BIODIVERSITY OF TREES AND SHRUBS OF URBAN PLANTATIONS                  IN ARID REGIONS

Trees and shrubs are essential components in the production of ecosystem services. The aim of this study is to evaluate the biodiversity of plantations in arid regions. A floristic inventory was carried out in three biotopes using an exhaustive sampling approach. Diversity parameters were calculated to assess phytodiversity in each biotope. A total of 23 plants species belonging to 17 families, with a dominance of eudicots at 95.65% were recorded. The dominant families were Fabaceae (17.38%), Arecaceae, Lythraceae and Tamaricaceae (8.69%). The flora was mixed with 56.52% of exotic plant species. The most predominant plant species were Phoenix dactylifera L, Tamarix aphylla (L.) H. Karst, Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq, and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, these species accounted for 72.74% of all individuals inventoried. Shannon’s diversity index and Piélou index of evenness range from 2.68 to 2.95 bits and 0.64 to 0.69, respectively. Simpson’s index range from 0.78 to 0.82. Hamming distance range from 21 to 43. Plantations provide ecosystem services with great importance on ornamental interest. The data collected in this study should be used for creating a floristic database. This database will be regularly updated for monitoring urban plantations. The information resulting from the monitoring will help to improve the urban forest management projects in the development plan.

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Analysis of vegetation diversity at urban forest Balai Wilayah Sungai (BWS) II Medan

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/912/1/012058 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 912 (1) ◽

pp. 012058

Author(s):

H Arinah ◽

J Sutiawan

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Open Space ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Urban Forests ◽

Combination Method ◽

Tree Level ◽

Vegetation Density ◽

Species Diversity Index ◽

Vegetation Diversity

Abstract The urban forest is part of the public green open space (RTH) formed from tree vegetation that affects temperature and humidity and reduces wind speed to provide comfort for residents in the vicinity. One of the urban forests in Medan is the Balai Wilayah Sungai (BWS) II Medan. Therefore, vegetation density has an influence on temperature and which affects the quality of urban forests. This study aimed to identify the structure and composition of the BWS II Medan urban forest vegetation. The vegetation analysis method used in this study is a combination method between the path method and the plotline method. The vegetation data that has been obtained is then processed to obtain the Important Value Index (IVI) and the Plant Species Diversity Index (H’). The results showed that the woody plants found in the urban forest of BWS II Medan were 20 species with the composition of seedlings of four species (26 individuals), saplings of twelve species (49 individuals), poles of eleven species (39 individuals) and trees of ten species (141 individuals). The species that dominates at the tree level is Trembesi (Samanea saman), with an IVI value of 118.16%. Meanwhile, the dominant plant species at the seedling, sapling, and pole levels were Mahoni (Swietenia mahagoni), with IVI values of 78.67%, 55.73%, and 103.62, respectively. Therefore, the level of diversity in the BWS II Medan Urban Forest for saplings is classified as moderate, while seedlings, poles, and trees are classified as low.

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Improving the knowledge of plant potential biodiversity-ecosystem services links using maps at the regional level in Southern Patagonia

Ecological Processes ◽

10.1186/s13717-021-00326-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yamina Micaela Rosas ◽

Pablo L. Peri ◽

María Vanessa Lencinas ◽

Romina Lasagno ◽

Guillermo J. Martínez Pastur

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Plant Species ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽

Important Indicator ◽

Ecological Requirements ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Southern Patagonia

Abstract Background Biodiversity supports multiple ecosystem services, whereas species loss endangers the provision of many services and affects ecosystem resilience and resistance capacity. The increase of remote sensing techniques allows to estimate biodiversity and ecosystem services supply at the landscape level in areas with low available data (e.g. Southern Patagonia). This paper evaluates the potential biodiversity and how it links with ecosystem services, based on vascular plant species across eight ecological areas. We also evaluated the habitat plant requirements and their relation with natural gradients. A total of 977 plots were used to develop habitat suitability maps based on an environmental niche factor analysis of 15 more important indicator species for each ecological area (n = 53 species) using 40 explanatory variables. Finally, these maps were combined into a single potential biodiversity map, which was linked with environmental variables and ecosystem services supply. For comparisons, data were extracted and compared through analyses of variance. Results The plant habitat requirements varied greatly among the different ecological areas, and it was possible to define groups according to its specialization and marginality indexes. The potential biodiversity map allowed us to detect coldspots in the western mountains and hotspots in southern and eastern areas. Higher biodiversity was associated to higher temperatures and normalized difference vegetation index, while lower biodiversity was related to elevation and rainfall. Potential biodiversity was closely associated with supporting and provisioning ecosystem services in shrublands and grasslands in the humid steppe, while the lowest values were related to cultural ecosystem services in Nothofagus forests. Conclusions The present study showed that plant species present remarkable differences in spatial distributions and ecological requirements, being a useful proxy for potential biodiversity modelling. Potential biodiversity values change across ecological areas allowing to identify hotspots and coldspots, a useful tool for landscape management and conservation strategies. In addition, links with ecosystem services detect potential synergies and trade-offs, where areas with the lowest potential biodiversity are related to cultural ecosystem services (e.g. aesthetic values) and areas with the greatest potential biodiversity showed threats related to productive activities (e.g. livestock).

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Beijing Resident’s Preferences of Ecosystem Services of Urban Forests

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12010014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 14

Author(s):

Han Zhi-Ying ◽

Youn Yeo-Chang

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Air Quality ◽

Fresh Water ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Urban Forestry ◽

Urban Forests ◽

Wildlife Habitat ◽

Quality Regulation ◽

Water Provision ◽

Air Quality Regulation

This paper aims to investigate the Beijing resident’s preferences over various options of urban forest management strategies. The literature investigation and expert Delphi method were conducted to classify the ecosystem services of urban forests into six categories: (1) fresh water provision, (2) noise reduction, (3) moderation of extreme events, (4) air quality regulation, (5) species diversity and wildlife habitat, and (6) recreation and spiritual experience. To elicit the relative preferences to ecosystem service (hereafter referred to as ES) of Beijing residents, we employed the choice experiment method. The data were collected by interviews with questionnaires conducted in October 2017, and a total of 483 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The subjects of this experiment were residents older than 19 years old who have lived in Beijing for more than 1 year and have visited any one of the urban forests located in Beijing more than once during 2016. The results were as follows: Firstly, the air quality regulation ES was considered as the most important service for Beijing residents in terms of their choices of urban forest. In addition, Beijing residents regarded the fresh water provision ES as the second most important ES. Beijing residents were willing to pay up to 1.84% of the average monthly income of Chinese households annually to expand urban forest ecosystems in order to improve air quality. Secondly, apartment owners were willing to pay more municipality tax for forest ESs than residents who did not own an apartment. Thirdly, residents were more willing to pay for urban forest ESs as their income increases. The results indicated that Beijing residents were willing to pay more tax in support of urban forestry for air quality improvement. This research suggests that urban environmental policy makers in Beijing should pay more attention to the regulation function of forests (especially improving air quality) when designing and managing urban forests.

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Pyrolysis Kinetics of the Arid Land Biomass Halophyte Salicornia Bigelovii and Phoenix Dactylifera Using Thermogravimetric Analysis

Energies ◽

10.3390/en11092283 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 2283 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Prosper Dzidzienyo ◽

Juan-Rodrigo Bastidas-Oyanedel ◽

Jens Schmidt

Keyword(s):

Thermogravimetric Analysis ◽

Kinetic Parameters ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Date Palm ◽

Arable Land ◽

Thermo Gravimetric Analysis ◽

Phoenix Dactylifera ◽

Reaction Rates ◽

Gravimetric Analysis ◽

Salicornia Bigelovii

Biomass availability in arid regions is challenging due to limited arable land and lack of fresh water. In this study, we focus on pyrolysis of two biomasses that are typically abundant agricultural biomasses in arid regions, focusing on understanding the reaction rates and Arrhenius kinetic parameters that describe the pyrolysis reactions of halophyte Salicornia bigelovii, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and co-pyrolysis biomass using thermo-gravimetric analysis under non-isothermal conditions. The mass loss data obtained from thermogravimetric analysis of S. bigelovii and date palm revealed the reaction rate peaked between 592 K and 612 K for P. dactylifera leaves and 588 K and 609 K for S. bigelovii at heating rates, 5 K/min, 10 K/min and 15 K/min during the active pyrolysis phase. The activation energy for S. bigelovii and P. dactylifera leaves during this active pyrolysis phase were estimated using the Kissinger method as 147.6 KJ/mol and 164.7 KJ/mol respectively with pre-exponential factors of 3.13 × 109/min and 9.55 × 1010/min for the respective biomasses. Other isoconversional models such as the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa were used to determine these kinetic parameters during other phases of the pyrolysis reaction and gave similar results.

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Urban Trees and Water Use in Arid Climates: Insights from an Integrated Bioeconomic-Health Model

Water Economics and Policy ◽

10.1142/s2382624x18500224 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 04 (04) ◽

pp. 1850022 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Benjamin A. Jones ◽

John Fleck

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Water Use ◽

Forest Canopy ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Economic Value ◽

Urban Trees ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Arid Environments ◽

Value Of Water ◽

Health Model

Managing outdoor water use while maintaining urban tree cover is a key challenge for water managers in arid climates. Urban trees generate flows of ecosystem services in arid areas, but also require significant amounts of irrigation. In this paper, a bioeconomic-health model of trees and water use is developed to investigate management of an urban forest canopy when irrigation is costly, water has economic value, and trees provide ecosystem services. The optimal tree irrigation decision is illustrated for Albuquerque, New Mexico, an arid Southwest US city. Using a range of monetary values for water, we find that the tree irrigation decision is sensitive to the value selected. Urban deforestation is optimal when the value of water is sufficiently high, or alternatively starts low, but grows to cross a specific threshold. If, however, the value of water is sufficiently low or if the value of tree cover rises over time, then deforestation is not optimal. The threshold value of water where the switch is made between zero and partial deforestation is well within previously identified ranges on actual water values. This model can be applied generally to study the tradeoffs between urban trees and water use in arid environments.

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Why and How to Make Plant Conservation Ecosystem-Based

Sustainable Agriculture Research ◽

10.5539/sar.v1n1p48 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 48 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alan Hamilton ◽

Shengji Pei ◽

Huyin Huai ◽

Seona Anderson

Keyword(s):

Information Systems ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Plant Species ◽

Plant Cover ◽

Plant Conservation ◽

The State ◽

The Earth ◽

Whole Plant ◽

Training Programmes ◽

Ecologically Sustainable

Compared to other groups of organisms, plants require distinctive approaches in their conservation because of their keystone roles in ecosystems and economies. The state of the whole plant cover of the Earth should be of concern to conservationists – for its capacity to ensure the survival of plant species, deliver ecosystem services (locally to globally) and provide produce from plants in ecologically sustainable ways. The primary targets of attention in ecosystem-based plant conservation are the relationships between people and plants, as relevant to every locality, rather than the species-centric approach of conventional plant conservation. Moving plant conservation to an ecosystem-based approach will require the development of training programmes for field practitioners and of information systems for their use.

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Effect of exotic tree plantation on floristic composition and phytodiversity of Rema-Kalenga wildlife sanctuary, Bangladesh

Jahangirnagar University Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.3329/jujbs.v3i2.28284 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 33-47

Author(s):

Gazi Mosharof Hossain ◽

ABM Enayet Hossain

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Natural Forest ◽

Wildlife Sanctuary ◽

Tree Plantation ◽

Exotic Tree ◽

Index Value

Effect of exotic tree plantation on floristic composition and phytodiversity status of Rema-Kalenga wildlife sanctuary of Bangladesh was studied. A total of 309 vascular plant species under 245 genera belonging to 83 families were found to constitute the vascular flora of the studied area. The maximum number of species (298) with the highest Shannon-Weiner diversity index value (3.882±0.090) was recorded from natural forest, which was followed by 194 and 165 plant species with 3.441±0.205 and 3.398±0.103 diversity index values recorded from Tectona and Acacia plantation sites respectively. The minimum number of plant species (142) with the lowest diversity index value (2.999±0.152) was recorded from Eucalyptus plantation site. The collected data on the selected forest sites of Rema-Kalenga wildlife sanctuary showed the trends of gradual decrease in floristic composition and phytodivesity status of three plantation sites (Tectona to Acacia to Eucalyptus) in respect to natural forest, which indicated that exotic tree plantations might have negative impact on floristic composition and phytodiversity of this semi-tropical forest area and the fast-growing exotic tree plantation of Acacia and Eucalyptus should be avoided for sustainable development of Rema-Kalenga wildlife sanctuary.Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 3(2): 33-47, 2014 (December)

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Effects of grazing on plant species diversity and above ground biomass in a Trans- Himalayan Rangeland

Banko Janakari ◽

10.3126/banko.v17i1.656 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 25-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anita Pokharel ◽

Madhu Chhetri ◽

Chiranjibi P Upadhyaya

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Species Composition ◽

Plant Species ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Livestock Grazing ◽

Above Ground Biomass ◽

Ground Biomass ◽

Grazing Effect ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Palatable Species

Limited information is available on the species composition, above ground biomass and its relations to grazing in a trans-Himalayan rangeland. Its assessment is essential for long term conservation and management. In the present study, we compared species composition, phenology, diversity index and biomass between controlled (without grazing) and open (free grazing) plots to assess the effects of grazing in the selected experimental sites of Upper Mustang during July and November 2005. Species encountered were classified as high, medium, low and non palatable and in three life form categories-grasses, shrubs and forbs. The experimental sites are dominated by forbs (80%) followed by grasses (15%) and shrubs (5%). Disturbance caused by grazing affects the phenological characteristics of the plant community. Result also reveals that species diversity, maximum possible diversity, evenness and species richness was higher in the grazed plots during July and November. A comparison of the aboveground biomass in July showed that mean percentage biomass of high, medium and low palatable species is higher in ungrazed plots. In November, the percentage biomass of only medium palatable species was higher in ungrazed plots and rest of the category is higher in grazed plots. Significant difference in July, a peak growing seasons for most of the plant species in the region reveals that the pasture has impact of livestock grazing. Keywords: Biomass, diversity, grazing effect, rangeland, species Banko Janakari: A journal of forestry information for Nepal Vol.17(1) 2007 pp.25-31

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Ecosystem services and tradeoffs in the home food gardens of African American, Chinese-origin and Mexican-origin households in Chicago, IL

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s174217051600003x ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 69-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

John R. Taylor ◽

Sarah Taylor Lovell ◽

Sam E. Wortman ◽

Michelle Chan

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Plant Species ◽

Food Production ◽

Ornamental Plant ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Mexican Origin ◽

Chinese Origin ◽

Wide Range ◽

Food Gardens

AbstractWith increasing urbanization and environmental degradation, urban landscapes are increasingly expected to provide a wide range of ecosystem services typically associated with rural areas, including biodiversity conservation and food production. Because residential landscapes constitute the largest single urban land use, domestic gardens have emerged as a topic of research interest and planning concern. The ecosystem services (or disservices) these landscapes provide, however, have not been rigorously measured, nor have tradeoffs between the services they provide been assessed. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 59 African American, Chinese-origin or Mexican-origin households with on-lot or vacant lot food gardens in Chicago. Crop plants and cultivated ornamental plants on the lot were inventoried and mapped at the species level. A total of 123 edible plant taxa from 25 families and 288 ornamental plant species from 85 families were identified, for a combined total of 387 species from 90 families. Cumulatively, the gardens of African American households were relatively rich in ornamental plant species and families, while those of Chinese-origin households had a depauperate flora. Crop plant richness was more even across sample types. Shade trees and a developed shrub layer were absent from most gardens, possibly representing a tradeoff in ecosystem services in favor of food production. The richness of the aggregate 2.1 ha of residential property inventoried in this study was comparable with or exceeded that of a 34 ha prairie remnant west of Chicago. However, only 35 (9.6%) of the inventoried species were native to the Chicago area.

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Vegetation analysis and plant diversity in Pinus Jantho Forest (PJF) nature reserve, Aceh Besar

Jurnal Natural ◽

10.24815/jn.v21i1.18417 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

HILMINA ITAWAMERNI ◽

SAIDA RASNOVI ◽

ZUMAIDAR ZUMAIDAR

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Plant Species ◽

Nature Reserve ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Systematic Sampling ◽

Vegetation Analysis ◽

High Level ◽

Piper Aduncum ◽

Important Value Index ◽

Pinus Merkusii

Pinus Jantho Forest (PJF) Nature Reserve has unique characteristics and distinctive ecosystem that plays an important role in the preservation of germplasm and the protection of natural resources. The sustainability of the PJF Nature Reserve is strongly determined by vegetation of its constituents. Therefore, an effort is needed to help its management properly, one of which is by knowing the diversity of plants that make up the community in PJF Nature Reserve. The purpose of this research is to analyze the composition and diversity of plant species in PJF Nature Reserve. Data collection and sampling were done using multiple square method. The plots were laid out by systematic sampling. PJF Nature Reserve composed of 111 species from 46 family. The seedling and understorey have the highest number individuals (1028 in total). Then there are 240 individuals at sapling level, 108 individuals at pole, and 72 individuals for tree. The Euphorbiaceae family has the largest number of species (11 species). The highest Important Value Index (IVI) for seedlings and understorey, sapling and pole, and tree respectively were Chloranthus elatior (11.09%), Piper aduncum (21.90% and 19.32%), and Pinus merkusii (25.52%). The Diversity Index indicates a high level of plant species diversity (3.25-3.63).

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