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Abstract: As urbanization encroaches the habitats of wild animals, humans encounter and coexist with wild mammals more often. Wild mammals such as deer may negatively affect humans living urban or suburban areas by causing traffic accidents and spreading tick-borne pathogens. To control deer populations around urban areas, trends in deer population should be analyzed. However, long-term monitoring studies of deer population trends in urban areas and the surrounding forests are scarce. Hence, in this study, we analyzed the trends in sika deer population in forests surrounding Lake Shikotsu in Hokkaido, Japan, and determined its relationship with the distance from the study area to urban areas. We employed the spotlight count method to record the number of deer, and we calculated the relative densities of sika deer in the study area. Our results revealed that the density of sika deer in the study area increased by 3.5-fold over a 10-year survey period. In addition, our results confirmed the increase in deer populations around urban areas, not just the source population of deer far from urban areas, suggesting the possibility of further increases around urban areas. Therefore, to prevent conflicts with deer in urban areas, it is necessary not only to identify suitable habitats but also to implement intensive population control in source populations and populations around urban areas. PubDate: 2025-06-14
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Abstract: Urban green infrastructure is essential for maintaining bird diversity in cities because it provides resources and acts as protective sites for urban bird species while facilitating their mobility. In developi... PubDate: 2025-06-07
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Abstract: Lawns in the twenty-first century dominate urban green infrastructure, fulfilling ecosystem services and functioning as a social, cultural, and ecological phenomenon. This study is the first in Australia to co... PubDate: 2025-06-06
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Abstract: Urban habitat fragmentation poses critical challenges for biodiversity conservation. This study investigates two key biogeographic patterns – the small island effect (SIE) and nestedness – in bryophyte communi... PubDate: 2025-06-03
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Abstract: Lawns are ubiquitous in North American urban environments and constitute a simplified ecosystem with low plant diversity compared to natural ecosystems. Given their prevalence, these areas have great potential to enhance biodiversity, for example by increasing their attractiveness to pollinators. However, scientific data on the use of alternative groundcovers in established lawns is scarce. The goal of this two-year project was to monitor the attraction of pollinators and resilience of four different groundcover species (Fragaria virginiana Miller, Bellis perennis L., Trifolium repens L., and Thymus serpyllum L.) incorporated into existing lawns in Québec City and Montréal (Canada). A total of nine experimental sites were established in June 2021. A conventionally mowed lawn as well as an unmowed lawn were included as controls at each site. Plant survival, growth, and flowering data were collected at 21-day intervals in 2021 and monthly in 2022. Sweep net sampling was performed to assess pollinator diversity and abundance. Our results showed that all four species can be successfully introduced into established lawns. Fragaria virginiana and T. serpyllum had the highest survival, T. repens and T. serpyllum showed the highest cover, and B. perennis consistently produced the most flowers despite having a lower survival. Established lawns at all sites already had significant floral diversity, which resulted in minimal impact of groundcover introduction on pollinator abundance and diversity. However, a total of 2,389 bees and hover flies were captured, which highlights the positive effects of diversified lawns on pollinators. PubDate: 2025-06-02
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Abstract: Trees play a vital role in urban environments, and understanding people’s perceptions can help develop homegardens that enhance ecosystem services for urban well-being. This study explores homegardens as supplementary urban green infrastructure. We assessed tree structures and diversity in residential areas of Depok, West Java. Additionally, we surveyed people’s views on the functions and benefits of trees. Surveys were conducted in three Depok subdistricts—homegardens, green spaces, and roadsides—between August and September 2021. Prior to this, we distributed questionnaires across the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA), including Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, in September 2020. Our findings on trees (n = 235) revealed that there were 40 species of trees from 22 families. The roadsides had higher species richness, while homegardens contained more edible fruiting trees. The questionnaire results (n = 472) indicated that urbanization impacts plant diversity, with Bogor having the most diverse homegardens and Jakarta having the highest number of homegardens without trees. Most respondents recognized the importance of trees, though no significant correlation was found between their perceptions and tree benefits. However, respondents without homegardens valued trees for air purification, while those planting fruit trees did so primarily for harvest. This suggests land ownership fosters a stronger connection to plants and their functions. The diverse plant compositions in homegardens highlight their potential as supplementary urban green infrastructure, contributing to functional ecosystem services in urban areas. PubDate: 2025-06-02
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Abstract: Our understanding of urban ecosystems in Egyptian cities is currently quite limited. This study marks a first step toward filling that gap, with a particular focus on the unique environments of the Kharga and Dakhla Oases in Egypt’s southern Western Desert. This study explores the floristic composition, structure and plant species distribution patterns in the 4 identified habitats: home gardens (HG), public gardens (PG), road islands (RI), and vacant lots (VL). It also attempts to unravel the complex relationships between soil conditions, species diversity, habitat types, nativity, conservation status and the distribution of species functional groups (SFGs) across the four distinct urban habitat landscapes. A comprehensive floristic survey was conducted between February and December 2023 to study the vegetation and the environment sampled from 39 permanently visited plots across the habitats in Dakhla and Kharga Oases distributed as follows: 11 in public gardens, 16 in home gardens, 8 in road islands, and 4 in vacant lots. For each recorded taxon in sampled plot, information on its presence/absence, life form, habitat type, nativity, IUCN conservation status category, functional group, and soil samples were collected. Multivariate analysis procedures were applied to assess the relationships between the soil characteristics, species distribution in recognized habitats and estimated diversity indices. In total, 173 plant taxa from 52 families and 134 genera, with therophytes (annuals) dominating the flora (50.3%), followed by phanerophytes (25.4%), reflecting adaptations to the region’s extreme aridity. Native plants constituted 55.5% of the flora, while non-native plants accounted for 16.2%, highlighting the significant influence of human activities, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, on species composition. Managed habitats, particularly home gardens (HG) and public gardens (PG), exhibited the highest species richness, hosting a diverse mix of native, cultivated, and ornamental taxa. Home gardens, with 132 plant taxa, were characterized by fruit trees and native xerophytes, while public gardens, with 112 plant taxa, supported ornamental and wetland plant taxa. In contrast, disturbed habitats such as road islands (RI) and vacant lots (VL) were dominated by weeds and xerophytic taxa, adapted to harsh, unmanaged conditions. Vacant lots, with only 44 taxa, were the least diverse, reflecting the challenging environmental conditions of these unmanaged areas. Multivariate analyses, including Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), revealed significant differences in the composition of vegetation clusters across habitats, affected by soil properties such as moisture content, salinity, and nutrient availability. Soil variables like electrical conductivity, total soluble salts, and chloride content were particularly influential in shaping taxa distribution in saline environments, while organic matter and clay content played key roles in managed habitats. The study identified seven distinct vegetation groups, each associated with specific indicator species and habitat conditions, further emphasizing the role of environmental filtering in structuring urban plant communities. PubDate: 2025-05-31
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Abstract: Wildlife living within human-dominated and/or modified landscapes may explore and use unconventional habitats. Our study investigates the overlooked potential of stormwater sewer systems (SSSs) as habitat for two urban-dwelling species: raccoons (Procyon lotor) and southeastern myotis bats (Myotis austroriparius). Here we focus specifically on the construction-based factors that most greatly affect the occupancy of these two species within the SSS of Alachua County, Florida. With many vertebrates using SSSs for movement, foraging, and roosting, knowing what factors influence a system’s usability is important when designing urban corridors. Our findings suggest that raccoon occupancy in SSSs was most closely related to the proximity to the nearest exit, while bats seem to select roosting sites based on the level of impervious surface aboveground. Raccoons have a preference to remain near an exit suggesting that their presence in SSSs may be exploratory or constrained by food or light availability. Southeastern myotis prefer limited impervious surface disturbance aboveground, potentially because of reduced noise pollution, aiding in roosting site preference, or resource availability. We use these findings to discuss ways that construction design and stormwater management can be more wildlife friendly. PubDate: 2025-05-29
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Abstract: Urban plant diversity patterns are influenced by socioeconomic factors, yet our understanding of these relationships in Global South cities remains limited. We investigated how taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity of woody plants vary across Harare's socioeconomic gradient, examining patterns for indigenous and exotic species. We surveyed 300 household yards across 15 suburbs representing low-, medium-, and high-density areas, characterized by differences in property values, population density, and yard size. For combined species, both taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity showed significant positive relationships with property value and yard area, supporting the 'luxury effect' hypothesis. However, patterns differed when analysing species groups separately. Exotic species demonstrated strong socioeconomic filtering, with greater taxonomic diversity in wealthy areas but consistently low phylogenetic turnover across suburbs, suggesting selection of evolutionarily related species. Indigenous species showed unexpected resilience in high-density areas, maintaining greater phylogenetic diversity than affluent suburbs. While species turnover dominated overall beta-diversity patterns, phylogenetic nestedness contributed substantially more than taxonomic nestedness, particularly for exotic species. These findings challenge conventional urban ecology paradigms and highlight the importance of considering both taxonomic and phylogenetic dimensions when assessing urban biodiversity. The retention of phylogenetically diverse indigenous communities in high-density areas presents opportunities for biodiversity conservation in African cities. PubDate: 2025-05-28
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Abstract: Urbanization continues to be a major threat to biodiversity. The knowledge of local and site characteristics that influence species diversity within cities is of importance to design and manage urban spaces that promote biodiversity and ecosystem services. While the characteristics of urban green spaces for biodiversity have been studied in detail, the urban matrix has received less attention. We, therefore, studied the role of sampling site and local-scale parameters at different urbanization intensities on bird and tree communities during the breeding season across the city of Salzburg encompassing the heterogeneity of the urban landscape. We found more exotic than native tree species, however areas with many trees, were dominated by native tree species. Although building cover negatively related to bird species richness at all scales, bird species richness increased with the amount of grass cover, the number of trees and the number of native tree species at the smallest, i.e. sampling site, scale. Building cover and the number of trees in a sampling site also influenced bird community composition. At larger scales, land cover (i.e., building cover and green urban area) was more strongly related to bird community composition than sampling site characteristics. Relationships with community composition can partly be explained by species-specific responses as the occurrence of different species was associated with different sampling site characteristics. Our study shows the importance of unsealed soil, i.e. grass cover, and native trees on bird communities within cities, but different species may require different configurations of these habitat parameters. Furthermore, also within the urban matrix site characteristics can promote avian diversity even in areas with high building cover. PubDate: 2025-05-28
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Abstract: The global expansion of road networks has intensified ecological pressures on wildlife through roadkill, driving increased scholarly interest in recent decades. This study conducts a bibliometric and content analysis of 1,453 peer-reviewed publications—including journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, and reviews—published between 1955 and 2023, to explore historical trends, thematic developments, and geographic patterns in wildlife roadkill research. Publication output has grown rapidly since 2000, with over 75% of studies published after 2010. Research is concentrated in a few countries, with the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Australia accounting for 49% of total output. Taxonomic biases are evident, as mammals (44%) and herpetofauna (27%) are the most studied groups, while birds and invertebrates are underrepresented. Geographic imbalances also persist, with limited research focused on biodiversity-rich regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies three dominant thematic clusters: core road ecology and applied conservation, human–wildlife interaction and theoretical perspectives, and taxon-specific and biodiversity-oriented studies. Despite the growing availability of scalable tools—such as citizen science, remote sensing, and machine learning—their application in roadkill research remains limited. Additionally, most studies focus on species classified as “Least Concern,” while those facing higher extinction risks receive little attention. These patterns reveal critical gaps in the taxonomic and conservation coverage of current literature. This review highlights the need for more longitudinal studies, inclusive taxonomic and geographic representation, and interdisciplinary approaches to better inform sustainable infrastructure planning and reduce biodiversity loss from wildlife–vehicle collisions. PubDate: 2025-05-28
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Abstract: Rattus norvegicus, a globally distributed invasive species, has successfully established urban populations in close association with humans posing significant economic and public health challenges worldwide. Understanding the relationship between landscape features and genetic differentiation among R. norvegicus populations is crucial for developing effective control and management strategies. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic connectivity among R. norvegicus populations in different urban environments of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires including parks, urban reserves, port areas, informal settlements, and residential neighborhoods. A total of 69 individuals were captured and analyzed from 17 sites representing diverse urban settings. Genomic DNA was extracted using the salting-out protocol, and Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) was employed to analyze 863 SNPs distributed across the genome. Nei’s genetic distances and principal component analysis revealed clustering among populations from proximate sites, while FST fixation indices indicated that most populations from different sites are genetically distinct. Furthermore, analysis with STRUCTURE v2.3.4 identified four genetic populations that largely correspond to the previously identified clusters. The high genetic similarity among populations from nearby sites, along with the observed population structuring, can be attributed to limited dispersal of R. norvegicus, the inherent environmental heterogeneity of the urban matrix, habitat fragmentation, and the presence of landscape features acting as barriers or corridors to gene flow. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of more effective, ecology-based management plans in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires and its surrounding regions. PubDate: 2025-05-26
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Abstract: Urban green spaces (UGS) can be in diverse forms and provide important ecosystem services. City parks and community gardens have attracted a lot of attention while urban orchards are comparatively understudied, despite their ability to serve as a potential multipurpose landscape to promote environmental health in cities. In this study, we compared understory plant diversity and soil health in 9 sites representing three types of urban green spaces (community gardens, parks, urban orchards) in Louisville, KY, USA. During the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons, we carried out monthly surveys of understory plant diversity. In 2023, we collected soil samples to assess arbuscular mycorrhizal activity, microbial functional diversity, earthworm communities, soil physical traits, heavy metals contamination, and soil nutrient content. Urban orchards and community gardens had higher total and native understory plant species richness than parks. Urban orchards also had enhanced physical and biotic soil properties compared to gardens and parks. We did not detect any significant differences in nutrient availability between UGS types but found that heavy metals were significantly higher in garden soils compared to parks and orchards, while orchard soils showed enhanced water-holding capacity and earthworm abundance compared to parks. Urban orchards make up only a small fraction of urban green spaces in the US, but our results suggest that they have a great potential to support high plant diversity while improving soil health in urban settings. PubDate: 2025-05-24
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Abstract: Garden flowers play a vital role in urban environments, supporting pollinator communities. Yet, the extent to which floral traits shape urban pollination networks remains poorly understood. This study investigated how garden plants shape year-round pollination networks, sampled in weekly surveys in an urban subtropical garden. We focused on the role of floral morphology (corolla depth), type of resource, relatedness, and phenology in the organization of interactions. We determined whether modularity and species roles were influenced by these floral traits, comparing if legitimate pollination, illegitimate (i.e. non-pollinating) interactions and all interactions had similar drivers. All networks were modular, and in the overall network plants within the same module were morphologically and phylogenetically similar while their phenology was significantly overdispersed throughout the year. Peripheral species, those with few interactions and restricted to a single module, dominated all networks, representing over 85% of interactions. We found that phenology was related to the species role of overall network connectors (species that connect modules) and legitimate module hubs (species that connect their own modules). Both showed no overlap in their flowering periods, providing floral resources at different times of the year. Each module functioned as a distinct unit, showing year-round availability of resources to support its pollinators. This suggests that resource continuity and trait-based filtering may shape pollinator assemblages influencing ecological resilience in urban habitats. Even interactions that do not contribute to plant reproduction can sustain a diverse fauna, highlighting the importance of these interactions in urban green space planning and management. PubDate: 2025-05-24
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Abstract: Cities are emerging as the fastest-growing ecosystems on Earth. While evidence is accumulating that a diverse array of species exploits urban habitats, the mechanisms by which urbanization drives natural selection and shapes phenotypic responses remain poorly understood, particularly in tropical coastal areas. Here, we evaluate the repeatability of phenotypic changes exhibited by the snail Littoraria angulifera, a species closely associated with mangrove trees that thrives in anthropogenic habitats following forest clearing. We compared urban and non-urban populations from three ecoregions along the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Our analysis revealed significant differences in size structure, abundance, onset of sexual maturity, and feeding structures between urban and non-urban populations. Parallel urban phenotypes—characterized by smaller body sizes, increased abundance, earlier sexual maturation, and distinctive radular morphology—have emerged across ecoregions. The unique radular morphology observed in urban snails likely reflects adaptations to the textural differences in anthropogenic habitats. Meanwhile, the consistent patterns in body size and sexual maturation suggest selection for “fast-living” phenotypes, driven by altered thermal regimes resulting from reduced shading after mangrove clearing and the proliferation of impervious surfaces. These findings align with documented phenotypic responses in various terrestrial species to the urban heat island effect, highlighting the broader role of thermal reaction norms as a unifying mechanism shaping the evolution of ectothermic organisms in urban environments. PubDate: 2025-05-20
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Abstract: The heterogeneous land-use configuration in urban environments alters autumn leaf senescence, influencing ecosystem services and biogeochemical cycling. This study investigated spatial heterogeneity of leaf senescence and the influence mechanisms of land-use composition via thermal regulation for five tree species in Wuhan’s urban area. The key phenophases of leaf senescence Peak Leaf Coloration (PLC) and End of Leaf Fall (ELF) were identified with drone-derived imagery. Land-use composition was quantified with the Percentage of Landscape (PLAND) of various land-use categories within 0.5–5.0 km buffer radii. The results revealed an advancing pattern of leaf senescence with increasing distance from the urban core along the Yangtze River Bank (p PubDate: 2025-05-19
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Abstract: Urbanisation entails significant habitat loss leading to degradation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and fragmented landscapes. Urban parks, which can take the form of large forest remnants, lawns, or a combination of the two, provide habitat for some species. The type of park and its location relative to other land uses affect the communities of species it supports. This study examined the composition of invertebrate communities, with emphasis on species richness and diversity of Coleoptera in parks along a gradient from low to high levels of urbanisation intensity, measured as the proportion of impervious surface within a surrounding buffer. The diversity of invertebrates differed only between parks at each end of the urbanisation gradient and a consistent, although non-significant, trend of increasing diversity from high to low intensity surrounding urbanisation. Parks situated closest to a large green space (> 30 ha in area; typically semi-natural, such as a reserve), had highest invertebrate richness, abundance and diversity. Increasing proportion of impervious surface had only a minor impact on invertebrate communities, likely due to the pre-selection of species tolerant to fragmentation and non-native vegetation. However, increasing urban densification will likely harm invertebrate diversity. Coleoptera communities were similar across all parks, although parks with patches of high-quality vegetation presented slightly different assemblages, potentially supporting less urban-tolerant species. While lawns are not completely sterile environments for invertebrates, enhancing vegetation heterogeneity in urban green spaces and creating green corridors for dispersal will improve invertebrate richness and diversity in urban parks, while retaining their amenity value. PubDate: 2025-05-19
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Abstract: Accurate characterization of wood properties is important for informing urban forestry science, policy and management related to carbon cycling, ecosystem services modeling, and wood utilization. In this study, urban wood samples were collected and analyzed for basic specific gravity (SG) and ash content (AC), two important wood properties that inform biomass estimation and potential for biofuel feedstocks. Samples were collected in Baltimore, Maryland, USA across four urban site types from seven tree species commonly planted in urban settings. Results were compared with published values for forest-grown trees and from a previous study of urban stump wood. Site type comparisons yielded some significant differences. Siberian elm trees in tree pits had higher SG than those grown in unrestricted sites. Ash species and Siberian elm had highest AC in trees grown in lawn strips, while red maple AC was lowest in lawn strip trees. Consistent with previous work, results suggest that urban SG and AC may be higher than published values from forest-grown trees, but this depends on species and site type. Although data collection is logistically challenging, further work is needed to increase sample sizes and expand the number of species characterized to better support modeled estimates from urban tree inventories. PubDate: 2025-05-10
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Abstract: Urban expansion and intensified human activities have threatened the integrity of small lotic ecosystems, particularly in high biodiversity regions such as the Amazon. This study investigated the influence of habitat quality on the biological diversity of urban streams (locally known as “igarapés”) in the Southwestern Amazon, focusing on the fish communities, aquatic insects of the Odonata order, and EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) in 10 igarapés in Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil. The results revealed that preserved igarapés exhibited higher diversity, richness, and evenness, indicating environments which are more favorable to native biodiversity. Conversely, degraded habitats showed a high dominance of opportunistic and non-native species, such as Poecilia reticulata, reflecting the impacts of environmental degradation. Habitat integrity and canopy cover were identified as key variables influencing community composition. Sensitive species, such as Pyrrhulina cf. brevis and EPT families, were associated with preserved habitats, whereas generalist species, like Perithemis mooma, prevailed in degraded areas. These results highlight the importance of conservation and restoration strategies to mitigate anthropogenic impacts. Given the environmental variability observed in aquatic habitats, we emphasize that future studies should expand the spatial and temporal scales of sampling and reduce the taxonomic resolution for EPT analysis. PubDate: 2025-05-09
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