scholarly journals Urbanization negatively impacts frog diversity at continental, regional, and local scales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey Thomas Callaghan ◽  
Gracie Liu ◽  
Brittany A. Mitchell ◽  
Ailstair G. B. Poore ◽  
Jodi Rowley
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Urbanization Gradient ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
Shannon Diversity ◽  
Steady Decrease ◽  
Negative Impacts

Urban environments are novel ecosystems, with increased chemical, sound, and light pollution differentially impacting many animals. Understanding the impacts of urban environments on biodiversity is the first step to understanding how to best mitigate biodiversity losses in an increasingly urbanizing world. Analyses with broad geographic and taxonomic coverage can offer critical context for informing urban biodiversity conservation. But such studies are currently lacking, especially for under-studied but likely highly impacted taxa such as frogs. Our objective was to document frog diversity in relation to urban environments at continental, regional, and local scales. We used FrogID data — an opportunistic citizen science dataset generated by volunteers recording calling frogs using a smartphone and validated by experts — throughout continental Australia, to calculate species richness, Shannon diversity, and phylogenetic diversity of frogs in urban and non-urban areas, as well as along a continuous urbanization gradient. The overall species richness of frogs was, on average, 57% less in urban than non-urban areas across six ecoregions. Further, we found significantly lower frog diversity in urban environments compared with non-urban environments across the country, with an average reduction of 59% species richness, 86% Shannon diversity, and 72% phylogenetic diversity. We also found evidence for a steady decrease in frog diversity along an urbanization gradient, with no obvious thresholds. Our results highlight the negative impacts of urbanization — at a continental scale — on frog diversity, and clearly highlight the necessity to consider frog diversity in future urban land development decisions.

scholarly journals Biodiversity-productivity relationship in urban vascular flora: a comparison between wild edible and non-edible plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastián Cordero ◽  
Francisca Galvez ◽  
Gastón O. Carvallo
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Evolutionary Relationship ◽  
Biomass Productivity ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Wild Edible Plants ◽  
Edible Plants ◽  
Edible Plant ◽  
Urban Floras

Background: Wild edible plants are species that are not cultivated but can be consumed as food. These plants may exhibit the highest taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity within urban floras, since they have a longer history of use associated with humans than non-edible plants. Also, because biodiversity is strongly associated with biomass, edible plants plant might show higher productivity (biomass per site) than non-edible plants. Questions: Is taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of wild edible plants higher than non-edibles within urban areas? Is the alpha-biodiversity of wild edible plants positively related to biomass productivity in urban areas? Study sites and years of study: Cities of the coastal Mediterranean-type ecosystem, central Chile, 2015 and 2016. Methods: We characterized the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of urban flora differentiating wild edible and non-edible plants. Then, we assessed whether alpha-diversity of assemblages is related to their biomass productivity. Results: Both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity were higher for edibles than non-edible plants. For edible plants, biomass was positively related to species richness and negatively with the mean phylogenetic diversity (MPD, a measure of evolutionary relationship among plants within an assemblage). Conclusions: Species richness is a suitable proxy to estimate wild edible plant diversity and their biomass in cities surpassing other proxies, such as phylogenetic diversity. Negative effect of MPD on biomass suggests that only a subgroup of related plants, possibly highly adapted to urban conditions, contribute to edible plant production. The distinction between wild edible and non-edible plants offers a better understanding of the assembly rules and biodiversity-biomass relationship within urban floras.

Avian monitoring – comparing structured and unstructured citizen science

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey T. Callaghan ◽  
John M. Martin ◽  
Richard E. Major ◽  
Richard T. Kingsford
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Urban Greenspace ◽  
Shannon Diversity ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Urban Greenspaces

Context Citizen science is increasingly used to collect biodiversity data to inform conservation management, but its validity within urban greenspaces remains largely unresolved. Aims To assess the validity of eBird data for generating biodiversity estimates within an urban greenspace. Methods We compared data from structured avian surveys with eBird data at an urban greenspace in Sydney during 2012–16, using species richness and Shannon diversity indices. We also compared community composition, using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and dissimilarities using non-parametric MANOVA. Key results Structured surveys had a lower overall species richness (80 versus 116) and Shannon diversity (3.64 versus 3.94) than eBird data, but we found no significant differences when using years as replicates. After standardising the richness and diversity indices by time spent surveying in a given year, structured surveys produced significantly higher biodiversity estimates. Further, when grouped into species occupying different broad habitats, there were no significant differences in waterbird or landbird species richness, or in Shannon diversity between data sources. Conclusions The most likely explanation for the larger magnitudes of the biodiversity indices from the eBird data is the increase in effort manifested in the number of observers, time spent surveying and spatial coverage. This resulted in increased detection of uncommon species, which in turn accounted for a significant difference (R2 = 0.21, P = 0.015) in overall community composition measured by the two methods. Implications Our results highlight the opportunities provided by eBird data as a useful tool for land managers for monitoring avian communities in urban areas.

scholarly journals Multivariate phenotypic divergence along an urbanization gradient

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Santangelo ◽  
Carole Advenard ◽  
L. Ruth Rivkin ◽  
Ken A. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Floral Traits ◽  
Adaptive Divergence ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Urbanization Gradient ◽  
Growing Body

AbstractA growing body of evidence suggests that natural populations can evolve to better tolerate the novel environmental conditions associated with urban areas. Invariably, studies of adaptive divergence in urban areas examine only one or a few traits at a time from populations residing only at the most extreme urban and nonurban habitats. Thus, whether urbanization is driving divergence in many traits simultaneously in a manner that varies with the degree of urbanization remains unclear. To address this gap, we generated seed families of white clover (Trifolium repens) collected from 27 populations along an urbanization gradient in Toronto, Canada, and grew them up to measure multiple phenotypic traits in a common garden. Overall, urban populations had later phenology and germination, larger flowers, thinner stolons, reduced cyanogenesis, greater biomass, and were more attractive to pollinators. Pollinator observations revealed near complete turnover between urban and nonurban sites, which may explain some of the observed divergence in floral traits and phenology. Our results suggest that adaptation to urban environments involves multiple organismal traits.

scholarly journals Multivariate phenotypic divergence along an urbanization gradient

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 20200511
Author(s):  
James S. Santangelo ◽  
L. Ruth Rivkin ◽  
Carole Advenard ◽  
Ken A. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Adaptive Divergence ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
Urbanization Gradient ◽  
Urban Sites

Evidence suggests that natural populations can evolve to better tolerate the novel environmental conditions associated with urban areas. Studies of adaptive divergence in urban areas often examine one or a few traits at a time from populations residing only at the most extreme urban and nonurban habitats. Thus, whether urbanization drives divergence in many traits simultaneously in a manner that varies with the degree of urbanization remains unclear. To address this gap, we generated seed families of white clover ( Trifolium repens ) collected from 27 populations along an urbanization gradient in Toronto, Canada, grew them in a common garden, and measured 14 phenotypic traits. Families from urban sites had evolved later phenology and germination, larger flowers, thinner stolons, reduced cyanogenesis, greater biomass and greater seed set. Pollinator observations revealed near-complete turnover of pollinator morphological groups along the urbanization gradient, which may explain some of the observed divergences in floral traits and phenology. Our results suggest that adaptation to urban environments involves multiple traits.

scholarly journals High species turnover shapes anuran community composition in ponds along an urban-rural gradient

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Cunha Ganci ◽  
Diogo B. Provete ◽  
Thomas Püttker ◽  
David Lindenmayer ◽  
Mauricio Almeida-Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Central Brazil ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Urban Rural

AbstractThe rapid expansion of urban areas in which natural and semi-natural areas are replaced by human infrastructure, such as buildings and streets, is a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. However, little is known about how the structure of biotic communities is affected by urbanization in the tropics. Here, we tested the effect of land use types in urban and peri-urban areas on frog species richness and community composition in central Brazil. We selected 20 ponds differing in size and surrounding levels of urbanization as well as natural forest cover. We then used a Poisson GLM and a distance-based Redundancy Analysis (db-RDA) to relate species richness and community composition, respectively, to environmental variables. Variation in species richness was best explained by pond size (positive effect) and amount of urbanization (negative effect) in the surrounding 500 m. Community composition was mainly driven by species turnover than by nestedness, with db-RDA showing that turnover was explained primarily by urban infrastructure and forest cover. Our results indicate that urbanization negatively influences species richness. Moreover, as the amount of urbanization increased, several species were replaced by others taxa that appear better adapted to urban environments. Our results indicate that maintaining large ponds with surrounding native vegetation in urban environments might be an effective strategy for conserving frog communities.

Diversity of organisms

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip James
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Native Species ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
The Common ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
Diversity Of Life

The focus of this chapter is an examination of the diversity of living organisms found within urban environments, both inside and outside buildings. The discussion commences with prions and viruses before moving on to consider micro-organisms, plants, and animals. Prions and viruses cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. Micro-organisms are ubiquitous and are found in great numbers throughout urban environments. New technologies are providing new insights into their diversity. Plants may be found inside buildings as well as in gardens and other green spaces. The final sections of the chapter offer a discussion of the diversity of animals that live in urban areas for part or all of their life cycle. Examples of the diversity of life in urban environments are presented throughout, including native and non-native species, those that are benign and deadly, and the common and the rare.

scholarly journals Cost of groundwater protection: major groundwater basin protection zones in Poland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Krogulec ◽  
Jacek Gurwin ◽  
Mirosław Wąsik
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Groundwater Protection ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Legal Analysis ◽  
Protection Zones ◽  
Groundwater Basins ◽  
The Cost

AbstractThis paper describes the complex hydrogeological, legal framework and socioeconomic costs of the groundwater protection in major groundwater basins (MGBs) in Poland in accordance with European directives. The hydrogeological criteria developed in Poland for establishing MGBs and the principles of their protection provide more details to the directives that are in force in Europe, which define the general principles for groundwater protection. The procedure of establishing MGB protection zones is connected with a change in local plans and land development and requires an analysis of the cost–benefit relationship in the sphere of social economy in the sector of public economics. The cost assessment was performed on the basis of data from hydrogeological documentations, and the aggregation of subareas to which the same existing and planned development can be attributed. A legal analysis of bans, orders and restrictions together with the identification of the risk of claims in specific hydrogeological and development conditions was a fundamental issue of research. These costs depend on the acreage and land use of the protected area. The unit costs of MGB protection, calculated per 1 km2 of the protection area, for six sample basins were estimated at €120 to €208,000/2 years/1 km2. The highest costs are generated by establishing protection in urban areas, while the lowest costs are generated in forest areas.

scholarly journals High-Resolution Modelling of Thermal Exposure during a Hot Spell: A Case Study Using PALM-4U in Prague, Czech Republic

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Jan Geletič ◽  
Michal Lehnert ◽  
Pavel Krč ◽  
Jaroslav Resler ◽  
Eric Scott Krayenhoff
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Thermal Exposure ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Street Canyons ◽  
General Terms

The modelling of thermal exposure in outdoor urban environments is a highly topical challenge in modern climate research. This paper presents the results derived from a new micrometeorological model that employs an integrated biometeorology module to model Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). This is PALM-4U, which includes an integrated human body-shape parameterization, deployed herein for a pilot domain in Prague, Czech Republic. The results highlight the key role of radiation in the spatiotemporal variability of thermal exposure in moderate-climate urban areas during summer days in terms of the way in which this directly affects thermal comfort through radiant temperature and indirectly through the complexity of turbulence in street canyons. The model simulations suggest that the highest thermal exposure may be expected within street canyons near the irradiated north sides of east–west streets and near streets oriented north–south. Heat exposure in streets increases in proximity to buildings with reflective paints. The lowest heat exposure during the day may be anticipated in tree-shaded courtyards. The cooling effect of trees may range from 4 °C to 9 °C in UTCI, and the cooling effect of grass in comparison with artificial paved surfaces in open public places may be from 2 °C to 5 °C UTCI. In general terms, this study illustrates that the PALM modelling system provides a new perspective on the spatiotemporal differentiation of thermal exposure at the pedestrian level; it may therefore contribute to more climate-sensitive urban planning.

scholarly journals An Eco-Friendly Multimodal Route Guidance System for Urban Areas Using Multi-Agent Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2057
Author(s):  
Abdallah Namoun ◽  
Ali Tufail ◽  
Nikolay Mehandjiev ◽  
Ahmed Alrehaili ◽  
Javad Akhlaghinia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Flow ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Guidance System ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Flow Density ◽  
Route Guidance ◽  
Agent Based

The use and coordination of multiple modes of travel efficiently, although beneficial, remains an overarching challenge for urban cities. This paper implements a distributed architecture of an eco-friendly transport guidance system by employing the agent-based paradigm. The paradigm uses software agents to model and represent the complex transport infrastructure of urban environments, including roads, buses, trolleybuses, metros, trams, bicycles, and walking. The system exploits live traffic data (e.g., traffic flow, density, and CO2 emissions) collected from multiple data sources (e.g., road sensors and SCOOT) to provide multimodal route recommendations for travelers through a dedicated application. Moreover, the proposed system empowers the transport management authorities to monitor the traffic flow and conditions of a city in real-time through a dedicated web visualization. We exhibit the advantages of using different types of agents to represent the versatile nature of transport networks and realize the concept of smart transportation. Commuters are supplied with multimodal routes that endeavor to reduce travel times and transport carbon footprint. A technical simulation was executed using various parameters to demonstrate the scalability of our multimodal traffic management architecture. Subsequently, two real user trials were carried out in Nottingham (United Kingdom) and Sofia (Bulgaria) to show the practicality and ease of use of our multimodal travel information system in providing eco-friendly route guidance. Our validation results demonstrate the effectiveness of personalized multimodal route guidance in inducing a positive travel behavior change and the ability of the agent-based route planning system to scale to satisfy the requirements of traffic infrastructure in diverse urban environments.

scholarly journals Building Bridges: A Participatory Stakeholder Framework for Sustainable Urban Construction Logistics

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2678
Author(s):  
Nicolas Brusselaers ◽  
Koen Mommens ◽  
Cathy Macharis
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Environmental Footprint ◽  
Implementation Barriers ◽  
Urban Construction ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Roll Out ◽  
Construction Works

The urban built environment concentrates due to the growing urbanization trend, triggering construction and renovation works in urban areas. Although construction works often revitalize cities upon completion, the associated logistics activities engender a significant financial and environmental footprint if not handled appropriately. Cities have the largest potential to reduce negative impacts through requirements on construction logistics. However, today, there is a lack of knowledge within cities on how to set such demands and how to involve and manage the numerous and varying stakeholders in these processes. This paper presents a participatory decision-making framework for the governance of urban construction logistics on economic, environmental and societal levels, building further on the Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMCA). The framework was then implemented on a use case in the dense urban Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium), gathering a wide variety of stakeholders in the context of a sustainable Construction Logistics Scenario (CLS) evaluation. Special attention was paid on the identification of implementation barriers and the role of governments to facilitate the introduction and city-wide roll-out of novel CLS. Findings show how different processes are site-, actor- and condition-specific, thereby delivering a common built object which is often based on different motivations and concerns. The study proposes a flexible, replicable and upscalable framework both from an inter- and intracity perspective, which can serve to support (1) the management of processes and CLS, (2) the management of people and the community, and (3) the project and city, in the context of multi-level governance.

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