Moritz von der Lippe

Technische Universität Berlin | TUB · Institute of Ecology

Understanding phenological responses of plants to changing temperatures is important because of multiple associated ecological consequences. Cities with their urban heat island can be used as laboratories to study phenological adaptation to climate change. However, previous phenology studies focused on trees and did not disentangle the role of micr...

Wild boar is increasingly establishing populations in the outskirts of European cities, with the largest German urban population occurring in Berlin. Related soil disturbance in grasslands is common and often considered as damage to biodiversity. However, it is unknown how animal and plant species in urban grasslands respond to wild boar activity -...

A key challenge in urban biodiversity conservation is to understand the drivers that govern the population establishment of different groups of species in different urban ecosystems. Here, we ask whether and to what extent vascular plant species establishment (i.e., the ability to establish self-sustaining populations within a certain time span) is...

Urbanisation is known to change biodiversity patterns and plant–animal interactions such as pollination – a key ecological process. Floral traits like colour, size or UV‐patterns are essential attractors for many pollinators. It is largely unknown, though, how the distribution of such floral traits within plant communities changes along an urbanisa...

This datasheet on Railways and roadsides (habitat) covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Impacts, Management, Further Information.

In this study the impacts of urbanity on physical soil properties were explored by measuring water stable aggregates, combined particle size, infiltration rate and hydrophobicity across an urban gradient. The use of a gradient allowed for the relative importance of different environmental drivers to be assessed. We sampled 54 sites across Berlin an...

Dog walking is a highly popular leisure activity in cities around the globe. It is also a controversial issue for urban conservation and green space management due to presumed ecological impacts of dogs. Yet regulations allowing or prohibiting the presence of dogs in areas of conservation concern are rarely based on demonstrated effects of dogs on...

Aim Exploring the biotic homogenization and diversity resistance hypotheses by assessing the effect of non-native black locust canopy on understorey species turnover. Location Berlin, the Venetian metropolitan area, and Rome. Methods We modelled the zeta (ζ) expression of diversity to compare the understorey species turnover between the non-nativ...

Road corridors are important conduits for plant invasions, and an understanding of the underlying mechanisms is necessary for efficient management of invasive alien species in road networks. Previous studies identified road type with different traffic volumes as a key driver of seed dispersal and abundance of alien plants along roads. However, how...

The increase in artificial light at night (ALAN) is widely considered as a major driver for the worldwide decline of nocturnal pollinators such as moths. However, the relationship between light and trees as ‘islands of shade’ within urban areas has not yet been fully understood. Here, we studied (1) the effects of three landscape variables, i.e. so...

Aim We analysed the role of species interactions in wildlife community responses to urbanization. Specifically, we investigated non‐trophic associations within a bird community and the role of trophic interactions in the responses of bird species to the urbanization gradient. Location City‐state of Berlin, Central Europe. Methods Arthropod and bi...

With accelerating urbanization, the urban contribution to biodiversity conservation becomes increasingly important. Previous research shows that cities can host many endangered plant species. However, fundamental questions for urban nature conservation remain open: to what extent and where can endangered plant species persist in the long term and w...

Anthropogenic changes in climate, land use and disturbance regimes, as well as introductions of non‐native species can lead to the transformation of many ecosystems. The resulting novel ecosystems are usually characterized by species assemblages that have not occurred previously in a given area. Quantifying the ecological novelty of communities (i....

Urban biodiversity conservation requires an understanding of how urbanization modulates biodiversity patterns and the associated ecosystem services. While important advances have been made in the conceptual development of urban biodiversity research over the last decades, challenges remain in understanding the interactions between different groups...

Understanding the contribution of cities to nature conservation is gaining increasing importance with a globally accelerating urbanization and requires insights into the mechanisms that underlie urban distribution patterns. While a considerable number of endangered plant species have been reported for cities, the spatial dependence of populations o...

Anthropogenic changes in climate, land use, and disturbance regimes, as well as introductions of non-native species can lead to the transformation of many ecosystems. The resulting novel ecosystems are usually characterized by species assemblages that have not occurred previously in a given area. Quantifying the ecological novelty of communities (i...

Many cities aim to increase urban forest cover to benefit residents through the provision of ecosystem services and to promote biodiversity. As a complement to traditional forest plantings, we address opportunities associated with “emerging urban forests” (i.e., spontaneously developing forests in cities) for urban biodiversity conservation. We qua...

Anthropogenic changes in climate, land use and disturbance regimes, as well as introductions of non-native species can lead to the transformation of many ecosystems. The resulting novel ecosystems are usually characterized by species assemblages that have not occurred previously in a given area. Quantifying the ecological novelty of communities (i....

As urbanization accelerates globally, a better understanding of how cities contribute to biodiversity conservation is increasingly pressing. Previous studies reveal that cities can harbor a considerable biological richness, including endangered plant species. Yet, a key question on the urban contribution to plant conservation remains critically ope...

Because common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., henceforth Ambrosia) has negative effects on human health, it is a common focus for management, which would benefit from a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which the species spreads. Road systems are known to be invasion corridors, but the conduit function of vehicles for the r...

In an era of rapid urban growth, conserving biodiverse urban green spaces is challenging, especially in developing countries. Culturally protected areas including sacred sites are known to contribute to biodiversity conservation in semi-urban and rural areas, but their role in dense urban settings is critically understudied. We, therefore, assessed...

Green areas of cities encompass a large range of wildlife species. In recent years, research focused on understanding the environmental conditions that allow for any particular species to settle in an urban area, thereby covering different taxa from mammals to invertebrates. Usually such studies focus on one species or a group of very similar speci...

1. In a rapidly urbanising world, the ability of plant species to survive and build self-sustaining populations in urban environments is increasingly important for biodiversity conservation. Yet the contribution of cities to biodiversity conservation remains unclear because ecologists have studied biodiversity patterns, largely without considering...

Cultural ecosystem services related to urban green spaces contribute significantly to liveable cities. While previous studies highlight the intersection of cultural ecosystem services with societal values, spiritual or religious values associated with urban nature have received less attention. In India, as in other parts of the world, sacred sites...

Multiple disturbances in the biotic and abiotic environment derive from urbanization processes. They lead to barriers to species dispersal as well as novel niches. Our aim is to get a grip on environmental factors shaping biodiversity patterns and community assembly in environments. To this end, we used various methods to gather data from different...

How urban habitats contribute to biodiversity conservation is a key challenge in a rapidly urbanising world. Urban parks can provide important habitats for native species, but previous studies are geographically biased; fast growing megacities, in particular in South America, are clearly understudied. To assess habitat functions and underlying driv...

Background Urban green spaces can harbor a considerable species richness of plants and animals. A few studies on single species groups indicate important habitat functions of cemeteries, but this land use type is clearly understudied compared to parks. Such data are important as they (i) illustrate habitat functions of a specific, but ubiquitous ur...

Location of sampled cemetery sections (grey) and sampled plots (small squares).

This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Common ragweed) that are relevant to understanding its ecology. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles : distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to enviro...

1. This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Robinia pseudoacacia L. that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, resp...

Human-mediated dispersal is known as an important driver of long-distance dispersal for plants but underlying mechanisms have rarely been assessed. Road corridors function as routes of secondary dispersal for many plant species but the extent to which vehicles support this process remains unclear. In this paper we quantify dispersal distances and s...

Urbanisation is an important driver of biodiversity loss, also contributing to habitat loss and fragmentation of grasslands at the urban-rural interface. While urban green spaces are known to include many grassland habitats, it is uncertain to what extent urban land use types harbour grasslands of special conservation interest and whether patch cha...

Cities are hotspots for plant invasions and woody plants that have escaped from cultivation contribute significantly to this phenomenon. Yet whether the richness of alien species in the floras of woody plants in urban areas also corresponds to a prevalence of alien species at the habitat and population levels is an open question. To explore the sca...

Questions: Which plant traits characterize successful and failed target species in urban grassland restoration? Do traits of successful target species differ from those of resident species? How do plant traits relate to environmental constraints? Location: In-situ experimental sites on wastelands in shrinking residential areas in Berlin, Germany....

In many areas of the world, grassland species have declined due to intensified agriculture and abandonment of unproductive sites. In rural areas, restoration approaches seek to counteract this loss. Additional potential for grassland restoration arises in urban settings, especially on large-scale wastelands isolated from suitable species pools. We...

Aim Urbanization as a major global trend profoundly changes biodiversity patterns, and homogenization of urban biota due to expanding exotic species and declining native species is of increasing concern. Previous studies on this topic have mostly taken place at large scales that include high habitat heterogeneity. Here, we aimed at disentangling th...

Video of the study car moving along the study road. The car was filmed after new seeds of all species were laid out in front of the zero line. The markings indicating the sections parallel and perpendicular to the direction of traffic (Fig. 1) are visible. (AVI)

Parameter estimates and AIC of the Lognormal and Wald function for dispersal at three different numbers of vehicles passes. (DOC)

Case histories of non-indigenous and cryptogenic plant species [in German]

Colonial garden architecture with associated use of non-native plant species influences the identity of many tropical cities. In Indonesia, colonial planners argued for planting both native and non-native species. It remains unclear how far this suggestion was implemented in urban parks and if species proposed in colonial period still occur in the...

The Editorial presents the focus, scope, policies, and the inaugural issue of NeoBiota, a new open access peer-reviewed journal of biological invasions. The new journal NeoBiota is a continuation of the former NEOBIOTA publication series. The journal will deal with all aspects of invasion biology and impose no restrictions on manuscript size neithe...

Citation: Kowarik I, von der Lippe M(2011) Secondary wind dispersal enhances long-distance dispersal of an invasive species in urban road corridors. NeoBiota 9: 49–70. Abstract Roads contribute to habitat fragmentation and function as dispersal barriers for many organisms. At the same time many nonnative plant species are associated with road syste...

More than half of the global human population is living in urban areas, and the trend towards further urbanization is strongly increasing (MEA 2005; United Nations 2008). Hence, the majority of people globally will experience “nature” and related ecosystem services primarily within the urban fabric (Gilbert 1989; McKinney 2002; Miller and Hobbs 200...

Biological Invasions are a major threat to biodiversity, and this holds especially for oceanic islands. The red quinine tree (Cinchona pubescens) is listed as one of the most problematic invasive species worldwide. Field studies in the highland vegetation of Galápagos and in managed Hawaiian forests revealed extensive, both negative and positive im...

Urbanization particularly promotes habitat fragmentation, which in turn strongly affects biodiversity patterns. A major driver of species loss in isolated habitat patches is dispersal limitation. The relative importance of dispersal ability of species, spatial habitat configuration and local environmental conditions for predicting species compositi...

The Weißensee Jewish Cemetery is an outstanding example of Jewish funeral culture, which is largely enhanced by its natural setting. It combines relics of the original gardens with evidence of spontaneous natural processes. The harmony of cultural and natural elements can be experienced on two levels: a conceptual level, on which a balance is struc...

The Editorial presents the focus, scope, policies, and the inaugural issue of NeoBiota, a new open access peer-reviewed journal of biological invasions. The new journal NeoBiota is a continuation of the former NEOBIOTA publication series. The journal will deal with all aspects of invasion biology and impose no restrictions on manuscript size neithe...

Visual traces of iron reduction and oxidation are linked to the redox status of soils and have been used to characterise the quality of agricultural soils. We tested whether this feature could also be used to explain the spatial pattern of the natural vegetation of tidal habitats. If so, an easy assessment of the effect of rising sea level on tidal...

Visual traces of iron reduction and oxidation are linked to the redox status of soils and have been used to characterise the quality of agricultural soils.We tested whether this feature could also be used to explain the spatial pattern of the natural vegetation of tidal habitats. If so, an easy assessment of the effect of rising sea level on tidal...

Aim To determine whether different abundances of introduced species of Cinchona (Rubiaceae) affect species composition and facilitate species richness in managed tropical forests, to test whether any facilitative effects on understorey species depend on forest type, and to investigate whether facilitative effects can be attributed to the ‘substitut...

1. Seed dispersal is of high applied relevance as it governs colonization processes in rare species and during plant invasions. Seed tracking is a powerful approach to analysing dispersal processes and usually requires seed tagging. Marking diaspores with fluorescent colours is a promising tagging method, but comes with several technical limitation...

Urban areas are among the land use types with the highes richness in plant species. A main feature of urban floras is the high proportion of non-native species with often divergent distribution patterns along urban–rural gradients. Urban impacts on plant species richness are usually associated with increasing human activity along rural-to-urban gra...

Linear landscape elements function as important leading structures for plant dispersal. Their ecological relevance results mostly from fostering long-distance dispersal events. While linear distribution patterns of plant species along streams and rivers have been observed since the 19th century, corresponding patterns along roads became much later...

Roadsides are preferential migration corridors for invasive plant species and can act as starting points for plant invasions into adjacent habitats. Rapid spread and interrupted distribution patterns of introduced plant species indicate long-distance dispersal along roads. The extent to which this process is due to species' migration along linear h...

Feral populations of crop species along roadsides contribute to the uncertainty regarding the containment of genetically modified (GM) crops, as the feral populations could promote the persistence of transgenes outside of cultivated fields. Roadside populations of several common crop species are known to occur far from arable fields, and the disper...

At least at a global scale, species transfer through human agency is much more frequent, efficient and effective than through natural mechanisms and has no parallel in evolutionary history (Elton 1958; Mack et al. 2000). As propagule pressure is one of the most powerful bottlenecks in invasions (Williamson 1996), human-mediated dispersal is a key p...

Freiräume in Siedlungen sind ein bedeutender Gegenstand der Gartendenkmalpflege geworden. Neben Stadt- und Quartiersplätzen sind insbesondere gemeinschaftliche Freiräume in Siedlungen des Reformwohnungsbaus, aber auch Vorgärten und Privatgärten in großem Umfang unter Schutz gestellt worden, meist als Ensembles mit der dazugehörigen Gebäudesubstanz....

The history of urban development is also the history of emerging novel ecosystem types (Sukopp 2003). The significant impacts of urban structures and processes on climate, hydrology and soils finally lead to new biodiversity patterns. In the last decades, large cities have been recognized as hotspots of phyto-diversity: they are often richer in (no...