| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.85 |
| Liaison | Chad Carwein |
| Submission Date | Jan. 17, 2023 |
East Carolina University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.00 / 2.00 |
Chad
Carwein University Sustainability Manager HSC Facilities Services |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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?:
Yes
A brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:
East Carolina University is located in Greenville, NC which is located within the 36th Global Biodiversity Hotspot called the North American Coastal Plain.
Found almost entirely within the United States, the North American Coastal Plain reaches from a small section of northern Mexico along the Gulf of Mexico and up the East Coast to southeastern Massachusetts. This region has long been misunderstood, which is why it was not classified as a biodiversity hotspot until 2016. Despite the 1,816 endemic plant species and the 1.13 million square kilometers of area, the hotspot has a low level of geographic variety and an unusually low level of elevation change when compared to the other hotspots, leading the scientific community to assume it would be less biodiverse.
The North American Coastal Plain is a fire-dependent region. When early European settlers first came to the area, they thought local Native American tribes started the periodic fires. In reality, the fires were not only natural but needed by the plant and animal species in the region, which had evolved to depend on them.
Found almost entirely within the United States, the North American Coastal Plain reaches from a small section of northern Mexico along the Gulf of Mexico and up the East Coast to southeastern Massachusetts. This region has long been misunderstood, which is why it was not classified as a biodiversity hotspot until 2016. Despite the 1,816 endemic plant species and the 1.13 million square kilometers of area, the hotspot has a low level of geographic variety and an unusually low level of elevation change when compared to the other hotspots, leading the scientific community to assume it would be less biodiverse.
The North American Coastal Plain is a fire-dependent region. When early European settlers first came to the area, they thought local Native American tribes started the periodic fires. In reality, the fires were not only natural but needed by the plant and animal species in the region, which had evolved to depend on them.
Endangered and vulnerable species
No
A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:
---
Areas of biodiversity importance
No
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
---
Methodologies
If yes to either of the above, provide the following:
---
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
---
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
---
Optional Fields
31.70
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:
SOURCES:
Jeff McKinnon, ECU Biology Professor
Heather Vance-Chalcraft, ECU Biology Professor
Calculation: [WRC (631 acres) + OCNA (70 acres)] / Total Area (2,214.8 acres)
The East Carolina Biodiversity Initiative promotes and supports research, education, and outreach associated with biological fields. The East Carolina Biodiversity Initiative serves the community of eastern North Carolina by providing educational programs designed to engage citizens in issues related to biology, the conservation of biodiversity, and the relevance of biological factors to human health and quality of life.
https://campusoperations.ecu.edu/sustainability/natural-areas/
Jeff McKinnon, ECU Biology Professor
Heather Vance-Chalcraft, ECU Biology Professor
Calculation: [WRC (631 acres) + OCNA (70 acres)] / Total Area (2,214.8 acres)
The East Carolina Biodiversity Initiative promotes and supports research, education, and outreach associated with biological fields. The East Carolina Biodiversity Initiative serves the community of eastern North Carolina by providing educational programs designed to engage citizens in issues related to biology, the conservation of biodiversity, and the relevance of biological factors to human health and quality of life.
https://campusoperations.ecu.edu/sustainability/natural-areas/
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.