Additive and synergistic effects of land cover,land use and climate on insect biodiversity

Context

We address the issue of adapting landscapes for improved insect biodiversity conservation in a changing climate by assessing the importance of additive (main) and synergistic (interaction) effects of land cover and land use with climate.

Objectives

We test the hypotheses that ant richness (species and genus), abundance and diversity would vary according to land cover and land use intensity but that these effects would vary according to climate.

Methods

We used a 1000 m elevation gradient in eastern Australia (as a proxy for a climate gradient) and sampled ant biodiversity along this gradient from sites with variable land cover and land use.

Results

Main effects revealed: higher ant richness (species and genus) and diversity with greater native woody plant canopy cover; and lower species richness with higher cultivation and grazing intensity, bare ground and exotic plant groundcover. Interaction effects revealed: both the positive effects of native plant canopy cover on ant species richness and abundance, and the negative effects of exotic plant groundcover on species richness were greatest at sites with warmer and drier climates.

Conclusions

Impacts of climate change on insect biodiversity may be mitigated to some degree through landscape adaptation by increasing woody native vegetation cover and by reducing land use intensity, the cover of exotic vegetation and of bare ground. Evidence of synergistic effects suggests that landscape adaptation may be most effective in areas which are currently warmer and drier, or are projected to become so as a result of climate change.

     

怀化市住宅小区绿化调查

抽样调查和分析怀化市住宅小区绿地及园林植物应用现状,并用AHP法进行景观评价.结果表明:怀化市住宅小区绿地率较低,所用园林植物种类品种较少;住宅小区绿化景观整体AHP评价为A-.问题主要为景观特色、植物多样性与景观多样性方面的不足,尤其是对小区景观与城市绿地系统的关系,小区生态环境与城市生态系统的关系处理方面的不足.最后,就小区绿化建设如何更好地服务于生态宜居城市建设,从植物种类选择、造景理念与生态效益5方面进行讨论.     

Pocket parks in a compact city: how do birds respond to increasing residential density?

The desire to improve urban sustainability is motivating many city planners to adopt growth strategies that increase residential density, leading to substantial changes to urban landscapes. What effect this change will have on biodiversity remains unclear, but it is expected that the role of public greenspace in providing wildlife habitat will become critical. We explored the role of urban “pocket parks” as habitat for birds, and how this role changed with increasing residential density in the surrounding neighbourhood. We found that parks in neighbourhoods with high levels of public greenspace (corresponding to less residential land) supported more bird species and individuals overall, and more woodland-dependent species, insectivores and hollow-nesters. Total greenspace area was more important (included in the best ranked models for all bird responses) than the configuration (number, average size and connectivity) of greenspace patches. The majority of species were common suburban birds, indicating that species we assume are tolerant to urban areas will be negatively affected by increasing residential density. Parks form part of an interconnected network of urban open space. For parks to continue to support a diverse native bird community, the network must be viewed, managed, and maintained in its entirety. We suggest three key management actions to improve the bird diversity values of urban greenspaces in compact cities: (1) Increase urban greenspace cover in residential neighbourhoods. (2) Increase vegetation structure in greenspace. (3) Encourage homeowners to plant trees and shrubs.     

Microhabitat preferences of butterflies in urban parks: Both vegetation structure and resources are decisive

Urban parks comprise diverse microhabitats, such as vegetation units of lawn and arbour forests, with differing biodiversity potentials. However, the influences of microhabitats on butterfly diversity and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study used butterfly survey data from 112 plots in 27 urban parks in the central metropolitan area of Beijing, China, from June to September 2020. Based on the growth form of larval host plants, recorded butterfly species were classified into three functional groups: woody plant-feeding taxa (WF), herb-feeding taxa (HF), and feeding on multiple plant growth forms taxa (MF). We analysed the effects of 11 variables among three facets, namely, vegetation composition, vegetation structure, and human activity, on the butterfly diversity (species richness and abundance) of the whole community, three functional groups using generalised linear mixed models. Twenty-five butterfly species observed mainly feed on herbs rather than on woody plants. Our results demonstrated that vegetation community characteristics explain up to 24% and 43% variation in butterfly species richness and abundance, respectively. Of this, vegetation structure facets crucially affected butterfly species richness, and vegetation composition facets had the most significant influence on the abundance of the whole butterfly community. However, the impact of human activity factors was minimal. Light availability and herb height belonging to vegetation structure factors and nectar plant species richness and nectar abundance which belonged to vegetation composition factors showed the most important and positive effects on butterfly diversity. The positive impact of the above significant factors was found especially on herb-feeding butterfly diversity. In contrast, the diversity of butterflies feeding on woody plants was most positively influenced by herb height. We thus suggest that it is necessary to guarantee the presence of a well-developed herb layer, which provides abundant nectar sources and maintain specific open spaces to ensure light availability. In conclusion, our findings imply that the critical role of the spatial structure of vegetation community is conspicuous in the formation of suitable microhabitats for butterflies, and managers could combine vegetation management practices with the needs of specific functional groups.     

Spatiotemporal availability of pollinator attractive trees in a tropical streetscape: unequal distribution for pollinators and people

Street trees integrate the urban green infrastructure and are important elements for the maintenance of biodiversity, including pollinators. Thus, assessments of the spatiotemporal distribution and composition of these trees can subsidize strategies of conservation for different groups of pollinators in the cities. Here, we evaluated the spatiotemporal distribution of trees attractive to pollinators across the streetscape of a large Brazilian metropolis with more than 2.5 million inhabitants. We used the georeferenced data of ca. 300,000 woody plant individuals cataloged across the streetscape. These plants were characterized according to their geographical origin, flowering season, and the floral visitor groups that are attracted based on a literature survey. We also tested the “luxury effect” hypothesis on the resource availability to pollinators by evaluating the relationship between the average family income of the population and the richness and abundance of trees. We found that the streetscape was characterized by the dominance of a few tree species, with a balanced representation of both native and non-native species. Bees were the most favored group (94.86%) while bats (1.43%) and moths (1.73%) were the least. The potential supply of resources was homogeneous across dry and wet seasons, but the density of trees was reduced in most of the landscape. We found a strong luxury effect since tree richness and abundance were positively related to regions with higher average family income. Our study highlights the need for better planning and management practices of urban green areas to support pollinators more uniformly across streetscapes. This will allow the benefits provided by pollinators to be more evenly shared among residents of urban landscapes.     

Unexpected connections between residential urban forest diversity and vulnerability to two invasive beetles

Invasive pests pose a threat to the key environmental and social benefits provided by urban forests, and diverse tree planting is a primary management strategy for reducing pest vulnerability. For example, past urban forest losses to Dutch elm disease (DED) prompted municipal foresters to emphasize diversification, but it is unclear whether residential properties developed after the peak DED outbreak are actually more diverse than older properties. To address this issue, we inventoried all public and private trees on 150 residential properties in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, USA, and compared genus diversity on pre- and post-Dutch elm properties. We then quantified vulnerability to two current invasive pest threats, emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) and Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) (Anoplophora glabripennis), to evaluate whether higher diversity corresponds with lower pest vulnerability. We assessed vulnerability based on two fundamental urban forest metrics–frequency and size of vulnerable trees. Surprisingly, properties developed after the peak DED outbreak were less diverse than older properties. At the same time, less diverse post-Dutch elm properties exhibited low ALB vulnerability and modest EAB vulnerability, while more diverse older sites were highly susceptible to ALB. The importance of pest host specificity in characterizing urban forest vulnerability was underscored by low EAB vulnerability and high ALB vulnerability on our oldest study sites. This research highlights an apparent disconnect between the theoretical notion that higher diversity should reduce invasive pest vulnerability, and our empirical data indicating that genus diversity does not necessarily correspond with pest vulnerability.     

Isolating spatial effects on beta diversity to inform forest landscape planning

Understanding the effects of landscapes on pest and non-pest species is necessary if regional landscape planning is to both control pests and conserve biodiversity. A first step is understanding of how both pests and non-pest species interact with the landscape configuration to determine the density of the two groups. While it is impossible to examine the occurrence and dispersal behavior of all species, different turnover rates in different species assemblages may offer general insights into responses of species assemblages. In this study I examine the distance decay of similarity of longhorned beetle assemblages in a large forest area in Indiana, USA, with minimal differences in habitat and few barriers to dispersal. Differences in beta diversity between groups are therefore likely due to dispersal distances. I found differences in turnover rates between species that decompose dead wood and those that attack living trees, and between species with different adult feeding habits. This suggests that management for simultaneous conservation and pest control is possible.     

Species diversity of urban forests in China

A good knowledge of species diversity is essential for urban forest planning and management. In this study, we analyzed species diversity of urban forests in China using data synthesized through a systematic review. Our analysis showed that 3740 taxa of woody plants at species level and below have been reported in urban forests in 257 cities. Merging to the species level, there were 2640 species, including 1671 trees, 743 shrubs, and 226 lianas. Salix babylonica L. was the most widely distributed urban tree species in China. Overall, native species accounted for 76.02% of the observed species while the rest were exotic species. Inside cities, parks contained more species than other types of land use. Among cities, composition similarity of urban forests decreased as spatial distances among them increased. Besides, there was a latitudinal pattern in compositional similarity of urban forests in China. The relatively low ratio of the number of woody plant species in urban forests to these naturally distributed in China indicates that there is plenty of room for increasing species diversity of urban forests in China. However, cautions must be taken to avoid increasing compositional similarity of urban forests in China at the same time.     

Urban-rural and temporal differences of woody plants and bird species in Harbin city,northeastern China

Urbanization has been greatly accelerated by the economic growth in China, while its possible effects on woody plants, bird species and their associations are not well defined yet. Here, we analyzed urban-rural gradients (landscape level: urban-farmland-forest-natural reserves; city level: ring road and urban build-up history) and temporal data (1955–1980–2014 for woody plants; 1980s–2010 s for birds) in Harbin city, China, to investigate the changes in the composition and diversity of woody plants and birds during urbanization. Both landscape gradient and temporal data confirmed that urbanization had the function of species conservations with sharp increases of alien species and tropical type plants. In the case woody species, 60-yr urbanization in Harbin had induced increases of 9 families and 17 genera, and there were 7–20 more families, 12–35 more genera, 1.6–2.6 higher Margalef richness in urban areas than those in nature reserves and local forest farms; Increases in alien species (4-fold in 60-yr urbanization; 21% in urban area vs <2% for non-urban region) and tropical type plants (1.6-fold in 60-yr urbanization; temperate/tropical ratio at 1.2 in urban area vs >1.6 in non-urban area) were mainly responsible for these compositional changes, which can be proved by their significant correlations. Moreover, moderate disturbance had peak values in alien species, tropical type plants, Shannon-wiener diversity, Margalef richness index and Pielou evenness index, and both ring road- and buildup history gradients showed the similar tendency. Compared with those in 1980s, forest- and eurytopic-habitats birds increased 9–11 species (23–39%), and omnivorous, insect-eating, and phytophagous bird increased 5–9 species (14.1–29.4%) in those in 2010s, indicating that bird temporal changes were closely related with the changes in urban forests owing to food supply and habitat provision. Our findings could provide data for biodiversity evaluation of urbanization effects, and is also useful for ecological re-construction of local cities in China.     

Interrelationship of birds and habitat features in urban greenspaces in Delhi, India

Biodiversity conservation in urban areas has become significant not only because of increasing human population in urban centers but also because it is one of the innovative ways to conserve biodiversity as suggested by various global environmental conventions. The present study was conducted with the purpose of assessing diversity and density of bird and woody species in some greenspaces of Delhi, the rapidly urbanizing capital of India. The landscape of Delhi consists of a broad spectrum of environments ranging from the city forests to highly modified artificial landscapes in certain parks. We assessed bird and woody vegetation in 20 m×50 m belt transects in each of the 19 randomly selected greenspaces of varying size. Results exhibit a negative relationship between the density of exotic woody species and bird diversity. Specifically, Prosopis juliflora – an exotic, which was the most abundant tree in our samples – exhibited a negative relationship with bird diversity. Principal component analysis (PCA) reveals that forest-preferring bird species increase with increasing greenspaces size, shrub diversity and shrub density. We conclude that maintaining larger greenspaces with high structural diversity may be effective in maintaining plant and bird diversity in the study area.     

柳州市园林害虫调查与综合治理建议

为初步摸清柳州市主要园林植物害虫种类与危害严重害虫的虫情,对柳州市几个代表性公园、广场、庭院主要园林植物进行了抽样调查与专题调查.结果表明:园林植物害虫78种,隶属8目42科75属.其中吸汁类害虫40种,占总种数的51.3％,隶属3目18科39属;食叶类害虫29种,占总种数的37.2％,隶属5目21科28属;钻蛀类害虫9种,占总种数的11.5％,隶属3目6科9属.危害严重的种类为食叶害虫黄杨绢野螟、曲纹紫灰蝶,钻蛀害虫橘光绿天牛、相思拟木蠹蛾,吸汁害虫杜鹃冠网蝽、台湾白兰蚜.表明柳州市园林植物害虫种类多,以吸汁类害虫为主,但虫情严重的种类并不多.     

Cityscape quality and resource manipulation affect natural enemy biodiversity in and fidelity to urban agroecosystems

Context

Complex landscapes with high resource availability can support more diverse natural enemy communities and better natural pest control by providing resources and facilitating organism dispersal. Moreover, in agricultural landscapes, local agroecosystem management can support biodiversity maintenance and pest control by adding resources in less complex landscapes with fewer resources. However, we lack an understanding of how local and landscape factors interact to affect natural enemy communities and their site fidelity to agroecosystems in urban landscapes (i.e., cityscapes).

Objective

To better understand how local and landscape factors influence natural enemies in urban agroecosystems, we used urban community gardens as a model system to test if and how local resource manipulation and differences in cityscape quality affect natural enemy (ladybird beetles, parasitoid wasps) communities and their fidelity to urban habitats.

Methods

We performed two manipulations. First, we added local floral resources in 6 of 12 gardens situated in different cityscapes to measure differences in natural enemy biodiversity. Second, in those 12 gardens, with and without resource additions, we manipulated populations of a common natural enemy, Hippodamia convergens, to assess fidelity to the gardens.

Results

Floral resource additions increased parasitoid abundance and changed community composition, but had little effect on ladybeetle abundance, richness or site fidelity. Rather, ladybeetle fidelity to gardens was lower in gardens in low quality cityscapes with high impervious cover.

Conclusions

Cityscape quality influences natural enemies in and fidelity to gardens. Landscape-moderated biodiversity patterns observed in rural landscapes likely differ from urban contexts with implications for pest control.

     

Plant and microbial biodiversity in urban forests and public gardens: Insights for cities’ sustainable development

As the world’s population gets increasingly more urban, the preservation of urban green spaces becomes an important issue in the political agenda worldwide. These spaces may mitigate the negative environmental impacts of urbanisation and improve quality of life. Aiming to increase knowledge in urban biodiversity we compared the diversity of vascular plants and soil microbial communities (fungi and bacteria) in two contrasting typologies of urban green spaces (public gardens and remnant forests) in the city of Coimbra (Portugal). We found 252 taxa of vascular plants of which 58% were native and 42% exotic. Although overall diversity indices were similar in both typologies of green spaces, species richness and percentage cover of native taxa were significantly higher in forests than in gardens. Overall, plant communities in the two typologies of green spaces were distinct. We found high variability among gardens, which is consistent with vegetation in gardens being determined by man rather than by competitive or successional processes. Interestingly, the disparity between gardens and forests was also visible for both bacterial and fungal communities indicating an association between above and below-ground communities. We showed that, due to their origin, remnant forests harbour plant taxa with high conservation and ecological values. It also showed that gardens have higher percentage of exotic species, which led us to conclude that native plant species should be given more emphasis in these spaces. City planners should promote urban development by incorporating an ecological perspective into their management plans to enhance human health and global environmental quality.     

Urban greenery as a habitat for parasitoids of the Pimplinae subfamily (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae)

Vegetation in green areas such as parks, gardens and allotment gardens provides suitable conditions for the development of parasitic insects, which can effectively reduce the population of plant pests feeding in this environment.The aim of the study was to determine the qualitative and quantitative structure of parasitoids of the Pimplinae subfamily (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) inhabiting urban green areas and to determine the influence of anthropogenic pressure on the structures of these communities.The study was conducted between 2014 and 2016 at five sites in urban green areas in Poznań, which were exposed to low, medium or high anthropogenic pressure.In total 3096 samples were collected and 659 Pimplinae insects belonging to 51 species were caught. The largest population and the highest species diversity of the Pimplinae was noted at the Serbska (S) site, which was exposed to medium anthropogenic pressure. The smallest population and the lowest species diversity were observed at the Zoological Garden (ZG) site, which was exposed to heavy anthropogenic pressure.The research showed that the qualitative and quantitative structure of parasitoids of the Pimplinae subfamily depended on the degree of greenness in a particular area, its abundance in plant species, and the air pollution level.The research showed that the degree of anthropogenic pressure determined the similarity of the qualitative and quantitative structure of Pimplinae communities inhabiting urban green areas.The research showed that the species richness and the number of parasitoids of the Pimplinae subfamily in urban green areas were positively related with a well-developed and species-diverse plant cover with an abundance of shrub plants.Therefore, a floristically diverse urban environment may increase the species abundance of parasitoids of the Ichneumonidae family, including the Pimplinae subfamily, which may effectively regulate the number of pests feeding on plants in this environment.     

Declines in biodiversity and the abundance of pest species across land use gradients in Southeast Asia

Context

Changes in land use have disruptive effects on community structure, causing many species to disappear, though a few thrive and become pests.

Objectives

To gain understanding on how anthropogenic activity changes spatial patterns of native species diversity while favoring pests, we conducted rapid biodiversity assessments of dacine fruit flies across eight regions in Southeast Asia.

Methods

Male lure traps were maintained for 2 days along transects at 233 sites, in forest, agricultural and urban environments.

Results

A total of 8393 individuals were collected, belonging to 57 described and 4 new or unidentified species. The majority (78 %) of individuals belonged to 14 pest species, dominated by Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). The 57 species represent 38 % of those recorded from the region, indicating effective sampling. Individual flies were collected in highest numbers in urban and agricultural sites, but species diversity was low. Forest samples yielded fewer specimens but highest species diversity, suggesting a shift in community structure after disturbance, benefiting a few pest species at the expense of the broader community, even in the same genus and ecological guild.

Conclusions

Dacine fruit flies may be useful in assessing habitat quality and bait systems permit the execution of rapid biodiversity and multi-species conservation assessments. Our results apply to broader patterns concerning biodiversity loss and the emergence of pest species under increasingly intensive land use gradients, and demonstrate the remarkable loss of biodiversity over very narrow distances as forest is converted into agricultural use, hence the importance in maintaining a mosaic of native habitats.

     

URban Biotopes of Aotearoa New Zealand (URBANZ) II: Floristics, biodiversity and conservation values of urban residential and public woodlands, Christchurch

Urban forests are increasingly valued for multiple benefits such as amenity, cultural values, native biodiversity, ecosystem services, and carbon sequestration. Urban biodiversity in particular, is the new focus although global homogenisation is undermining regional differentiation. In the northern hemisphere (e.g., Canada and USA) and in the southern hemisphere, particularly in countries like South Africa, Australia, South America and New Zealand, local biodiversity is further impacted by historical colonisation from Europe. After several centuries, urban forests are now composed of synthetic and spontaneous mixtures of native species, and exotic species from around the temperate world (e.g., Europe, North and South America, South Africa, Asia). As far as we are aware no-one has carried out in-depth study of these synthetic forests in any Southern Hemisphere city. Here we describe the composition, structure, and biodiversity conservation imperatives of urban temperate forests at 90 random locations in Christchurch city, New Zealand.We document considerable plant diversity; the total number of species encountered in the 253 sampled urban forest patches was 486. Despite this incredibly variable data set, our ability to explain variation in species richness was surprisingly good and clearly indicates that total species richness was higher in larger patches with greater litter and vegetation cover, and taller canopy height. Species richness was also higher in patches surrounded by higher population densities and closer to very large native forest patches. Native species richness was higher in patches with higher soil pH, lower canopy height, and greater litter cover and in patches closer to very large native forest patches indicating dispersal out of native areas and into gardens. Eight distinct forest communities were identified by Two-Way INdicator SPecies ANalysis (TWINSPAN) using the occurrence of 241 species that occurred in more than two out of all 253 forest patches.Christchurch urban forest canopies were dominated by exotic tree species in parklands and in street tree plantings (linear parkland). Native tree and shrub species were not as common in public spaces but their overall density high in residential gardens. There was some explanatory power in our data, since less deprivation resulted in greater diversity and density, and more native species, which in turn is associated with private ownership. We hypothesise that a number of other factors, which were not well reflected in our measured environmental variables, are responsible for much of the remaining variation in the plant community structure, e.g., advertising, peoples choice. For a more sustainable asset base of native trees in New Zealand cities we need more, longer-lived native species, in large public spaces, including a greater proportion of species that bear fruit and nectar suitable for native wildlife. We may then achieve cities with ecological integrity that present multiple historical dimensions, and sequester carbon in legible landscapes.     

The potential to restore native woody plant richness and composition in a reforesting landscape: a modeling approach in the Ecuadorian Andes

Context

Natural regenerating forests are rapidly expanding in the tropics. Forest transitions have the potential to restore biodiversity. Spatial targeting of land use policies could improve the biodiversity benefits of reforesting landscapes.

Objective

We explored the relative importance of landscape attributes in influencing the potential of tree cover increase to restore native woody plant biodiversity at the landscape scale.

Methods

We developed land use scenarios that differed in spatial patterns of reforestation, using the Pangor watershed in the Ecuadorian Andes as a case study. We distinguished between reforestation through natural regeneration of woody vegetation in abandoned fallows and planted forests through managed plantations of exotic species on previously cultivated land. We simulated the restoration of woody plant biodiversity for each scenario using LANDIS-II, a process-based model of forest dynamics. A pair-case comparison of simulated woody plant biodiversity for each scenario was conducted against a random scenario.

Results

Species richness in natural regenerating fallows was considerably higher when occurring in: (i) close proximity to remnant forests; (ii) areas with a high percentage of surrounding forest cover; and (iii) compositional heterogeneous landscapes. Reforestation at intermediate altitudes also positively affected restoration of woody plant species. Planted exotic pine forests negatively affected species restoration.

Conclusions

Our research contributes to a better understanding of the recolonization processes of regenerating forests. We provide guidelines for reforestation policies that aim to conserve and restore woody plant biodiversity by accounting for landscape attributes.

     

The designation of a historical site to maintain plant diversity in the Tokyo metropolitan region

Although urban habitats contribute to the conservation of species diversity, urbanization has significantly reduced biodiversity by causing environmental changes such as habitat loss and fragmentation. Therefore, research on urban biodiversity studies has become increasingly important. Historical heritage sites are recognized as important habitats in remnant green spaces in urban areas. We aimed to evaluate the role of historical sites in conserving biodiversity in urban areas. As the land in these historical sites is not modified, they have the potential to conserve biodiversity through continued maintenance activities such as mowing and tree cutting. In Japan, Tamagawa-josui, a waterway that runs from west to east through the Tokyo megacity (35° 40′ N, 139° 25′ E), has been recognized as a civil engineering heritage landmark that preserves water utilization technology from the early modern period (1600s, Edo-era). The present study examined the relationships between plant diversity and green space in a historic site of a megacity (i.e., Tamagawa-josui) and determined the factors that influence plant diversity. Specifically, we examined the relationships between plant species indices (species richness and species compositions) and environmental factors (management, environmental conditions, and landscape factors). The present study analyzed spatial changes in the plant species composition in Tamagawa-josui. We demonstrated that tree canopy openness was positively correlated with plant species richness, and the increased disturbance associated with developing historical sites as urban parks was negatively correlated with native plant species richness. In addition, there was significant species turnover in the plant community from upstream to downstream in Tamagawa-josui, which could largely be explained by spatial factors. We demonstrated that historical sites can provide potential habitats for the conservation of the plant species diversity, which is based on the effectiveness of the management of their vegetation.     

Scale-Dependent Influence of Topography-Based Hydrologic Features on Patterns of Woody Plant Encroachment in Savanna Landscapes

Rainfall in drylands is erratic. Topographic features of landscapes can dampen or amplify temporal variability by spatially influencing patterns of water loss and accumulation. The extent to which portions of a landscape may differentially capture or retain scarce water and nutrient resources is an important determinant of vegetation patterns, particularly with respect to the distribution of woody plants. We therefore hypothesized that historic changes in woody cover on landscapes experiencing similar climate and disturbance regimes would vary with catena-to-catena (hillslope-to-hillslope) variation in topography-based hydrologic features. We tested this hypothesis by comparing topographic wetness index (TWI) values on replicate landscapes where woody plant abundance has increased over the past 100 yr. These landscapes are characterized by savanna parklands on coarse-textured upland portions of catenas that grade (1–3% slopes) into closed-canopy woodlands on fine-textured (lowland) portions of catenas. TWI values for woody and herbaceous communities were comparable within uplands, suggesting factors unrelated to surface/subsurface hydrology determine patterns of woody cover in these catena locations. TWI values for upland savanna parklands were significantly lower than those of closed-canopy woodlands occupying catena footslopes. Furthermore, uplands adjoining historically static woodland boundaries had lower TWI values than those where woodland boundaries had moved upslope 2.1 m yr⁻¹ from 1976 to 1995. Results suggest runoff–runon relationships influence patterns of woody plant cover and change at the catena scale and may override constraints imposed by soil texture. As a result, changes in woody cover potentially accompanying changes in disturbance regimes, climate or atmospheric chemistry are likely to be constrained by topoedaphic settings. Models of vegetation dynamics may therefore need to explicitly account for rainfall–topography–soil texture relationships and associated scale-dependent mechanisms to accurately predict rates and patterns of change in woody and herbaceous plant abundance.