Forest loss with urbanization predicts bird extirpations in Vancouver

Forest loss with accompanying urbanization is often permanent as forests are replaced by impervious concrete structures or surfaces. The remaining forest patches are usually isolated and too small to maintain viable populations of forest-dependent wildlife species. Consistent with the species-area function (S = cA^z), extirpation of species should follow forest loss. However, this has rarely ever been tested in the urban landscape. We determined whether the observed number of forest-dependent bird extirpations occurring after forest loss matches that predicted by the species-area function in Vancouver (study area ∼126.7 km²), British Columbia, Canada. Prior to European settlement in 1859, Vancouver was covered completely by coastal western hemlock forest. Based on published historical maps of forest cover and present Landsat imagery of Vancouver, we estimated that approximately 87% of the forest area in Vancouver has been converted to urban development. Using the species-area function, we then predicted that approximately 14 bird species closely associated with lowland forest should have been extirpated. This figure is significantly greater than the three bird species known to have been extirpated in Vancouver. When we constrained the comparison to bird species closely associated with lowland forest and restricted in their distribution in British Columbia, we found a close match between the observed and predicted number of extirpations, suggesting that bird species closely associated with lowland forest and restricted in their geographic distribution are most prone to extirpation as a result of forest loss. Given that urban areas are situated in productive habitats with inherently high species richness, it is important that local land-use plans incorporate the conservation of habitat fragments from the onset and place particular emphasis on the regionally restricted forest-dependent species.     

Insect extinction by urbanization: A long term study in Rome

Previous studies deduced negative effects of urbanization on insect conservation from decline in species richness with increasing built-up areas. This is the first study that investigates insect extinction determined by urbanization using a long-time temporal data set from hidden literature data and museum collections. Analyses were conducted for four insect groups in urban Rome: butterflies, coprophagous scarabaeids, non-coprophagous scarabaeids and tenebrionids. A reconstruction of extinction trends from 1885 to 1999 indicates impressive declines in species richness, with differences according to the ecological characteristics of each insect group. Results obtained in this study suggest that insect conservation programs should involve a thorough assessment of which species of conservation concern benefit from green spaces in urban areas, and then the identification of important sites and appropriate measures for population management.     

Changes in food resources and conservation of scarab beetles: from sheep to dog dung in a green urban area of Rome (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea)

The aim of the research was to show how a change in land use influences the structure of a dung beetle assemblage and affect its conservation. In the Pineto Urban Regional Park (Rome), dog dung is the sole food resource currently available for scarab dung beetles, after the recent removal of wild and domestic herbivores. A one-year sampling was conducted to study the scarab assemblage in dog scats (1999) and to compare it with the previous assemblage associated with sheep droppings (1986). Richness, evenness and similarity parameters were compared between the two allochronic assemblages. From sheep to dog dung, an impoverishment of the total richness was observed (from 19 to 9 species) together with an increase of individuals (by 7 times). Dog dung harboured 20% of the current scarab dung beetle fauna of Rome, probably as a consequence of the dog mixed diet, rich in cellulose. Both the communities showed a high percentage of tunnellers, probably because of the food shortage and, for dog scats, of the high dehydration rate. A comparison with other Roman scarab communities enhanced that: (1) the change in food resource determined a higher difference in species composition respect to other parameters (size and habitat diversity); (2) dog dung provided a temporary refuge for species that otherwise may encounter local extinction in urban environments.     

近30年来城市化进程对北京区域气温的影响

分析了20世纪70年代以来北京市气温指数的变化规律,发现其与城市化进程有良好对应关系。并应用主成分分析方法,将影响北京城区及郊县各站气温变化的因子分为区域因子及局地因子。计算表明,城市化带来的热岛效应是导致局地增暖的主要因子,占总增暖比重的47.5%～61.2%。在众多表征城市发展的指标中,气温与人口总量的相关性最好。以上结果有助于深入探讨城市化对区域气候的影响机制。     

Responses of birds of different biogeographic origins and habitat requirements to agricultural land abandonment in northern Spain

Agricultural land-use changes in Europe have taken two opposing directions: towards agricultural intensification or land abandonment. While in the Mediterranean region land abandonment is a main cause of avian diversity decline, in northern Europe species diversity often increases with successional age. We examined the hypothesis that the biogeographic origin of the avifauna determines whether abandonment brings conservation benefits or detriment by studying the bird community of agricultural land in northern Spain, at the boundary of the Mediterranean and Eurosiberian regions. Using a successional gradient, we examined landscape-scale effects of agricultural abandonment on birds during the breeding and non-breeding seasons.The trend in avian diversity with successional stage differed little between Mediterranean and Eurosiberian species in winter. In the spring, however, there was an increase in diversity with stage in abandonment for Eurosiberian birds but not for Mediterranean species. Analysis of individual species showed a preference among Eurosiberian birds for more wooded habitats whereas Mediterranean birds preferred open areas and shrubland.The introduction of agricultural policies to geo-political units that do not coincide with eco-regions cannot be assumed to bring uniform conservation benefits. In the Mediterranean region, agricultural mosaics of low intensity cultivation maintain the highest diversity of priority bird species. Agricultural land abandonment should not be assumed to benefit conservation.     

Birds as agents of seed dispersal in a human-dominated landscape in southern Costa Rica

Birds play vital roles as seed dispersers helping to maintain and restore plant communities. With restoration increasingly key to global conservation, it is important to understand the landscape attributes and bird community characteristics that most influence avian seed dispersal in human-altered landscapes. We examined bird community structure and seed-dispersal patterns in agricultural countryside in Costa Rica that is typical of much of the Neotropics. Contrary to expectations, bird abundance, not richness, best predicted the richness of bird-dispersed seeds. Neither forest patch size or proximity, nor total tree cover, influenced seed dispersal. The richness and abundance of dispersed seeds, however, was strongly correlated with “wetness,” a remotely-sensed metric of vegetation, at several scales. These results suggest that in this human-dominated tropical region: (1) bird abundance, not species richness or size, may drive seed dispersal, and (2) remote-sensing combined with field verification can detect landscape elements that are helpful for maintaining the option of bird-mediated reforestation.     

Relationships between avian diversity, neighborhood age, income, and environmental characteristics of an urban landscape

Maintaining biodiversity in urbanizing landscapes has become a top conservation priority. We examined variation in bird communities across a diverse array of urban and suburban neighborhoods in the Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan region. Rather than taking the usual approach of focusing solely on natural features of the urban landscape, we investigated how urban bird communities were related to neighborhood age and income, as well as environmental characteristics. We found that median housing age was strongly related to avian species richness, with newer neighborhoods supporting more species. Housing age was an important correlate of abundance for several species as well as abundance of exotic, migratory, and non-migratory species groups. Per capita income was inversely related to richness of native bird species and positively related to exotic richness. Total richness was higher in urban sites with undeveloped patches and heterogeneous land cover types; moreover, richness decreased with increasing distance from natural areas greater than 1 km². Our findings suggest that bird richness is enhanced both by small patches of natural land within the urban matrix and by close proximity to large natural preserves. Furthermore, these results suggest that investigating a combination of abiotic and environmental features of the built landscape, rather than focusing solely on environmental features, may provide a more complete understanding of the factors influencing avian diversity in human-dominated landscapes.     

A national scale inventory of resource provision for biodiversity within domestic gardens

The human population is increasingly disconnected from nature due to urbanisation. To counteract this phenomenon, the UK government has been actively promoting wildlife gardening. However, the extent to which such activities are conducted and the level of resource provision for biodiversity (e.g., food and nesting sites) within domestic gardens remains poorly documented. Here we generate estimates for a selection of key resources provided within gardens at a national scale, using 12 survey datasets gathered across the UK. We estimate that 22.7 million households (87% of homes) have access to a garden. Average garden size is 190 m², extrapolating to a total area of 432,924 ha. Although substantial, this coverage is still an order of magnitude less than that of statutory protected areas. Approximately 12.6 million (48%) households provide supplementary food for birds, 7.4 million of which specifically use bird feeders. Similarly, there are a minimum of 4.7 million nest boxes within gardens. These figures equate to one bird feeder for every nine potentially feeder-using birds in the UK, and at least one nest box for every six breeding pairs of cavity nesting birds. Gardens also contain 2.5-3.5 million ponds and 28.7 million trees, which is just under a quarter of all trees occurring outside woodlands. Ongoing urbanisation, characterised by increased housing densities, is inevitable throughout the UK and elsewhere. The important contribution domestic gardens make to the green space infrastructure in residential areas must be acknowledged, as their reduction will impact biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and the well-being of the human population.     

Effects of urbanization on California’s fish diversity: Differentiation, homogenization and the influence of spatial scale

Human development of freshwater ecosystems has lead to drastic changes in freshwater fish faunas, including the loss of many native species and the gain of non-natives. Typically conservation ecologists view these two opposing forces as contributing to biological homogenization, and consider homogenization as one of the principle negative consequences of urbanization. However, homogenization is only one outcome out of many that can result from the loss and gain of species. In particular, it is possible for invasions and extinctions to lead to differentiation; a process whereby two (or more) regions become less similar to one another through time. Using the freshwater fishes of California, we show that urbanization is highly positively correlated to both the endangerment of native fish and the invasion of non-native fish within watersheds. Despite this, the fish faunas of California’s watersheds have differentiated from one another through time. Furthermore, the degree of differentiation is positively correlated with measures of urbanization, which is contrary to expectation. We suggest that this result reflects: (1) the haphazard manner in which non-native fishes have been introduced into California watersheds, (2) the difficulty that both native and non-native fishes have in expanding their geographical ranges, and (3) the continued presence of vestiges of formerly distinct regional faunas. This pattern of differentiation among watersheds is likely a matter of scale, as previous work on freshwater fishes has demonstrated homogenization at both larger and smaller spatial scales. In addition the observed pattern is probably a short-term (temporal) phenomena and will disappear with continued invasion and extinction. We suggest that similar patterns may occur for other taxa that have limited natural dispersal abilities and that are idiosyncratically released as non-natives via human activities (e.g. herptiles).     

Research needs in relation to the conservation of biodiversity in the UK

A number of key agreements and pieces of legislation within the UK have provided an important ‘framework' for the conservation of our national biological diversity. In this paper an overview of the framework is provided and the associated research requirements classified into three broad themes: autecology and synecology, populations and environment. Evidence, for a deficiency between research need and the provision of this information from dedicated research programmes is discussed in relation to four key factors: (1) inadequate public sector funding, (2) gaps in knowledge within the research community of the existence of a statutory conservation framework and associated research needs, (3) a poor perception of conservation-oriented research and internal organisational pressures, and (4) a lack of an integrated government approach resulting in conflicts between national biodiversity obligations and support for conservation-oriented research. The paper also suggests that the required research provides a wealth of new strategic opportunities for the research community, and discusses the need to embrace new research processes as part of this work.     

Multiple effects of urbanization on the biodiversity of developing countries: The case of a fast-growing metropolitan area (Concepción, Chile)

Urbanization is increasingly homogenizing the biota of less developed countries. Even though urban sprawl is a worldwide problem, most studies on the effects of urbanization, and the conceptual models have focused on developed countries. South America has not escaped urbanization, and here we discuss the potential impacts of urban sprawl with respect to three ecosystems in the metropolitan area of Concepción, Chile. We consider this area a good model and fairly representative of other cities in developing countries which are also experiencing rapid and uncontrolled growth. We found that the impacts of urban sprawl on biodiversity in the metropolitan area of Concepción differ little from cities in other parts of the world: native ecosystems are replaced by pavements and buildings and what is left of the natural soil is covered with green areas dominated by non-native ornamental species. Wetlands and other peri-urban ecosystems are rapidly being destroyed, fragmented or invaded by non-native species. We found that from a study area of 32,000 ha, there was a net loss to urbanization of 1734 ha of wetlands (23% of the original) and 1417 ha (9%) of agricultural, forest and shrub land cover types between 1975 and 2000. From the total area urbanized (3151 ha), 55% corresponded to wetlands and 45% to agricultural, forest and shrub lands cover types. We see the lack of environmental awareness as a major cause of the increasing deterioration of biodiversity in urban areas of developing countries. More research is needed to fully understand the effects of urban sprawl on the biodiversity of developing countries to include these ecosystems in global conservation strategies.     

不同采集作业方式对森林景观生态的影响

通过研究人工林伐区不同采集作业方式对森林景观生态的影响,结果表明:皆伐对森林景观生态的影响大于择伐,带状皆伐的影响大于块状皆伐,伐区间隔排列的影响大于连续顺序排列,大面积皆伐的影响大于小面积皆伐;择伐对森林景观生态的影响随择伐强度的增大而增大,且径级择伐影响大于集约择伐;集材作业对森林景观生态的影响与集材方式有关,其影响由大到小依次为手扶拖拉机、手板车、土滑道、绞盘机和架空索道。随集运材道路网密度的增大,其影响也增大。进而提出减少采集作业对森林生态及景观生态影响的对策。     

城市化对都市农业景观的影响*--以西安市长安区为例

城市化对都市农业景观的影响日益显著,研究城市化对都市农业景观格局的影响对协调城市化与都市农业发展、优化城市与都市农业功能、把都市农业景观融入城市景观建设具有重要意义。本文以西安市长安区为案例,利用遥感、GIS及FRAG-STATS 3.3软件对研究区都市农业景观(耕地和园地)变化进行了分析,并利用SPSS软件分析了城市化与都市农业景观格局的关系。结果表明:①随着城市化的发展,长安区耕地面积减少,2011年耕地聚集度比1999年下降了2.45%;而园地面积增加,斑块形状趋于复杂,2011年聚集度比1999年上升了10.44%。②研究区内15个乡镇(街道)的耕地破碎度呈上升趋势,而园地面积在各乡镇(街道)都表现为增加,聚集度上升。③相关关系表明,随着城市化水平提高,耕地面积减少,破碎度上升,但综合城市化与耕地斑块数量、形状指数、聚集度等的相关性尚难以确定;而园地随城市化水平的提高,在空间上呈集聚趋势;除此之外,城市化与园地的景观指数相关系数普遍较低,相关系数都小于0.5,相关性不显著。④不同城市化水平对耕地和园地的作用机制不同,耕地在较高城市化水平和较低城市化水平下与城市化景观指数的相关关系相对明确;但园地在中、低城市化水平下城市化与其对景观的影响作用机制比较复杂,相关关系不明确。因此得出,园地在城市中面积增加但分布零散,在以后的城市规划工作中应重视这一部分。     

Old cultural traditions, in addition to land use and topography, are shaping plant diversity of grasslands in the Alps

Socio-economically motivated land use changes are a major threat for species diversity of grasslands throughout the world. Here, we comprehensively explore how plant species diversity of grasslands in the species-rich cultural landscape of the Swiss Alps depends on recent land use changes, and, neglected in previous studies, on old cultural traditions. We studied diversity in 216 grassland parcels at three altitudinal levels in 12 villages of three cultural traditions (Romanic, Germanic, and Walser). In valleys of Romanic villages more different parcel types tended to occur than in those of Germanic and Walser villages, suggesting that socio-economic differences among cultural traditions still play a role in shaping landscape diversity. Moreover, at the village level, higher man-made landscape diversity was associated with higher plant species richness. All observed changes in land use reduced the farmers’ workload. Plant species richness was lower in fertilized than in unfertilized parcels and in abandoned compared with used parcels. Grazing slightly reduced species richness compared with mowing among unfertilized parcels, while in fertilized parcels it had a positive influence. The highest species diversity was found in mown unfertilized subalpine grasslands. Nevertheless, moderate grazing of former meadows can be a valuable alternative to abandonment. We conclude that the ongoing changes in land use reduce plant species richness within parcels and at the landscape level. To preserve plant species diversity at the landscape level a high diversity of land use types has to be maintained.     

Species groups occupying different trophic levels respond differently to the invasion of semi-natural vegetation by Solidago canadensis

We studied the impact of the invasive plant species Solidago canadensis on the species richness of vascular plants and the abundance, species richness and diversity of butterflies, hoverflies and carabid beetles in herbaceous semi-natural habitats near Ljubljana, Slovenia. The species groups were sampled in sites dominated by S. canadensis and paired nearby sites covered by semi-natural vegetation. Plant species richness and species richness, abundance and diversity of butterfly species were lower in plots dominated by S. canadensis. Hoverfly abundance, diversity and species richness were negatively affected only in July just before the onset of flowering of S. canadensis, but tended to be positively affected in August during the height of flowering of S. canadensis. Only the abundance of carabid beetles was reduced in plots dominated by S. canadensis. The responses of the insect groups seem largely driven by the effects of Solidago on the availability of essential resources like food or larval host plants. Our results suggest that insect species that are closely related to plant species composition are more vulnerable to the effects of invasive plant species than those that are loosely or only indirectly related to plant species composition.     

Plant species richness in midfield islets and road verges - The effect of landscape fragmentation

Small marginal habitats in the rural landscape may play an important role for plant species richness as refugias. Little is known how the surrounding landscape and landscape history influence these patterns. I analysed how plant species richness was affected by isolation, habitat area, past and present land use, and if landscape context matters. Plant species occurrence in two different types of small marginal habitats were analysed, road verges and midfield islets. The study was conducted in two different agricultural landscapes in Sweden; one open modern agricultural landscape and one traditional rural landscape, and the results compared. Present and past land use, and landscape change was analysed using aerial photographs and old maps. There was a large grassland reduction more than 50 years ago in the modern landscape, when there still were quite a lot of grasslands left in the traditional landscape. Area and connectivity were more important for plant incidence in small remnant habitats in the modern landscape, compared to the less fragmented, traditional rural landscape. On the other hand there were more grassland specialists, 23% in the traditional landscape compared to 16%. Species richness became higher on midfield islet if grazing was re-introduced. The legacy of surrounding landscape remains in the species pool for a long time, atleast 50 years, even in small grassland fragments. Although small grassland remnants are more sensitive to fragmentation effects compared to larger grasslands, they still encompass a substantial part of the grassland species pool and may be valuable for reconstructing grassland management at a landscape scale.     

Rapid urbanization in China: A real challenge to soil protection and food security

To feed its 1.3 billion population with a per capita cultivated land far below the world average, China is already facing a great challenge of land scarcity. Accelerated urbanization along with explosive economic growth has further worsened the shortage of agricultural land over the last two decades. Increasing concern over land is expressed in terms of soil availability for grain production and soil quality degradation. Based on official statistics and data derived from satellite imagery, dynamics of China's cultivated land over the past two decades is outlined and the causes and destinations of cultivated land loss are analyzed in this paper. Particularly, urbanization-related land-use changes and their spatial variation across the country are demonstrated. Furthermore, impacts of urbanization and associated waste disposals, consequent shifts of soil utilization on areal soil quality are expatiated. It is initially concluded that China's cultivated land is shrinking at a rather shocking rate. Although conversion to urban and industrial uses took up a comparatively small share of total cultivated land loss, urbanization should still be considered as a great threat to future agricultural production for several reasons. Urbanization is increasing the risk of soil pollution through waste disposal and acid deposition derived from urban air pollution. Facing rapid urbanization, China is making positive policy responses to the challenge of decreasing availability of cultivated land and offering unremitting efforts towards the goal of national food security.     

中国的农业生物多样性保护及持续利用

中国农区内分布有丰富的野生珍稀濒危物种、生境和遗传基因资源,是农业生物多样性保护的重点。中国农业栽培、繁殖及野生生物物种种类繁多,其物种和生境类型都具特有性,由于农业土地的过度开发和不合理利用,以及农业生态环境污染、过量采集等因素,造成我国农业生物多样性品种和分布面积缩小或消失。我国从５０ 年代开始保护生态系统的工作,特别是在改革开放以来,我国政府在就地保护、迁地保护、保护规划、法制建设、机构建设、宣传培训等方面,采取了一系列的保护措施,农业生物多样性保护和持续利用取得了显著成效。     

咸阳市生态环境与城市化交互耦合规律的实证研究

在环境污染与城市化发展变化特征分析的基础上,利用计量经济学的方法,对1984～2004年成阳市生态环境与城市化耦合特征进行了实证分析.结果显示,成阳市工业三废排放量与城市化水平呈现倒"U"型曲线.工业废水排放与城市化的耦合曲线正处于倒"U"的右侧,而工业固体废物和工业废气与城市化的耦合曲线则处于倒"U"型左侧.目前成阳市城市化水平还比较低,仍处于初级阶段.城市化进程的加快带来了人口的聚集和经济的快速发展,从而使三废的排放不断增加.在今后城市发展中,政府应加大环境保护力度,制定严格的环境保护政策,促使以煤炭为主的能源结构向清洁能源转变,以高能耗、高排放、高污染的经济结构向低能耗、低排放、低污染转变,以及以第二产业为主的产业结构向污染较少的第三产业转变,达到工业三废排放量逐渐下降,生态环境逐步改善,生态环境和城市化协调发展.     

我国城市土壤重金属污染研究现状和展望

随着我国城市化和工业化的高速发展,城市土壤重金属污染越来越受到关注,本文在文献调研的基础上,比较国内主要城市土壤重金属污染的含量水平,综述了我国城市土壤重金属污染来源、化学形态、分布特点、生态效应等,并提出了研究展望,以期为相关研究、环境决策和环境管理提供参考。