DOI: 10.5061/dryad.tb2rbp06p
title: Historical racial redlining and contemporary patterns of income inequality negatively affect birds, their habitat, and people in Los Angeles, California

description: The Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) was a U.S. government-sponsored
 program initiated in the 1930s to evaluate mortgage lending risk. The
 program resulted in hand-drawn ‘security risk’ maps intended to grade
 sections of cities where investment should be focused (greenlined areas)
 or limited (redlined zones). The security maps have since been widely
 criticized as being inherently racist and have been associated with high
 levels of segregation and lower levels of green amenities in cities across
 the country. Our goal was to explore the potential legacy effects of the
 HOLC grading practice on birds, their habitat, and the people who may
 experience them throughout a metropolis where the security risk maps were
 widely applied, Greater Los Angeles, California (L.A.). We used
 ground-collected, remotely sensed, and census data and descriptive and
 predictive modeling approaches to address our goal. Patterns of bird
 habitat and avian communities strongly aligned with the luxury-effect
 phenomenon, where green amenities were more robust, and bird communities
 were more diverse and abundant in the wealthiest parts of L.A. Our
 analysis also revealed potential legacy effects from the HOLC grading
 practice. Associations between bird habitat features and avian communities
 in redlined and greenlined zones were generally stronger than in areas of
 L.A. that did not experience the HOLC grading, in part because redlined
 zones, which included some of the poorest locations of L.A., had the
 highest levels of dense urban conditions, e.g., impervious surface cover.
 In contrast, greenlined zones, which included some of the city's
 wealthiest areas, had the highest levels of green amenities, e.g., tree
 canopy cover. The White population of L.A., which constitutes the highest
 percentage of a racial or ethnic group in greenlined areas, was aligned
 with a considerably greater abundance of birds affiliated with natural
 habitat features (e.g., trees and shrubs). Conversely, the Hispanic or
 Latino population, which is dominant in redlined zones, was positively
 related to a significantly greater abundance of synanthropic birds, which
 are species associated with dense urban conditions. Our results suggest
 that historical redlining and contemporary patterns of income inequality
 are associated with distinct avifaunal communities and their habitat,
 which potentially influence the human experience of these components of
 biodiversity throughout L.A. Redlined zones and low-income residential
 areas that were not graded by the HOLC can particularly benefit from
 deliberate urban greening and habitat enhancement projects, which would
 likely carry over to benefit birds and humans.
description: We used point count data to collect bird data, remote sensing,
 and field approaches for the predictor data. We also used Census data from
 existing products. Please reference our paper for the full
 methodology.
description: These data, furnished as CSV files, are related to the analyses
 to address the objectives of our study. We also include R Markdown files,
 that have code, plots, and statistical outputs for ease of reference for
 some analyses. If one were inclined to redo our analyses, please either
 reference our analysis section, which details which tests (most are
 straightforward to implement in R), or use the code in the R Markdown
 files, and the associated CSV files (identified by which objective the
 data are intended for).
description: # Wood, E. M., S. Esaian, C. Benitez, P.J. Ethington, T. Longcore, L.Y.
 Pomara. Historical racial redlining and contemporary patterns of income
 inequality negatively affect birds, their habitat, and people in Los
 Angeles, California. Ornithological Applications ## Description of the
 Data and file structure These data, furnished as CSV files, are related to
 the analyses to address the objectives of our study. We also include R
 Markdown files, with similar names, that has all code, plots, and
 statistical outputs for ease of reference. If one were inclined to redo
 our analyses, please use the code in the R Markdown files, and the
 associated CSV files (it has the same name as the R Markdown file). 1. All
 data below are found in the associated CSV file (Wood et al. redlining and
 birds - Objective 1 and 2 Analysis). Data in the CSV file can be used for
 all analyses, including multivariate analyses for objectives 1 and 2.
 Variable Name Description * Number Number of sites * Group Site Name *
 Longitude Longitude * Latidude Latidude * HOLC\_code HOLC code *
 HOLC\_code\_groups HOLC code\_groups for analysis * Income\_status Low,
 medium, high income status * acwo\_abundance\_nmixture Acorn Woodpecker
 abundance (nmixture model estimate) * alhu\_abundance\_max\_count
 Allen's Hummingbird abundance (max count) *
 amcr\_abundance\_max\_count American Crow abundance (max count) *
 amro\_abundance\_max\_count American Robin abundance (max count) *
 anhu\_abundance\_nmixture Anna's Hummingbird abundance (nmixture
 model estimate) * bewr\_abundance\_nmixture Bewick's Wren abundance
 (nmixture model estimate) * blph\_abundance\_max\_count Black Phoebe
 abundance (max count) * btpi\_abundance\_nmixture Band-tailed Pigeon
 abundance (nmixture model estimate) * btyw\_abundance\_nmixture
 Black-throated Gray Warbler abundance (nmixture model estimate) *
 bush\_abundance\_nmixture Bushtit abundance (nmixture model estimate) *
 calt\_abundance\_nmixture California Towhee abundance (nmixture model
 estimate) * casj\_abundance\_nmixture Acorn Woodpecker abundance (nmixture
 model estimate) * cora\_abundance\_max\_count California Scrub-Jay
 abundance (max count) * deju\_abundance\_max\_count Dark-eyed Junco
 abundance (max count) * ecdo\_abundance\_max\_count Eurasian Collared-Dove
 abundance (max count) * eust\_abundance\_nmixture European Starling
 abundance (nmixture model estimate) * hofi\_abundance\_max\_count House
 Finch abundance (max count) * hosp\_abundance\_max\_count House Sparrow
 abundance (max count) * lego\_abundance\_max\_count Lesser Goldfinch
 abundance (max count) * modo\_abundance\_nmixture Mourning Dove abundance
 (nmixture model estimate) * nomo\_abundance\_max\_count Northern
 Mockingbird abundance (max count) * oati\_abundance\_nmixture Oak Titmouse
 abundance (nmixture model estimate) * ocwa\_abundance\_max\_count
 Orange-crowned Warbler abundance (max count) * rcki\_abundance\_nmixture
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet abundance (nmixture model estimate) *
 rcpa\_abundance\_nmixture Amazonia spp. abundance (nmixture model
 estimate) * ropi\_abundance\_nmixture Rock Pigeon abundance (max count) *
 rwwb\_abundance\_max\_count Red-whiskered Bulbul abundance (max count) *
 spto\_abundance\_nmixture Spotted Towhee abundance (nmixture model
 estimate) * towa\_abundance\_nmixture Townsend's Warbler abundance
 (nmixture model estimate) * wcsp\_abundance\_nmixture White-crowned
 Sparrow abundance (nmixture model estimate) * webl\_abundance\_max\_count
 Western Bluebird abundance (max count) * yrwa\_abundance\_nmixture
 Yellow-rumped Warbler abundance (nmixture model estimate) *
 Forest\_abundance\_sum Forest-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Shrub\_abundance\_sum Shrub-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Synanthrope\_abundance\_sum Synanthrope-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Natural\_lands\_abundance\_sum Natural-lands-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Exotic\_abundance\_sum Exotic-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Migrant\_abundance\_sum Migratory-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Resident\_abudance\_sum Resident-bird abundance (aggregate) *
 Cumulative\_richness Cumulative bird richness * Forest\_richness
 Forest-bird abundance * Shrub\_richness Shrub-bird abundance *
 Natural\_lands\_richness Natural-lands-bird abundance *
 Synanthrope\_richness Synanthrope-bird abundance * Exotic\_richness
 Exotic-bird abundance * Migratory\_richness Migratory-bird abundance *
 Resident\_richness Resident-bird abundance * Building density Building
 density of parcels * Year built Year a parcel was built * Land value $
 Land value $ of parcels * Last sale price $ Last sale price $ of parcels *
 Bedrooms & bathrooms Bedrooms & bathrooms of parcels *
 Square footage Square footage of parcels * Tree canopy cover % Tree canopy
 cover % * Grass cover % Grass cover % * Impervious cover % Impervious
 cover % * Building cover % Building cover % * Paved surface % Paved
 surface % * Street-tree density Street-tree density * Street-tree
 dominance Street-tree dominance * Street-tree importance value Street-tree
 importance value * Natural areas & wildlife sanctuaries Natural
 areas & wildlife sanctuaries - distance in m * Ecological sites
 Ecological sites - distance in m * Regional parks & gardens
 Regional parks & gardens - distance in m * Golf courses Golf
 courses - distance in m * Cemeteries Cemeteries - distance in m * Beaches
 & marinas Beaches & marinas - distance in m 2. All data
 below are found in the associated CSV file (Wood et al. redlining and
 birds - Objective 4 mixed model Analysis). Data in the csv file can be
 used for the mixed model, time series analysis of objective 4. * Number
 Number * TRT2000 Census tract id for 2000 (see Ethington et al. 2000,
 cited in paper) * Year Decadal year identifier * Race Race or ethnicity of
 dominant group in a census tract * Proportion Proportion of the race or
 ethnic group in a tract * holc\_grade THE HOLC grade, intersected and
 applied to a given census tract 3. All data below are found in the
 associated CSV file (Wood et al. redlining and birds - Objective 4 and 5
 AnalysesWood et al. redlining and birds - Objective 4 and 5 Analyses).
 Data in the CSV file can be used for the mixed model, time series analysis
 of objective 4. OBJECTID OBJECTID * GEOID Identified to link with 2000
 census tract outlines (see Ethington et al. 2000) * holc\_grade HOLC grade
 assigned to census tract * Race Dominant race or ethnicity category of
 census tract * White\_percent percent White within census tract in
 2015-2019 ACA database * Asian\_percent percent Asian within census tract
 in 2015-2019 ACA database * Black\_percent percent Black within census
 tract in 2015-2019 ACA database * Hispanic\_Latino\_percent percent
 Hispanic or Latino within census tract in 2015-2019 ACA database *
 RLandVmean Parcel land values (average) of census tract * CanPmean % tree
 canopy cover of parcels (average) within census tract) * prc\_fit
 predicted forest-bird abundance (mean values) * prc\_se predicted
 forest-bird abundance (standard error) * prc\_u\_fit predicted urban-bird
 abundance (mean values) * prc\_u\_se predicted urban-bird abundance
 (standard error) * holc\_id HOLC id for individual HOLC polygon (largest)
 within a census tract. ## Sharing/access Information All data are
 available to share, use for metanalyses, etc. For any questions, please
 contact: ERIC WOOD, PH.D.Associate Professor of Avian & Urban
 EcologyDepartment of Biological SciencesCalifornia State University, Los
 Angeles5151 State University Dr.Los Angeles, CA
 90032-8201www.ericmwood.orgwww.ericmwood@calstatela.edu001 323 343 2055
 --- Research Associate Natural History Museum of L.A County Department of
 Ornithology