Seminar 3 Posters

Around 75,000 years ago, in the last ice age, New York City, like most places on Earth was covered with ice. 15,000 years ago, ice began to retreat, exposing gneiss and marble bedrock that eventually bloom to become wetlands, fields, and forests that support 55 different ecological environment and 2,177 plant species. With urbanization comes pollution, accidental spread of alien species and diseases, and replacement of nature with concrete pavements, roads, and architecture. The city of the 1800s was congested with people leading to rapid spread of past fatal diseases such as cholera and smallpox that killed many. All of the aforementioned factors contributed to the destruction of natural habitat, and the tipping of nature’s delicate balance between its plants, animals and the environment. Nature’s unbalance caused extinction and rapid decreases in population for many species. When conservative concerns finally acquired attention, protective laws and policies were passed to preserve remaining biodiversity and reduce pollution. Restorative actions were taken in Jamaica Bay, Inwood Hill Park and various other locations. Although restorative plans showed some positive results, other unforeseen consequences often bring up the question: Is it really possible to fully restore a habitat to its former state?

http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/seminar3posters/files/gravity_forms/1-f14ea90e75361cb91bd42582a860ee01/2014/12/Urbanization.pdf

Shadia Farah, Karen Go, Devin Lee, Sara Shafer, Racheal Singh

Esther Muehlbauer, Ashley Williard

Queens College

urbanization, biodiversity, water, disease, conservation