Conservation in the City

Sanderson, Eric W.; Huron, Amanda

doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01683.x

Cited by 44 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Human population density, urbanization and species richness are positively correlated in North America (Luck et al. 2004), indicating that cities and surrounding areas will be necessary components of biodiversity conservation efforts (Miller & Hobbs 2002; Sanderson & Huron 2011). Urban habitat patches are typically small and highly fragmented, but still maintain a high percentage of regional species richness (Croci et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban landscape genetics: canopy cover predicts gene flow between white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations in New York City

Munshi‐South

2012

Molecular Ecology

135

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In this study, I examine the influence of urban canopy cover on gene flow between 15 white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations in New York City parklands. Parks in the urban core are often highly fragmented, leading to rapid genetic differentiation of relatively nonvagile species. However, a diverse array of 'green' spaces may provide dispersal corridors through 'grey' urban infrastructure. I identify urban landscape features that promote genetic connectivity in an urban environment and compare the success of two different landscape connectivity approaches at explaining gene flow. Gene flow was associated with 'effective distances' between populations that were calculated based on per cent tree canopy cover using two different approaches: (i) isolation by effective distance (IED) that calculates the single best pathway to minimize passage through high-resistance (i.e. low canopy cover) areas, and (ii) isolation by resistance (IBR), an implementation of circuit theory that identifies all low-resistance paths through the landscape. IBR, but not IED, models were significantly associated with three measures of gene flow (Nm from F(ST) , BayesAss+ and Migrate-n) after factoring out the influence of isolation by distance using partial Mantel tests. Predicted corridors for gene flow between city parks were largely narrow, linear parklands or vegetated spaces that are not managed for wildlife, such as cemeteries and roadway medians. These results have implications for understanding the impacts of urbanization trends on native wildlife, as well as for urban reforestation efforts that aim to improve urban ecosystem processes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban landscape genetics: canopy cover predicts gene flow between white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations in New York City

Munshi‐South

2012

Molecular Ecology

135

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“…Despite repeated calls to action in the scientific literature (e.g., Miller & Hobbs ; Rosenzweig ; Dunn et al. ), suggestions for urban biodiversity conservation are still met with surprise, doubt, or scepticism (Semlitsch & Bodie ; Sanderson & Huron ; Salomon Cavin ). It seems there remains a pervasive narrative in policy, practice, and the public psyche that urban environments, while useful for engaging people with nature or providing ecosystem services, are of little conservation value.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correcting common misconceptions to inspire conservation action in urban environments

Soanes

Sievers

Chee

et al. 2018

Conservation Biology

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Despite repeated calls to action, proposals for urban conservation are often met with surprise or scepticism. There remains a pervasive narrative in policy, practice, and the public psyche that urban environments, although useful for engaging people with nature or providing ecosystem services, are of little conservation value. We argue that the tendency to overlook the conservation value of urban environments stems from misconceptions about the ability of native species to persist within cities and towns and that this, in turn, hinders effective conservation action. However, recent scientific evidence shows that these assumptions do not always hold. Although it is generally true that increasing the size, quality, and connectivity of habitat patches will improve the probability that a species can persist, the inverse is not that small, degraded, or fragmented habitats found in urban environments are worthless. In light of these findings we propose updated messages that guide and inspire researchers, practitioners, and decision makers to undertake conservation action in urban environments: consider small spaces, recognize unconventional habitats, test creative solutions, and use science to minimize the impacts of future urban development.

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“…Urbanization threatens biodiversity conservation, for example, reduces species abundance through habitat fragmentation resulting from landscape alterations (Aswani & Sabetien 2008). These threats have led to calls for conservation in urban areas, but such efforts are increasingly challenged by ever dwindling, or at best stagnant, financial resources (Sanderson & Huron 2011). A question of practical relevance to management is how to restore and conserve urban ecosystems despite limited financial resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivational functionalism and urban conservation stewardship: implications for volunteer involvement

Asah

Blahna

2012

Conservation Letters

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Conservation in urban areas faces growing financial challenges and inadequate stakeholder involvement. Conservation psychology can mitigate these challenges in many ways. One way is through conservation volunteerism, if we attend to and capitalize on volunteers' motivations. Conservation volunteerism significantly contributes to ecological knowledge acquisition, and public education and awareness of conservation issues. In this study, we explored volunteers' motivations and how those motivations influence frequency of participation in urban conservation activities. We found that volunteers' frequency of participation is most motivated by personal and social benefits rather than by environment-related reasons. Environmental motivations, otherwise marginally significant, were more salient predictors of participation to the extent that personal and social motivations were met. We discuss how ecologically focused strategies are likely to be less effective for motivating more frequent participation than motivationally based appeals to personal and social motivations of urban conservation. We discuss implications for urban conservation stewardship initiatives and suggest ways that decision makers can harness volunteers' personal and social motivations to meet urban conservation practice and policy goals.

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Conservation in the City

Abstract: A small but growing group of scholars is calling for conservation science to turn its attention to cities, characterized previously in these pages as the places "where

Cited by 44 publications

References 8 publications

Urban landscape genetics: canopy cover predicts gene flow between white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations in New York City

Urban landscape genetics: canopy cover predicts gene flow between white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations in New York City

Correcting common misconceptions to inspire conservation action in urban environments

Motivational functionalism and urban conservation stewardship: implications for volunteer involvement

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