Presentation Details
| Surviving but not Thriving: The Health Paradox of Living in an Urbanized World Madeline Grace1, Ximena Bernal1, 2. 1Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panamá, Panama |
Abstract
As urbanization reshapes ecosystems, it drives shifts in prey availability that influence wildlife foraging and nutritional health. These novel foodscapes can promote behavioral and morphological changes compared to the strategies used in natural habitats. Such changes diverge from feeding strategies shaped over evolutionary time, potentially impacting the physiology and fitness of urban animals. Despite growing recognition of urban “winner” species, the nutritional and health consequences of these dietary shifts remain poorly understood. We propose integrating foraging ecology with nutritional and physiological outcomes to better understand how urban landscapes shape wildlife health. We outline how changes in prey availability and reliance on anthropogenic resources disrupt nutrient balance and gut microbial communities, generating hidden costs despite apparent success. Using túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), dietary specialists abundant in cities, as an empirical case, we examine how urban-driven dietary change influences prey preference and nutrition. Advancing this integrative framework is essential for uncovering mechanisms underlying wildlife responses to urbanization.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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