Broad Themes
- Effects of Anthropogenic Change on Trophic Relationships
- Applied management in human-dominated forests and green spaces
- Plant functional traits and implications for terrestrial food webs
- Socio-ecological dynamics of urban and suburban landscapes
- Effects of Anthropogenic Change on Trophic Relationships
Current Projects:
- Linking insect and bird populations in montane ecosystems
- Relationships between urbanization and migratory bird stopover ecology
Selected Relevant Publications:
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W., and Shropshire, K.J. (2020) Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species. Nature Communications, 11, 5751.
- Piel, G.*, Tallamy, D.W., Narango, D.L. Lepidoptera host records accurately predict tree use by foraging birds. Northeastern Naturalist, In press.
- Baisden, E.C., Tallamy, D.W., Narango, D.L., and Boyle E.. (2018) Do cultivars of native plants support insect herbivores? HortTechnology, 28(5): 596-606.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W. Shropshire, K. Forest composition partially mitigates negative effects of urbanization on moth communities. In review.
Funding: Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative, David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship, University of Delaware Doctoral Fellowship, USDA Forest Service, University of Delaware, Mount Cuba Center
Applied management in human-dominated forests and green spaces
Human-dominated landscapes represent some of the most rapidly expanding yet least understood systems on earth. Consequently, management of working- and ‘living-landscapes’ (i.e., cities and suburbs) has widespread effects on abiotic and biotic properties of ecological systems and people who depend on them. Throughout my career, I have focused on mechanistic approaches to understanding the ecology and habitat selection of insects and birds in urban, agricultural, forestry and energy systems to identify effective management approaches for biodiversity conservation. My current focus is on the application of community science and automated technology to monitor wildlife populations.
Current Projects:
Selected Relevant Publications:
Funding: USFS International Program, NSF DEB, University of Delaware Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Disney Conservation
Human-dominated landscapes represent some of the most rapidly expanding yet least understood systems on earth. Consequently, management of working- and ‘living-landscapes’ (i.e., cities and suburbs) has widespread effects on abiotic and biotic properties of ecological systems and people who depend on them. Throughout my career, I have focused on mechanistic approaches to understanding the ecology and habitat selection of insects and birds in urban, agricultural, forestry and energy systems to identify effective management approaches for biodiversity conservation. My current focus is on the application of community science and automated technology to monitor wildlife populations.
Current Projects:
- Investigating intersexual differences in survival and migratory connectivity in Bicknell's Thrush
- Effects of silviculture on forest-associated pollinators (with Green Mountain National Forest)
Selected Relevant Publications:
- Narango, D.L. and Rodewald, A.D. (2017) Signal information of bird song changes in human-dominated landscapes. Urban Ecosystems, 21(1): 41-50.
- Narango, D.L. Book Chapter: Habitat selection in human-dominated landscapes. In: Songbird behavior and conservation in the Anthropocene.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W., Snyder, K.J.*, and Rice, R.A. (2019) Canopy tree preference by insectivorous birds in shade‐coffee farms: Implications for migratory bird conservation. Biotropica, 51(3): 387-398.
- Keilsohn W.*, Narango, D.L., and Tallamy D.W. (2018) Roadside habitat impacts insect traffic mortality. Journal of Insect Conservation, 22(2): 183-188
Funding: USFS International Program, NSF DEB, University of Delaware Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Disney Conservation
- Plant traits and implications for terrestrial food webs
- In my research program, we seek to understand how plant identity and traits drive plant-animal relationships and ecosystem-wide function. From an applied stand-point, I'm also strongly interested in understanding how informed plant selection can contribute to successful biodiversity conservation in highly managed and cultivated ecosystems (e.g., gardens, agriculture, street trees). A significant focus of my research has centered on evaluating the ecological consequences of introduced plant species (invasive and ornamental) on food webs. We have published several papers describing population and community-level effects of introduced plant species on insects and birds. Going forward, we are now looking at other dimensions of introduction, including cultivars and non-local ecotypes. My current research explores finer, individual-scale examinations of how traits and phylogenetic relationships impact insect and bird resource selection and performance.
Current Projects:
- Native Plant Provenance Study (in collaboration with Native Plant Trust)
- The Pollinator Interactions on Plants (PIP) Project: Multiscale drivers of host plant use and flower visitation
Selected Relevant Publications:
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W. and Marra, P.P. (2017) Native plants improve breeding and foraging habitat for an insectivorous bird. Biological Conservation, 213: 42-50.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy D.W. and Marra P.P. (2018) Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115, 45: 11549-11554.
- Tallamy, D.W., Narango, D.L., Mitchell, A. Do nonnative plants contribute to insect population declines? Invited submission to special issue on “Insect Declines”. In press, Ecological Entomology
Funding: One Hive Foundation, NSF DEB, The North American Bluebird Society, The Maryland Ornithological Society, Mount Cuba
Socio-ecological dynamics of urban and suburban ecosystems
Residential yards represent an excellent example of conservation opportunity on shared land. Yards connect the global public to the natural world, increase ecological knowledge, and support wildlife habitat that provide essential ecosystem services. By encouraging a new ethos of land management through a network of private landowners, conservation can successfully combine human values and ecological needs and form partnerships to transform the places we live into ecologically functional habitat. However, to make meaningful change, we need quantitative comparisons of the biodiversity supported in shared land and how benefits of residential environmental stewardship scale across space and time. Much of my research has explored how residential yard management impacts community composition of insects and birds, with a focus on how these decisions impact environmental filtering of species traits and realized ecosystem service. My previous work has looked at ground beetle, bee, and bird communities occupying yards in Washington D.C., Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Miami, FL, Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA. I am currently developing new projects looking at how yard management impacts biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships, the biodiversity support from urban afforestation, and methods for developing a certification program for yard restoration.
Current Projects:
Selected Relevant Publications:
Funding: NSF Macrosystems
Residential yards represent an excellent example of conservation opportunity on shared land. Yards connect the global public to the natural world, increase ecological knowledge, and support wildlife habitat that provide essential ecosystem services. By encouraging a new ethos of land management through a network of private landowners, conservation can successfully combine human values and ecological needs and form partnerships to transform the places we live into ecologically functional habitat. However, to make meaningful change, we need quantitative comparisons of the biodiversity supported in shared land and how benefits of residential environmental stewardship scale across space and time. Much of my research has explored how residential yard management impacts community composition of insects and birds, with a focus on how these decisions impact environmental filtering of species traits and realized ecosystem service. My previous work has looked at ground beetle, bee, and bird communities occupying yards in Washington D.C., Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Miami, FL, Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA. I am currently developing new projects looking at how yard management impacts biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships, the biodiversity support from urban afforestation, and methods for developing a certification program for yard restoration.
Current Projects:
- Urban Macrosystems Project (in collaboration with >12 different institutions across the country)
- Proof of Life: Developing a residential yard evaluation program for monitoring rewilding success (with Plan it Wild)
Selected Relevant Publications:
- Cubino, P., Cavender-Bares J., Lerman, S. B., Groffman, P.M., Avolio, M.L., Trammell, T.L.E., Wheeler, M. M., Larson, K.L., Narango, D.L., Neill, C., Bratt, A.R., Hall, S. J., Hobbie, S.E. (2020) Taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional composition and homogenization of residential yard vegetation with contrasting management. Landscape and Urban Planning, 202, p.103877.
- Larson, K.L., Fleeger, M., Wheeler, M.M., Andrade, R., Brown, J., Hall, S.J., Lerman, S.B., Narango, D.L. (2020) Who’s abuzz about bees? Explaining Residents’ Attitudes in Phoenix, Arizona. Urban Ecosystems, 24: 35-48.
- Lerman, S.B. Narango, D.L., Avolio, M.L., Bratt, A.R., Engebretson, J.M., Groffman, P.M., Hall S.J., Heffernan, J.B., Hobbie, S.E., Larson, K.L., Locke, D.H., Neill, C., Nelson, K.C., Padullés Cubino, J., and Trammell, T.L.E. Macroecological patterns of local and landscape management on urban breeding bird communities; How does yard management affect community composition? Ecological Applications, in press.
- Larson K.L., Lerman, S., Nelson, K., Groffman P., Grove, M., Narango, D.L., Neil, C., Wheeler, M. Examining the potential to expand wildlife-supporting residential yards and gardens. Landscape and Urban Planning.
- Lerman, S.B, Narango, D.L., Andrande, R., Warren, P.W., Grade, A., Straley, K. Book Chapter: Wildlife in the city: human drivers and human consequences. In: Urban Ecology: Its Nature and Challenge.
- Lerman, S.B., Narango, D.L., Goddard, M., Marra, P.P. Humanity for Habitat—Residential yards as an opportunity for conservation. In revision.
- Grijseels, N. et al. 15+ additional coauthors. Evapotranspiration of residential lawns across the United States. Accepted, Water Resources Research.
- Narango, D.L., 15+ additional coauthors. Nature-based yards support higher potential for biodiversity-derived ecosystem services in cities across space and time. In prep.
- Narango, D.L., 15+ additional coauthors. Urban land management and canopy cover affects ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity across six US metropolitan cities. In prep.
Funding: NSF Macrosystems
* indicates undergraduate mentee
