Habitat effect on vegetation ecology and occurrence on urban masonry walls |
| |
| Authors: | C.Y. Jim Wendy Y. Chen |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biosystematics, Laboratory of Geobotany & Plant Conservation, Opole University, 45-052 Opole, Poland;2. Silesian Botanical Garden, Miko?ów, Poland;3. Department of Plant Taxonomy, Phytogeography and Herbarium, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika St. 27, 31-501 Kraków, Poland;4. Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic;1. Finnish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 7, FI00014 University of Helsinki, Finland;2. Department of Environmental Sciences, PO Box 65, FI00014 University of Helsinki, Finland;1. Nigde University, Geological Engineering Department, 51245 Ni?de, Turkey;2. Nigde University, Department of Biology, 51245 Ni?de, Turkey;1. Department of Environmental Science, Saint Mary''s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;2. Departments of Biology and Environmental Science, Saint Mary''s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3C3, Canada;3. Management Committee of Xi’an Chan-ba National Ecological District, Xi’an 710024, China;4. College of Biotechnology, Xi’an university of Arts and Science, Xi’an 710065, China;1. Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China;2. Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China;3. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, 570228, China;4. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Concordia University of Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta, T5B 4E4, Canada |
| |
| Abstract: | ![]()
Cities contain a diverse range of habitats that support plant establishment and persistence. This study focuses on a particular vertical artificial habitat: masonry retaining walls in Hong Kong. We explored the diversity and co-existence of different plant growth forms, synoptic assessment of habitat conditions, and relationship between habitat factors and vegetation occurrence. Some 270 walls with notable plant colonization in old districts were studied. We surveyed intrinsic wall fabric, extrinsic site condition, tree species and abundance, and other types of plant cover. The data were evaluated with the help of principal component and multiple regression analyses. A wide assemblage of species and growth forms have established spontaneously on walls. The tree flora is dominated by Moraceae (Mulberry family) members, genus Ficus (figs or banyans), and particularly Ficus microcarpa. Trees with strangler characteristics pre-adapted to grow on the vertical habitat are strongly favoured, followed by ruderals and garden escapees. Natives outnumber exotics by a large margin. Multiple wall attributes could be condensed into four factors, classified as water-nutrient supply, habitat connectivity, structure-maintenance, and habitat size. The action of habitat factors on vegetation occurrence hinges on plant growth form and dimension. The occurrence of diminutive lichen-moss is related to the fundamental sustenance water-nutrient factor. The bigger mature trees are more dependent on the larger-scale habitat size factor. The medium-sized plants, including herbs, shrubs and tree seedlings, are contingent upon the dual influence of water-nutrient and habitat connectivity. Spatial contiguity with natural ecosystem can secure continual supplies of seeds, water, nutrient, genial microclimate, and clean air to foster wall vegetation growth. The conservation of walls and their companion flora could avoid degrading or reducing these critical enabling factors. The urban ecological heritage deserves to be protected from unnecessary, misinformed and harmful impacts. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
