| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.57 |
| Liaison | Rebecca Collins |
| Submission Date | Dec. 14, 2023 |
Temple University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Rebecca
Collins Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution own or manage land that includes or is adjacent to legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, or regions of conservation importance?:
A brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:
Has the institution conducted an assessment to identify endangered and vulnerable species (including migratory species) with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution?:
A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:
Scientist and researchers at Ambler Field Station have conducted standardized sampling of various taxonomic groups, including woody plants, some herbaceous plants, birds, spiders, fungi, and bats at the Field Station. In addition, we populate our biodiversity list using data collected through citizen science applications including iNaturalist and eBird.
Through acoustic monitoring of bats, we detected a northern myotis Myotis septentrionalis, which is listed federally and statewide as an Endangered species. While we do not do any active management of the species, it was observed in a forested habitat that is protected by the Field Station (and therefore the university) as an ecological observatory.
Has the institution conducted an assessment to identify areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution?:
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
Temple University's Field Research Station and Arboretum encompasses the 187 acres of Ambler Campus.
Researchers update a species list that contains records of all species identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level in the natural environments and designed gardens on Temple Ambler Campus.
Additionally, the Field Research Station established the Temple Forest Observatory.
A partial list of plant species that are critically endangered, endangered, extinct in the wild, and vulnerable is provided as an attachment.
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
Temple Ambler Field Station Species List:
Each taxon is represented only once in the dataset, and it specifically records occurrences rather than abundances. The identification process was carried out by senior scientists, specialists, and citizen scientists who visited the campus. Field identifications were initially recorded and then cross-referenced with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) database backbone to ensure standardization of species names.
https://ambler.temple.edu/sites/ambler/files/documents/tua-fs_masterspplistcomplete_forupload2023.pdf
Ambler Arboretum:
The process involves looking up each species in Temple Arboretum's plant records database in the online IUCN red list database (https://www.iucnredlist.org/), to find out which are considered threatened or endangered.
Temple Forest Observatory:
In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO), a global network that spans 72 sites in 27 countries, the Temple Ambler Field Station is establishing the Temple Forest Observatory as a platform for inquiry-based education and long-term forest research.
The Temple Forest Observatory, established in partnership with the Ambler Arboretum, will produce georeferenced maps of woody plants in two 4-hectare research plots, in an older growth and a secondary forest, providing a resource for advanced study of ecosystems, geospatial patterns, and more.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
Temple Ambler Field Station Species List:
This data base is dynamic and will be regularly updated as new identifications are incorporated or verified.
https://ambler.temple.edu/sites/ambler/files/documents/tua-fs_masterspplistcomplete_forupload2023.pdf
Temple Forest Observatory:
This initiative will provide detailed and publicly available data on forest dynamics as well as hands-on opportunities for students to engage in forest science. This collaboration prioritizes the recruitment, training, and mentorship of students from under-represented populations in science to contribute to a national effort to diversify the sciences and harness the full potential of the next generation.
https://ambler.temple.edu/field-station/research/temple-forest-observatory
https://ambler.temple.edu/arboretum/about-arboretum
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
Temple Field Research Station and Ambler Arboretum collaborate to protect and positively affect identified species, habitats, and ecosystems through educational events and research efforts outlined above.
Estimated percentage of areas of biodiversity importance that are also protected areas :
Website URL where information about the institution’s biodiversity initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.