcher at Black Rock Forest, who collaborated on the phenology project. Dr. Makowski generously came to campus to teach us her techniques for measuring fall tree phenology and helped the students with analysis. Our data is presented in student work here in the journal but will also be used by Dr. Makowski in her larger research project.

The fall 2023 class of General Ecology worked in groups to develop novel research ideas related to the ecology of our campus. The groups worked together to plan, generate hypotheses, collect data, and analyze data and then each student wrote their own final project. The best final projects are included here in the Purchase College Journal of Ecology. 

The 2022 semester of Wildlife Ecology focused on better understanding the wildlife community on the Purchase College campus. Students worked together as a class to collect forest structure data and trail camera images over the course of the semester. Each student then worked independently to analyze data in a unique way.

King, A, J. Pacheco, A. Rubin . 2021. Aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates denser and more diverse in a suburban location along Blind Brook stream. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 5: 3 - 12.

Pareti, K., A. Rosenberger, E. Hata. 2021. Wildlife species abundance is affected differently by varying human disturbance. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 5: 13 - 20.

Cullen, S.C., A.A. Hassan, R. Olsen, G. Papantoniou. 2021. Urbanized invasive house sparrows benefit by having flexible diets. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 5: 21 - 30.

Lupie, J., J. O’Rourke, S. Atlassi. 2021. Invasive species possess potential benefits based on their fall phenology. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 5: 31 - 42

Editor’s note: This issue of the Purchase College Journal of Ecology was published during the COVID-19 pandemic when General Ecology was taught entirely remotely. I would like to commend the students for their hard work during this very difficult semester. Thank you for continuing to push yourselves to do innovative science and work together even when we could not be together.

Salmoiraghi, A., P. Cruz, J. Gifford, and J. Mickens. 2020. Tree species richness and circumference vary between rural, suburban, and urban environments. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 4: 2 - 10.

Bell, S., G. Gisser, Z. Mitchell, and J. Zippelli. 2020. Runoff containing disinfectants being overused during the COVID-19 pandemic may have negative impacts on plant life. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 4: 11 - 18.

Godoy, Y., M. Molina, E. Seidman, and K. Cooleen. 2020. Urban birds have shorter flight initiation distances (FIDs) than rural counterparts. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 4: 19 - 26.

Fabrizio, M., A.J. Jacobus-Oseroff, G. Mendez, K. Starkey. 2020. Pollinators prefer native plants over non-native plants. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 4: 27 - 36.

Ramirez, R.A., A. Bowman, S. Jimenez, and E. Beilin. 2020. Blue jays are more likely to spend time feeding in covered areas. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 4: 37 - 43.

Winter, V., S. Rubock, R. Lodes, and A. Brown. 2019. Invasive plants adversely affect soil chemistry and growth of native seedlings. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 3: 2 - 9.

Dicanio, Z, M. Graham, K. Robeson, and A. Creutzfeldt. 2019. Birds prefer unoccupied bird feeders compared to feeders with realistic of non-realistic threats. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 3: 10 - 18.

Cavalieri, M, J. Consalvo, T. Rushford, and A. Selino. 2019. Pesticides impair the growth of sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 3: 19 - 26.

Kranjac, D., D. Crowley, and D. Parker. 2019. Water quality testing at varied urban runoff locations shows impacts on stream health. Purchase College Journal of Ecology 3: 27 - 36.

• Increased tolerance of human presence observed in urban compared to rural Eastern Gray Squirrels
• Bird preference of native vs. introduced food sources at Purchase College
• Using a controlled environment to test porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculate) shade tolerance in comparison to light levels in a natural habitat
• Levels of insect, bird, and mammal activity at snag trees located in areas with variable amounts of human activity and urbanization.
• Impact of pine allelopathy on seed germination.
• Water temperature variations throughout the day are not correlated with dissolved oxygen in Blind Brook.

• Preferred soil conditions of invertebrates at SUNY Purchase
• Frequency of raccoon occurrence at two dumpster sites in SUNY Purchase College campus
• Differences in plant diversity and dimensions between edge and contiguous forest habitats
• Effect of species diversity and habitat type on dispersal of Black Tar Spot disease in Acer plantanoides
• A bug’s life: diversity and abundance of insects on Purchase College campus
• The effects of runoff on Blind Brook and its potential impact on the Long Island Sound
• Effects of urbanization on northeastern mammal species: dumpsters as a food source for nocturnal omnivores