Bat Occurrence and Diversity in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Locations around Nashville, Tennessee

As urbanization increases, awareness of the effects of urbanization is crucial for the preservation of wildlife. Many species have adapted to urban areas while others are less successful in locations with a large extent of human impacts, such as noise and light pollution. Bats can be bioindicators for the impact of urbanization on wildlife. During this study, bat echolocation was recorded using an Echo Meter Touch 2 starting around sunset for an hour, once a week, during late September and October 2023. Bat species were confirmed using Kaleidoscope Pro Analysis Software. Environmental variables that could affect the presence of bats were recorded at each location, including noise and light pollution levels. Urban areas had a greater occurrence of bats. Examining the occurrence and species diversity of bats in sites with different levels of urbanization can indicate how urbanization impacts wildlife and strategies that can be taken to preserve species richness in developed areas

The Effect of Greenroof Growing Substrate on Edible Drought-Tolerant and Drought-Sensitive Plants

Instead of normal soil, growing substrate must be used on green roofs because of its reduced weight. Growing substrate does not retain water as well as soil nor contain as many nutrients. Our experiment addresses whether the more drought-tolerant blackberry plant will thrive better and live longer in the growing medium on the green roof than the drought-sensitive raspberry plant. To test this, we planted two blackberry and three raspberry plants in a 1.5m x 2m plot on the green roof on the JAAC. We expect the blackberries to survive longer due to their drought-resistant qualities. Our research has the potential to help guide the choices made by future green roof planters when selecting edible plants