To maintain a stable population, an introduced species must be capable of exploiting varied resources and adapting to environmental conditions different from its native range. The brown anole (Anolis sagrei), one of the most prolific invasive species worldwide, is well established in Ecuador—especially in urban environments throughout Guayaquil and Samborondón (Guayas province). In this research, we

Vegetated roofs are hoped to benefit urban wildlife, yet there are few empirical results regarding the conservation potential of such roofs. In this paper, we focus on arthropods on vegetated roofs. We vacuum sampled 17 succulent, meadow or succulent-meadow roofs, in Helsinki, Finland, and used order to species level information together with trait data to describe the communities. We evaluated the

Vacant spaces, such as unplanted, unmanaged, or infrequently accessed green roofs, may play a critical role in sustaining biodiversity in cities. Initial plant composition of these spaces likely is contingent on seed dispersal and growing medium, yet no studies have directly characterized the effects of location or growing medium depth on plant diversity of unplanted green roofs. To address this gap

Green cover and air quality are important components of life quality and human ecology in arid lands. In the Sonoran Desert of Mexico, Hermosillo is the largest city with a population of 710,000. This city is currently affected by dust pollution and a large part of its population suffers respiratory diseases. Moreover, Hermosillo is considered highly vulnerable to climate change. The objective of this

Urban flora varies between urban habitats within a city and between cities. We used a particular urban habitat - tree-circles to compare floristic differences between urban agglomerations along a long climatic gradient on a continental scale. We recorded flora of this unique habitat in seven West Balkan cities and compared it to seven cities from Western and Central Europe. On average, 91 species were

Urban forests contribute greatly to the conservation of biodiversity and are able to store carbon in the same way as other forest ecosystems. This research investigated the diversity, volume yield, biomass and carbon sequestration of tree species in urban forests in two Nigerian cities (Port Harcourt and Ilorin) selected using simple random sampling. In Nigeria there is no record of quantitative assessment

Although the impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity are well studied, the precise response of some invertebrate groups remains poorly known. Dung-associated beetles are little studied in an urban context, especially in temperate regions. We considered how landscape heterogeneity, assessed at three spatial scales (250, 500 and 1000 m radius), mediates the community composition of coprophilous beetles

The increasing urbanisation of the natural environment affects species differently. While most species cannot cope with these human impacts, others can persist or may even be favoured in these anthropogenic ecosystems. Among the different urban-adapted wildlife species, the populations of different species of opportunistic gulls have increased in urban areas and some have established breeding populations

By the end of 2020, 75% of the Swiss population will live in cities. The urban densification will result in habitat and biodiversity loss. One solution to mitigate this loss in urban environments is the implementation of green roofs that are now recognised as a tool for the maintenance of epigeal and aerial arthropods. Green roofs can provide various services such as pollination and food supply for

Citywide tree planting in urban cities is occurring rapidly because of the benefits urban vegetation provide to the environment. Nutrient cycling in tropical urban ecosystems is relatively unknown. Nitrogen utilisation in urban and rural conditions can vary substantially hence foliar N characteristics of two common tree species grown in the tropics was compared between urban roads and parkland sites

As urban growth continues at an ever-increasing rate, it is important for city architects and city governments to understand the ecological effects of urbanization. As an ideal candidate for studies of urbanization, Eurasian Magpies (Pica pica) have been studied extensively in terms of nest placement in urban environments. However, there have been few quantitative studies on the effect of urbanization

In order to reflect ecosystem services in environmental policies, it is necessary to assess multiple ecosystem services as well as the correlations among them in complex urban landscapes. Although landscape multifunctionality based on different land use statuses and intensity cause variations in the ecosystem services of complex urban landscapes, research that connect the urban landscape multifunctionality

In 2016, we studied the occurrence of amphibians in 231 selected ponds in the city of Wrocław (Lower Silesia, Poland) and confirmed the occurrence of 10 species: Bombina bombina, Bufo bufo, Bufotes viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelobates fuscus, Pelophylax esculentus complex, Rana arvalis, Rana temporaria, Lissotriton vulgaris and Triturus cristatus. Among all studied sites, the most common were P. esculentus

Urban green space can help mitigate the negative impacts of urban living and provide positive effects on citizens’ mood, health and well-being. Questions remain, however, as to whether all types of green space are equally beneficial, and if not, what landscape forms or key features optimise the desired benefits. For example, it has been cited that urban landscapes rich in wildlife (high biodiversity)

Existing studies emphasizing the magnitude of green-wall thermal benefits paid little attention to temporal microclimatic behavior. To bridge the knowledge gap, we employed high-precision sensors to monitor the microclimate of two wirerope-type climber green walls and adjacent control bare walls in humid-subtropical Hong Kong. Sample days were systematically selected to represent the results on sunny

Coastal urbanisation, energy extraction, food production, shipping and transportation have led to the global proliferation of artificial structures within the coastal and marine environments (sensu “ocean sprawl”), with subsequent loss of natural habitats and biodiversity. To mitigate and compensate impacts of ocean sprawl, the practice of eco-engineering of artificial structures has been developed

Most studies about the impact of urbanization on bird assemblages are from the Northern Hemisphere and most previous research has reported that cities reduced bird species richness and favored the settlement of exotic bird species. However, most of these studies took place in large cities and few of them were focused on riparian environments. The aim of our study was to investigate how richness and

Land use changes associated with urbanization may increase ecological risk and subsequent geohazard risk. Africa is particularly vulnerable at preset as, since 2005, the highest rates of rapid urbanization-associated forest degradation have occurred there. On August 14, 2017, a compound geohazard in Freetown, Sierra Leone, caused thousands of fatalities and destroyed hundreds of houses. Land use change

We studied the occurrence of bats in urban parks in the city of Madrid (Spain), and the resulting patterns were compared with bat occurrence in the surrounding region. In this way, we addressed if the presence of individual species in the study parks was positively related to their regional occurrence and the way some geographical and environmental traits affected bat richness and composition in urban

Little is known about the relatedness structure of carnivores living in urban areas, where green spaces may vary in size and resource availability. We examined the minimum population size, relatedness structure, and genetic diversity of a recently established population of eastern coyotes (Canis latrans) inhabiting New York City (NYC). The population has been established for approximately 25 years

College/university campuses comprise a distinct type of urban interface, with their generally expansive spatial pattern of alternating permanent structures, parking lots, and green spaces. The campus of the University of West Florida (UWF) in Pensacola, Florida, was constructed among second-growth longleaf pine stands recovering from extensive logging in the western-most extent of the Panhandle, with

The spread of the red palm weevil is now a very severe problem on a global scale. In this paper, we investigate its spread during the 2007–2013 period in a coastal urban area characterized by a high density of palm trees, and discuss the application of a new approach to data collection and processing. While most works on the spread of the red palm weevil are based upon geo-referenced traps, we focused

Urbanization modifies the original habitat and the biodiversity. Research throughout urban-rural gradients allows the monitoring of human activities on the biodiversity of native environments. Our aims were to a) record the diversity of edaphic coleopteran families and carabid species in native grassland remnants of urban, suburban and rural areas; b) identify potential taxa exclusively associated

The presence of human activity and development affects the distribution and behavior of carnivore species in various ways. It is necessary to examine the effects of urbanization and associated habitat fragmentation on the spatial ecology of predators, in order to develop a comprehensive understanding and formulate a proactive approach towards biodiversity protection in such areas. In this study, we

Abstract Habitat fragmentation results in the loss of seed dispersers and subsequently leads to low regeneration and functional decline of forests. However, very few studies on disperser decline and seedling regeneration have been conducted in urban forest systems. In three isolated forest patches in Wuhan, central China, acorn dispersers, acorn dispersal, acorn deposition patterns in soil seed banks

Abstract Large and comparatively compact European cities such as Bucharest and Leipzig struggle with considerable urban heat island (UHI) effects characterized by heat and drought together with high concentrations of air pollutants (NO2, SO2, O3, CO2). However, a healthy urban green infrastructure is necessary to reduce the impacts of UHI on human health. Therefore, continuous monitoring schemes are

Abstract The water relations of riparian trees are often closely tied to stream hydrology and channel morphology, which can be altered by urban development. In regions with limited precipitation, urban water use can generate or augment dry-season stream flows, potentially providing a water subsidy to riparian trees. However, urbanization is also associated with high storm flows that cause stream channel

Abstract Urban community gardens are potentially important sites for urban pollinator conservation because of their high density, diversity of flowering plants, and low pesticide use (relative to agricultural spaces). Selective planting of attractive crop plants is a simple and cost-effective strategy for attracting flower visitors to urban green spaces, however, there is limited empirical data about

Abstract Urban areas consist of wide expanses of impervious surfaces which are known to negatively affect insect biodiversity in general, but green spaces within cities have the potential to provide necessary habitat and foraging resources. Although, communal gardens were primarily intended to provide fresh, regional food to denizens, these green islands also host a surprisingly high number of wild

Abstract Traffic noise is known to negatively affect many wildlife species by interfering with foraging behavior. Frogs often lay their eggs in roadside ditches because they are predator-free, but it is possible that traffic noise could reduce the survival and fitness of tadpoles, creating an ecological trap. In a series of lab experiments, we tested whether traffic noise has a negative impact on tadpole

Abstract Urban agriculture (UA) is regarded as an emerging tool and strategy for sustainable urban development as it addresses a wide array of environmental, economic and social objectives. Home gardening represents a common form of UA in the close living environments of urban dwellers that can be particularly important for rapidly growing cities and metropolitan regions in developing and transitional

Abstract The effects of Dutch elm disease (DED, Ophiostoma novi-ulmi) on 106,738 American elm (Ulmus americana L.) trees in Milwaukee WI, USA was contrasted through ecologic and economic results of an Actual Outcome to management alternatives of No Control, three sanitation intensities (Best, Good, Fair), and No DED over 40 years. No Control was like the Actual Outcome with over 99% of trees dead.

Abstract Most of the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches comprise natural and planted forests and trees on their premises. A study was conducted to investigate carbon stock and woody species diversity patterns along the church age gradient in Addis Ababa city. We hypothesized that the carbon stock would relate to the church age gradient. Thus, the study was conducted in forests belonging to churches that were

Urban ecology is a well-established integrative discipline with many historical roots. One of the eminent pioneers of urban ecology is the German ecologist Herbert Sukopp, who works in Berlin since the late 1950s and is often referred to as the founder of the "Berlin School of Urban Ecology". On the occasion of his 90th anniversary in 2020, this paper aims to recognize and commemorate the major contributions

The Publisher would like to correct the introduced formatting errors on the caption of Figure 1 and in the data in Table 2.

The original version of the article unfortunately contained mistakes in the legends of Fig. 3. The legends (1) Blue square: Euhadra brandtii sapporo, ground is changed to Blue square: Euhadra brandtii sapporo, canopy (2) Red circle: Euhadra brandtii sapporo, canopy is changed to Red circle: Euhadra brandtii sapporo, ground.

Predation by natural enemies is important for regulating herbivore abundance and herbivory. Theory predicts that complex habitats support more natural enemies, which exert top-down control over arthropods and therefore can reduce herbivory. However, it is unclear if theory developed in other more natural systems similarly apply to predation by vertebrate and invertebrate natural enemies across urban

Urbanisation radically changes habitats and alters available resources. Populations of large, highly mobile species are often extirpated at the urban-wildland interface, while species like mesocarnivores may thrive by capitalising on changes in prey abundance. We investigated the diet of the caracal (Caracal caracal), a medium-sized felid inhabiting patchy natural habitat isolated within the dense

The role of the urban common (i.e. shared space and resources) in sustainable provisioning of goods and services to city dwellers is discussed in this paper. Focusing on tree-based green infrastructure, the study scope includes three categories of provisioning (woody biomass, food/fibre, and non-timber forest products, i.e. NTFPs), alongside three categories of supporting services (fresh water replenishment

Urbanization is a complex process associated with environmental changes affecting many biotic and abiotic ecosystem components, which cause the alteration of biological communities, habitat features, connectivity and stability. In particular, the urbanization process is usually associated with a decrease in species richness that parallels a general increase in the overall abundance of individuals,

Termites comprise a large group of organisms in urban areas, and this leads us to believe that there is a comprehensive literature on the subject, sufficient for conducting a systematic review of the last years. Consequently, the aim of this study was a descriptive analysis of publications that addressed the issue of termites in urban areas between the years 1945 and 2018. For the systematic review

Urbanization leads to strong modifications of landscape structure and ecosystem functioning, and urban areas are spreading rapidly. The aim of this study was to investigate how phylogenetic diversity and composition of tree species are affected by urbanization itself and land-use history. We found that species richness, rarefied species richness and phylogenetic diversity are all affected by the land-use

Loss of habitat area and structural heterogeneity through anthropogenic fragmentation poses a threat to the survival of wildlife, which may be exacerbated by urban pressures. Understanding the underlying ecological processes that influence species’ persistence in fragmented landscapes is vital for conservation. We described the effects of forest fragmentation via measures of patch size and isolation

Building and operating airports are human activities associated with adverse changes in the natural environment, resulting in threats to the biodiversity in airport surroundings. As urban ecosystems are becoming more prevalent in the world and biotic homogenization is a concern, our aim here was to understand how environments near airports (hereafter “airport-affected” sites) were affected, to assess

Natural conditions and indigenous culture are fundamental factors creating the hydrological landscape system of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. A study of the indigenous landscape is critical to understanding the interaction between human activities and natural processes, thereby enhancing the delta’s ability to cope with climate change and to control floods. This paper uses a case study of Can Tho City

Urban areas attract birds during the winter when cities provide a predictable source of food and relatively stable weather conditions. However, many other factors determine the occurrence of birds in cities. This study analysed the relationship between corvids wintering in the city of Poznań, in western Poland and habitat features. Each of 32 research site was investigated three times. The most abundant

Despite the accelerating global urbanization and its associated implications for wildlife and humans, we know little about the biology of urban ecosystems. Here, we investigated colonization and habitat selection of the European hare (Lepus europaeus), a declining farmland species, in urban areas in Denmark, using a combination of citizen science data and transect counts. Further, we estimated the

Many European towns and cities have undergone reurbanisation processes in recent decades. However, their effects on urban biodiversity have been poorly studied. Currently urbanisation processes include park remodelling, which involves the replacement of semi-natural substrates (natural grass, bare soil) with artificial ones (pavement, concrete, areas for dogs, artificial grass). Our aim was to explore

Urbanisation threatens biodiversity globally, yet some animal populations persist within urban landscapes. Conservation of urban wildlife has prioritised parks and remnant bushland as critical habitat and neglected the role that residential gardens offer for conservation. We explored the potential for residential gardens to assist the conservation of mammals using an online questionnaire administered

Urban gardens, or spaces that include vegetables, fruit trees, and ornamental plants, can support bird species and communities by providing food and nesting habitat within urban landscapes. Yet, variation in management of gardens (e.g., garden size, number of tree and shrub species, ground cover) and the landscape (e.g., urban cover, landscape diversity) that surrounds them may alter communities within

Residential landscaping decisions can have important implications for water use and conservation in urban areas. Yard preferences are generally closely related to actual yard landscapes, but differences in the drivers of and constraints on preferences relative to actual landscaping have not been well explored. In this study, we conducted a resident survey to consider the relationship between preferred

Urbanization generally reduces wildlife populations. Individual species responses, however, are often highly variable, and such variability can be explained by differences in species ecological traits. To examine this hypothesis, we focused on two co-occurring land snails, Ezohelix gainesi and Euhadra brandtii sapporo; the former is ground-dwelling and the latter is arboreal. We first estimated their

Anthropogenic activities are the main cause of habitat loss and fragmentation, which directly affects biodiversity. Disruption in landscape connectivity among populations may affect complex interactions between species and ecosystem functions, such as pollination and seed dispersal, and ultimately result in secondary extinctions. Urbanization, one of the most intense forms of landscapes changes, has

Global warming is leading to increased frequency and severity of storms that are associated with flooding, increasing the risk to urban, coastal populations. This study examined perceptions of the relationship between severe storms, sea level rise, climate change and ecological barriers by a vulnerable environmental justice population in New Jersey. Patients using New Jersey's Federally Qualified Health

Local aerodynamic roughness parameters (zero-plane displacement, z d , and aerodynamic roughness length, z 0 ) are determined for an urban park and a suburban neighbourhood with a new morphometric parameterisation that includes vegetation. Inter-seasonal analysis at the urban park demonstrates z d determined with two anemometric methods is responsive to vegetation state and is 1-4 m greater during

Pond networks support high levels of biodiversity when compared to other freshwater ecosystems such as rivers, lakes and streams. The persistence of species in these small, sometimes ephemeral, aquatic habitats depends on the dispersal of individuals among ponds in the landscape. However, the number of ponds across the landscape is at a historical low as urbanisation and intensified agricultural practices

Investigations of urbanization effects on birds have focused mainly on breeding traits expressed after the nest-building stage (e.g. first-egg date, clutch size, breeding success, and offspring characteristics). Urban studies largely ignored how and why the aspects of nest building might be associated with the degree of urbanization. As urban environments are expected to present novel environmental

Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) living in urban environments are a critical public health and economic problem, particularly in urban slums where residents are at a higher risk for rat borne diseases, yet convenient methods to quantitatively assess population sizes are lacking. We evaluated track plates as a method to determine rat distribution and relative abundance in a complex urban slum environment

Coastal habitats are vulnerable to storms, and with increasing urbanization, sea level rise, and storm frequency, some urban populations are at risk. This study examined perceptions of respondents in coastal and central New Jersey to Superstorm Sandy, including: 1) concerns about ecological resources and effects (open-ended question), 2) information sources for ecology of the coast (open-ended), and

Supplementary feeding of wild birds by domestic garden-holders is a globally widespread and popular form of human-wildlife interaction, particularly in urban areas. Vast amounts of energy are thus being added to garden ecosystems. However, the potential indirect effects of this activity on non-avian species have been little studied to date, with the only two previous studies taking place under experimentally