Urban Ecosystems

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Urban ecosystems: What would Tansley do?

Steward T. A. Pickett, J. M. Grove

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 1-8

The ecosystem concept was introduced in ecology originally to solve problems associated with theories of succession and ecological communities. It has evolved to become one of ecology’s fundamental ideas, and has proven to be applicable to a wide variety of research questions and applications. However, there is controversy about whether or how well the ecosystem concept is suited to urban habitats...

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Ecological research can augment restoration practice in urban areas degraded by invasive species—examples from Chicago Wilderness

Liam Heneghan, Lauren Umek, Brad Bernau, Kevin Grady, more

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 63-77

Urban biodiversity conservation needs a firm scientific foundation, one that draws upon active and regionally calibrated research programs. Until recently this foundation has not existed. In this paper we examine the way in which the emerging discipline of restoration ecology in an urban context can learn from the experiences of ongoing restoration projects and in turn how novel insights from research...

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A comparison of soil organic carbon stocks between residential turf grass and native soil

Richard V. Pouyat, Ian D. Yesilonis, Nancy E. Golubiewski

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 45-62

A central principle in urban ecological theory implies that in urbanized landscapes anthropogenic drivers will dominate natural drivers in the control of soil organic carbon storage (SOC). To assess the effect of urban land-use change on the storage of SOC, we compared SOC stocks of turf grass and native cover types of two metropolitan areas (Baltimore, MD, and Denver, CO) representing climatologically...

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Urban soil ecology as a focal point for environmental education

E. A. Johnson, K. M. Catley

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 79-93

Direct contact with the natural world is an essential element of environmental education and a key to developing environmental literacy and a stewardship ethic. But providing this experience can be challenging in urban environments where many people believe nature only occurs “outside” the city, and urban biota are often unwelcome and perceived in negative terms. Since 80% of the United States’ population...

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Scratching the surface and digging deeper: exploring ecological theories in urban soils

Mitchell A. Pavao-Zuckerman, Loren B. Byrne

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 9-20

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Habitat structure: A fundamental concept and framework for urban soil ecology

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 21-21

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Altered resources, disturbance, and heterogeneity: A framework for comparing urban and non-urban soils

S. T. A. Pickett, M. L. Cadenasso

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 23-44

We propose a framework of key concepts useful in understanding how urban soils can contribute to general ecological theory. The major factors that can cause urban soils to be different from soils in non-urban ecosystems are identified and related to the familiar state factor approach. We evaluate directly altered resource availability, and the role of stress in mediating resource availability in urban...

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Urban forest biomass estimates: is it important to use allometric relationships developed specifically for urban trees?

M. R. McHale, I. C. Burke, M. A. Lefsky, P. J. Peper, more

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 1 > 95-113

Many studies have analyzed the benefits, costs, and carbon storage capacity associated with urban trees. These studies have been limited by a lack of research on urban tree biomass, such that estimates of carbon storage in urban systems have relied upon allometric relationships developed in traditional forests. As urbanization increases globally, it is becoming important to more accurately evaluate...

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Comparative evaluation of aesthetic, biological, and economic effectiveness of different lawn management programs

Alfred Alumai, Seppo O. Salminen, Douglas S. Richmond, John Cardina, more

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 127-144

We evaluated aesthetic (lawn quality), biological (weeds and insect pests), and economic (management costs) effectiveness of a commercial (managed by a professional company), consumer (managed using consumer lawn care products following labeled instructions), integrated pest management (IPM) (pesticide applications based on monitoring and thresholds), organic (monitoring and need-based organic and...

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Relationship between urbanization and bat community structure in national parks of the southeastern U.S.

Susan C. Loeb, Christopher J. Post, Steven T. Hall

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 197-214

Urbanization and development are predicted to increase considerably in the United States over the next several decades, and this is expected to result in large-scale habitat loss, fragmentation and loss of wildlife species. Thus, natural parks and preserves are becomingly increasingly important in the conservation of regional biodiversity. We used mist-nets and AnabatII acoustic detectors to survey...

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Using best available science to protect critical areas in Washington state: challenges and barriers to planners

April Mills, Tessa Francis, Vivek Shandas, Kara Whittaker, more

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 157-175

Urban development has profound impacts on ecological patterns and processes making the scientific information required for developing environmental ordinances central for mitigating these negative ecological impacts. Washington State requires that planners use the best available science (BAS) to formulate land use ordinances as part of the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA). We present empirical...

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Exotic monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) in New Jersey: nest site selection, rebuilding following removal, and their urban wildlife appeal

J. Burger, M. Gochfeld

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 185-196

Understanding how birds exist in highly urban cities is important to maintaining biodiversity within these environments, and exotic species pose a unique opportunity to examine adaptation. The non-native monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) nests mainly in cities in the United States, and in some places, is considered a nuisance by utility companies. Monk parakeets nest communally (many nests in one...

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The potential for golf courses to support restoration of biodiversity for BioBanking offsets

Shelley Burgin, Danny Wotherspoon

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 145-155

In golf course development there is frequently remnant vegetation on the areas unused for infrastructure. We propose that these areas, together with a whole range of other reserves including sporting fields, cemeteries, railway reserves and educational facilities may be the source of degraded remnant vegetation and associated open space that could be used to provide offsets for biodiversity. We followed...

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Plant species richness, vegetation structure and soil resources of urban brownfield sites linked to successional age

Ute Schadek, Barbara Strauss, Robert Biedermann, Michael Kleyer

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 115-126

Brownfield sites contribute significantly to urban biodiversity due to their high spatio-temporal dynamics and their transient character. Plant species richness is, among other factors, contingent on vegetation structure. In this study, we examined plant species richness, vegetation height, vegetation density and soil parameters of a chronosequence of urban brownfield sites in Bremen and Berlin, Germany...

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Reproduction, juvenile survival and retention in an urban fox squirrel population

Robert A. McCleery

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 177-184

Fox squirrels in an urban environment had an average litter size of 2.83 (95% CI 2.5, 3.16) which was similar to rural populations. Nonetheless, the proportion of squirrels reproductively active during the summer/fall breeding season (0.73) and annually (spring + summer/fall) was higher (1.23) than previously recorded for non-manipulated rural populations. The average monthly survival rate ( $$\mathop...

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Assessing the abundance of freshwater turtles in an Australian urban landscape

Raymonde Lathouder, Darryl N. Jones, Stephen R. Balcombe

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 2 > 215-231

Although interest in the ecological impacts of urbanisation has increased, very little is known about its impacts on freshwater turtles in Australia. This study investigated the abundance and diversity of turtles in lakes in an urbanised subtropical landscape, Brisbane, Australia. It was found that turtles were abundant throughout the lakes surveyed, with four native species and one introduced species...

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URban Biotopes of Aotearoa New Zealand (URBANZ) (I): composition and diversity of temperate urban lawns in Christchurch

Glenn H. Stewart, Maria E. Ignatieva, Colin D. Meurk, Hannah Buckley, more

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 3 > 233-248

Christchurch urban lawns are dominated by non-native grasses and forbs. However, we document considerable plant diversity; the total number of species encountered in our 327 sampled lawns was 127, although 80 species occurred in <2% of lawns. Seven distinct lawn communities were identified by Two-Way INdicator SPecies ANalysis using occurrence of 47 species that occurred in > 2% of lawns. Our...

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Toward increasing avian diversity: urban wildscapes programs

Amanda L. Aurora, Thomas R. Simpson, Michael F. Small, Kelly C. Bender

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 3 > 347-358

Residential development in urban and suburban settings is a major cause of habitat change affecting avian communities. The effects from land-clearing prior to initiation of construction followed by landscaping focused on traditional aesthetics has reduced habitat diversity at multiple levels. These residential developments generally emphasize the use of ornamental, nonindigenous vegetation with little...

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Interdisciplinary foundations of urban ecology

Robert F. Young

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 3 > 311-331

Researchers have identified urban ecology as a new field integrating social and ecological science. Critics have portrayed the field as under-theorized with negative implications for research and urban environmental planning. Unprecedented urbanization and historical bias against research integrating social and ecological systems are identified as driving this deficit. Researchers have called for...

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Environmental consequences of exurban expansion in an agricultural area: the case of the Argentinian Pampas ecoregion

Silvia D. Matteucci, Jorge Morello

Urban Ecosystems > 2009 > 12 > 3 > 287-310

Exurban land use growth has been documented for at least thirty years in various regions around the world. Land use planners and land use/land cover change researchers have been concerned about the low-density residential developments scattered on a natural or agricultural matrix, due to their ecological and environmental impacts. In this paper, exurban sprawl in the Pampas ecoregion (Buenos Aires...

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Urban Ecosystems