Biehler, DawnBlume, Christopher Phillip2024-03-212024-03-212023-01-0112713https://mdsoar-qa.lib.umd.edu/handle/11603-QA/31550ABSTRACT Title of Document: CHIROPTERA AS BIOMONITORS OF HEAVY METAL DISTRIBUTION IN BALTIMORE CITY Christopher Blume M.S 2023 Directed by: Dr. Dawn Biehler, Dr. Ela-Sita Carpenter, Dr. Chris Hawn, Dr Tamra Mendelson Dr. Colin Studds Heavy metal contaminants such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury are often found in urban zones dominated by industry, construction and traffic. However, due to historic trends of racism and inequality, not all communities experience pollution in the same way. Low socioeconomic and communities of color have often borne the brunt of this ecological injustice due to the disenfranchisement and lack of investment in these communities. This burden impacts both the human communities near sources of contamination but also the wildlife species exposed. However, due to their exposure and adjacency to human communities, certain wildlife species can be used as biomonitors providing information about the health of communities and ecosystems. Bats are one such species due to their high trophic level, closeness to human populations, diet and bioaccumulation of contaminants. By sampling their guano from roosting sites, data on the distribution of contaminants and their concentrations can be determined.application:pdfThis item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by UMBC for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/specoll/repro.php or contact Special Collections at speccoll(at)umbc.eduAcoustic monitoringBiomonitorChiropteraGeographyHeavy MetalText