Enqi Zhan
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Nathan Fox
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Sustainable Future Hub / SNRE
Program: UROP
Session: Session 3 (11:00am – 11:50am)
Authors: Nathan Fox
Abstract
The Great Lakes region is known for its diverse habitats for a variety of bird species. However, with the increased amount of man-made pollutants, bird species are under more threats. Other researchers have found correlations between that mercury level impedes birds’ neurological functions (Rutkiewicz et el., 2011) while some have found little correlation between heavy metal in water and birds’ reproduction abilities (Bowerman et el., 1994). There is little research on the overall effect of toxic chemicals on birds’ migration patterns. With the help of social-media data, such as those found in social media and online platforms like Flickr and Reddit, one can analyze the trend of bird species across the Great Lakes region by their occurrences online. Data collected from people who voluntarily upload images and text descriptions can also be used for identifying known areas of chemical pollutants. Using spatial analysis and time series analysis, the relationship between the relative population of a bird species and pollutant “hotspots†can be correlated. By comparing the locations of bird spotting online and pollutant sources, one can gain insight into the effects of man-made pollution on birds’ migration patterns and population changes over time.
