Drivers of Vegetation Species Diversity and Composition in Urban Ecosystems

Abstract

In terrestrial systems, plants are the base of the food web, and their population growth is generally limited by resource availability rather than by higher trophic levels (Hairston et al. 1960). Plants are also important components of the biogeochemical cycles that drive the movement of energy and resources. As primary producers, plants make energy available to higher trophic levels by converting sunlight, via photosynthesis, into biomass. Plants also create highly textured and structured habitat that provides food and cover for wildlife. Patterns of vegetation are shaped by variation in climate, soils, and disturbances, and provide the environmental template that drives patterns of species interactions throughout food webs. Where in this picture do urban areas fit? Vegetation in Terrestrial Urban SystemsEcologists increasingly recognize the pervasive impacts of human activities on the diversity, structure, and function of vegetative communities, as well as their ecosystem services (e.g. Turner 2010). With the majority of the world's growing human population living in cities (Chap. 1, Grimm et al. 2008), rapid urbanization has led to the realization that built environments must provide a diverse suite of ecological functions for both people and wildlife. Today, research foci have shifted from

Rethinking Biological Invasions as a Metacommunity Problem

“…Humans can also alter the other side of the equation, competitive ability, by selectively promoting or eliminating species. Intentional cultivation of invasive species is common, particularly in built environments and agricultural settings (Johnson and Swan, 2014), and horticulture is a major vehicle for the introduction of invasive species (Reichard and White, 2001). Surveys from non-governmental organizations suggest that possibly as many as 83% of invasive plants in the United States had horticultural origins (Niemiera and Von Holle, 2009).…”

Variations in the trophic niches of the golden jackal Canis aureus across the Eurasian continent associated with biogeographic and anthropogenic factors

“…It should also be noted that there was a methodological issue with the plant materials food category, as this included both wild and cultivated species in many of the reviewed articles and consequently these were categorised into a single item in the study. Cultivated plants may be available in urban areas, originating from ornamental and roadside plants (Johnson & Swan 2014) or might represent the leftovers from human meals, and may represent a staple food resource for carnivores that have shifted their diets to be more omnivorous (Fedriani et al 2001, Hisano et al 2016. Therefore, jackals may shift their foraging strategies from feeding on small mammals to consuming rich vegetative resources in urban areas.…”

The forgotten habitats in conservation: early successional vegetation

“…The rapid expansion of urbanization is eliminating early successional vegetation (Forman, 2014;Johnson & Swan, 2014). As a consequence, many of the plants, insects, birds, and mammals that depend on this type of vegetation are expected to disappear from large parts of their distribution during the next few years (Rodewald & Gehrt, 2014;Ramírez-Restrepo & MacGregor-Fors, 2017).…”

“…For example, large areas previously covered with pristine forests are now covered with thickets or second growth vegetation (Cardoso Da Silva & Bates, 2002;Joyce, 2006). Second, the rapid expansion of urbanization is eliminating the second growth vegetation, with no concern for the diversity found in such habitats (Biamonte, Sandoval, Chacón, & Barrantes, 2011;Forman, 2014;Johnson & Swan, 2014). It is understandable that for their rich biodiversity and size of trees, pristine or mature forests have become a main focus of conservation.…”