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Context
Urban areas are traditionally overlooked by ecologists, but contain a wide range of biodiversity. The existing procedures for consistent recording of habitats and biodiversity are not sufficient to adequately describe urban environments in a fine scale.
Objectives
A method is required to provide information on biodiversity and its spatial...
Citations
... Artificial Built Elements ABE Impervious surfaces, buildings, and other Land cover was classified with a version of the UrHBA method [39], streamlined for exclusive use with remote sensing data, especially considering the low resolution and black/white colour of the older photographs. UrHBA is a spatially explicit method, based on the visual interpretation of the landscape, designed to describe urban environments in a fine scale, making it particularly oriented for scientific research, urban planning, and data communication. ...
... The land cover categories used in this study are (1) Artificial Built Elements, ABE; (2) Trees and Shrubs, TRS; (3) Herbaceous, HER; (4) Sparsely Vegetated-Terrestrial, SPV; and (5) Sparsely Vegetated-Aquatic, AQU (Table 1). These were adapted from Urban Habitat Categories and super-categories from UrBHA (for further detail and definition of the categories, see [39,51]). The mapping procedure was also simplified-all elements were mapped as patches, even if with a linear shape; the minimum dimension for patches to be distinguished was 2000 m 2 , and the minimum width was 5 m. ...
... Land cover categories (adapted from[39]). ...
As more people reside in cities and metropolitan areas, urban vegetation assumes an increasingly important role as one the main providers of ecosystem services in close proximity to human agglomerations. To improve the conditions for citizens and to optimise the sustainability of urban areas, the fields of landscape and urban ecology need to address the urgent priority to integrate ecological data in spatial planning, design, and management programs. With the objective to produce “actionable knowledge” for urban planning in the city of Porto (Portugal), we analyse the evolution of land cover since the mid-20th century at a fine spatial scale. Porto has followed the global trends of urbanisation, marked by a general increase in built-up and impervious surfaces that conquered the previously rural surrounding areas. This caused a severe decline in vegetation cover (especially herbaceous), as well as an increase in fragmentation and isolation of the remaining vegetation patches. These outcomes provide a detailed analysis of the city spatial dynamics, generating valuable information that can be relevant for future interventions regarding urban landscape change at a local scale, the most relevant for planning.
... After 2015, three articles ranked above 0.7(Bakker et al., 2019;Daly et al., 2018;Pomerantz et al., 2018), and seven articles below 0.3(Farinha- Marques et al., 2017;Gatti and Notarnicola, 2018;Prasanna et al., 2017) (Figure 1). Before 2015, 13 articles ranked above 0.7(Adams et al., 2014;Hammer et al., 2014;Salako et al., 2014), and 16 articles below 0.3(Gioia and Pigott, 2000;Ponder et al., 2001;Roxanne Steele and Chris Pires, 2011). ...
Biodiversity assessment is constitutive in establishing conservation priorities and outcomes, and geodiversity complements species richness as a surrogate in the absence of species data, improves statistical modelling and can facilitate prediction of species distribution and abundance. Yet, geodiversity is frequently excluded, and biodiversity prioritised in conservation endeavours such as ecosystem-based management. Therefore, combined geodiversity and biodiversity assessment approaches present practical benefits to conservation such as improved collaboration between biologists and geoscientists, efficacious indicators of conservation value, and abatement of biodiversity partialities and wider inclusion of geodiversity in conservation literature. This study scientometrically analysed 240 biodiversity assessment publications to investigate geodiversity inclusiveness, methodological trends, geographic trends, environment-type trends and future directions in biodiversity assessment methods. Results showed these species richness articles frequently included geodiversity-relevant terms such as hydrological, soil, geological and geomorphological components, but the all-encompassing ‘geodiversity’ term was absent entirely. Geographic trends showed many potential economic, social, cultural and political factors influencing geodiversity inclusiveness in biodiversity assessment. For example, Australia’s relatively resource exploitative approach to geology and early involvement in the inception of the geodiversity concept could explain the high frequency of geological-related terms in Australian biodiversity assessments. Methodological trends showed dominance by field-based biodiversity assessments such as trapping methods, followed transects, quadrats, net methods and observations. Given the specific sample size of literature analysed, inferences from this study relate only to biodiversity assessment methods and not biodiversity discourse in its entirety. Subsequent research could investigate specific factors, such as social, economic or political, and their influence on geodiversity inclusiveness in biodiversity assessment methods.
... In Portugal, particularly, these studies are limited to some floristic relev es within the ruderal vegetation classification (Costa et al., 1997(Costa et al., , 2012Mouga et al., 1995). Although old walls or roofs are recognised as secondary habitats (Mouga et al., 1995), only recently has urban biodiversity begun to be studied from a new perspective by Portuguese researchers (Farinha-Marques et al., 2017;Graça et al., 2018). ...
Urban novel ecosystems were sampled across vacant sites in two Portuguese urban regions. The flora were studied with a focus on spe-cies’ origin, life form, ecological, chorological and naturalisation types. A multivariate constrained ordination technique was used to identify rela-tionships between plant composition and environmental factors. The vegetation of the two urban regions shows differences, highlighting biome influence, as well as due to climatic variables and (to a lesser degree) soil characteristics and lithology. Although native species are clearly dominant, the frequency of non-native species is high and most are potentially or effectively invasive. In the ecological spectrum, the dominance of opportunistic ruderal species suggests a risk of biotic homogenisation in these ecosystems, which is also noticeable in the analysis of life form, but less in chorological and nativeness spectra. Portuguese novel urban ecosystems are, therefore, simultaneously an opportunity, since spontaneous vegetation management is more cost effective and can bring wilderness to cities; and a hazard, because inva-sive species must be controlled to support biodiversity conserva-tion efforts.
... Networks in urban ecosystems reflect heterogeneous landscape patterns with characteristics such as variation in vegetation patches and both vegetation and anthropogenic structure (e.g., buildings) (Farinha-Marques et al. 2017;Lepczyk et al. 2017). Including vegetation measures as well as measures of building structures (e.g., height and volume) in assessments of urban ecological networks is essential, particularly when considering urban bird species, as these structures represent habitat structure and composition for such species (Xie et al. 2016). ...
Context
Although many studies have considered urban structure when investigating urban ecological networks, few have considered the three-dimensional (3D) structure of buildings as well as urban green spaces. Airborne LiDAR datasets provide an opportunity to quantify 3D structure and evaluate 3D metrics in connectivity mapping.
Objectives
We examined an urban ecological network using the 3D structure of both green spaces and buildings.
Methods
Using breeding-season bird species observations and airborne LiDAR data collected, we assessed the influence of 3D structural variables on species diversity. We used correlation analyses to determine if vertical distribution, volume, area, and height of both buildings and vegetation were related to bird species diversity. Then we conducted circuit theory-based current flow betweenness centrality (CFBC) analysis using the LiDAR-derived structural variables.
Results
We found that the volumes of buildings and 8–10 m vegetation heights were both highly correlated with species richness per unit area. There were significant differences between 2D and 3D connectivity analysis using LiDAR-derived variables among urban forest patches, boulevards, and apartment complexes. Within urban forest patches and parks, 3D CFBC represented canopy structural characteristics well, by showing high variance in spatial distributions.
Conclusions
The 3D CFBC results indicated that adjacent high-rise buildings, dense apartment complexes, and densely urbanized areas were isolated, as characterized by low centrality values, but that vegetation planted in open spaces between buildings could improve connectivity by linking isolated areas to core areas. Our research highlights the importance of considering 3D structure in planning and managing urban ecological connectivity.
... As described by Pickett et al. (2016), urban biodiversity can be understood as biophysical patterns that occur in cities (biodiversity-in-the-city paradigm), as an inseparatable combi-can be generalized over the entire city area using e.g. satellite images (Hand et al., 2016;Farinha-Marques et al., 2017;Nilon et al., 2017;Li et al., 2019). Habitat maps can be complemented with data about species or other taxonomic units (Hand et al., 2016;Li et al., 2019) or e.g. ...
... Other types of habitat maps can work equally well, if they comprehensively cover the entire focal area, and the habitat classification is ecologically relevant for the target taxon. These sources can include habitat maps based on vegetation characteristics (Farinha-Marques et al., 2017), automatically-generated habitat maps based on environmental attributes (Li et al., 2019), or, in some cases, even land-cover maps with coarse classification, such as Corine Land Cover (Büttner et al., 2004). Assessment of Biodiversity Quality attributes does not have to be based on the same habitat classification for all taxa; here we used the same classification for the sake of simplicity. ...
Spatial prioritization can produce useful information about biodiversity values from urban areas. However, its typical focus on (endangered) species distributions assumes a rather restricted approach to urban biodiversity. In 2006, Feest suggested that five attributes of species assemblages more holistically describe the so called “Biodiversity Quality” of an area: species richness, biomass, population density, evenness, and rarity. Here we apply these attributes in spatial prioritization for urban biodiversity, across ten taxonomic groups: vascular plants, polypores, fungi (other than polypores), birds, bats, mammals (other than bats), herpetofauna, butterflies, hymenoptera, and beetles. In addition, we introduce two more attributes relevant for urban biodiversity conservation: support for specialist species and regional representativeness of the species assemblages. First, spatial data about local urban biotopes was acquired. For each taxon, the capacity of each urban biotope to support the seven introduced attributes of Biodiversity Quality was evaluated via expert elicitation. Expert opinion was then translated into a spatial analysis implemented with the Zonation software. Different anthropogenic, semi-natural, and natural habitats, such as herb-rich forests, lakeshores, open wastelands, fortifications, and botanical gardens, were identified as important for urban Biodiversity Quality. To minimize negative impact on biodiversity, future construction and development should be directed to built-up areas and agricultural fields. Our conception of urban biodiversity lies in between species- and habitat/ecosystem -based analyses and offers a more comprehensive perception of urban biodiversity than a focus on species distributions only, which facilitates the planning of ecologically sustainable cities and biodiverse urban green infrastructure.
... They are also important sites for in situ conservation of a wide range of plant genetic resources (Agbogidi and Adolor, 2013). Biodiversity is an important property of home gardens that contributes to strengthening the resilience of home gardens at the site scale and the resilience of social-ecological landscapes through a set of cross-scale interactions (Mijatović et al., 2013;McPhearson et al., 2014;Dewaelheyns et al., 2011;Farinha-Marques et al., 2017;Suárez et al., 2016;Sarkki et al., 2017;Smith et al., 2006;Carabine et al., 2015;Norris, 2012;Maruyama, 2016). Thus, the social-ecological landscapes, home gardens, and associated biodiversity are functionally linked through a number of cross-scale interactions. ...
... Greenspaces are often viewed as the principal habitat in towns and cities, providing the most favorable resources for biodiversity (Kong, Yin, Nakagoshi, & Zong, 2010) and acting as dispersal corridors throughout the urban matrix (Murgui, 2009). However, natural or artificial waterbodies ("bluespaces"), buildings, and other human-made structures with diverse forms and functions can also provide food, shelter, and breeding sites (Farinha-Marques et al., 2017), helping to maintain species diversity when there is no natural habitat in close proximity (Savard, Clergeau, & Mennechez, 2000). In developed regions of the world, where intensive agricultural use of the wider landscape has resulted in population declines of species, urban areas are becoming progressively more important in sustaining regional abundances. ...
Urbanization poses a serious threat to local biodiversity, yet towns and cities with abundant natural features may harbor important species populations and communities. While the contribution of urban greenspaces to conservation has been demonstrated by numerous studies within temperate regions, few consider the bird communities associated with different landcovers in Neotropical cities. To begin to fill this knowledge gap, we examined how the avifauna of a wetland city in northern Amazonia varied across six urban landcover types (coastal bluespace; urban bluespace; managed greenspace; unmanaged greenspace; dense urban; and sparse urban). We measured detections, species richness, and a series of ground cover variables that characterized the heterogeneity of each landcover, at 114 locations across the city. We recorded >10% (98) of Guyana's bird species in Georgetown, including taxa of conservation interest. Avian detections, richness, and community composition differed with landcover type. Indicator species analysis identified 29 species from across dietary guilds, which could be driving community composition. Comparing landcovers, species richness was highest in managed greenspaces and lowest in dense urban areas. The canal network had comparable levels of species richness to greenspaces. The waterways are likely to play a key role in enhancing habitat connectivity as they traverse densely urbanized areas. Both species and landcover information should be integrated into urban land‐use planning in the rapidly urbanizing Neotropics to maximize the conservation value of cities. This is imperative in the tropics, where anthropogenic pressures on species are growing significantly, and action needs to be taken to prevent biodiversity collapse.
... As described by Pickett et al. (2016), urban biodiversity can be understood as biophysical patterns that occur in cities (biodiversity-in-the-city paradigm), as an inseparatable combi-can be generalized over the entire city area using e.g. satellite images (Hand et al., 2016;Farinha-Marques et al., 2017;Nilon et al., 2017;Li et al., 2019). Habitat maps can be complemented with data about species or other taxonomic units (Hand et al., 2016;Li et al., 2019) or e.g. ...
... Other types of habitat maps can work equally well, if they comprehensively cover the entire focal area, and the habitat classification is ecologically relevant for the target taxon. These sources can include habitat maps based on vegetation characteristics (Farinha-Marques et al., 2017), automatically-generated habitat maps based on environmental attributes (Li et al., 2019), or, in some cases, even land-cover maps with coarse classification, such as Corine Land Cover (Büttner et al., 2004). Assessment of Biodiversity Quality attributes does not have to be based on the same habitat classification for all taxa; here we used the same classification for the sake of simplicity. ...
Given the challenges posed to agriculture by future climatic changes, and the need to reduce environmental impacts, a key challenge is to develop resilient food production systems. Ecological intensification is an approach proposed to partially replace external inputs with the provision of biodiversity-derived ecosystems services to either maintain or increase food production. One promising practice is crop diversification, which has the potential to improve the provision of multiple ecosystem services underpinning agricultural production, and to confer resilience to abiotic stresses. This study measured a variety of ecosystem services (yield quantity and quality, soil services, pest regulation), and resistance indicators (canopy temperature and senescence rates) under stressed and controled conditions, at three levels of crop rotational diversity in the third year of the rotations. We found that increased crop diversity can maintain yields with reduced external inputs, under varying climatic conditions, with yield increases of 1 t/ha on average, and that diversifying crop rotations can improve stress resistance resulting in more resilient systems. Higher crop diversity resulted in no trade-offs between our measured ecosystem services and increased synergistic effects between stress resistance and crop production and stress resistance and pest regulation. However, farmers will need to use a combination of management approaches, alongside diversifying crop rotations, to maximise the potential of ecological in-tensification.
... Conservation actions should first and foremost focus on these patches. Our case shows that urban areas contain a wide range of biodiversity (Farinha-Marques et al. 2017) and the value of urban ecosystems is very high due to interaction of human, social, built and natural capital (Sutton and Anderson 2016). We could support the statement of Kendal et al. (2017) that, while the theory and evidence showing the conservation benefits of large reserves over small reserves for some organisms is clear, small urban conservation reserves can make a substantial and genuine contribution to regional conservation outcomes. ...
Urban areas host several threatened species in small reserves that face habitat loss and fragmentation due to land-use change. Despite historical and current disturbances, these areas sometimes still maintain high biological diversity. As only 5% of the European Union territory was classified as natural, the permanent grasslands represent overriding value, especially in metropolitan areas. Our aim was to explore protected and adventive plant species in a small and valuable, but till now, not deeply studied area of the densely inhabited 12 th district in the metropolitan city Budapest (Hungary), which is visited by large numbers of people. We compared various historical map sources in order to explain how the extension of the grasslands has changed during the past centuries and, thus, which patches are permanent grassland habitats. We found 29 protected and 1 strictly protected plant species. The highest number of protected plant species and their stands were found in the permanent grasslands. Besides urbanisation, a heavy load of tourism (especially on non-designated routes), off-road mountain biking, airsoft races, some illegal shelters for homeless people and game damage threaten this unique refuge of high natural values. The extension of grasslands between 1783 and 2016 varies from 6.7 ha to 21.5 ha. Their area constantly increased due to deforestation until 1867 and exceeded 20 ha, probably due to the mass increase in livestock grazing; then it stagnated until the 1920s, with a slight decrease due to expanding urban areas. Golf greens appeared, walker and skiing tourism increased and these apparently have not decreased the coverage of grasslands, but surely affected the composition of their species. Recent scrub encroachment and re-forestation caused a further decrease. Our distribution maps show the highest density of protected plant species on the southern slopes (2.4 hectare) that have constantly been grasslands since 1783 to date. Contrarily, the cutting of grasslands from 1861 to date contains only half of their number per area unit. Thus, the number of valuable plant specimens refers to the age of the grassland. Three species occur only in the oldest grasslands. Conservation actions should first and foremost focus on these patches.
... The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA 2005) proposed a widely accepted typology of ecosystem services, under which benefits flow to human populations in four streams: provisioning (e.g., food), regulating (e.g., erosion control), cultural (e.g., recreation), and supporting (e.g., soil formation) services. Similarly, UESs are classified in four categories: provisioning services (e.g., fresh air), regulating services (e.g., erosion control and noise reduction), habitat (e.g., habitats for wildlife such as foxes, rats, and bats), and cultural services (e.g., recreation, esthetic quality, and nature experience) (Cvejić et al. 2015;Heinze 2011;Wentworth 2017;Rakhshandehroo et al. 2015;Farinha-Marques et al. 2017). UESs provide essential benefits for HWB (e.g., increasing physical activity, reducing obesity, stress-reduction, enhanced concentration capacity, recovery from illness, socializing, enjoyment, relaxation, and satisfaction with life) (Rakhshandehroo et al. 2015;Heinze 2011;Cvejić et al. 2015;McPhearson et al. 2014;Carabine et al. 2015). ...
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the major urban ecosystem services (UESs) delivered by a number of green open spaces (GOSs) and their contributions to the human wellbeing (HWB) in four selected sites located in the city of Nicosia of North Cyprus. The objectives of the study were to map the dominant GOSs in the selected sites, to identify the plant species cultivated in the GOSs, and to evaluate the major UESs delivered by the GOSs and their contributions to the components of HWB. The conceptual framework of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was adopted to evaluate the linkages between the different types/components of GOSs, UESs, and HWB. The relevant data were collected by combining quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews and field surveys) research tools. The collected data were evaluated on a 1–5 Likert scale. Overall, 31 UESs and 14 components of HWB were evaluated. The results of the evaluation revealed that 229 plant species are cultivated in the GOSs. The total average relative value of the UESs delivered by the dominant GOSs was estimated to be very low with 2.43 points. The total average relative contribution of the UESs to the HWB seems to be low with 3.56 points. Plant diversity was identified as the main criterion that influences the degree of UESs. We hope that the results of this study can help policy-makers and planners to design more effective policies in terms of building resilient cities and societies in the city of Nicosia and elsewhere.
