A global analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird and plant diversity reveals key anthropogenic drivers

Aronson, Myla, La Sorte, Frank A., Nilon, Charles H., Katti, Madhusudan, Goddard, Mark, Lepczyk, Christopher A., Warren, Paige S., Williams, Nicholas S. G., Cilliers, Sarel, Clarkson, Bruce, Dobbs, Cynnamon, Dolan, Rebecca, Hedblom, Marcus, Klotz, Stefan, Kooijmans, Jip Louwe, Kühn, Ingolf, MacGregor-Fors, Ian, McDonnell, Mark, Mörtberg, Ulla, Pyšek, Petr, Siebert, Stefan, Sushinsky, Jessica, Werner, Peter and Winter, Marten (2014) A global analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird and plant diversity reveals key anthropogenic drivers. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 281 (1780). p. 20133330. ISSN 0962-8452

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Abstract

Urbanization contributes to the loss of the world's biodiversity and the homogenization of its biota. However, comparative studies of urban biodiversity leading to robust generalities of the status and drivers of biodiversity in cities at the global scale are lacking. Here, we compiled the largest global dataset to date of two diverse taxa in cities: birds (54 cities) and plants (110 cities). We found that the majority of urban bird and plant species are native in the world's cities. Few plants and birds are cosmopolitan, the most common being Columba livia and Poa annua. The density of bird and plant species (the number of species per km2) has declined substantially: only 8% of native bird and 25% of native plant species are currently present compared with estimates of non-urban density of species. The current density of species in cities and the loss in density of species was best explained by anthropogenic features (landcover, city age) rather than by non-anthropogenic factors (geography, climate, topography). As urbanization continues to expand, efforts directed towards the conservation of intact vegetation within urban landscapes could support higher concentrations of both bird and plant species. Despite declines in the density of species, cities still retain endemic native species, thus providing opportunities for regional and global biodiversity conservation, restoration and education.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	anthropogenic activities, global biodiversity, native species, density of species, urbanization
Subjects:	C100 Biology C500 Microbiology C700 Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry D700 Agricultural Sciences F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences
Department:	Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Geography and Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Elena Carlaw
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2019 08:24
Last Modified:	08 Sep 2020 15:32
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/41144

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