雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

In today's lecture, we'll discuss the impact of urbanization on local ecosystems. One key point is that while cities often reduce biodiversity, they can also create new habitats. For example, the peregrine falcon has successfully adapted to nesting on skyscrapers, which mimic its natural cliff habitats. However, this adaptation is not without challenges. The main issue is the high mortality rate of young falcons due to collisions with glass windows and vehicles. Interestingly, studies show that urban falcon populations have higher breeding success than their rural counterparts, but only when there are adequate green spaces nearby. These green spaces provide essential prey, such as pigeons and starlings, which thrive in urban environments.