Broad Themes
- Species interactions and global change
- Applied management in human-dominated forests and green spaces
- Functional consequences of nonnative plants on terrestrial food webs
- Socio-ecological dynamics of urban and suburban landscapes
- Species interactions and global change
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1) Links between insect and bird declines in montane ecosystems
2) Relationships between plant-animal networks and ecosystem services in managed green spaces
3) Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of host plant use
Relevant Publications:
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W., and Shropshire, K.J. (2020) Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species. Nature Communications, 11, 5751.
- Piel, G.*, Tallamy, D.W., Narango, D.L. Lepidoptera host records accurately predict tree use by foraging birds. Northeastern Naturalist, In press.
- Baisden, E.C., Tallamy, D.W., Narango, D.L., and Boyle E.. (2018) Do cultivars of native plants support insect herbivores? HortTechnology, 28(5): 596-606.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W. Shropshire, K. Forest composition partially mitigates negative effects of urbanization on moth communities. In prep.
Funding: David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship, University of Delaware Doctoral Fellowship, USDA Forest Service, University of Delaware, Mount Cuba Center
Applied management in human-dominated forests and green spaces
Human-dominated landscapes represent some of the most rapidly expanding yet least understood systems on earth. Consequently, management of working- and ‘living-landscapes’ (i.e., cities and suburbs) has widespread effects on abiotic and biotic properties of ecological systems and people who depend on them. Throughout my career, I have focused on mechanistic approaches to understanding the ecology and habitat selection of birds and insects in urban, agricultural, forestry and energy systems to identify effective management approaches for biodiversity conservation.
My current focus is on the application of community science, automated technology, and artificial intelligence to monitor wildlife populations in managed forests and urban green spaces.
Relevant Publications:
Funding: NSF DEB, University of Delaware Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Disney Conservation
Human-dominated landscapes represent some of the most rapidly expanding yet least understood systems on earth. Consequently, management of working- and ‘living-landscapes’ (i.e., cities and suburbs) has widespread effects on abiotic and biotic properties of ecological systems and people who depend on them. Throughout my career, I have focused on mechanistic approaches to understanding the ecology and habitat selection of birds and insects in urban, agricultural, forestry and energy systems to identify effective management approaches for biodiversity conservation.
My current focus is on the application of community science, automated technology, and artificial intelligence to monitor wildlife populations in managed forests and urban green spaces.
Relevant Publications:
- Narango, D.L. and Rodewald, A.D. (2017) Signal information of bird song changes in human-dominated landscapes. Urban Ecosystems, 21(1): 41-50.
- Narango, D.L., and Rodewald, A.D. (2016) Urban-associated drivers of song variation along a rural–urban gradient." Behavioral Ecology 27.2 (2016): 608-616.
- Narango, D. L., Brandao, M.*, Tallamy, D.W., Rice, R.A. Foraging niche and tree preferences of Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia) differs with sex and age in a Bird-friendly® shadecoffee farm. Journal of Field Ornithology, in revision.
- Narango, D.L. Book Chapter: Habitat selection in human-dominated landscapes. In: Songbird behavior and conservation in the Anthropocene. In press.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W., Snyder, K.J.*, and Rice, R.A. (2019) Canopy tree preference by insectivorous birds in shade‐coffee farms: Implications for migratory bird conservation. Biotropica, 51(3): 387-398.
- Keilsohn W.*, Narango, D.L., and Tallamy D.W. (2018) Roadside habitat impacts insect traffic mortality. Journal of Insect Conservation, 22(2): 183-188
Funding: NSF DEB, University of Delaware Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Disney Conservation
- Functional consequences of non-native plants on terrestrial food webs
- Compared to historical assemblages, contemporary plant communities are novel in structure, composition, age, and diversity. Differences are especially true in human-dominated ecosystems where people manage native and nonnative plants for ecological, economic, and cultural services. However, we lack a comprehensive understanding of wildlife responses to altered plant communities. In my research program, I seek to understand how native and nonnative plant communities drive ecosystem-wide function and how informed tree selection can contribute to successful wildlife conservation in highly managed ecosystems. A significant focus of my research has centered on evaluating the ecological consequences of invasive and ornamental plant species on food webs. We have published several papers describing population and community-level effects of non-native plants on insects and birds. My current research has recently expanded into finer-scale examinations of how native and non-native plants impact individual-level insect and bird performance.
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- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W. and Marra, P.P. (2017) Native plants improve breeding and foraging habitat for an insectivorous bird. Biological Conservation, 213: 42-50.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy D.W. and Marra P.P. (2018) Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115, 45: 11549-11554.
- Narango, D.L. (2020) Natural History in the City: Connecting people with the ecology of their plant and animal neighbors. Invited submission for special issue: “Historia naturalis: Inspiring Ecology”. Journal of Natural History Education and Experience, 14, pp.13-17.
- Tallamy, D.W., Narango, D.L., Mitchell, A. Do nonnative plants contribute to insect population declines? Invited submission to special issue on “Insect Declines”. In press, Ecological Entomology.
- Narango, D.L., Carlo, T.A., Tallamy, D.W. and Marra P.P. Tracking nitrogen movement through native and nonnative plant-based food webs using a stable isotope tracer. In revision.
- Narango, D.L., Tallamy, D.W. and Marra P.P. Residential plant communities influence diet, parental effort and nestling condition of Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis). In prep.
- Narango, D.L. et al. Nonnative congeneric trees are poor quality host plants for Callosamia promethea. In prep.
Funding: NSF DEB, The North American Bluebird Society, The Maryland Ornithological Society
Socio-ecological dynamics of urban and suburban ecosystems
Residential yards represent an excellent example of conservation opportunity on shared land. Yards connect the global public to the natural world, increase ecological knowledge, and support wildlife habitat that provide essential ecosystem services. By encouraging a new ethos of land management through a network of private landowners, conservation can successfully combine human values and ecological needs and form partnerships to transform the places we live into ecologically functional habitat. However, to make meaningful change, we need quantitative comparisons of the biodiversity supported in shared land and how benefits of residential environmental stewardship scale across space and time. Much of my research has explored how residential yard management impacts community composition of insects and birds, with a focus on how these decisions impact environmental filtering of species traits and realized ecosystem service. My previous work has looked at ground beetle, bee, and bird communities occupying yards in Washington D.C., Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Miami, FL, Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA. I am currently developing new projects looking at how yard management impacts biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships, and developing a certification program for yard restoration.
Relevant Publications:
Funding: NSF Macrosystems
Residential yards represent an excellent example of conservation opportunity on shared land. Yards connect the global public to the natural world, increase ecological knowledge, and support wildlife habitat that provide essential ecosystem services. By encouraging a new ethos of land management through a network of private landowners, conservation can successfully combine human values and ecological needs and form partnerships to transform the places we live into ecologically functional habitat. However, to make meaningful change, we need quantitative comparisons of the biodiversity supported in shared land and how benefits of residential environmental stewardship scale across space and time. Much of my research has explored how residential yard management impacts community composition of insects and birds, with a focus on how these decisions impact environmental filtering of species traits and realized ecosystem service. My previous work has looked at ground beetle, bee, and bird communities occupying yards in Washington D.C., Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Miami, FL, Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA. I am currently developing new projects looking at how yard management impacts biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships, and developing a certification program for yard restoration.
Relevant Publications:
- Cubino, P., Cavender-Bares J., Lerman, S. B., Groffman, P.M., Avolio, M.L., Trammell, T.L.E., Wheeler, M. M., Larson, K.L., Narango, D.L., Neill, C., Bratt, A.R., Hall, S. J., Hobbie, S.E. (2020) Taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional composition and homogenization of residential yard vegetation with contrasting management. Landscape and Urban Planning, 202, p.103877.
- Larson, K.L., Fleeger, M., Wheeler, M.M., Andrade, R., Brown, J., Hall, S.J., Lerman, S.B., Narango, D.L. (2020) Who’s abuzz about bees? Explaining Residents’ Attitudes in Phoenix, Arizona. Urban Ecosystems, 24: 35-48.
- Lerman, S.B. Narango, D.L., Avolio, M.L., Bratt, A.R., Engebretson, J.M., Groffman, P.M., Hall S.J., Heffernan, J.B., Hobbie, S.E., Larson, K.L., Locke, D.H., Neill, C., Nelson, K.C., Padullés Cubino, J., and Trammell, T.L.E. Macroecological patterns of local and landscape management on urban breeding bird communities; How does yard management affect community composition? Ecological Applications, in press.
- Larson K.L., Lerman, S., Nelson, K., Groffman P., Grove, M., Narango, D.L., Neil, C., Wheeler, M. Examining the potential to expand wildlife-supporting residential yards and gardens. Landscape and Urban Planning.
- Lerman, S.B, Narango, D.L., Andrande, R., Warren, P.W., Grade, A., Straley, K. Book Chapter: Wildlife in the city: human drivers and human consequences. In: Urban Ecology: Its Nature and Challenge.
- Lerman, S.B., Narango, D.L., Goddard, M., Marra, P.P. Humanity for Habitat—Residential yards as an opportunity for conservation. In revision.
- Grijseels, N. et al. 15+ additional coauthors. Evapotranspiration of residential lawns across the United States. Accepted, Water Resources Research.
- Narango, D.L., 15+ additional coauthors. Nature-based yards support higher potential for biodiversity-derived ecosystem services in cities across space and time. In prep.
- Narango, D.L., 15+ additional coauthors. Urban land management and canopy cover affects ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity across six US metropolitan cities. In prep.
Funding: NSF Macrosystems
* indicates undergraduate mentee
