%0 Student Work %T The Effect of Proximity to Urbanization on Piping Plover Nest Productivity %A Brady, Megan %D 2021-11-04 %8 2021-11-29 %I Worcester Polytechnic Institute %R https://digital.wpi.edu/show/w9505339q %X Though significant efforts have been made in Massachusetts to help the piping plover population recover from near-extinction, piping plover productivity is still far lower than desired for continued conservation of the species. Using plover monitoring data collected from beaches throughout the Massachusetts coast, our team analyzed the relationship between piping plover productivity and various standards of urbanization to determine if beach and nest proximity to urbanization have an effect on plover productivity. Our study found that nests closer to urban centers were more likely to have a higher productivity, however, these more urban beaches were less stable over time and, on average, demonstrated a decrease in productivity over the study period. %9 Major Qualifying Project %~ Digital WPI %W WPI