Urban biodiversity hotspots wait to get discovered: The example of the city of Ioannina, NW Greece

Kantsa, Aphrodite; Tscheulin, Thomas; Junker, Robert R.; Petanidou, Theodora; Kokkini, Stella

doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.08.013

Cited by 41 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…In cities, plant habitats are disturbed, and vegetation communities often remain at early successional stages due to this disturbance. Mediterranean cities, where plant diversity and endemism are high, can offer a prospective refuge regardless of whether urban plant habitats are semi-natural or anthropogenic [81]. Plant diversity in Mediterranean cities has been assessed through floristic surveys in Greece, Italy and Spain [82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity conservation in cities: Defining habitat analogs for plant species of conservation interest

Itani

Zein

Nasralla

et al. 2019

Preprint

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28Urban plant habitats have become primary drivers of species interactions. They consist of managed 29 vegetation and spontaneous assemblages of native, naturalized, ornamental garden escapes, and invasive 30 species. Our objective was to define urban habitat analogs for a plant species of conservation interest, 31 Matthiola crassifolia, which has persisted in varying abundance in the Mediterranean city of Beirut. 33We adopted a stepwise method that integrates two vegetation assessments, floristics, and physiognomy. We 34 placed seventy-eight quadrats (1m x 1m) in 12 study sites following a deliberate biased method to capture 35 habitat diversity. In every quadrat, we performed taxonomic identification and recorded life form of each 36 species. We pooled species that shared the same life form into categories and estimated area cover for each 37 of these life forms. We performed TWINSPAN analysis on floristic data to identify species positively 38 associated with M. crassifolia, and on life forms, to determine plant assemblages that promote optimal M. 39 crassifolia representation. We then combined findings from both analyses to generate a description of urban 40 habitat analogs suitable for M. crassifolia. 41 42 The results revealed that urban habitat analogs favorable to M. crassifolia include green spaces dominated 43 by palms, low-lying succulents, or by shrubs with scale-like leaves. On the other hand, spaces dominated by 44 turf grass, canopy trees, or vegetation that produces significant litter were not favorable to M. crassifolia's 45 persistence. Based on these findings, we generated a plant palette of native and non-native species to design 46 urban habitat analogs favorable to the persistence of M. crassifolia. 48Synthesis and applications. The application of this method can inform planting designs that yield suitable 49 habitats for plants of conservation interest. It can also guide landscape management plans that seek to create 50 or modify green spaces to optimize growing conditions for species of conservation interest. Depending on 3 51 sites, and based on the information generated by the stepwise method, designers and managers may decide 52 to exclude life forms of native or non-native species that do not support the growth of a species of 53 conservation interest, or they may create an artificial habitat that is conducive to its persistence. 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 72 73 Ornamental, native, naturalized, garden escapes, and invasive plant species, grow in managed, partially 74 managed or unmanaged artificial urban habitats. Native plant species of conservation interest can adapt to 75 such disturbed urban conditions depending on their ruderal behaviors [1]. However, their persistence is 76unlikely as their fate depends on how these artificial habitats are conceived, designed, and managed. This 77 becomes critical when the geographic distribution of a species lies within the boundaries of the city. Urban 78 biodiversity strategies have proposed to transform a...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity conservation in cities: Defining habitat analogs for plant species of conservation interest

Itani

Zein

Nasralla

et al. 2019

Preprint

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“…Cracks in concrete roadways, sidewalks, and walls form one of the most distinctive niches in urban environments. Even in severely degraded urban areas, the microhabitat within these cracks can be rich in resources (such as soil, water, salt, and petroleum products) and can support a diversity of plants (including some of conservation interest; Kantsa et al 2013), microorganisms, and invertebrates (Figure 5a). Similarly, vegetated facades intentionally installed along exterior walls of buildings support a high diversity of spiders and beetles (Madre et al 2015).…”

Section: Self-healing Concretementioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging threats in urban ecosystems: a horizon scanning exercise

Stanley

Beggs

Bassett

et al. 2015

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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As urbanization intensifies, urban ecosystems are increasingly under pressure from a range of threats. Horizon scanning has the potential to act as an early warning system, thereby initiating prompt discussion and decision making about threat mitigation. We undertook a systematic horizon scanning exercise, using a modified Delphi technique and experts from wide‐ranging disciplines, to identify emerging threats in urban ecosystems. The 10 identified threats were generally associated with rapid advances in technology (eg solar panels, light‐emitting diode lights, self‐healing concrete) or with societal demands on urban nature (eg green prescriptions). Although many of the issues identified are also technological opportunities with recognized environmental benefits, we have highlighted emerging risks so that research and mitigation strategies can be initiated promptly. Given the accelerated rate of technological advancement and the increasing demands of urbanized populations, horizon scanning should be conducted routinely for urban ecosystems.

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“…Urban areas are becoming important areas for conserving and managing urban wildlife (Kantsa et al 2013). Parasites could contribute greatly to the structure, diversity, conservation, function and health of urban biodiversity, and future studies focusing on the understanding of the transmission dynamics and the ecology of wildlife pathogens in species will corroborate if this pattern of Isospora infection in granivorous and insectivore passerines can be applied more generally.…”

Section: B Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential influence of urbanisation on Coccidian infection in two passerine birds

Delgado-V

French

2015

Parasitol Res

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Urbanisation has the potential to increase the risk of parasitism on wildlife. Although some ectoparasite groups appear unaffected, different responses are hypothesised for parasites with simpler life histories such as gastrointestinal parasites. Red-browed finches (RBF) and the superb fairywrens (SFW), two native passerine birds affected by urbanisation, were examined for Coccidian parasites along an urbanisation gradient in New South Wales, Australia, in order to detect if prevalence might be directly related to the degree of urbanisation. Influence of urbanisation on Coccidian infection was differential. In RBF, the prevalence of Isospora increased significantly in more urbanised areas but prevalence did not change between breeding and non-breeding seasons. In contrast, in SFW, the degree of urbanisation did not significantly change with the degree of urbanisation, and season exhibited no significant effects on the prevalence of coccidians. Diet, behaviour and habits are suspected to be the most influential factors on the variation seen between both species where granivorous and gregarious species are significantly infected. Since the dynamics of urban wildlife-pathogen interactions is largely unexplored, more studies are needed to corroborate if this pattern of Isospora infections can be extended to other passerine birds in cities from Australia and overseas.

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Urban biodiversity hotspots wait to get discovered: The example of the city of Ioannina, NW Greece

Cited by 41 publications

References 49 publications

Biodiversity conservation in cities: Defining habitat analogs for plant species of conservation interest

Biodiversity conservation in cities: Defining habitat analogs for plant species of conservation interest

Emerging threats in urban ecosystems: a horizon scanning exercise

Differential influence of urbanisation on Coccidian infection in two passerine birds

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