DOI: 10.5061/dryad.w0vt4b91v
title: The ecological legacy effects of redlining on urban landscapes and bird communities in Durham, North Carolina

description: Residential segregation's legacy effect persists today in many US
 cities that used to employ redlining policies by the Home Owner Loan
 Cooperation (HOLC) in the 1930s. Understanding how historical redlining
 affects modern-day environmental conditions and wildlife communities is of
 great importance for urban wildlife conservation and environmental
 justice. We examined how redlining affects modern-day tree canopy
 cover, impervious surfaces, and urban heat island effects at the HOLC zone
 level in Durham, NC, USA. We also randomly generated sampling points for
 avian point counts to examine the redlining effect on the bird communities
 in urban parks located in HOLC zones with three repeat visits to each
 point roughly a week apart during one breeding season and one non-breeding
 season.
description: # The ecological legacy effects of redlining on urban landscapes and bird
 communities in Durham, North Carolina
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.w0vt4b91v](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.w0vt4b91v) There are datasets from the 4 objectives of this study. (1) Our first objective is to examine the redlining effect on tree canopy cover, impervious surfaces, and urban heat island effects at the HOLC zone level. (2) Our second objective is to examine the redlining effect on bird community measures including species richness and abundance at the urban parks level. (3) Our third objective is to examine species-specific responses to redlining to identify which species’ abundance was influenced by redlining at the urban parks level. (4) Our fourth objective is to examine how redlining might influence bird community composition by comparing dissimilarity in species composition. ## Description of the data and file structure ### Objective 1 | Dataset name | Dataset descriptions | | :----------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Redlining\_forest\_imp\_grid\_08122024.csv | Contains data on percent forest cover and impervious surfaces across HOLC zones. | | Redlining\_af\_hi\_f\_08122024.csv | Contains data on afternoon heat index across HOLC zones. | | Redlining\_af\_t\_f\_08122024.csv | Contains data on afternoon temperature across HOLC zones. | | Redlining\_am\_hi\_f\_08122024.csv | Contains data on morning heat index across HOLC zones. | | Redlining\_am\_t\_f\_08122024.csv | Contains data on morning temperature across HOLC zones. | | Redlining\_pm\_hi\_f\_08122024.csv | Contains data on evening heat index across HOLC zones. | | Redlining\_pm\_t\_f\_08122024.csv | Contains data on evening temperature across HOLC zones. | | Variable name | Variable descriptions | | :--------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | holc\_id | The sub-category of HOLC zones.  | | holc\_grade | The 4 grades of HOLC zones (A, B, C, D) | | Percent\_forest\_cover | The percentage of forest cover at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones. "n/a" represent missing data. | | Percent\_imp\_cover | The percentage of impervious surfaces at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones. | | AF\_HeatIndex\_MEAN | The mean afternoon heat index at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones in July 2021. "n/a" represent missing data. | | AF\_Temp\_MEAN | The mean afternoon temperature at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones in July 2021. "n/a" represent missing data. | | AM\_HeatIndex\_MEAN | The mean morning heat index at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones in July 2021. "n/a" represent missing data. | | AM\_Temp\_MEAN | The mean morning temperature at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones in July 2021. "n/a" represent missing data. | | PM\_HeatIndex\_MEAN | The mean evening heat index at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones in July 2021. "n/a" represent missing data. | | PM\_Temp\_MEAN | The mean evening temperature at each 100 by 100 m grid across HOLC zones in July 2021. "n/a" represent missing data. | ### Objective 2 | Dataset name | Dataset descriptions | | :------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Bird\_data\_covariates\_summer\_08092024.csv | Bird species richness and abundance at the urban parks level during the breeding season. | | Bird\_data\_covariates\_winter\_08092024.csv | Bird species richness and abundance at the urban parks level during the non-breeding season. | | Variable name | Variable descriptions | | :----------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Site\_ID | Site ID for each sampling point. | | Study\_location | Study locations of "A/B zone", "C/D zone", and "Rural". | | Park Name | The name of the park where data collection took place. | | Lat | Latitude of the sampling point. | | Lon | Longitude of the sampling point. | | Species\_richness | The number of species documented for each visit. | | Visit | The 3 visits to each sampling point ("first", "second", "third"). | | Abundance | The number of individual birds documented for each visit. | | Species\_richness\_native | The number of native species documented for each visit. | | Abundance\_native | The number of individual birds of native species documented for each visit. | | Species\_richness\_seasonal | The number of seasonal species documented for each visit. | | Abundance\_seasonal | The number of individual birds of seasonal species documented for each visit. | | Species\_richness\_year\_round | The number of year-round species documented for each visit. | | Abundance\_year\_round | The number of individual birds of year-round species documented for each visit. | | P\_forest\_cover | The percentage of forest cover at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones. | | P\_imp | The percentage of impervious surfaces at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones. | | Dist\_Stream\_m | The distance from the sampling points to the closest stream in meters. | | VHDI | Vertical habitat diversity index. | ### Objective 3 Breeding season: There is a total of 23 datasets for 23 study species. The naming convention of the 23 datasets are as follows [4-letter species code] + [N_mixture] + [Summer_08092024]. The 4-letter species codes are below. Non-breeding season: There is a total of 22 datasets for 22 study species. The naming convention of the 22 datasets are as follows [4-letter species code] + [N_mixture] + [Winter_08092024]. The 4-letter species codes are below. American Robin (*Turdus migratorius*) - AMRO, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (*Polioptila caerulea*) - BGGN, Brown-headed Nuthatch (*Sitta pusilla*) - BHNU, Blue Jay (*Cyanocitta cristata*) - BLJA, Brown Creeper (*Certhia americana*) - BRCR, Brown Thrasher (*Toxostoma rufum*) - BRTH, Carolina Chickadee (*Poecile carolinensis*) - CACH, Carolina Wren (*Thryothorus ludovicianus*) - CARW, Chimney Swift (*Chaetura pelagica*) - CHSW, Dark-eyed Junco (*Junco hyemalis*) - DEJU, Downy Woodpecker (*Dryobates pubescens*) - DOWO, Eastern Bluebird (*Sialia sialis*) - EABL, Eastern Towhee (*Pipilo erythrophthalmus*) - EATO, European Starling (*Sturnus vulgaris*) - EUST, Fish Crow (*Corvus ossifragus*) - FICR, Great Crested Flycatcher (*Myiarchus crinitus*) - GCFL, Gray Catbird (*Dumetella carolinensis*) - GRCA, Hermit Thrush (*Catharus guttatus*) - HETH, House Sparrow (*Passer domesticus*) - HOSP, House Wren (*Troglodytes aedon*) - HOWR, Yellow-rumped Warbler (*Setophaga coronata*) - MYWA, Northern Cardinal (*Cardinalis cardinalis*) - NOCA, Northern Mockingbird (*Mimus polyglottos*) - NOMO, Red-bellied Woodpecker (*Melanerpes carolinus*) - RBWO, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (*Corthylio calendula*) - RCKI, Red-eyed Vireo (*Vireo olivaceus*) - REVI, Tufted Titmouse (*Baeolophus bicolor*) - TUTI, White-breasted Nuthatch (*Sitta carolinensis*) - WBNU, White-throated Sparrow (*Zonotrichia albicollis*) - WTSP, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (*Sphyrapicus varius*) - YBSA. | Variable name | Variable descriptions | | :--------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Site\_ID | Site ID for each sampling point. | | V1 | The number of individual birds (from a given species) detected at the first visit for each sampling point. | | V2 | The number of individual birds (from a given species) detected at the second visit for each sampling point. | | V3 | The number of individual birds (from a given species) detected at the third visit for each sampling point. | | Study\_area | Study locations of "A/B zone" and "C/D zone". | | Park Name | The name of the park where data collection took place. | | Lat | Latitude of the sampling point. | | Lon | Longitude of the sampling point. | | P\_forest\_cover | The percentage of forest cover at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones. | | P\_imp | The percentage of impervious surfaces at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones. | | AF\_T\_MEAN | The mean afternoon temperature at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones in July 2021. | | PM\_HI\_MEAN | The mean evening heat index at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones in July 2021. | | PM\_T\_MEAN | The mean evening temperature at each sampling point's 100 m buffer in urban parks across HOLC zones in July 2021. | | Dist\_Stream\_m | The distance from the sampling points to the closest stream in meters. | | Temp1 | The temperature at the time of avian point count at the first visit for each sampling point (F). | | Temp2 | The temperature at the time of avian point count at the second visit for each sampling point (F). | | Temp3 | The temperature at the time of avian point count at the third visit for each sampling point (F). | | Weather1 | The cloud condition at the time of avian point count at the first visit for each sampling point (0 = clear, 1 = partly cloudy, 2 = mostly cloudy, 3 = overcast). | | Weather2 | The cloud condition at the time of avian point count at the second visit for each sampling point (0 = clear, 1 = partly cloudy, 2 = mostly cloudy, 3 = overcast). | | Weather3 | The cloud condition at the time of avian point count at the third visit for each sampling point (0 = clear, 1 = partly cloudy, 2 = mostly cloudy, 3 = overcast). | | Wind1 | The wind condition at the time of avian point count at the first visit for each sampling point (0 = no wind, 1 = low wind, 2 = moderate wind, 3 = extreme wind). | | Wind2 | The wind condition at the time of avian point count at the second visit for each sampling point (0 = no wind, 1 = low wind, 2 = moderate wind, 3 = extreme wind). | | Wind3 | The wind condition at the time of avian point count at the third visit for each sampling point (0 = no wind, 1 = low wind, 2 = moderate wind, 3 = extreme wind). | | Noise1 | The background noise condition at the time of avian point count at the first visit for each sampling point (0 = no noise, 1 = low noise, 2 = moderate noise, 3 = extreme noise). | | Noise2 | The background noise condition at the time of avian point count at the second visit for each sampling point (0 = no noise, 1 = low noise, 2 = moderate noise, 3 = extreme noise). | | Noise3 | The background noise condition at the time of avian point count at the third visit for each sampling point (0 = no noise, 1 = low noise, 2 = moderate noise, 3 = extreme noise). | | Natural\_Ground\_layer | The prevalence of the presence of the natural ground layer at each sampling point (0 = absence, 12 = full presence, the number between 0 and 12 indicate the prevalence level with higher number indicating higher prevalence). Please see detailed descriptions in the methods section of the manuscript. | | Herbaceous\_layer | The prevalence of the presence of the herbaceous layer at each sampling point (0 = absence, 12 = full presence, the number between 0 and 12 indicate the prevalence level with higher number indicating higher prevalence). Please see detailed descriptions in the methods section of the manuscript. | | Shrub\_layer | The prevalence of the presence of the shrub layer at each sampling point (0 = absence, 12 = full presence, the number between 0 and 12 indicate the prevalence level with higher number indicating higher prevalence). Please see detailed descriptions in the methods section of the manuscript. | | Understory\_layer | The prevalence of the presence of the understory layer at each sampling point (0 = absence, 12 = full presence, the number between 0 and 12 indicate the prevalence level with higher number indicating higher prevalence). Please see detailed descriptions in the methods section of the manuscript. | | Canopy\_layer | The prevalence of the presence of the canopy layer at each sampling point (0 = absence, 12 = full presence, the number between 0 and 12 indicate the prevalence level with higher number indicating higher prevalence). Please see detailed descriptions in the methods section of the manuscript. | | VHDI | Vertical habitat diversity index. | ### Objective 4 | Dataset name | Dataset descriptions | | :--------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Summer\_matrix\_08122024.csv | The bird community data in a matrix format during the breeding season. | | Winter\_matrix\_08122024.csv | The bird community data in a matrix format during the non-breeding season. | | Variable name | Variable descriptions | | :-------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | site | Site ID for each sampling point. | | HOLC | Study locations of "A/B zone parks" and "C/D zone parks". | | visit | The visit to each sampling point (V1 = the first visit; V2 = the second visit; V3 = the third visit). | | date | The date of the avian point count. | | time | The time of the day of the avian point count. | | nspecies | The number of species documented for each avian point count. | | (species common name) | For the rest of the columns in the dataset, they are the number of individual birds documented for each species. |