Urban heat Islands shape epiphytic communities of lichens and bryophytes - Tim Claerhout; Laurens B. Sparrius; Paul J.A. Keßler; Michael Stech (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Lichens and bryophytes are renowned for their use as bioindicators of environmental pollution and climate change. In urban environments, climate change may directly affect the temperature regime, thereby worsening the intensity of the urban heat island effect (UHI). Using lichens and bryophytes as bioindicators for the UHI allows urban planners and policy makers to mitigate the UHI in a targeted approach. Here, we investigated whether and how the diversity and community composition of epiphytic lichens, algae and bryophytes are influenced by the UHI gradient. We collected species and abundance data on 303 trees from the genus Tilia in three Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Leiden, and Rotterdam) along an UHI gradient. Additionally, abiotic data (relative humidity, temperature, and vapour-pressure deficit) were collected using sensors on 24 trees in Rotterdam. The results show that lichens have a peak in biodiversity in zones where the UHI is intermediate, whereas bryophyte biodiversity increases linearly along the gradient. Furthermore, the biodiversity of epiphytic lichens and bryophytes increases with the age of urban trees. We identified 23 indicators for different zones along the UHI gradient. Their suitability as indicators at the macroclimatic (UHI) level was supported by their microclimatic niche according to the sensor data. Our study, therefore, provides a novel, robust biological framework for developing or refining UHI monitoring in cities.

Bird diversity at urban stormwater ponds: Temporal variation and habitat associations - Kaylie N. Borntraeger; Donald A. Jackson (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Habitat structure and connectivity underpin bright spots for terrestrial fauna in urban coastal wetlands - Caitlin S. Willis; Erin K. Wills; Ben L. Gilby (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Coastal wetlands and their terrestrial fauna inhabitants are threatened globally by urbanisation despite the fundamental ecosystem services and habitats they provide. The reduction of sizeable, connected habitat from urbanisation plus habitat colonisation by pests, threaten native fauna in coastal regions. Consequently, identifying the drivers of quality habitat for native fauna in urban coastal wetlands is crucial in conserving valuable habitats for ecological bright spots, and highlighting habitats in need of active pest interventions. We tested a suite of spatial (i.e. connectivity within habitats and with urban areas) and habitat structure drivers on the terrestrial vertebrate assemblages of coastal wetlands in the North Pine River, Queensland, Australia. Connectivity with saltmarsh and three habitat structure variables (i.e. canopy cover < 20%, native understory richness between 1 and 2 species, and invasive tree richness between 1 and 2 species) were central in determining ecological bright spots, that is areas with higher than predicted native fauna and lower than predicted pest fauna. Across all four bright spot metrics (i.e. native fauna richness and abundance, and pest fauna richness and abundance), sites most commonly performed as predicted (87%), followed by bright spots (67%), then management areas (58%). Interestingly, no urban metrics were significant in determining bright spots for fauna, reflecting the resilience of terrestrial fauna even in urban areas. Our results do not dilute the negative impacts of urbanisation but rather highlight the necessity of conserving and maintaining connected and structurally appropriate coastal wetlands in urban landscapes for native terrestrial fauna.

Balancing urban lights and bird flight: legal strategies for safeguarding avian migration in Shanghai, China - Md. Ziaul Islam; Xueyi Wu (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Segment-based analysis of ecological networks in urban river riparian zones under land use change - Maryam Masoumi; Amin Sarang; Mojtaba Ardestani; Mohammad Hossein Niksokhan (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Wildlife recovery during a COVID-19 closure in a Semi-Urban landscape - Reuven Yosef; Swapnil Kumbhojkar; Jakub Z. Kosicki (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Increased urban thermal discomfort in major Cities of the Arabian Peninsula - Naushin Yasmin; Mirza Waleed; Safi Ullah; Sami G. Al-Ghamdi (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urban thermal discomfort is an escalating concern, particularly in arid cities undergoing rapid urbanization and climate change. Addressing this issue is essential for enhancing urban resilience and livability in vulnerable arid environments, like the Arabian Peninsula (AP). This study leverages Google Earth Engine, remote sensing datasets, and advanced thermal indices to evaluate spatiotemporal variations in urban thermal discomfort across 13 cities of the AP from 1990 to 2024. The results indicate that although many cities achieved a 20–40% increase in vegetation cover, localized land degradation persists in Abha and Sanaa (5–10%). This spatial disparity in vegetation recovery has influenced urban heat dynamics. Inland cities, including Riyadh, Madinah, and Makkah, exhibit the highest increases in Land Surface Temperature (LST), while cities at higher elevations and coastal locations benefit from natural cooling effects. Interestingly, highly urbanized areas often recorded lower Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects than peri-urban and rural areas, suggesting that dense urban morphology and materials with high thermal inertia can mitigate localized heating. The analysis of the Urban Thermal Field Variance Index (UTFVI) reveals that over 80% of urban areas experience high or extreme thermal stress; however, Doha, Muscat, and Sharjah demonstrate significant reductions through strategic urban greening and planning, as seen earlier through a few case studies in the region. This paper offers critical insights into sustainable urban planning and climate adaptation strategies to improve urban thermal comfort and livability in arid cities. Future research should integrate detailed land use assessments, seasonal and nocturnal thermal analyses, and dynamic modeling of key indices to accurately understand urban thermal dynamics.

Noise, resources, and social factors shape space use and movement patterns in a small Amazonian primate - Tainara Venturini Sobroza; Marcelo Gordo; Jacob Charles Dunn; Bruna Mendel Naissinger; Luciano Querido; Adrian Ashton Barnett (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Noisy environments tend to mask sounds and disrupt animal behaviour. One of the most common responses from many animal species to noise is leaving or avoiding the noisiest parts of their ranges. Individuals may alter their movement patterns, either rapidly moving away or changing routes in response to increased noise levels. Here, we tested whether urban-dwelling pied tamarins ( Saguinus bicolor ): (1) preferentially used quieter areas within their home range, (2) increase travel speed, and (3) alter routes to avoid noise levels. To achieve this, we followed nine pied tamarin groups in five forest fragments within the city of Manaus, Brazil, recording their locations and levels of associated ambient noise levels. We also estimated fruit availability at random points within the group’s home ranges. We found that pied tamarins use the quieter areas of their ranges more intensively, but only if the fruit availability is high. Furthermore, groups did not increase their travel speed or change turning angles in response to noise alone, but travel speed increase in noisier areas closer to the border of their home ranges. Thus, pied tamarins do seem to use the quieter areas of their home ranges, but do not hurry to reach them unless their location lies closer to their home range borders. This may occur because higher noise levels at home-range borders could diminish intergroup communication effectiveness. In general, we found that pied tamarin’s use of space and movement patterns are soundscape-related but mediated by resource availability and social aspects.

Multiscale spatial patterns and behavioral variability along an urbanization gradient in a generalist raptor - Abril A. Marcolongo; Nicolas A. Lois; Eugenia A. Bonetti; M. Susana Bó; Laura M. Biondi (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Increased management intensity is associated with greater homogeneity of the urban soil microbial communities of Green-Wood Cemetery in New York City - Lily Fillwalk; Shelby Luster; Anna Kraebber; Ilana Cohen; Irene Lesyuk; Marina Krupitskaya; Theodore Muth (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Current climate change trends, combined with population shifts to urban areas, will require increasingly sustainable solutions for cities worldwide. Soil microbiomes are an important component of urban environments, contributing to a range of ecosystem services, including supporting plant health, decomposition, nutrient cycling, and others. Both natural and anthropogenic factors can significantly affect the composition and activity of soil microbiomes. This study, conducted at Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn, NY), examines the influence of management activities and soil depth on the diversity and homogeneity of soil microbial communities. In Green-Wood Cemetery, management activities include mowing, weeding, landscaping, and adherence to a defined plant and tree palette. Three levels of management within the cemetery were evaluated in this work: Managed (high management), Perpetual Meadow (intermediate management), and Woodlots (low management). Our findings show that management intensity and soil depth affected the diversity and homogeneity in soil microbial communities. Deeper soils showed reduced diversity and increased heterogeneity, whereas Managed soils had similar diversity but greater homogeneity relative to Perpetual Meadows and Woodlots. Metabolic activity was similar across the three management levels; however, the Managed sites showed greater homogeneity relative to the Perpetual Meadow and Woodlot sites. This study contributes to the growing literature exploring cemeteries as contributors to urban biodiversity and providers of ecosystem services. Considering urban cemeteries as underappreciated green spaces with possible contributions similar to those of city parks, our work suggests that reduced management strategies may offer benefits as part of sustainable solutions for cities.

Exploring the subjective and objective characteristics affecting the frequency of human-nature interactions in urban green spaces: a case study from Finland - Anita Poturalska; Terhi Ala-Hulkko; Janne Artell; Artti Juutinen; Katja Kangas (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Green urban and peri-urban spaces are important sites for human-nature interactions, providing countless ecosystem services to support the wellbeing of urban populations. In an era of rapid urbanization, understanding human-nature interactions requires considering both subjective, user-specific perspectives and the objective measures of environmental and infrastructural features of these green spaces. In this case study we explore how different groups of characteristics impact the number of visits and, consequently, human-nature interactions frequency in urban and peri-urban spaces across three Finnish cities: Espoo, Kuopio, and Jyväskylä. We used Public Participatory Geographic Information Systems survey data of which respondents marked the green urban and peri-urban spaces they visit annually. A panel generalized linear modelling approach was used to analyze the roles of four groups of subjective and objective characteristics on the visit frequency, including: the socio-demographic background of survey respondents; the cultural ecosystem services they consume; the perceived accessibility characteristics of the marked locations; and the presence of objectively measured environmental and infrastructure features of these locations. Our findings underline the importance of perceived accessibility and availability of infrastructure for more frequent interactions with nature. Additionally, they emphasize the need of urban residents for access to biodiverse green spaces within closer proximity to their homes. Ensuring the availability of green spaces and preserving their ability to provide ecosystem services is essential for maintaining the well-being of urban populations now and in the future.

Use of a public questionnaire to evaluate human-wildlife conflict and the efficacy of nonlethal wildlife deterrents: Lessons from a desert city - Alexandra D. Burnett; Matthew M. Mars; Michael T. Bogan; John L. Koprowski (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Human-wildlife conflict is a major conservation concern worldwide that is projected to increase in frequency and intensity as urban centers expand. Urban residents can employ a number of nonlethal strategies to deter wildlife from their property and reduce conflict; however, some strategies may be more effective than others. We distributed an online questionnaire to residents in Tucson, Arizona, USA via neighborhood associations to (1) assess attitudes toward and conflict with three focal species: coyote ( Canis latrans ), bobcat ( Lynx rufus ), and collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu ), (2) identify which nonlethal deterrent strategies are most effective for each species, and (3) determine whether habitat fragmentation and degradation influence reported deterrence attempts. Despite the relatively high proportion of general complaints about these three species, we found that respondent attitudes toward each were largely positive. Likewise, a relatively small percentage of respondents reported attempts to deter each species from their property. We found that deterrent techniques used by residents varied in success depending on species, however, low sample sizes prevent a rigorous assessment of each technique’s efficacy. We did not find any relationship between proportion of deterrence attempts in respondent locations and percentage impervious surface cover, distance to nearest riparian corridor, or percentage impervious surface within the riparian corridor. Our results add to previous evidence that nonlethal strategies can be used to reduce human-wildlife conflict and show that such strategies may be successfully employed by urban residents. Our findings further highlight the importance of developing species-specific strategies that conform to the unique ecologies of each species.

Urban native and non-native bird species are functionally redundant in Santiago, Chile - Sergio A. Castro; Pablo Rojas; Cristian Ray; Fabian M. Jaksic (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Drivers of compositional turnover of the non-native urban flora in the Western Cape, South Africa - Christiaan P. Gildenhuys; Luke J. Potgieter; Cang Hui; David M. Richardson (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Interest in understanding the drivers of biological invasions in urban centres is increasing globally. Previous research focused primarily on the drivers of non-native species richness in urban centres (i.e. why some cities harbour more species than others) and there has been much less focus on compositional turnover (i.e. why different cities harbour different species). Exploring compositional turnover between urban centres can differentiate drivers and barriers of non-native species at different stages along the introduction-naturalisation-invasion continuum and help to inform effective management strategies. This paper explores the drivers of compositional turnover of wild-growing non-native plants across urban centres of the Western Cape province in South Africa, ranging from the city of Cape Town (821 km 2 ) to the small town of Bot River (1.7 km 2 ). We assess the role of temperature, precipitation, urbanisation intensity, urban area, travel time, year of establishment, and population density in mediating richness-independent species turnover between a range of urban centres. Multi-site generalised dissimilarity modelling (MSGDM) of zeta diversity (number of shared species among multiple urban centres), and variance partitioning are applied to analyse inventories compiled from cleaned iNaturalist occurrence records. The importance of environmental conditions increased toward the later stages of the invasion continuum while variables related to introductions decreased. The study concludes that, despite the major changes to habitats caused by urbanisation and anthropogenic activities, climate is the primary driver of turnover of urban non-native plant species within the Western Cape. Management initiatives in the Western Cape should be guided by regional biogeographic context, with strategies adapted to local species pools and climatic constraints rather than relying on uniform, across-city approaches.

Coexistence or conflict? Understanding human-macaque encounters in Delhi’s urban sanctuary - Mukesh Chand; Feba K S; Parvaiz Yousuf; Shubham Kumar Maletha; Rashi Nautiyal; Bhupendra Singh Adhikari (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Genetic analysis reveals urban matrix permeability to Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae), a native termite species and pest in the Neotropical region - Gabriel de Sá Andrade; Rozzanna Esther Cavalcanti Reis de Figueirêdo Chaves; Alane Ayana Vieira de Oliveira Couto; Wellington Santos Fava; Alexandre Vasconcellos (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanization is one of the main drivers of forest fragmentation and habitat loss on a global scale. This process jeopardizes biodiversity by interrupting gene flow, decreasing genetic diversity and causing local extinction. In addition, it facilitates the occurrence of synanthropic species in urban ecosystems. The Nasutitermes corniger (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae) is a native neotropical termite species with a large geographical distribution in both natural and urbanized ecosystems across the Neotropical Region, and is an important pest in many South American cities. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of 30 N. corniger colonies in remnant natural forest patches inside João Pessoa’s metropolitan urban matrix region (Northeast Brazil). Thus, four individuals (soldiers) from three colonies in 10 remnant habitat patches ( N = 120) were sampled, and subsequently, all the individuals were genotyped for four microsatellite loci. No reduction in genetic diversity was found due to the absence of population genetic structure and isolation by distance. However, moderate endogamy and heterozygous deficit in most subpopulations were observed, suggesting inbreeding. It is proposed that the maintenance of N. corniger genetic diversity in urbanized ecosystems is facilitated by its generalist diet, polydomous nesting behavior (polycalism), and facultative polygyny/polyandry during the colony maturation process. Thus, the high resilience of N. corniger and its permeability within the urban matrix present significant challenges to the effective planning of control and management strategies for its infestations in the medium and long term.

Occurrence of common mistletoe (Viscum album subsp. album) on alien tree species in the urban green areas of Wrocław (Poland) - Robert Krzysztof Sobolewski; Elżbieta Małgorzata Szopińska; Justyna Jaworek-Jakubska; Piotr Łakomy (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Butterfly diversity and community composition across contrasting land-uses in the lower Western Himalaya - Ankita Singh Sajwan; Arun Pratap Singh (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

From forest to asphalt: using dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) to assess urbanization effects and promote functional connectivity in a Colombian Caribbean City - Carlos Taboada-Verona; Juan Sierra-Sevilla; Francisco Robles-Fuentes; Iván Montes-Jiménez; Carlos Sermeño-Correa; Carlos Eduardo Ortiz‑Yusty; César M. A. Correa (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Multi-scale drivers of parasitoid wasp communities in urban gardens: local vegetation, landscape configuration and heterogeneity - Sergio Zapata-Martínez; Susana Maza-Villalobos; Diana Ahuatzin; Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud; Miguel Á. Castillo-Santiago (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

A conceptual framework for assessing urban biodiversity: components, drivers, and dynamics through earth observation - Bhoomika Ghale; Ritobina Biswas; Kshama Gupta; Arijit Roy; Harish Chandra Karnatak (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Urban Lasius niger ants more readily accept low concentration sucrose solution than rural ants - Stanislav Stukalyuk; Mykola Kozyr; Yaroslav Sydorenko; Tomer J. Czaczkes; Gema Trigos-Peral (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanisation causes broad changes in biotic and abiotic factors, which are often detrimental to animals. While extensive attention has been focussed on food resources for pollinators, comparatively little research has examined resources for aphidophagous insects. Many ants, such as Lasius niger , belong to this group of insects and rely on honeydew secretions for the majority of their carbohydrate intake. Ants will also often reject sugar solutions that are of lower concentration than those they are used to consuming. Here, we ask whether L. niger ants from urban environments show differential acceptance to various sucrose solution molarities compared with rural populations. We offered outgoing ants on active foraging trails drops of sucrose solutions over a range of molarities (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 M), and quantified acceptance. Acceptance was scored using a simple behavioural measure of whether the ant remained in contact with the sucrose drop for over 3 s (full acceptance), broke away from the drop within 3 s but remained in the area and eventually drank to satiation (partial acceptance), or did not drink to satiation and walked away (rejection). Urban ants showed a significantly higher acceptance of all sucrose molarities than rural ants, with this difference especially pronounced at lower molarities. This may indicate that they are under nutritional stress for carbohydrates, either in quality or quantity, as well as heightened motivation to exploit any available food source under the pressures of urban environments.

The potential use of behavioural bioassays as a first-tier approach for screening urban soil biodiversity: a pilot study - Lorenzo Federico; Valeria Tatangelo; Francesca Pittino; Claudia Russo; Emanuele Vegini; Sandra Citterio; Andrea Franzetti; Sara Villa (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Soil health represents a key component of urban ecosystems and a priority for achieving the European Union’s climate neutrality and biodiversity restoration goals. Changes in edaphic diversity are the first indicators of soil health, but require long investigation times. Therefore, rapid, multi-level, and low-impact diagnostic tools are required. Behavioural bioassays, including avoidance and disaggregation tests, serve as rapid and ecologically relevant indicators for identifying soils subject to population decline. However, the metrics of in situ biodiversity loss and the laboratory-based ecotoxicological responses are not aligned. This pilot study investigates the potential use of the behavioural endpoints as screening indicators of biodiversity in invertebrate and bacterial communities in three urban soils. Multi-species bioassays were employed using model organisms with contrasting morpho-ecological traits, i.e. soft-body (earthworms) and hard-body (collembolans, and terrestrial isopods), to evaluate soil quality gradients. The behavioural results were then compared with ecological biodiversity data concerning the soil fauna and microbial communities. The behavioural responses of model organisms consistently aligned with reductions in invertebrate biodiversity, indicating habitat population decline. These changes, however, did not emerge from microbial analysis, suggesting that links between organismal responses and microbial diversity are yet to be investigated. The results support the use of behavioural bioassays, in combination with faunal diversity assessments, as an effective first-tier screening tool for urban soil health evaluation. This multi-level framework enhances the resolution and efficiency of soil quality monitoring and supports targeted management interventions in degraded urban environments, as well as in peri-urban, agricultural, and other human-impacted landscapes.

Assessing urban herbaceous plant biodiversity using drone remote sensing: the trade-offs of spatial resolution - Cedric Gazal; Angela Kross; Jennifer Donnini; Sarah E. Turner (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Urbanization intensity and its effect on vegetation phenology in urban areas and beyond: evidence from three representative cities in the Yangtze river delta - Xueqin He; Kaijian Xu; Shengnan Jiang; Ping Zhao; Xiaoqing Zuo; Shuzhou Wang (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Low interaction in an interdisciplinary research field: a scientometric view of 80 years of publication in urban ecology - Leandro Porto Marques; Rosane G. Collevatti (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urban ecology has emerged as a key interdisciplinary field to understand and address the socio-ecological challenges posed by rapid urbanization, such as the increased pressure on natural resources and ecosystem resilience. However, a comprehensive analysis of the field’s development is still lacking. Here, we address the spatial and temporal patterns of publication in urban ecology using a scientometric approach to understand how the field has developed. We perform a science mapping of the most relevant journals, authors, and research partnerships. We found a low number of core journals in the field and a higher number of articles in urban planning compared to other areas such as human sciences or environmental management. Our results also point to the low level of interaction among authors from different areas within urban ecology, which contrasts with the expectations for an interdisciplinary field. Our findings highlight the need for urban ecology to evolve beyond its core areas of ecology and urban planning and to embrace sociology, anthropology, economics, and political sciences. This would provide a more holistic and systemic approach that considers social and political aspects in the agenda of urban studies.

Mulching promotes soil health and carbon sequestration in arid urban landscapes - Juan P. Frene; Pramod Acharya; Marisa Thompson; Amrit D. Adhikari; Rajan Ghimire (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Enduring the freeze: species richness, composition, and environmental correlates of wintering birds in a Southern boreal Finnish City - Jaime A. Garizábal-Carmona; Mina L. Nesenhöner; Ian MacGregor-Fors (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanization is a key driver of biodiversity change, yet little is known about the ecological patterns of overwintering bird communities and their drivers within boreal cities. Here, we assessed shifts in overwintering bird diversity in Lahti, southern Finland. Specifically, we analyzed city-wide changes in bird species richness and composition along an urbanization gradient, as well as the relationships between environmental and structural variables and recorded bird species richness and abundance. Our results show that overwintering bird species richness declines with increasing urbanization, with a pronounced drop beyond 60% built cover. Species abundance also decreased with urbanization, differing from previous findings in boreal regions. Most species recorded across our surveys were generalist granivores and omnivores, shared among survey sites. Although overall species composition showed moderately high dissimilarity, no clear patterns emerged across urbanization levels. Temperature and built cover were the only significant predictors of bird diversity. Temperature was positively associated with species richness, while built cover was negatively related with both species richness and abundance. Notably, our model for bird abundance had low explanatory power, suggesting unmeasured factors may influence patterns. Although our study is limited to a single city and year, it provides valuable insights into overwintering bird ecology in urban boreal environments. Our findings highlight the role of urban areas for overwintering birds and suggest that future research on mechanistic drivers, including human feeding, could inform urban planning strategies for non-urban bird populations.

Evaluation of biodiversity offsetting – a case study from a Swedish municipality - Karin Morell; Pål Axel Olsson; Helena Hanson (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Biodiversity offsetting (BO) is aimed to counterbalance biodiversity impacts from development projects. In Sweden, interest in BO within urban planning has grown since the mid-to-late 1990s, when the approach was first piloted in the municipality of Lomma. Because urban planning often involves non-protected nature, BO is not legally mandated but instead implemented on a voluntary basis. So far, evaluations of outcomes of voluntary BO remain scarce and ambiguous. This study aimed to investigate how BO is implemented in urban areas and how it can be evaluated. Using the Swedish municipality Lomma as a case, we developed an assessment framework – consisting of a document analysis and two types of field surveys, which assessed the implementation degree of BO actions and their biodiversity values, across five detailed development projects. The study revealed an exploitation of nearly 49,000 m² vegetation across six biotope types to be compensated for. Planned offsets constituted 33,000 m² vegetation across five biotope types and 641 solitary (street) trees. Most of the 32 assessed BO actions were implemented, but several to a lower quantity as stated in the plan, particularly for the biotope types ponds, forests, and meadows. Solitary trees were the prominent BO action type, offsetting various biotopes, i.e., like-for-unlike. The field survey indicated a successful establishment of diagnostic plant species in the offset biotopes. Although they showed lower species richness and diversity – biodiversity relevance and nectar production were comparable or slightly higher than the compared reference biotopes, especially in parks. We suggest that implementing other offset biotopes, rather than predominantly solitary trees, could better enhance the urban habitat diversity. Finally, the study emphasizes the importance of documentation and transparency to enable adequate evaluation of BO outcomes in urban areas.

Variation in pollinator assemblage along a Mediterranean urbanization gradient does not affect the reproductive output of the wild radish - Carla Sorvillo; Paolo Biella; Giulia Brambilla; Massimo Labra; Salvatore Cozzolino; Giovanni Scopece (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Residential gardeners’ nature connection and garden characteristics determine the ecological benefits of pro-pollinator interventions - Anna S. Persson; Liam Kendall; Jessica L. Knapp; Helena I. Hanson (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Residential gardens can provide pollinator habitat and thus contribute to mitigating declines of insect pollinators. To further improve gardens for pollinators, it is necessary to understand the factors and pathways leading to successful conservation interventions. We studied how the success of two common pro-pollinator interventions, garden meadows and flower plantings, were influenced by gardeners’ degree of nature connection, pollinator knowledge, gardening skills, demographic factors, characteristics of the garden, and the surrounding degree of urbanisation. We collected data through a citizen science campaign using an online questionnaire and used Structural Equation Modelling to assess the pathways determining the ecological success of interventions, i.e., the level of pollinator activity. Gardeners’ degree of experiential nature connection and internalised identification with nature, and their age, largely drove the success of interventions through associations with knowledge of pollinators and gardening, and garden characteristics. Higher pollinator activity was reported from gardens with fruit and vegetable cropping, indicating habitat complementation between flower plantings and garden crops. Larger and older interventions generally contained higher species richness of flowering plants and higher pollinator activity. The two interventions differed slightly in the drivers found: The strongest drivers of flower planting success were knowledge of gardening, economic expenditures related to gardening, and gardener’s age, while meadow success was additionally driven by education level and the wildness of the garden. The level of urbanisation had a direct negative effect on pollinator activity only for meadows. To optimise benefits to pollinators, plantings kept over many years should be prioritised in densely urban areas, while species-rich garden meadows are particularly valuable in rural and suburban contexts. Increasing the public’s attachment to, and knowledge about, nature may further improve gardens for pollinators. Gardening could constitute an arena for such activities.

Fire and food: how do insectivorous small mammals respond to urban wildfires? - Leonardo Ancillotto; Gaia Gonnellini; Fabio Mosconi; Gaia Salvi; Martina Chiara Recchilungo; Andrea Viviano; Emiliano Mori; Olivia Dondina (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

The influence of green roof features on their carbon and nutrient stocks - Laure Steenaerts; François Rineau; Tom Artois; Bernard Bosman; Monique Carnol; Miguel Portillo-Estrada; Eric Struyf; Thomas Van Dijck; Carmen Van Mechelen; Ivan Janssens (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Biodiversity in the city: effects of local and landscape characteristics on ant community in urban squares of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Guilherme Martins Violante; Paula Koeler Lira; Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie; Jarbas Marçal Queiroz (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanization is a major threat to global biodiversity because it alters environmental conditions at both local and landscape scales. As urbanization accelerates, understanding its effects on biodiversity has become increasingly important. Ants play key ecological roles and are reliable bioindicators, making them useful models for assessing biodiversity responses in cities. The aim of this study was to investigate how ant communities in urban squares are affected by local site characteristics of the squares and by their surrounding landscapes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ant diversity (Hill numbers) was calculated for different groups of ant species: all native, native arboreal, native leaf-litter and non-native species. To investigate the effects of local and landscape characteristics on ants, an information-theoretic model selection framework was employed. Results indicate that ant diversity in urban squares is structured by environmental filters operating at multiple spatial scales. Local vegetation structure emerged as a strong filter: canopy cover had a consistently positive effect on native ant diversity in all evaluated groups. Additionally, the surrounding landscape played a key role in shaping ant diversity in urban squares: urban cover had a negative effect on native arboreal and leaf-litter ants but also on non-natives, forest cover had a positive effect on native arboreal and non-native ants and forest fragmentation had a positive effect on total and arboreal native ant diversity. These findings suggest that ant diversity in urban squares can be enhanced by increasing canopy cover and the amount of urban green spaces interspersed among built-up areas in the city.

Tree cover influences bird assemblage composition in a city within the cerrado biodiversity hotspot - Daniele Pereira Rodrigues; David P. Edwards; Ana Claudia Almeida; Mauricio Almeida-Gomes (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Landscape, habitat, and environmental predictors differentially influence the richness, abundance, and diversity of butterfly families in tropical urban forest fragments - Lany Valdés-Rodríguez; Rodrigo M. Barahona-Segovia; Francisco Tello; Elías Alfaro; Jaime R. Rau; Enrique Medianero (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

The anthropause as a behavioral reset: persistent reduction in territorial aggression in an urban songbird - Marlene Walters; Eleanor S. Diamant; Joseph F. Di Liberto; Sara S. Lim; Russell M. Stottlemyer; Pamela J. Yeh (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Cities are evolutionarily novel environments that can impose unique stressors on wildlife. The period of movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, dubbed the “anthropause,” temporarily decoupled human activity from urban landscape stressors, creating a natural experiment otherwise impossible to replicate. We investigated whether the post-anthropause increase of human activity affected territorial behavior in urban dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) , as we previously observed that territorial aggression decreased during the anthropause. In this longitudinal study, we measured post-anthropause (2022–2024) intraspecific territorial aggression in resident dark-eyed juncos in Los Angeles, USA, and compared responses to measurements from before (2019) and during (2021) the anthropause. We found population-wide territorial aggression has remained significantly lower than the pre-anthropause baseline for three years post-anthropause. Furthermore, because individual birds were uniquely color-banded, we found differences between cohorts that would have otherwise been masked: younger individuals who began breeding during the anthropause (2020–2021) increased their aggression post-anthropause (2022) while older individuals with pre-anthropause experience did not. We suggest that the anthropause acted as a behavioral reset, allowing the population to transition away from a potentially maladaptive, high-aggression phenotype. Additionally, we show that behavioral plasticity appears to be key in facilitating rapid responses to temporary environmental shifts, and that flexibility in territorial aggression may be informed by prior life experiences.

Particulate matter accumulation and capture efficiency by urban trees in Mbeya city, Tanzania: implications for air quality and eco-city sustainability - Gisandu K. Malunguja (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Biodiversity of native climbing plant species in the Iberian Peninsula and its suitability for disturbed and human modified environments with a focus on green facades - Razieh E. Esfahani; Teresa A. Paço; Pedro Talhinhas (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Sowing the seeds of wildlife-friendly gardening: does a garden biodiversity assessment promote uptake of pro-biodiversity gardening behaviours? - Yolanda van Heezik; Jacqueline Theis; Danielle F Shanahan; Claire Freeman; Maibritt Pedersen Zari; Christopher K Woolley (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Residential gardens have the potential to support native biodiversity across cities. Certification programmes designed to motivate residents to perform pro-biodiversity gardening actions require a formal process of garden biodiversity assessment. We evaluated whether a garden biodiversity assessment process was effective at motivating pro-biodiversity gardening behaviours. A one-off garden assessment accompanied by feedback was trialled on 89 residents in 2020/2021. Four years later we surveyed this group and a matched control group to determine whether the assessment had a motivating and long-lasting positive effect on pro-biodiversity gardening. Results were mixed: while 57% reported the assessment did not influence subsequent gardening decisions, 38.5% confirmed that the assessment process had motivated the changes they made and 56% said it helped them understand at least a little better how they could enhance biodiversity in their garden. This understanding was positively associated with how useful they rated their tailored feedback but was not associated with their biodiversity score. The two groups didn’t differ in the extent to which biodiversity enhancement was considered when making changes, and a larger proportion of the control group made biodiversity-positive changes. The number of changes made was not associated with age, income, education, years at the address, bird knowledge, or environmental engagement, but was positively associated with their nature connection score. While we provide some evidence to support the use of biodiversity assessments, ongoing support in the form of collaborative partnerships between gardeners and local government could be more effective at achieving favourable biodiversity outcomes.

Spatiotemporal variation trends of vegetation net primary productivity in Guiyang City over the past two decades in the context of urbanization - Yingqian Huang; Xuehai Fei; Renhai Zhang; Binghuang Zhou; Haiqiang Du; Yi Shen; Yong Zhang; Kuankuan Zou; Peng Xu; Aijiang Yang (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Nesting the city: long-term spatiotemporal dynamics of nest distribution in a synanthropic gull within a high density European city - Víctor Martín-Vélez; Joan Navarro; Tomás Montalvo (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanization alters biodiversity by displacing some species while favouring others that exploit human-modified environments. The Yellow-legged gull ( Larus michahellis ) is a successful urban colonizer in southern Europe, yet little is known about the spatiotemporal factors influencing its nesting distribution in cities. Using a 12-year dataset (2013–2024) from citizen reports and management interventions in Barcelona (Spain), we examined the nest density and potential breeding population size, temporal changes in spatial distribution, and the main environmental predictors of nest density. Spatial density analyses revealed consistent hotspots near the city center and coast, with occasional shifts toward northeastern districts. On average (and standard deviation), nest detections by year were 262 ± 61, corresponding to an estimated range 314–509 breeding pairs after accounting for nests not detected. Spatial Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) identified building height as a significant predictor for all years. Proximity to port, green areas and the coast, had significant effects with year variation. Our findings suggest that structural characteristics of the urban landscape and proximity to foraging habitats, drive nest-site selection. This work provides the first robust estimate of Barcelona’s urban gull breeding population and highlights priority areas for targeted management. By integrating citizen reports with spatial modelling, authorities can optimize monitoring, resource allocation, and conflict mitigation strategies, promoting coexistence between urban wildlife and residents.

Sustaining urban bee diversity: the role of planning zones in Beijing megacity conservation - Lixia Tian; Wenqing Liu; Huan Wang; Su Wang; Guoyue Yu; Jiawen Du; Wenxiang Li; Yanyan Qu; Ningxing Huang; Xilian Xu (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Research on the optimisation of age-friendly greenways in communities from the perspective of shadow spatial distribution - Xiaoqian Zu; Wenhai Yu; Yingyao An; Yixuan Tang (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Riparian vegetation structural diversity as an indicator of riparian zone functioning in a rural to urban stream gradient - Zachary Horve; Brittany L. McCall; Michael Reisner (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Riparian zones serve as the interface between streams and the surrounding landscape, and the presence and health of riparian zone vegetation is critical to maintaining water quality in urban ecosystems. In recent years, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) has been used to characterize vegetation structure, and vegetation structural diversity has been tied to key ecosystem functions across ecosystems including productivity and nutrient dynamics. However, the extent to which LiDAR-derived structural diversity metrics reflect the functioning of riparian zones in urban environments remains poorly understood. Here we show that LiDAR-derived structural diversity metrics provide scalable assessments of riparian zone functioning in a mixed-use agricultural-urban stream system. Using elastic net models, we found that structural metrics, including vegetation area index (VAI), vertical complexity index (VCI), and 95th percentile vegetation height, are strong predictors of nitrate ( adj. R² = 0.741), phosphate ( adj. R² = 0.465), and total suspended solids ( adj. R² = 0.436) when assessed at the full upstream riparian network scale. Models at local spatial scales performed poorly, emphasizing that riparian vegetation structure impacts water quality cumulatively across entire stream networks rather than at immediate upstream reaches. Land cover variables, including percent grassland and developed area, also remained important, highlighting that vegetation structure alone does not fully control water quality. By demonstrating the viability of LiDAR-derived structural diversity metrics in assessing riparian zone functioning, this study advances remote sensing-based monitoring efforts for urban riparian zones and can help direct field-based efforts to restore riparian zone health.

Soil microbial communities reflect changes associated with City construction in Northwest China - Renfei Wu; Awaguli Tuersun; Lei Zhang; Wenjuan Du; Wenbiao Wang; Zhiqin Dong; Fengze Yun; Yanbin Zhu; Zhenghai Ma (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Enhancing urban forest connectivity: a multispecies modelling approach in Helsinki - Julia Hämäläinen; Alex M. Lechner; Johan Ekroos; Jiawei Zhao; Susanna Lehvävirta (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Understanding how landscape elements contribute to functional connectivity in a multispecies context is important to inform city planning. We compared the connectivity of urban forest habitats for three vertebrate species with contrasting dispersal modes: the Siberian flying squirrel ( Pteromys volans ), the common lizard ( Zootoca vivipara ) and European crested tit ( Lophophanes cristatus ). We used Graphab and Circuitscape, combined with literature- and expert opinion-based parameters to model their dispersal potential. We compared these models with designated existing connections and rerun the models with modelled future connections by the city of Helsinki, Finland. Our results suggest that despite the relatively high share of forests in Helsinki as compared to many capital cities in Europe and beyond, lack of connectivity may disrupt the movement in different ways for all three species. Isolation was mainly a result of either lack of habitat or too scarce connectivity elements combined with high landscape resistance. Isolation varied depending on species’ specific habitat requirements, interpatch-crossing distance and gap-crossing distance. Based on our models of functional connectivity, the designated existing connections were excessively optimistic. The modelled future connections enhanced connectivity, especially if created with sufficient quality for each species, yet only a small fraction of the modelled future connections was realistically convertible as pathways. Nevertheless, our approach can inform city planning by identifying critical connections and places, where strengthening or building functional connectivity would be beneficial. We suggest that city’s green wedges should be converted into a webbed urban green space network.

Evaluation of the use of different taxonomic resolutions as surrogates for ant diversity in urban green spaces - Tercio da Silva Melo; Elmo Borges de Azevedo Koch; Alessandra Rodrigues Santos de Andrade; Maurice Leponce; Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Small mammal communities along an urban-rural gradient: a comparison of two time periods - Ivan Baláž; Jakub Košša; Zuzana Poláčiková; Peter Klimant (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanisation significantly influences ecological change, but its long-term effects on small mammal communities remain underexplored in Central Europe. This study examines temporal and spatial changes in small mammals across three urban zones (pericentral, peripheral, and suburban) in Nitra, Slovakia, across two trapping periods (2012–2015 and 2019–2024). A total of 1,519 individuals from 14 species were recorded, with higher abundance and species richness during the first period. The striped field mouse ( Apodemus agrarius ) was only detected in the second period, indicating a recent range expansion. Species diversity varied significantly among urban zones in both periods, with higher diversity in less urbanised areas. However, spatial differences in abundance were only significant during the first period, suggesting possible homogenisation over time. Community composition was greatly affected by both time and urban zone, with noticeable zone-specific changes. The results also indicate ongoing synanthropization, marked by a decline in forest-associated species and a rise in generalists and urban-tolerant taxa. Seasonal changes showed a similar pattern of capture success in all zones, with the highest success rate in autumn. These findings highlight the constantly changing nature of urban ecosystems, which may be of particular interest and stimulate further discussion about how urban structure, landscape context, and time influence small mammal communities. Long-term monitoring and ecologically informed urban planning are crucial for preserving biodiversity in these dynamic settings.

Invasive alien plants and the city: distribution patterns in response to urban elements and urbanization in three of the largest cities in Italy - Chiara Montagnani; Nicole Sebesta; Emanuele Vegini; Giulia Daniele; Elena Barni; Laura Celesti-Grapow; Francesca Emili; Federica Larcher; Rodolfo Gentili; Sandra Citterio (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Cities are extensively colonised by invasive alien plants, and their spread can negatively impact urban ecosystems including remaining natural habitats. It is therefore crucial to understand how invasive alien plants spread across urban landscapes and which anthropogenic drivers favour their persistence. Accordingly, in three of the largest Italian cities (Milan, Rome and Turin), a pool of alien species highly invasive in Europe was selected and their distribution was studied. Using a stratified sampling design defined along a gradient of urbanization, we analysed the distribution and abundance of 26 target species in relation to urban elements (e.g. linear infrastructures, gardens and buildings). With almost 20,000 occurrences, the analysis highlighted that, within the species’ pool, the most widespread spontaneous alien plants were Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Parthenocissus agg., Phytolacca americana L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. Notably, Ulmus pumila L. was widespread in Milan and Turin. In response to the gradient of urbanization, a clear distinction emerged between species adapted to highly disturbed central areas, i.e. A. altissima , and those more suited to suburban contexts, i.e. R. pseudoacacia . Along the entire gradient, physical constraints limited the occurrence of species on buildings and other sealed areas, whereas gardens and road sides were the most receptive urban elements in terms of taxa richness and frequency. This comparative study of urban alien flora in three large Italian cities contributes to the understanding of distribution patterns and secondary spread of alien species in highly urbanised contexts of Southern Europe. Our study suggests that strategies for preventing and managing the colonisation of invasive alien plants in cities should be tailored to certain species, depending on levels of urbanisation and fine-scale land use.

Fragments of open- and closed-canopy habitat host significant fruit-feeding butterfly diversity in a large city in Southern India - Freerk Molleman; Berke Can Aydin (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Artificial light drives nocturnal foraging in cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in urban-modified wetlands of Southern Nigeria - Nioking Amadi; Alawa Grace Nyimale; Luca Luiselli; Fabio Petrozzi; Julia E. Fa; Wala Chimela; Wekhe-Emenike Aruchi; Amadi Patience Ndidi; Harrison Obodo Chukwu (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Beyond pond size: the roles of disproportionate effects and habitat heterogeneity in controlling biodiversity in urban ponds - Emanuel Rampanelli Cararo; Luis Mauricio Bini; Frank Johansson (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Urban balcony gardens: exploring a resident-led nature-based solution - Salma N. Talhouk; Carine Ghassibe; Samar Morkos; Dany Abou Jaoude; Ibrahim Issa (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Large trees and artificial substrates support Asian stingless bee communities across green space habitats in urban environments - Kanuengnit Wayo; Tuan Ngoc Nguyen; Kanyakorn Piraonapicha; Areeruk Nilsai; Sara Bumrungsri; Tuanjit Sritongchuay (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanization is widely recognized as a significant threat to biodiversity. Stingless bees are vital pollinators in the tropics, yet their nesting site preferences in human-modified habitats are still poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the nesting substrate use, nesting tree species and size, nest height, and entrance orientation of Asian stingless bees in urban areas and to investigate whether landscape metrics (built-up area, NDVI, and forest cover) influence stingless bee richness and nest abundance. Using field surveys across 28 sites within four location types—parks, temples, schools, and universities—we recorded 207 nests representing nine stingless bee species across four genera ( Heterotrigona , Homotrigona , Lepidotrigona , Tetragonula ). Over 50% of all recorded nests occurred in man-made substrates, highlighting the bees’ flexibility in utilizing urban infrastructure when natural substrates are limited. The most commonly nesting stingless bee species in urban areas were Tetragonula pagdeni , followed by T. collina and T. fuscobalteata . Stingless bee species richness and nest abundance were higher in larger urban green spaces, including parks and universities; however, smaller sites, such as schools and temples also provided important nesting habitats. Seven stingless bee species collectively utilized 19 tree species and exhibiting variation in preferred tree diameter. The three most frequently used tree families were Moraceae, Fabaceae, and Magnoliaceae. Lepidotrigona satun , Heterotrigona itama , and Homotrigona apicalis tended to nest at relatively high positions, with average nest heights exceeding 2 m. Nest entrance orientations varied among stingless bee species; however, Tetragonula collina and T. fuscobalteata predominantly oriented their nest entrances toward the northwest. Additionally, generalized linear mixed models revealed no significant associations between the landscape variables and bee richness or nest abundance. Our findings highlight the adaptability of stingless bees to heterogeneous urban environments and demonstrate that both green spaces and built structures contribute to supporting their communities.

Wings across the gradient: butterfly diversity declines along an urbanization gradient in the subtropical Himalayas - Prakash Chandra Aryal; Chandramani Aryal; Dipak Khadka; Abinash Aryal; Kiran Rayamajhi; Sonam Shrestha; Bhaiya Khanal; Deepa Karki; Hari Prasad Pandey; Tek Maraseni (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Biodiversity assessment of urban green spaces for multifunctional green space planning in high-rise residential housing areas - Christine Haaland; Kari Lehtilä (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
We assessed the biodiversity in urban green spaces in two study areas in Sweden, one in Malmö (Lorensborg and Bellevuegården) and one in Södertälje (Ronna). Both areas are characterised by high-rise residential housing built in the 1950s–1970s. These types of city districts have been investigated less often regarding their biodiversity values. Here, we have developed a method for biodiversity assessment of urban green spaces that can be performed at city district scale in particular in districts with public and residential green spaces. To assess biodiversity, we chose three measures: (1) number of habitats, (2) tree and shrub species (taxa) and (3) indicators such as the estimated abundance of dead wood, floral herbal resources and management intensity. Most green space types prevalent in both study areas were included, such as parks, residential green areas and street green (but not private gardens). Twenty-seven different habitat types were recorded, with lawns, hedges and shrubs being the most common. In total, 145 tree and bush taxa were identified; the proportion of non-native taxa was 73% in Malmö and 62% in Södertälje. In both study areas, we observed a high management intensity in many green spaces, which resulted in a diminished potential as wildlife habitats. Planning programmes were ongoing in both study areas. In Malmö, there are densification projects, which underline the risk of losing green infrastructure due to exploitation in these types of city districts. Among biodiversity assessment methods, our methodology is of medium intensity and combines direct measures with indicators for biodiversity.

Influence of habitat characteristics on armored scale (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) abundance and natural enemy regulation on urban palms - Minor V. Solano-Gutiérrez; Paul Hanson (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Heat vulnerability and leaf traits affect litter decomposition across an urban heat island in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Dana Frankenstein; Dylan Paley; Dane C. Ward; Michelle Gannon; Shelby A. Rinehart (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urbanization is rapidly transforming ecosystem processes by altering environmental conditions, including increasing temperatures due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature, may alter the rates of critical ecosystem processes and functions, including the decomposition of leaf litter. Additionally, variability in leaf litter quality may interact with changing environmental conditions, further altering rates of leaf litter decay across urban landscapes. Thus, we used a gradient of heat vulnerability (a proxy for the UHI) across the city of Philadelphia, PA, USA to evaluate how urbanization and leaf litter quality may affect leaf litter decomposition rates. Specifically, at four sites ranging in their heat vulnerability index, we deployed tea bags (i.e., green and rooibos) and natural leaf litter bags containing either Gingko biloba (hereafter, gingko), Liquidambar styraciflua (hereafter, sweetgum), Platanus occidentalis (hereafter, sycamore) or Quercus rubra (hereafter, red oak). Heat vulnerability and leaf litter species both affected the rate of leaf litter decomposition. Specifically, as site heat vulnerability increases natural leaf litter decomposition decreases; however, tea bag decomposition was unaffected by site heat vulnerability. Additionally, natural leaf litter species decompose at different rates, with species having more labile compounds (i.e., gingko and sweetgum) decomposing faster than species having more recalcitrant compounds (i.e., sycamore and red oak). Overall, our findings contribute to the growing discussion regarding the effects of urbanization on ecosystem processes and highlight the complexity of predicting decomposition processes in altered landscapes.

Effects of urbanization on reproductive strategies in neotropical birds - Eduardo Guimarães Santos; Thiago Filadelfo; Yara Ballarini; Miguel Ângelo Marini (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

I need my green space: minimum area of urban green spaces to maintain bat diversity and activity in a large European metropolis - Lidia Mayordomo-Herranz; Elisa Forgione-Ciarrocchi; Ana M. C. Santos; Adrià López-Baucells; Elena Tena; William D. Carvalho (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Impact of construction-derived substrates on seed germination and early development of Borago officinalis: insight for sustainable management of urban green spaces - Rosario Rummo; Luigi Gennaro Izzo; Giovanna Aronne (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)
Urban vegetation is exposed to intense environmental stress and anthropogenic disturbance, which can strongly constrain plant growth and development. Urban soils differ from natural soils in structure and functionality, being characterized by high compaction and elevated levels of pollutants. They frequently contain anthropogenic materials such as construction and demolition waste (CDW) and asphalt residues (AS), which further alter soil features. Due to their abundance and inert nature, the reuse of these materials as alternative substrates for urban green infrastructure warrants experimental investigation. This study assessed the effects of asphalt and two types of sands frequently used in pavement construction, namely standard sand (SS) and recycled sand (RS), on the germination and early development of Borago officinalis . Seeds were sown in trays filled with the test substrates, while potting soil (SO) served as control treatment. We monitored seed germination success, seedling emergence, mortality, biomass accumulation, and evaluated morpho-anatomical and physiological traits such as leaf area, shoot and root dry weight, stomatal density, stomatal conductance, and photochemical efficiency. Seedling emergence and survival were significantly reduced in AS, where mortality reached 60% and leaf development was strongly delayed. As expected, SO plants exhibited the highest biomass and physiological performance, with greater transpiration and lower stomatal density, indicating favourable water use efficiency. Overall, our findings suggest that while AS is unsuitable for early plant development, recycled CDW materials may serve as alternative, though suboptimal, components in the construction of urban Technosols. Their reuse could ease landfill pressure, limit the environmental costs of natural soil exploitation, and support key ecosystem services, thus aligning with circular economy goals and fostering more sustainable urban greening.

Urbanization-driven changes in litter decomposition in forest patches revealed by the teabag method - Tibor Magura; Roland Horváth; Szabolcs Mizser; Mária Tóth; Gábor L. Lövei (Urban Ecosystems, 2026)

Land Use and Land Cover transformation in urban wetlands in Colombo District, Sri Lanka - Rasadari Ravihari Ranasinghe; Deepthi Wickramasinghe; Edward Maltby; Ayomi Witharana (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Plant assemblages on extensive green roofs as a nature-based solution for energy efficiency in semi-arid urban climates - Federico O. Robbiati; Gustavo Barea; Gustavo Ovando; Natalia Cáceres; Mario Suárez; Emmanuel Hick; Silvana Flores Larsen; C. Y. Jim; Leonardo Galetto; Lelia Imhof (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Crossing paths in fragmented urban forest ecosystems: a study on the pressure of stray dogs and humans on the activities of wild mammals - Eray Kerem Büyük; Ayten Neval Sözer; Fehmi Yıldız; Morteza Naderi (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Exploring landscape ecological spatial concepts as the basis for regional design to support Bat populations and housing development - Alison Galea; Lysanne Snijders; Homero Marconi Penteado (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Eco-cultural monitoring reveals low impact of a Dharug Dhiyina women-led Guwiyang (fire) in an urban National Park, Australia - Dharug Ngurra; Gabrielle Brennan; Jo Anne Rey; Hsing-Chung Chang; Emilie Ens (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Alien allies? Temporal ecology of two invasive lagomorphs and coexisting predators in a periurban area - Davide Sogliani; Lorenzo Alberto Bignami; Eleonora Scabini; Leonardo Ancillotto; Pietro Di Bari; Stefano Quaranta; João Queirós; Paulo C. Alves; Emiliano Mori (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban trees as biodiversity scaffolds: patterns and drivers of epiphyte diversity in a tropical city - Yudy A. Gallego; Maria Judith Carmona-Higuita; Ana María Benavides (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Supporting pollinators in urban gardens: floral richness and abundance influence flower visitor interactions regardless of the surrounding landscape - Emma Plant; Ria Dunkley; Davide M. Dominoni; Dominic J. McCafferty (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Private gardens contribute to a large area of land within cities. Yet, little is known about the value of private gardens in pollinator conservation in terms of their management and position within the urban matrix. We investigated seasonal patterns in how environmental variables influenced plant-flower visitor interactions and the network structure in private gardens. We collected plant-flower visitor data in 18 private gardens, across Glasgow, Scotland, simultaneously recording floral abundance and richness, plant origin, garden size, land use diversity and the area of green space surrounding gardens. We observed a decline in native plant abundance from June until September, but flower visits to native and non-native plants did not track this seasonal pattern. Flower visits to native and non-native plants differed depending on whether visits were analysed at the community or plant species level. Furthermore, increasing non-native floral abundance showed a greater increase in flower visitors compared to when native floral abundance increased. Plant-flower visitor networks varied seasonally, becoming more specialised in June and September, but were not influenced by other environmental variables. Overall, higher floral richness and abundance within a garden influenced flower visits, independent of the surrounding landscape. Our results indicate that private gardens can support pollinators in cities, regardless of the urban context in which they are situated and that pollinator diversity may be improved in gardens by increasing floral diversity. We provide a list of attractive plants species to help inform floral plantings in gardens.

Future novel ecologies: exploring multispecies futures in urban places through a co-design workshop - Mairéad O’Donnell (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Transforming complex adaptive social-ecological systems, such as urban areas, requires collaboration with stakeholders to address multifaceted challenges. Co-design is a participatory decision-making process during which diverse knowledge and perspectives inform transformative solutions. As urban wilding gains momentum as a strategy for reimagining green space, co-design provides a way to collaboratively explore the values, conflicts, and possibilities that arise when planning for multispecies cohabitation. Urban wilding is an increasingly prominent approach to urban green space design, which emphasises the cohabitation of human and non-human species to foster biodiversity and ecological resilience. To integrate non-human perspectives into urban ecology practice, researchers from the participatory science project NovelEco developed the Future Novel Ecologies co-design workshop, which utilised multispecies methods to incorporate non-human perspectives into the design process. This paper outlines the workshop methodology for planning and conducting a workshop effectively, reflects on the workshop’s effectiveness in fostering collaborative visioning, and suggests adaptations for implementation in alternative settings. Further, the integration of the workshop’s methods into learning environments is discussed to reflect on how they can equip educators, students, and other stakeholders with tools that help reimagine urban ecologies. Insights are also provided about the value of municipalities, planning agencies, and local community groups adopting this workshop to enhance participatory planning and collaborative urban governance. This ecology-with-cities approach advances new inclusive, adaptive urban transformation frameworks by bridging participatory design and ecological, multispecies thinking.

Proportion of native plants is a key predictor of pollinator richness in urban greenspaces - Thomas Lilkendey; Brittany M. Mason; Nadja Pernat; Marina Marquis; Jacob S. Francis; Corey T. Callaghan (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Long-term changes of bird species richness revealed historical manor parks as biodiversity hotspots in cities - Ivo Machar; Martin Schlossárek; Vilém Pechanec; Pavel Šimek (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Environmental sustainability and resilience of cities is based on the biological diversity of green urban areas. Biodiversity of green infrastructure in dynamic urbanized environments is changing very fast. Understanding these ecological processes (and using them to environmental management of urban ecosystems) supports the application of birds as bioindicators. Although there is a consensus that long-term bird studies are extraordinarily valuable for better understanding of real temporal trends in avian urban diversity changes, these are still very rare. The main aim of this study is the assessment of long-term (30 years) changes in local bird species richness in historic manor parks in Central-European urbanized landscapes. Statistical testing of hypotheses as well as using calculation of faunistic indexes based on nest guild approach revealed high stability in bird diversity of large historic manor parks for comparison between 1994 and 2023 years. Results revealed the role of historic manor parks not only as historical sites but also as important urban biodiversity hotspots, which need specific management practice to maintain biodiversity in environmentally sustainable cities. Results also supported our better understanding of the joining of natural and historical heritage in cities worldwide in the frame of new scientific concept of Biocultural Diversity.

Prevalence and intensity of mites and haemogregarine blood parasites in the moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) from morocco: a comparative study of urban and natural habitats - Aya Kaakai; Jalal Mouadi; Abderrafea Elbahi; El Mahjoub Gallouli (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Environmental drivers shaping mollusc communities in ponds of two different landscapes - Tomáš Čejka; Tomáš Navara; Ladislav Hamerlík; Igor Kokavec (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Ponds, small standing freshwater bodies, are increasingly recognised as biodiversity hotspots, but data on aquatic mollusc communities and the drivers of their variability in these habitats remain scarce. In this study, we investigated the diversity of mollusc communities in 39 urban and agricultural ponds in Slovakia, as determined by land use evaluation in the riparian zone. Using a qualitative approach, we recorded 30 mollusc species, including three protected and seven non-native species. Agricultural ponds were environmentally less heterogeneous than urban ponds, and were characterised by larger area, higher conductivity, but lower oxygen saturation. Estimated species richness was higher in agricultural ponds, but the difference in the median number of species recorded was not significant. However, agricultural ponds harboured a significantly higher number of non-native species. Our findings highlight the essential roles of habitat size, water quality, and source proximity in structuring mollusc assemblages in urban and agricultural ponds, as we identified a significant influence of pond surface area, conductivity, and percentage of proximal stream coverage in the riparian zone. Based on these findings, we detected an urbanisation gradient intermingling pond types, but only a slight correlation with community diversity. Our results support the importance of local conditions for mollusc diversity and the essential role of artificial ponds as biodiversity hotspots worthy of conservation planning, but also as sources of non-native species.

Network of interactions in a recently implemented urban pollinator garden - Sara G. Villegas; Raúl E. Alcalá (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban expansion and habitat loss reshaped Ardeidae communities in peri-urban wetlands of India - Anindya Naskar; Gopinathan Maheswaran (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Seasonal variation of biochemical and morphological traits of selected tree species in polluted urban areas of Delhi City - Nitin Joshi; Vineet Kumar Singh; Charu Khosla Gupta (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Food over features: supplementary feeding has the strongest influence on hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) occupancy in urban gardens - Kelly Hitchcock; Simon Tollington; Hannah Khwaja; Leah J. Williams; Kat Hamill; Richard W. Yarnell (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Private residential gardens provide habitats for many species of conservation concern, and often particular garden features are promoted to benefit biodiversity or particular faunal groups and species. However, quantifying and evidencing the benefits of garden features to particular species is challenging because the density and distribution of any feature varies between and within gardens and across wider urban landscapes. Here we present findings from a citizen science project that gathered information from 415 gardens across the City of Chester in the UK, to identify which garden features were related to garden use by Western European hedgehogs ( Erinaceus europaeus ) which is a species of conservation concern across Europe. Anthropogenic supplementary food was the only significant predictor of hedgehog occupancy, with 77.5% (95% CI: 68.8%, 84.3%) of gardens where food was supplied being used, compared to 49.9% (95% CI: 43.8%, 56.0%) in gardens without. Our findings show that no garden features were influential in predicting hedgehog occupancy. This included those features considered “wildlife-friendly” and promoted by conservation charities as being beneficial, such as log piles and bug hotels, illustrating the over-riding effects of supplementary food provisioning influencing garden use by hedgehogs.

Beyond urbanization metrics: Using graphical causal models to investigate mechanisms in urban ecology and evolution - Jesse B. Borden; James P. Gibbs; John P. Vanek; Bradley J. Cosentino (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Multi-scale analysis reveals vegetation buffers human disturbance impacts on urban bird functional diversity - Estelle Solem; Viktoriia Radchuk; Johannes Schwarz; Stephanie Kramer-Schadt; Aimara Planillo (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Functional traits determine how urban bird communities respond to the novel environmental conditions in cities. While human disturbance generally has a negative impact on functional diversity, the potential of vegetation structures in buffering these effects, and the spatial scale at which these processed occur, remain poorly understood. In this study, we aim to analyse both the spatial scale of effect and the indirect effects of vegetation on functional diversity of urban birds. We estimated functional diversity —richness, evenness, and divergence— within a community of 95 breeding bird species, and examined how these metrics are influenced by human disturbance at three spatial scales: the monitoring grid, the centroids of bird territories, and the precise point locations of the birds. Our findings reveal that while human disturbance remains the primary driver of changes in bird functional diversity, the strength and nature of the effects are scale specific. Specifically, human population density exhibits a stronger negative impact at larger spatial scales, leading to a decrease in functional diversity, while higher noise levels are positively associated with functional diversity, particularly at finer spatial scales. The positive effect of noise at fine scales is probably driven by the unique conditions in urban environments, where noisy areas often coincide with lower human presence, creating opportunities for certain bird species when associated to complex vegetation structures. These findings underscore the need to consider multiple spatial scales to comprehensively understand the drivers of functional diversity in urban bird communities, and highlight the importance of vegetation structure in buffering disturbance effects.

Anuran assemblage in a rapidly urbanizing City in South Asia - K. S. Seshadri; M. K. Vidisha; Pushkar Ravindra Wagh; H. S. Sudhira; Maria Thaker (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Pollination and pest control in urban agriculture: a systematic review of the species associated with beneficial services - Bruna Nascimento; Victor H. D. Silva; Carlos A. Ordóñez-Parra; Camila Bosenbecker; Tulaci Bhakti; Ingrid Naiara Gomes; Lorena B. Valadão-Mendes; Letícia Carvalho Boratto; Pedro Amaral Anselmo; Marsal Danrlei de Amorim; Tatiana G. Cornelissen; João Carlos Pena; et al. (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Florivory, but not folivory, increases in a widely distributed tropical ruderal plant from more urbanized areas - Luziene Seixas; Júlia Evily Rocha Silva; Dalton Serafim; Willames Magno Cardoso dos Santos; Rosy Valéria da Rocha Lopes; Kim Ribeiro Barão; Guilherme Ramos Demetrio (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Comparative assessment of main roadside and sub roadside plantations on urban ecosystem functions in Dhaka North and South City areas of Bangladesh - Sumaiya Akter; Kazi Md Abu Sayeed; Naznin Parvin; Mahbuba Jamil; Hossain Md Dalim; Minhazul Kashem Chowdhury; Md. Ismail Hossain; Shuvramoy Mahato; Sanjida Abedin Prokriti; Sagoti Islam; Xiang Zhang; Pongpet Pongsivapai; et al. (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Management of urban green spaces to promote native and endemic flora in Puerto Ayora, Galápagos - Oleta van Son; Nicolás Velasco; Gunnar Mallon; Carol X. Garzon-Lopez; Patricia Jaramillo Díaz (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanization threatens the unique biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands; nevertheless, urban green spaces (UGs) may play a crucial role in the recovery of native and endemic species in urban areas. Given the fragile state of the archipelago’s flora, it is crucial to examine how UGs can support plant recovery by improving their ecological quality and accessibility. Research on this topic specific to the Galápagos Islands is limited. In particular, UG planning in Puerto Ayora, the largest city in the archipelago with the highest urbanization rate, requires further investigation. This study aims to explore how UG’s in Puerto Ayora can enhance efforts to the use of native and endemic species by: (1) Examining the spatial distribution of native, endemic and introduced species. (2) Investigating the richness of native and endemic species in UGs related to habitat type and UG size. (3) Assessing the spatial distribution of UGs to determine their effectiveness in facilitating nature interactions and increasing resident support for native and endemic species conservation. The main findings of this study indicate that the ecological quality and accessibility of UGs in Puerto Ayora are limited, and that their current designs may not effectively reintroduce native and endemic species to the landscape. Given the influence of habitat type and UG size on native and endemic species richness, it is of great importance to include these factors in urban expansion projects. In densely built areas where UG expansion is not feasible, the focus should be on converting UGs into green space types that feature a high richness of native and endemic species, such as ecological gardens.

A methodological framework for assessing pollinator suitability in urban areas - Fabio Gatti; Anna Simonetto; Gianni Gilioli (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Interest in the suitability of urban areas for pollinators is steadily increasing, as pollinator decline and biodiversity loss are closely linked to human activities, particularly urbanization and land-use change. Although recent studies have begun exploring urban pollinator habitats, these areas are often considered inhospitable when assessed with coarse-scale assessment tools, which risk overlooking mosaics of green patches that provide essential foraging and nesting resources. The configuration and density of these green spaces vary widely, strongly influencing their potential to support pollinators. However, standardized methods for evaluating pollinator-friendly urban areas remain limited. This study presents a methodological tool for urban planning, the Green Patch Suitability Assessment, which enables comparative evaluation of urban patches at fine spatial resolution. The framework combines (i) a classification system of urban green areas (patches); (ii) a multidimensional index of patch-level pollinator suitability, and (iii) a high-resolution topographic database integrating patch from multiple commonly used urban and landscape planning datasets. Applied in a municipality in Northern Italy, the tool demonstrates the capacity to identify small green patches often overlooked in coarser datasets and to evaluate the potential effects of a newly approved municipal plan aimed at enhancing green areas and biodiversity. Scenario analysis confirmed that the framework is sufficiently sensitive to detect the effects of the nature-based solutions proposed in the city plan, thus providing a practical and operational tool for urban planning capable of assessing the contribution of small green patches that would otherwise remain unrecognized using coarser-resolution databases.

Patch-level floral diversity and structural complexity drive differences in bumblebee richness and composition across different urban green space types - Benjamin Wagstaffe; Matthew Dennis (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Habitat loss and land-use intensification threaten pollinator populations globally. Urban ecosystems can provide significant floral resources and are increasingly seen as a refuge for key pollinator groups such as bumblebees ( Bombus spp.). However, the associations between bumblebee assemblages and characteristics of urban green infrastructure (GI) are still poorly understood. Urban green spaces are diverse in character and reflect a variety of planning and management options. Understanding the ability of different types of urban GI to support bumblebee populations is needed to assist urban planning in the delivery of nature recovery and ecosystem services. The characteristics that determine the degree to which different GI types promote bumblebee abundance and richness is of even greater importance. We sampled bumblebee assemblages across a typology of urban GI (parks, cemeteries, and allotment gardens), capturing a range of floristic and structural attributes. Controlling for surrounding neighbourhood greenness, we found significant differences between GI types in terms of bumblebee richness. Allotments and cemeteries exhibited comparable mean species richness (4.87 ± 0.39 and 4.03 ± 0.39, respectively), significantly higher than that supported by parks (2.27 ± 0.43). Our study revealed non-linear associations between bumblebee species richness and site floristic diversity with evenness across vegetation height classes emerging as a driver of bumblebee diversity. At the community-level, bumblebee species were clearly differentiated by their unique responses to plant richness and structural complexity. The findings of the study underline the merits of providing small pockets of floristically and structurally complex GI for sustaining urban bumblebee populations. These aspects should be prioritised in the design of urban GI.

Relocated, range-limited, but resilient: niche shift and constraints on spread in introduced Nanday parakeets (Aratinga nenday) - Brenda R. Ramirez; Diego C. Blanco; John E. McCormack (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Introduced species often encounter novel environments that test their capacity for ecological flexibility and adaptation. We investigated ecological niche dynamics in Nanday Parakeets ( Aratinga nenday ), a naturalized parrot species in Los Angeles, to assess whether their introduced range reflects a shift from their native range in South America. Using principal components analysis and niche overlap tests, we found that the introduced population occupies a distinct environmental space—cooler, drier, and with less tree cover—with no measurable niche overlap. Habitat suitability modeling in Los Angeles suggests that their current habitat is narrowly concentrated in south-facing coastal canyons and not in more arid inland or high-elevation areas. Data from iNaturalist show that Nanday Parakeets roost and feed mainly in sycamore trees. The 2025 Palisades Fire impacted only 3% of suitable habitat, while the 2018 Woolsey Fire impacted 12%, neither with an observable effect on the population. Our results highlight the contradiction apparent in many species introductions: niche flexibility during establishment combined with ecological constraints on later spread.

Assessment of heavy metal contamination in roadside soil and its uptake by selected tree species in urban and semi-urban regions - Akshay Kumar Singh; Jatin Kumar Choudhary; Sushil Kumar Shukla (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Analysis of integrated studies on ecosystem service, human well-being, and urban planning: regional trends and recommendations for future studies - Yuta Uchiyama; Masayuki Sato; Atushi Ushimaru; Toshifumi Minamoto (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
For effective urban planning, it is necessary to understand the process of urban ecosystem services generation and analyze its effects on well-being. This process can be analyzed using the ecosystem service cascade framework. In this study, to detect the gaps in such integrated studies in the existing literature, we analyzed 91 peer-reviewed research articles pertaining to various aspects including target ecosystem service type. Furthermore, we reviewed the parts of the ecosystem service cascade that were analyzed in individual studies, and examined the associations between the target ecosystem service types and the parts of the ecosystem service cascade. The results indicated the common challenges in this approach include stakeholder engagement in research process, spatial analysis and mapping of ecosystem services, and exchange-value assessment of ecosystem services. Facilitating a comprehensive ecosystem service cascade analysis is another common challenge. We suggest that the studies that focus on regulatory and supporting services should expand their scope to include the impact assessments of ecosystem services on human well-being. Notably, the studies on cultural services tended to analyze multiple parts of the ecosystem service cascade, namely, ecosystem service generation through ecosystem structure and function and the impact of ecosystem services on human well-being. Future studies must conduct a cross-scale analysis of large cities in various regions and integrate cultural services in the target ecosystem services to cover various parts of the ecosystem service cascade.

Lost in urban space: assessment of the reproductive success of the native tree Parkinsonia aculeata (FABACEAE) across urbanization and isolation gradient in Bahía Blanca, Argentina - Constanza Valcarcel; Joana P. Haedo; Sofia Graffigna; Juan P. Torretta; Hugo J. Marrero (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Lizards in the megalopolis: urbanization decreases lizard sperm fertility - Miguel A. Domínguez-Godoy; Daniel Uriostegui-Escoto; Gabriela Contreras-González; Lorena Ruiz-Valderrama; Edith Arenas-Ríos; Fausto R. Méndez de la Cruz (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanization, characterized by increased temperatures and habitat fragmentation, poses significant threats to reptile populations. Temperature threatens reptile populations, reducing the available hours of activity; however, the deleterious effects of temperature on sperm integrity have been scarcely investigated. This study investigates the impact of urbanization on the sperm fertility of the mesquite lizard ( Sceloporus grammicus ) in the Mexican Megalopolis. The study focused on sites with varying degrees of urbanization, analyzing sperm cell viability, motility, and concentration, as well as DNA integrity and cytoplasmic droplets, during the reproductive season of lizards. Additionally, we measured the thermal quality of the environment as a means to assess temperature variation within the gradient. The results showed that sperm viability decreased with increased urbanization levels across all the epididymides. DNA integrity was also adversely affected in the caput and corpus regions, but not in the cauda. The study found that urban areas have an adverse impact on sperm viability, potentially compromising reproductive capacity. These findings underscore the need for additional research on the effects of anthropogenic factors on reptile reproduction and emphasize the importance of implementing conservation strategies to mitigate these impacts.

Together but apart: contrasting intra- and peri-urban bird communities within a Neotropical city - Jonathan Morales-Contreras; Luis-Bernardo Vázquez; Anahí Guzmán-Saucedo; Ian MacGregor-Fors (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The rapid growth and expansion of Neotropical cities make it increasingly challenging to identify and delineate regions within the urban continuum, such as peri-urban and intra-urban regions, where transitional spaces, or ecotones, often function as biological filters. Despite their ecological importance, such zones remain underexplored within the urban contexts. In this study, we focused on bird communities to identify ecologically relevant regions within the urban continuum of a Neotropical city in southern Mexico (Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas). We assessed changes in avian community composition, species richness and phylogenetic diversity across peri-urban and intra-urban sites at increasing categorical distances from the urban center. Composition analysis revealed that bird distribution along the urban continuum is not uniform, showing greater species turnover than nestedness among areas, supporting the ecological distinction between intra-urban and peri-urban regions. Rarefied species richness was higher in the peri-urban region than in the intra-urban region, but differences were not statistically significant. Phylogenetic diversity was significantly higher in the peri-urban region, possibly due to unique, evolutionarily ancient species that are distantly related, contribute to greater phylogenetic differentiation and making it the key ecological distinction between regions. Our findings highlight the importance of identifying and managing ecologically distinct urban regions to support sensitive species and mitigate the impacts of urban expansion. Likewise, incorporating measures of diversity, such as phylogenetic diversity, along with spatial data, were effective in preserving key aspects of biodiversity, as it enables a more comprehensive understanding of species distribution and conservation priorities within urban landscapes.

Urban earthworm communities driven more by climate and elevation than urbanisation intensity - Helen R. P. Phillips; Kevin Hoeffner; Bart Muys; Renée-Claire Le Bayon; Daniel Cluzeau; Kevin R. Butt; Jeanne Maréchal; Maria J. I. Briones; Thibaud Decaëns; Mickaël Hedde; Sylvain Gérard; Guénola Pérès; et al. (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Soil biodiversity, particularly earthworms, plays a crucial role in ecosystem functions and services but remains largely understudied in urban environments. In this context, we conducted a synthesis analysis of 41 studies from urban environments (726 records, 1995–2024) to (1) describe patterns of earthworm communities, (2) identify the main drivers shaping urban earthworm communities, focusing on the effects of climate, degree of urbanization, soil properties, and local land use, with the expectation that climate would be the strongest driver, and (3) assess the occurrence of exotic earthworm species. Urban earthworm communities showed considerable variation in their abundance, biomass and species richness. Within our dataset, exotic species were detected in North America, South America, and Asia, but no records from European and African cities, despite their known presence there. However, there was a strong geographical bias, with 75% of records from Europe. Our results reveal that at the global scale, elevation, and annual variation in temperature and potential evapotranspiration are the most important predictors shaping total earthworm abundance. For total earthworm biomass, variation in potential evapotranspiration is the key predictor. At the plot scale, we found both positive and negative correlations between earthworm community metrics, soil properties, and specific land uses, namely urban forests and grasslands. We recommend additional standardised sampling, broader geographical and temporal coverage, and the investigation of urban-specific direct and indirect stressors, as crucial steps for understanding urban soil biodiversity and promoting beneficial management practices. Overall, this analysis indicates that urbanisation intensity showed no consistent effects on earthworm communities once climate and soil variables were accounted for. Given the importance of climate impacts, mitigation of climate change effects would be valuable for the maintenance of earthworm communities.

Assessing the impact of urbanization on wetland bird communities in Chilean Mediterranean coast - Pablo Díaz-Siefer; Isidora Duarte; Victoria Madrid; Natalia Olmos-Moya; Francisco E. Fontúrbel; Juan L. Celis-Diez (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban flower-power for wild bee and hoverfly conservation - Ana Ješovnik; Igor Boršić; Jelena Bujan (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Functional traits and climate variability drive the competitive displacement of Trifolium resupinatum by Medicago lupulina in an arid urban ecosystem - Mahmoud O. Hassan; Amr Elkelish; Sulaiman A. Alsalamah; Maha H. Khalaf; Esraa Genidy; Amany H. A. Abeed (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Exploring plant functional diversity and ecological dynamics in urban forests: insights from Metropolitan Manila - Anne Olfato-Parojinog; Christian Elmarc Ocenar-Bautista; Paul Cervin Evangelista-Rivera; Jean-Matthew Bate; Christon Jairus Racoma; Jayson G Chavez; Nikki Heherson A Dagamac (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Ecological impacts of metallic trace element pollution on moss-dwelling invertebrate communities - Gabriel L Veltri; Olivia Roberts; Kristin M Hultgren (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Assessment of woody plant diversity in urban parks of Gaziantep, Türkiye, using biodiversity indices - Mert Çakir; Serkan Gülsoy (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Woody plant diversity in mosque courtyards: a comparative study of pre- and post-republic periods - Cengiz Yucedag; Oznur Kubra Vergili; Bojan Simovski (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Epiphytic lichens in old castle parks in Southwest Germany: A case study - Max Zibold; Martin Weckesser; Markus Scholler (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Priorities, concerns, and potential compromises amongst urban forest stakeholders: international lessons from Aotearoa New Zealand - Thomas F. Carlin; Tim Barnard; Toby Chapman; Justin Morgenroth; Daniel R. Richards; Robyn Simcock; Jonathon Avery; Zoë Avery; Yvette Dickinson; Kate Elliot; Claire Freeman; Derek Hayes; et al. (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urban forests provide numerous benefits including habitat for wildlife, improving human health, purifying air and water, and preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change. The need to protect and improve our urban forests will only increase as populations increase and cities densify and expand over time. However, urban forest establishment and maintenance is challenging due to a lack of effective policies, delays, lack of communication, inappropriate targets, and lack of recognition, disunity, or resourcing amongst stakeholders. Here we present the results from a joint urban forest symposium-workshop that sought to determine the priorities and challenges of different stakeholder groups in New Zealand, including arborists, ecologists, non-ecologist researchers, indigenous peoples, and planners. We synthesise these lessons as recommendations to improve urban forest planning, design, establishment, and minimise conflicts between stakeholder groups. While the highest priorities of each stakeholder group are fairly distinct, there are high levels of overlap in the general priorities and challenges they face in working towards advancing those priorities. We suggest a 3-phase framework to deliver progress that broadly considers (1) data collection, (2) policy development, and (3) resource development. We suggest this framework should be supported by continual monitoring and data sharing, an increased investment in green employment and education, and further recognition of urban foresters, indigenous communities, and ecologists. We suggest that an inclusive approach based on a shared understanding of forest values and removing barriers is most likely to result in long-term success.

Automated detection and Threshold-Based alerting of stray dogs - Ambreen Hamadani; Henna Hamadani; Pakcha Hannah Boje; Abu Obaid Bin Gani; Qudsiya Abdullah (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Balancing tree age and other critical criteria to improve heritage tree designation and protection in China - Chunping Xie; Kuanglin Zou; C. Y. Jim (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban footprints on flora: assessing plant community dynamics across an urbanization gradient in Ranchi, Eastern India - Pawan Ekka; Purabi Saikia (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Rethinking land use in cities: the ecological role of urban golf courses in forest and air quality management - Myoung Hoon Ahn; Seong Woo Jeon; No Ol Lim (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Adaptive flight strategies in urban birds: unraveling the intricacies between flight initiation distance and distances fled - Sakti Prasad Pattnayak; Enwesh Raul; Rashmibala Patra; B. Anjan Kumar Prusty (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Beyond beauty: exploring how knowledge of larval food plants and ecological benefits affects public perception of native and non-native plants in urban greening schemes - Emma Higgins; Alessio Russo (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
In the climate and biodiversity crisis, several ecological movements, such as rewilding, the ‘No Mow’ initiative, and a growing emphasis on plant nativeness, have emerged to promote more sustainable approaches to landscape management and the design of urban green spaces. Within this context, the integration of native plant species into designed landscapes is increasingly recognised as a strategy to improve urban biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, native plants remain underutilised in urban environments, often due to public perceptions that associate them with weeds or untidy spaces. Whilst previous studies have explored plant typologies and the value of native versus non-native species, little is known about how awareness of a plant’s ecological role, as food for larval invertebrates, affects aesthetic preferences. This study addresses this gap by examining public and stakeholder perceptions through focus groups and a Likert-scale survey conducted before and after presenting information to assess shifts in perception following an educational intervention detailing native plants’ contributions to supporting urban invertebrate biodiversity. The findings reveal that perceived public sentiment towards native plants presents a barrier to their use by stakeholders. Additionally, initial findings demonstrate a prevailing preference for non-native ornamental plants linked to familiarity and perceived aesthetics. However, post-information exposure, the desirability of native plants increased, while the desirability of non-native plants decreased. This study suggests that informing the public about the ecological value of native plants can promote biophilic stewardship in designed spaces and encourage the use of native plantings for ecologically diverse schemes.

Projected climate-driven shifts in urban forest suitability across Brazilian biomes - Helder Marcos Nunes Candido; Marcelo Leandro Bueno; Julia Guedes da Cruz; Fabrício Alvim Carvalho (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Herbivory patterns in enrichment plantings at urban and peri-urban tropical montane cloud forests - Maria Toledo-Garibaldi; Ek del-Val; Tiziana Ulian; Tarin Toledo-Aceves (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Pollination on the Fly: urban pollen transfer on late flowering ivy - Barbara Płaskonka; Marcin Zych; Cecylia Barabasz; Agata Roguz; Katarzyna Roguz (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Cities are complex and often demanding habitats for wild organisms, including plants and pollinating insects. Available research indicates the important role of urban areas in biodiversity protection, however, non-bee pollinators (like flies) are often overlooked in urban ecosystems. In this study, we tracked quantum dots-labeled pollen grains transfer between four populations of Hedera helix , a late-season flowering species, that commonly attracts fly visitors. Our study was the first attempt to track pollen grain movements in a pollinator assemblage dominated by flies. Our study shows that the frequency of pollinator visits and pollen transfer were related to the proportion of green areas and umbel density, while pollen transfer was influenced by distance between populations. Hedera helix pollen was transferred between small isolated populations, indicating that these populations may serve as stepping stones for pollinators among patches of urban greenery. Such late flowering green “islands” are especially important considering the lack of food sources in the late growing season.

Urbanization, climate change, and remote sensing: a systematic review of research trends and sustainability concerns - Jaydip De (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Ecological and anthropogenic drivers of multiple herbivore mammalian species space use in a fragmented urban landscape in India - Parvaiz Yousuf; Mukesh Chand; Bilal Habib; Salvador Lyngdoh; Bhupendra Singh Adhikari (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Geospatial monitoring of peri-urban zones in Chandigarh through multi-year landsat imagery - Jyoti Saini; Umesh Kumar; Anil Kumar Gupta; Parul Mishra; Ratchagaraja Dhairiyasamy; Deekshant Varshney; Subhav Singh (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

A spatial exploration of relationships between noise exposure, poverty and visitor satisfaction in Providence parks: A pilot study - Ugoji Nwanaji-Enwerem; Jue Yang; Kevin M. Mwenda; Erica D. Walker; Diana Grigsby-Toussaint (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Participatory nature-driven urbanism: a pathway to achieving SDG-11 through community-led action - Nazuk Bhasin; Sudhanshu Kumar; Gopal Shankar Singh (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Biotic homogenisation in urban grasslands: which bird and plant species and traits are selected in urban contexts? - Josephine A. Pithon; Rémi Duflot; Véronique Beaujouan; Arnaud Cochard; Guillaume Pain; Hervé Daniel (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Ant communities and urbanization: insights from tropical territories in French overseas regions - Jérôme Orivel; Marilou Hircq; Sandrine Etienne; Bénédicte Gervais; Aline Merle; Aurélie Monnier; Frédéric Petitclerc (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanization is a rapid ecological process that fundamentally reshapes biodiversity. As urban areas expand, species distributions and biotic interactions are altered, leading to biodiversity loss and biotic homogenization. This study investigates the impact of urbanization on ant communities across three tropical territories with distinct ecological histories: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. We hypothesized that increasing urbanization would decrease native species richness while facilitating the establishment of exotic species. Using citizen science initiatives to collect ant samples, we analyzed species richness, community composition, and co-occurrence patterns along urbanization gradients. Results showed that in French Guiana and Guadeloupe, urbanization significantly decreased species richness while the proportion of exotic species increased. Martinique exhibited no significant effect of urbanization on species richness or exotic species proportion. The patterns of beta diversity were driven by both nestedness and spatial turnover among urbanization levels within territories. Negative co-occurrences were predominantly observed between invasive species in all territories, particularly involving Pheidole megacephala , which showed exclusionary interactions with both native and other introduced species. Our findings underscore the complex, context-dependent effects of urbanization on biodiversity, highlighting biotic homogenization as a key consequence. These results provide valuable insights into the role of urbanization in shaping ant communities in tropical ecosystems.

Unexplored source of urban biodiversity – preliminary studies on the underground channel of the Brzoza River (Łódź, Central Poland) - Kamil Słomczyński; Jarosław Brodecki; Jakub Bienias (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Effects of urban environmental specificities on the presence and density of brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) based on sighting reports and interventions, the case of Paris (France) - Isaure Voedts; Sylvie Petit; Florence Brondeau; Julien Gasparini (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban brownfields and their potential for nature conservation: what citizen science tells us? - Justine Martoglio; Benjamin Cornier; Arnaud Monty; Grégory Mahy (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Spatial patterns of ecosystem disservices across urban-rural gradients: municipal wasp extermination data from Kobe, Japan - Tatsuya Saga; Nakata Taichi; Yuta Uchiyama (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Teamwork makes the dream work: combining community science and expert-led surveys to study urban plant richness and composition - Sophie Taddeo; Erin F. Snyder; Elsa C. Anderson; Collin M. Porter; Tatiana M. Guider; Kayri Havens (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Maintaining diverse plant communities in cities is critical to meeting conservation goals and supporting human well-being. However, gaps persist in our understanding of the various factors that interact in urban environments to modulate plant richness, composition, and persistence. Elucidating these gaps would inform successful conservation efforts but requires extensive data to capture the many factors that impact ecological communities in time and space. These data are potentially available but vary in origin, quality, and accessibility. Professional scientists increasingly publish urban biodiversity studies, myriad community science projects engage participants in documenting nature, and local institutions often maintain species inventories. Combining these data sources could offer a more accurate portrait of urban biodiversity but requires understanding where sources overlap and leave gaps. To address this need, we use Cook County, Illinois – the second most populous county in the United States – as a case study to assess how combining peer-reviewed studies, community science, and grey literature can capture urban plant biodiversity. Results indicate that these data sources are complementary. Community science contributes more observations, particularly of new species, in more locations and habitat types. Peer-reviewed papers and grey literature contribute more observations of conservative species and typically focus on protected areas. Even with 171,162 observations across these three data sources, there are still prominent data gaps. Differences in focus, protocol, and replication suggest it would be worthwhile to coordinate data acquisition across data sources, particularly focusing on collecting repeated observations to better understand factors impacting urban plant diversity and resilience.

Responses of anuran diversity and community structure to an urbanization gradient in a subtropical Asian city - Yung-Chih Lai; Cheng-En Li; Wei-Chun Cheng; Tien-Chen Lai; Pei-Fen Lee; Yi-Ju Yang (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Environmental, spatial, and land-use determinants as key drivers of phytoplankton in urban lakes - Anny Kelly Nascimento de Oliveira; Jascieli Carla Bortolini (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Determining bee community response to urbanization through multi-year monitoring - Anthony C. Ayers; Sandra M. Rehan (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Variations in age structure and morphology of two frog species along an urban–rural gradient in Shanghai - Ningning Liu; Shurong Zhong; Ben Li (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Airborne Betula, poaceae, and Ambrosia Artemisiifolia pollen and allergen exposure: a comparative study of urban and rural environments - Jana Ščevková; Michal Hrabovský; Jozef Dušička; Matúš Žilka; Eva Zahradníková (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Background There is a distinct pattern in pollen dispersal between urban and rural environments, but the pattern of allergen concentration has not been studied so far. Methods We studied the pollen and allergen levels of three important aeroallergens ( Betula , Poaceae and Ambrosia ) in the urban area of Bratislava and a nearby rural area of Kaplna (Slovakia), their diurnal variation and the influence of meteorological factors during two pollen seasons. Results In the urban area, we found the pollen season more intense regarding both pollen and allergen levels for Betula and Poaceae, possibly due to differences in the distribution of Betula and the spectrum of Poaceae species. A shift towards an earlier peak of diurnal variability of Poaceae pollen was also observed in the urban environment, which is explainable by different microclimatic conditions. However, there was no significant variation in Ambrosia pollen and allergen levels and diurnal variation between the two areas, since this species is widespread and flowers during a period when the microclimatic conditions are more even. Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the need to consider the urban-rural differences and their influence on different plant taxa when assessing public health risks from airborne allergens.

Diversity and composition of plant communities in former lawns converted into urban meadows - Chloé Leblanc-Gagné; Marie-Hélène Brice; Stéphanie Pellerin (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Integrated geospatial assessment of human footprint impact on regulating ecosystem services in the Himalayan urban landscape - Mohd Rihan; Mohd Waseem Naikoo; Devojani Neog; Shahfahad; Md Rejaul Islam; Intejar Ansari; Swapan Talukdar; Intikhab Ahmad; Atiqur Rahman (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Unravelling the paths to urban fruitfulness: factors behind insect pollination and reproductive success of a native tree - Giovana María Galfrascoli; María Silvina Fenoglio; Alejandro Enet; Gloria Robles; Ana Calviño (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Quantification of the ecosystem services provided by public and private green in a residential area of Bologna, Northern Italy - Cinzia De Benedictis; Marianna Nardino; Letizia Cremonini; Luisa Neri; Edoardo Fiorillo (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
In a densely populated district of the urban area of Bologna, a city located in the highly polluted Pianura Padana region (Italy) impacted by urban heat island (UHI) and urban pollution island (UPI) phenomena, the provision of ecosystem services and the relative contributions of private and public vegetation were evaluated using two different models: i-Tree and Envi-met. A comprehensive inventory of public and private green within the study area (1km 2 ) was built combining open datasets and data collected through targeted field surveys. Different ecosystem services were evaluated (carbon dioxide storage and sequestration, pollutants removal, volatile organic compounds emission, oxygen production, avoided runoff, energy saving and air temperature reduction). The survey revealed that private green was dominant in the area, with more than 3000 plants between trees and shrubs belonging to 154 different species, compared to around 1800 public trees with only 68 species. The provision of ecosystem services by private green was relevant, with a greater contribution in energy saving (73%), carbon dioxide sequestration (55%) and oxygen release (55%); the contribution of public vegetation, composed mainly of adult trees, was higher in carbon dioxide storage (56%), pollutant removal (58%), mitigation of urban heat island (62% for air temperature reduction, 51% for thermal comfort improvement), and avoided run-off (59%). Overall, private green contributes by 49.7% to the total ecosystem services highlighting that, when it is not considered, the impact of urban forests on adaptation and mitigation to UHI and UPI, as well as air quality, may be severely underestimated.

Resilience assessment and spatial optimization of urban ecological network based on complex network theory and PLUS model - Xiangping Liu; Zhuowei Hu; Yongcai Wang; Mi Wang; Wenxing Hou (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

How green infrastructure change shapes regulating ecosystem services in urban landscapes? Trade-offs between urban cooling and stormwater retention in Taipei - Pak Ying Chan; Hao-Wei Chiu (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

The quality inequity of the ecosystem services delivered by green spaces: evidence from 226 Urban Parks in Hangzhou, China - Jiajun Huang; Qinghai Guo; Gang Lian (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Rethinking urban ecology and urban development nexus: a methodological framework for mapping ecological security in rapidly urbanizing cities - Subrata Ghosh; Santanu Dinda; Nilanjana Das Chatterjee (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Valuing urban wetlands for sustainable land use: recreational services and economic insights from a travel cost framework - Thelikada Palliyage Shashika Rangan Guruge; Prabath Chaminda Abeysiriwardana; Iruviman Virajith Kuruppu; Aluthgedara Lahiru Janitha Bandara (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Intraspecific body size variation in spiders is mediated by multiple stressors in an urban area - Elena Piano; Anna Piquet; Marco Isaia (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The urbanization process causes multiple environmental changes, encompassing habitat fragmentation, increasing temperature and variation in food availability, imposing significant challenges to living organisms. The synergistic effect of these stressors may have repercussions on species traits, especially on those strictly related to species survival, such as body size. We investigated the intraspecific body size variation along an urbanization gradient, considering multiple environmental facets in the city of Torino (NW-Italy), in three spider species: the sedentary cobweb spider Asagena italica (Araneae Theridiidae), the cursorial wolf spider Pardosa proxima (Araneae, Lycosidae) and the ballooning money spider Erigone autumnalis (Araneae, Linyphiidae). Our findings revealed distinct patterns among the examined species, probably related to the species’ intrinsic ability to deal with environmental changes occurring in the urban environment. The sedentary cobweb spider responded at the local scale, exhibiting body size reduction at increasing temperature due to increased metabolic costs, and body size increase at both increasing vegetation cover and species richness of the spider community, probably reflecting variation in food availability. Conversely, the cursorial wolf spider displayed a significant body size increase at decreasing average community body size, as a possible reduction of intraguild predation and competition for food. The highly dispersive money spider responded at landscape scale showing smaller body sizes at increasing habitat fragmentation, possibly due to the enhanced dispersal ability of smaller individuals. As spiders are predators exerting a significant top-down control on invertebrate communities, these complex findings underscore the need for further investigation into how intraspecific body size variation of spiders along urbanization gradients may affect food webs. Importantly, our results highlight that species do not respond uniformly to urban-driven environmental pressures; rather, their responses are strongly mediated by species-specific ecological traits such as mobility, dispersal strategy, and foraging behavior. Understanding these trait-based responses is crucial for predicting the broader ecological consequences of urbanization.

Plant diversity and uses in urban domestic gardens of Regla, Havana, Cuba - Antonio López-Almirall; Sandra Duarte; Nathalie Machon (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The activity with the greatest participation among the inhabitants of Havana’s urban communities related to biodiversity is the management of domestic gardens. Home gardens are species-rich socioecological systems with the potential to contribute to sustainable food, biodiversity, and responses to the climate crisis. This research aimed to assess the diversity, composition, and distribution of domestic garden plants, and to identify conserved indigenous species in a heavily urbanized city. In the municipality Regla within Havana (Cuba), a total of 66 gardens were randomly selected, visited, and inventoried in 2020. Cultivated plant species were identified and counted, and their frequencies and abundance were calculated. Plant species richness, Shannon diversity, evenness, and Simpson diversity were determined. A total of 338 species were recorded, grouped into 84 families and 227 genera. The flora of the gardens in Loma Modelo is mostly native (~ 55%), with components from the domestication centers of Mesoamerica (97 spp.), South America (50 spp.), and Africa (50 spp.), mainly. Eleven uses were identified for the plant species, with ornamental, religious, and medicinal ones being the most common. The number of species per garden varied widely, from only five to as many as 77, with diversity indices confirming this marked disparity. Considering the uses, Regla’s home gardens can be defined as mostly ornamental, with aromatic plants in almost all of them. This may be related to the fact that 92% of the gardens are managed by women, confirming the social character of domestic gardens. These results highlight the role of domestic gardens as reservoirs of plant diversity and cultural practices in urban areas, and their potential to contribute to sustainable urban development.

Seeds of a perennial plant (Quercus variabilis) were smaller, dispersed less frequently and shorter, and had poorer seedling growth performance in city areas than in rural areas - Hengyue Zhao; Min Zhang; Zhiwen Chen; Xinyue Chen; Lu Chen; Chao Zhang; Hongyu Niu; Hongmao Zhang (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Spatial distribution of bat-related complaints and bloodmeal sources of the common vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus) in the City of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil - Caio Vinicius Almeida Barreto de Souza; Aroldo José Borges Carneiro; Ricardo Lustosa; Barbara Maria Paraná da Silva Souza; Sabrina Mota Lambert; Vinicius José da Silva Cardoso de Brito; Caio Graco Zeppelini; Carlos Roberto Franke (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

The effects of urbanization on species richness and floristic diversity in residential gardens - Tuba Gül Doğan; Sena Demirci; Engin Eroğlu; Ömer Lütfü Çorbacı; Sertaç Kaya; Alperen Meral (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Greening the concrete: socio-economic patterns of wild plant utilization in rapidly urbanizing biodiversity hotspots - Sebastián Cordero; Jonás Arenas; Yareta Bruna-Almeida; Francisca Gálvez (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Assessment of crop damage by Asiatic black bear in Kupwara, Northwestern Himalayas: patterns, impacts, and conservation perspectives - Uzma Dawood; Zubair Ahmad Teli; Lubna Rashid; Samina A. Charoo; Bilal A. Bhat (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

A biogeographical analysis of taxonomic diversity and native species dominance in 32 Canadian street tree populations - Alexander J. F. Martin; Lukas G. Olson; Emma S. Bacon; Andrew D. Almas; Carly D. Ziter; Tenley M. Conway (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Informal green spaces providing ecosystem services to solve the green space paradox - Ting Liu; Ying Yang; Yixin Zhang (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Evaluation of climate justice in open green spaces based on landscape metrics: the case of Istanbul - Eren Dağra Sökmen; Onur Aksoy (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Green infrastructure dynamics in the urban areas of subarctic Western Siberia - Dmitriy Moskovchenko; Roman Fedorov; Artur Fakhretdinov (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Comment on the paper “Citizens’ perceptions and willingness to pay for urban beekeeping: a case study in Northern Italy” by Notaro et al. (2025) - Justyna Kierat (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban rewilding in singapore: from a conservation strategy to a Sociocultural proposition - Yun Hye Hwang (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Environmental contamination predicts mammal diversity and mesocarnivore activity in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area - Yasmine Hentati; Cesar O. Estien; Zachary Hawn; Mark J. Jordan; Robert A. Long; Rachael Mueller; Katie R. Remine; Laura R. Prugh; Christopher J. Schell (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Identifying, surveying and monitoring urban biodiversity through citizen science in the Siena BiodiverCity project - Debora Barbato; Andrea Benocci; Chiara Bratto; Giuseppe Manganelli (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban forests as habitats for vascular epiphytes and allied terrestrial plants - Maria Berenice Jarquin-Pacheco; Samaria Armenta-Montero; Jazmín Contreras-López; César I. Carvajal-Hernández (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Culvert design and position in the landscape predict the presence of trawling bat culvert roosts in an urban environment - Vanessa Gorecki; Stuart Parsons; Ramona Maggini (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Trawling bats occur in urban environments globally and are found roosting in artificial structures near water such as bridges and culverts. Culverts are suitable dark, thermally stable and often humid environments, however knowledge on roost selection and availability of these artificial structures within urban environments are limited. The large-footed myotis ( Myotis macropus ) is a specialist trawling bat found roosting in culverts under roads in urban environments in Australia. We used an experimental design stratified by landscape variables and culvert attributes to identify roosting preferences to predict culvert roost potential distribution and quantify the availability of suitable culvert roosts for a trawling bat in the subtropical city of Brisbane, Australia. We completed seasonal surveys of 308 concrete culverts across the city, modelled the distribution of M. macropus roosts and then predicted available culvert habitat. The distribution of M. macropus roosts in concrete culverts is related to waterway density, distance to nearest large waterbody, vegetation cover and channel width at the landscape scale, and to the height and design of the culvert at the culvert scale. Myotis macropus preferred culverts taller than 1.2 m in height, and while a preference for box culverts was detected, both box and pipe designs were occupied. Culverts available for selection as roosts by M. macropus are limited in the city of Brisbane urban landscape. Disturbance to or loss of culvert roosts can have significant conservation implications to colonies of trawling bats roosting in culverts due to the limited availability of concrete culverts that provide suitable roost sites.

Limited effects of short-term nutrient enrichment or abrupt light changes on daytime periphyton nutrient uptake in urban streams - Yang Fu; Ruzhong Li (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Spatiotemporal factors influencing bird collisions in urban and suburban areas - Joo-Hee Kim; Se-Eun Noh; Dong-Ho Lee; Na-Young Kim; Jeong-Woo Kim; Shin-Jae Rhim (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Towards Global Biodiversity Framework Target 12: mapping urban biodiversity monitoring programmes – a case study for Berlin, Germany - Silvia Keinath; Jörg Freyhof; Katharina Kasper; Martina Lutz; Ronja Velder; Dirk Riestenpatt; Falk Petzold; Johannes Schwarz; Wiebke Ponick; Regina Eidner; Justus Meißner; Susanne Bengsch; et al. (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanisation is a major environmental transformation, leading to various fundamental changes in biodiversity in all its dimensions. Therefore, the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of the United Nations formulated a target especially related to urban areas. Target 12 refers to biodiversity-inclusive urban planning measures for enhancing native biodiversity to improve human health until the year 2030. To understand if and to which extent this target is reached, the mapping of biodiversity time-series is a first crucial step as it provides an overview on existing monitoring programmes, and allows to uncover gaps for future assessments. In our study, we aimed to map all biodiversity monitoring data for the German capital city, Berlin, following the concept of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs). In total, we found 89 biodiversity monitoring programmes, covering 10 taxonomic groups and five of the six EBVs. We also detected taxonomic groups and EBVs, that are over- or underrepresented in monitoring programmes, as several are taxonomically biased. Biodiversity monitoring programmes are strongly focussed on species occurrence, while especially time series related to the benefits of biodiversity on human health are largely lacking and still need to be conceptualised. In conclusion, our study shows that there is an urgent need for action related to long-term biodiversity monitoring programmes, so that they are really able to inform about achievements towards Target 12 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Anthropogenic subsidies affect arthropod communities and native litter decomposition in an urban riparian forest - Vashti Devi B. Mahadeo; Dave J. Colucci; Weixing Zhu (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urban forests have high conservation value and provide recreational benefits. Riparian forest remnants have high ecological importance but are negatively impacted in urban areas. Subsidies (i.e., allochthonous inputs of resource and nutrient from outside the ecosystem) play important roles in this ecosystem and can be altered by anthropogenic activities leading to changes in ground arthropod communities and leaf litter decomposition. To test the role of subsidy impacts in this ecosystem (i.e., urban grass dumping), we designed a blocked factorial litter manipulation experiment. Treatments included a control, litter removal, litter addition, and urban grass addition. We measured rates of decomposition of native red oak and sugar maple leaf litter, and ground arthropod abundance and composition. Ground arthropod abundance was significantly affected by the treatment, mainly due to its effect on springtails, which were less abundant in the litter removal plots and more abundant in the grass addition plots. Treatment did not affect the abundance of spiders, beetles, or ants and other arthropod groups. We found significant differences in community composition between the litter removal and other treatments. Litter removal and grass addition significantly increased decomposition rates of native red oak and sugar maple leaves. We have shown that anthropogenic subsidies can impact arthropod communities and native leaf litter decomposition. This increases our understanding of how ecosystems are impacted by anthropogenic subsidies and other resource manipulations and could further the conservation value of urban riparian forests.

Designing urban garden beds: native vegetation creates healthy habitats for arthropods in Melbourne, Australia - Nicola J. Sockhill; Brenda B. Lin; Katherine Berthon; Freya Thomas; Richard A. Fuller; Sarah Bekessy (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Effective management of urban green spaces can positively contribute to the biodiversity of a city. Yet, much of the information about which management practices support biodiversity are derived from data on vertebrates, with little known about invertebrates. Here we report on a year-long field study in Melbourne, Australia across 12 urban garden beds that vary in their design and management. We investigate vegetation-based design and management choices that impact arthropod populations, to provide guidelines for the design and management of urban garden beds. First, we show that native vegetation facilitates flowering and enables arthropods to undertake crucial life cycle activities across the year. We also suggest that complex vegetation (that is, vegetation with canopy, midstorey and understorey elements) may facilitate important arthropod behaviours, and find that canopy trees are not strongly associated with arthropod activity, despite being a common target of vegetation management interventions in urban parks. Finally, we find that the vegetation preferences are not uniform across all arthropod groups, and as such a patchwork of garden beds with different design features will support a diverse set of arthropods within a park and across a city. We recommend that these three interventions be considered when designing and managing urban garden beds, to encourage functioning arthropod populations and support conservation in urban areas.

Small but connected: assessing the contribution of civic-led hedgerow planting on landscape connectivity in periurban Paris - Hugo Rochard; Céline Clauzel; Nathalie Blanc (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Most studies in landscape connectivity assessment deal with institutional projects led by public or private stakeholders, with a focus on transportation infrastructures impacts over wildlife habitats. Civic-led and place-based initiatives on public space, such as community gardens or collective tree planting projects are rarely considered as significant areas to contribute to landscape connectivity. This research intends to assess the impacts on landscape connectivity of a civic initiative for hedgerow planting and its perceived functions by civic actors, in the southern Paris periurban context. In that purpose, we applied a graph modelling methodology to measure and characterize the contribution of hedgerow sites ( n = 94) on landscape connectivity. Through a comparison between hedgerow and public green sites used as a control group, we find that the hedgerow sites strengthen landscape connectivity. The quantitative assessment is coupled with qualitative data collected from local civic leaders on their perception of social-ecological functions associated with hedgerow planting. The cross-analysis of connectivity metrics and perceived multifunctionality of planting practices gives avenues for incorporating and scale up civic initiatives towards more collaborative urban ecological planning strategies. Finally, our findings highlight the need for further research on the ecological assessment of civic-led planting projects.

Avian diversity at Mekelle university campus: a blueprint for urban green spaces in semi-arid areas of Tigray, Ethiopia - Kiros Welegerima; Getachew Mulualem; Dawit Kidane; Yacob T. Tesfaldet (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Trait plasticity and invasion success of Ageratum conyzoides in subtropical urban landscapes - Muhammad Waheed; Fahim Arshad; David M. Richardson; Abeer Al-Andal; Kaniz Fatima (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Trends in sika deer population in an urban–suburban area - Takashi Ikeda; Yukiko Matsuura; Hiroshi Takahashi; Hiromasa Igota; Takuma Watanabe; Tomoya Shichijo (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban heat and latitude: contrasting effects on ant diversity across cities - Clint A. Penick; Zachary Peagler; Layne Buttram; Robert R. Dunn; Steven D. Frank; Elsa Youngsteadt (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Increasing urban temperatures due to the urban heat island effect are associated with widespread biodiversity declines. Because cities are distributed across diverse climatic zones, the effects of urban heat on biodiversity may vary geographically. Here, we examined how urban warming influences ant communities across four U.S. cities that span 6.6° of latitude and differ by 4.1 °C in average summer temperature. We sampled urban ants using baits placed at the base of a single common tree species along an urban temperature gradient within each city. When pooling results across all cities, ant species richness increased towards the equator, consistent with broader macroecological trends. Within cities, however, ant richness consistently declined with increasing urban temperatures, regardless of latitude. In addition to temperature, we observed that ant richness was positively correlated with humidity and negatively correlated with impervious surface cover. Our findings contrast with studies of other urban arthropods, where responses to urban heat vary by latitude. The consistent negative effect of urban warming on ant diversity suggests that urban heat stress may be a conserved factor affecting biodiversity across temperate latitudes, particularly within eastern North America. While we did not detect an increasing sensitivity to urban warming at lower latitudes, the greater overall biodiversity in low-latitude cities implies that urbanization could pose a significant threat to these species-rich communities. Given the rapid expansion of urban areas, especially in warm regions, understanding the combined impacts of urbanization and climate change on biodiversity remains critical for conservation efforts.

Landscape Parameters and Their Role in Supporting Bird Diversity: A Study of Urban Parks in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Fudzla Zulfa Khiruddin; Norfazliyana Nordin; Fatihah Najihah Arazmi; Saiful Hilmi Jamal Shuhaily; Mohd Ros Effendi; Mohammad Saiful Mansor (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Recognising lawns as a part of “designed nature”. Pioneering study of lawn’s plant biodiversity in Australian context - Maria Ignatieva; Sofie Nielsen; Daniel Jan Martin (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Lawns in the twenty-first century dominate urban green infrastructure, fulfilling ecosystem services and functioning as a social, cultural, and ecological phenomenon. This study is the first in Australia to combine field surveys and spatial analysis of lawn distribution and plant biodiversity across the Perth-Peel metropolitan area, Western Australia. It is part of the interdisciplinary project, “Lawns as a Cultural and Ecological Phenomenon in Perth.” Using CSIRO’s Urban Monitor, maps of lawn coverage were developed. Additionally, plant biodiversity was assessed in 320 plots (50 cm × 50 cm) across three lawn typologies: large parks, small parks, and verges. Biodiversity was analysed using species richness and the Shannon Index. Lawns in private gardens and verges accounted for the largest category (53%), followed by smaller parks (37%). Forty two plant species were recorded, dominated by non-native lawn grasses such as Cenchrus clandestinus and Cynodon dactylon . Seasonal influences were significant, with winter (wet season) showing greater biodiversity and coverage than in summer (dry season). Irrigation and mowing frequency are important factors which influence plant biodiversity. Verges demonstrated the highest diversity, especially of annuals in winter. The search for environmentally friendly lawns in Perth should have different approaches from European countries and the USA where a new generation of more biodiverse lawns are usually inspired by the natural and semi-natural grasslands. We suggest pathways of replanning and redesigning urban open spaces with more biodiverse, waterwise and complex lawns and grass-dominated plant communities for Perth. Our results on Perth’s lawn coverage and plant biodiversity of lawns have supported the data from other studies that lawns are one of the most common and globally homogenised and standardised type of urban biotopes.

Island biogeography in urban landscapes: small island effect and nestedness in bryophyte communities of urban parks in Shanghai, China - Fumin Lei; Yiyi Shan; Dandan Li; Xiangzhang Wu; Jun Yang; Shuiliang Guo; Jing Yu (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Supplementary urban green infrastructure: community perceptions of trees and their benefits - Nurul L. Winarni; Mega Atria; Afiatry Putrika; Aisyah Gina (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Enhancing urban lawn diversity: investigating survival, growth, flowering, and pollinator attractiveness of groundcover plant species - Anaïs Grenier; Frédéric McCune; Étienne Normandin; Ann-Catherine Laliberté; Colin Favret; Valérie Fournier; Guillaume Grégoire (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Unravelling the relationship between soil, habitat, and species distribution patterns in an urbanized desert landscape: insights from Southern oases, Western Desert, Egypt - Monier Abd El-Ghani; Marwa Ragaey; Salwa Abd El-Wahab; Ali Gaafar (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Our understanding of urban ecosystems in Egyptian cities is currently quite limited. This study marks a first step toward filling that gap, with a particular focus on the unique environments of the Kharga and Dakhla Oases in Egypt’s southern Western Desert. This study explores the floristic composition, structure and plant species distribution patterns in the 4 identified habitats: home gardens (HG), public gardens (PG), road islands (RI), and vacant lots (VL). It also attempts to unravel the complex relationships between soil conditions, species diversity, habitat types, nativity, conservation status and the distribution of species functional groups (SFGs) across the four distinct urban habitat landscapes. A comprehensive floristic survey was conducted between February and December 2023 to study the vegetation and the environment sampled from 39 permanently visited plots across the habitats in Dakhla and Kharga Oases distributed as follows: 11 in public gardens, 16 in home gardens, 8 in road islands, and 4 in vacant lots. For each recorded taxon in sampled plot, information on its presence/absence, life form, habitat type, nativity, IUCN conservation status category, functional group, and soil samples were collected. Multivariate analysis procedures were applied to assess the relationships between the soil characteristics, species distribution in recognized habitats and estimated diversity indices. In total, 173 plant taxa from 52 families and 134 genera, with therophytes (annuals) dominating the flora (50.3%), followed by phanerophytes (25.4%), reflecting adaptations to the region’s extreme aridity. Native plants constituted 55.5% of the flora, while non-native plants accounted for 16.2%, highlighting the significant influence of human activities, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, on species composition. Managed habitats, particularly home gardens (HG) and public gardens (PG), exhibited the highest species richness, hosting a diverse mix of native, cultivated, and ornamental taxa. Home gardens, with 132 plant taxa, were characterized by fruit trees and native xerophytes, while public gardens, with 112 plant taxa, supported ornamental and wetland plant taxa. In contrast, disturbed habitats such as road islands (RI) and vacant lots (VL) were dominated by weeds and xerophytic taxa, adapted to harsh, unmanaged conditions. Vacant lots, with only 44 taxa, were the least diverse, reflecting the challenging environmental conditions of these unmanaged areas. Multivariate analyses, including Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), revealed significant differences in the composition of vegetation clusters across habitats, affected by soil properties such as moisture content, salinity, and nutrient availability. Soil variables like electrical conductivity, total soluble salts, and chloride content were particularly influential in shaping taxa distribution in saline environments, while organic matter and clay content played key roles in managed habitats. The study identified seven distinct vegetation groups, each associated with specific indicator species and habitat conditions, further emphasizing the role of environmental filtering in structuring urban plant communities.

Identifying the factors that influence raccoon (Procyon lotor) and southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius) use of stormwater sewer systems - Alan A. Ivory II; Matt T. Hallett; Miguel A. Acevedo; Brett R. Scheffers; Kody M. Brock; Steve A. Johnson (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Bird community responses to urbanization and vegetation parameters across the city of Salzburg, Austria - Beate A. Apfelbeck; Marina Navalpotro Buscail; Anna Sommer; Jana S. Petermann (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanization continues to be a major threat to biodiversity. The knowledge of local and site characteristics that influence species diversity within cities is of importance to design and manage urban spaces that promote biodiversity and ecosystem services. While the characteristics of urban green spaces for biodiversity have been studied in detail, the urban matrix has received less attention. We, therefore, studied the role of sampling site and local-scale parameters at different urbanization intensities on bird and tree communities during the breeding season across the city of Salzburg encompassing the heterogeneity of the urban landscape. We found more exotic than native tree species, however areas with many trees, were dominated by native tree species. Although building cover negatively related to bird species richness at all scales, bird species richness increased with the amount of grass cover, the number of trees and the number of native tree species at the smallest, i.e. sampling site, scale. Building cover and the number of trees in a sampling site also influenced bird community composition. At larger scales, land cover (i.e., building cover and green urban area) was more strongly related to bird community composition than sampling site characteristics. Relationships with community composition can partly be explained by species-specific responses as the occurrence of different species was associated with different sampling site characteristics. Our study shows the importance of unsealed soil, i.e. grass cover, and native trees on bird communities within cities, but different species may require different configurations of these habitat parameters. Furthermore, also within the urban matrix site characteristics can promote avian diversity even in areas with high building cover.

Global wildlife roadkill research: a bibliometric synthesis of historical trends, thematic gaps, and future directions - Chutamas Sukhontapatipak; Chanpen Saralamba; Piyathip Piyapan; Paphawadee Duangta; Thanaphat Klubchum; Weerachon Sawangproh (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The global expansion of road networks has intensified ecological pressures on wildlife through roadkill, driving increased scholarly interest in recent decades. This study conducts a bibliometric and content analysis of 1,453 peer-reviewed publications—including journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, and reviews—published between 1955 and 2023, to explore historical trends, thematic developments, and geographic patterns in wildlife roadkill research. Publication output has grown rapidly since 2000, with over 75% of studies published after 2010. Research is concentrated in a few countries, with the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Australia accounting for 49% of total output. Taxonomic biases are evident, as mammals (44%) and herpetofauna (27%) are the most studied groups, while birds and invertebrates are underrepresented. Geographic imbalances also persist, with limited research focused on biodiversity-rich regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies three dominant thematic clusters: core road ecology and applied conservation, human–wildlife interaction and theoretical perspectives, and taxon-specific and biodiversity-oriented studies. Despite the growing availability of scalable tools—such as citizen science, remote sensing, and machine learning—their application in roadkill research remains limited. Additionally, most studies focus on species classified as “Least Concern,” while those facing higher extinction risks receive little attention. These patterns reveal critical gaps in the taxonomic and conservation coverage of current literature. This review highlights the need for more longitudinal studies, inclusive taxonomic and geographic representation, and interdisciplinary approaches to better inform sustainable infrastructure planning and reduce biodiversity loss from wildlife–vehicle collisions.

Drivers of woody plant phylogenetic and taxonomic beta diversity across an urban density gradient - Justice Muvengwi; Hilton G. T. Ndagurwa; Tatenda Nyenda; Ed T. F. Witkowski; Monicah Mbiba (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urban plant diversity patterns are influenced by socioeconomic factors, yet our understanding of these relationships in Global South cities remains limited. We investigated how taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity of woody plants vary across Harare's socioeconomic gradient, examining patterns for indigenous and exotic species. We surveyed 300 household yards across 15 suburbs representing low-, medium-, and high-density areas, characterized by differences in property values, population density, and yard size. For combined species, both taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity showed significant positive relationships with property value and yard area, supporting the 'luxury effect' hypothesis. However, patterns differed when analysing species groups separately. Exotic species demonstrated strong socioeconomic filtering, with greater taxonomic diversity in wealthy areas but consistently low phylogenetic turnover across suburbs, suggesting selection of evolutionarily related species. Indigenous species showed unexpected resilience in high-density areas, maintaining greater phylogenetic diversity than affluent suburbs. While species turnover dominated overall beta-diversity patterns, phylogenetic nestedness contributed substantially more than taxonomic nestedness, particularly for exotic species. These findings challenge conventional urban ecology paradigms and highlight the importance of considering both taxonomic and phylogenetic dimensions when assessing urban biodiversity. The retention of phylogenetically diverse indigenous communities in high-density areas presents opportunities for biodiversity conservation in African cities.

Population genetics of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in a heterogeneous urban landscape - Martín Scaltritti; Emiliano Muschetto; Ignacio M. Videla; Mariel A. Tripodi; Diego Hancke; Esteban Hasson; Viviana A. Confalonieri; Olga V. Suárez (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Urban orchards provide important biodiversity and ecosystem services - Julia P. Kachanova; Sophia B. Steppe; Sarah E. Hobbs; Sarah M. Emery (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

High modularity of plant-pollinator interactions in an urban garden is driven by phenological continuity and flower morphology - Luis Gustavo de Sousa Perugini; Leonardo Ré Jorge; Jeff Ollerton; Maria Auxiliadora Milaneze-Gutierre; André Rodrigo Rech (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Parallel phenotypes of Littoraria angulifera emerge across ecoregions, as a response to urbanization - Javier A. Venegas; Levy Obonaga; José M. Riascos (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Cities are emerging as the fastest-growing ecosystems on Earth. While evidence is accumulating that a diverse array of species exploits urban habitats, the mechanisms by which urbanization drives natural selection and shapes phenotypic responses remain poorly understood, particularly in tropical coastal areas. Here, we evaluate the repeatability of phenotypic changes exhibited by the snail Littoraria angulifera , a species closely associated with mangrove trees that thrives in anthropogenic habitats following forest clearing. We compared urban and non-urban populations from three ecoregions along the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Our analysis revealed significant differences in size structure, abundance, onset of sexual maturity, and feeding structures between urban and non-urban populations. Parallel urban phenotypes—characterized by smaller body sizes, increased abundance, earlier sexual maturation, and distinctive radular morphology—have emerged across ecoregions. The unique radular morphology observed in urban snails likely reflects adaptations to the textural differences in anthropogenic habitats. Meanwhile, the consistent patterns in body size and sexual maturation suggest selection for “fast-living” phenotypes, driven by altered thermal regimes resulting from reduced shading after mangrove clearing and the proliferation of impervious surfaces. These findings align with documented phenotypic responses in various terrestrial species to the urban heat island effect, highlighting the broader role of thermal reaction norms as a unifying mechanism shaping the evolution of ectothermic organisms in urban environments.

Intra-urban spatial heterogeneity of autumn leaf senescence: effects of land-use composition on tree phenology in Wuhan, China - Wenli Zhu; Bohan Wu; Ming Zhang; Li Zhang; Xiaoyi Xing; Song Li (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Invertebrate richness and diversity in parks situated along a gradient of urbanisation - Lena K. McNaughton; Barbara I. P. Barratt; Yolanda van Heezik (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanisation entails significant habitat loss leading to degradation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and fragmented landscapes. Urban parks, which can take the form of large forest remnants, lawns, or a combination of the two, provide habitat for some species. The type of park and its location relative to other land uses affect the communities of species it supports. This study examined the composition of invertebrate communities, with emphasis on species richness and diversity of Coleoptera in parks along a gradient from low to high levels of urbanisation intensity, measured as the proportion of impervious surface within a surrounding buffer. The diversity of invertebrates differed only between parks at each end of the urbanisation gradient and a consistent, although non-significant, trend of increasing diversity from high to low intensity surrounding urbanisation. Parks situated closest to a large green space (> 30 ha in area; typically semi-natural, such as a reserve), had highest invertebrate richness, abundance and diversity. Increasing proportion of impervious surface had only a minor impact on invertebrate communities, likely due to the pre-selection of species tolerant to fragmentation and non-native vegetation. However, increasing urban densification will likely harm invertebrate diversity. Coleoptera communities were similar across all parks, although parks with patches of high-quality vegetation presented slightly different assemblages, potentially supporting less urban-tolerant species. While lawns are not completely sterile environments for invertebrates, enhancing vegetation heterogeneity in urban green spaces and creating green corridors for dispersal will improve invertebrate richness and diversity in urban parks, while retaining their amenity value.

Influence of site type on wood specific gravity and ash content for urban-grown hardwoods - Nancy F. Sonti; James A. Westfall; Michael C. Wiemann; Thomas L. Eberhardt (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Environmental degradation and its consequences for biological diversity in urban streams of the Southwestern Amazon - Dayana Tamiris Brito dos Santos Catâneo; Paulo Vilela Cruz; Leandro Juen; Maria Aurea Pinheiro de Almeida Silveira; Carolina Rodrigues da Costa Doria (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Cultivating ecological awareness in middle-school students through short interactions with urban soil ecosystems - Hayden W. Bock; Kyle G. Wickings (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Crop-specialized pollinator drives bee and floral community response to urbanization on small squash farms - Jennifer Roedel; Zsofia Szendrei (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Cities can support diverse wild bee communities through managed green spaces. Urban farms, specifically, provide important habitat and resources for wild bee communities in cities. However, the influence of urbanization on specific crop-pollinating bee communities has received little attention. Here we examined how urbanization influences squash-pollinating bee communities across 24 farms that grow squash along an urban gradient in Michigan, USA. We assessed whether forage and nesting resources along this urban gradient influenced bee community abundance and visitation, and their associated functional trait composition. We documented 11 genera and 30 species visiting squash, with the hoary squash bee ( Xenoglossa pruinosa ), a cucurbit specialist pollinator, as the most abundant species with the highest number of squash flower visitations. We found that squash bees were the most abundant on suburban and urban farms compared to rural farms. Oligolectic and ground-nesting bees were most abundant in suburban farms, which mirrored squash bee trends. Cavity-nesting bees were most abundant on rural farms. However, there was no relationship between urbanization and in-farm ground cover. Weed floral diversity, but not surrounding plant diversity, was positively correlated with urbanization. Interestingly, floral diversity had a negative relationship with bee diversity, regardless of urbanization, possibly due to the dominance of the hoary squash bee in the community. Bee community composition largely overlapped, although suburban and urban communities were more heterogeneous. Our results suggest that both urban and suburban farms can support abundant and diverse bee communities.

Urban bird assemblages in India: the role of traffic, greenspaces, and dietary traits in shaping community composition - Jan Grünwald; Jiří Reif (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The urban communities of birds in tropical regions are generally understudied, despite these areas hosting most of the bird diversity worldwide. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence tropical urban bird communities is crucial. This study explores ecological patterns of avian communities in the India’s district of Karnataka. A variety of urban settings with different human populations were surveyed to account for the geographical variability of the bird assemblages in the region. Additionally, this study concentrated on the common but often overlooked urban environments– building structures and street vegetation. Using generalized linear mixed models, this study revealed that the most important environmental factor impacting the species richness and diversity of bird communities was the number of motor vehicles, likely inducing various kinds of disturbance to birds, and local cover of greenery, which offers foraging and breeding opportunities for birds. This underscores the importance of including quiet, traffic-free green spaces in urban areas. The most significant trait characterizing the species in the surveyed cities was diet: birds with broader dietary preferences were more abundant in urban settings. This result is consistent with knowledge on predictors of urban bird abundance shaping bird communities in Global North cities, implying common drivers acting in urban areas across the globe.

Beta diversity of drosophilid flies (Insecta: Diptera) between ecological reserves and urban parks is mediated by turnover - Fábio André Gomes Silva Cavalcanti; José Pedro Cavalcante Viana; Matheus Cavalcante Viana; Rafael Augusto Rodrigues Santos; Rosana Tidon (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Shot down in grays: an integrative review and meta-analysis of the negative effects of urbanization on butterfly communities - Thaís Pignataro; Giselle Martins Lourenço; Tatiana Cornelissen (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Assessing public perceptions of ecosystem services in peri-urban mediterranean wetlands: a case study for a restorative NBS in Catalonia, Spain - Olivia Cason; Sara Maestre-Andrés; Antoni Mas-Ponce; Francesc Romagosa; Quim Zaldo-Aubanell (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Recent research has assessed public perceptions of Mediterranean rivers, but there are limited investigations into the public perceptions of Mediterranean wetlands, especially in urbanized spaces like peri-urban parks. This study addresses this gap by assessing public perceptions across different sociodemographic groups for their level of awareness of different ecosystem services in a peri-urban park located in the Mediterranean region of Catalonia, Spain. Parc del Falgar is the site of a fluvial restoration project aimed at improving water quality by retaining and transforming nutrients through the park’s nature-based solution. A two-part survey was organized using a 5-level Likert scale, and a multiple-choice sociodemographic questionnaire followed by semi-structured interviews with local actors. Regression models and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze the gathered data and evaluate differences between groups, incorporating Bonferroni adjustments to account for multiple comparisons. The findings revealed that age significantly affects perceptions of the park’s ecosystem services, resulting in a greater awareness of the park’s biodiversity and wetland restoration. Visitors living closer to nature and those with higher incomes were more aware of the park’s cultural ecosystem services including recreational and leisure activities. Through interviews with local actors, this study discusses the juxtaposition of traditional environmental learning with modern digital technology for ecosystem service awareness and highlights different learning preferences across social groups for the uptake of ecosystem service awareness. Management proposals from interviewees stress involving scientific and non-scientific experts to capture the full range of the park’s ecosystem services.

Species-specific evaluation of growth and environmental tolerance for ecosystem services – evaluation from a botanic tree collection - Henrik Sjöman; Andrew Hirons; Kevin W. E. Martin (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The planting of trees in urban environments is a challenging endeavor, largely due to the limited space available. It is therefore essential to select species that can deliver essential ecosystem services in an effective manner. This study presents a novel screening technique for identifying tree species with high potential for urban settings, with a particular focus on drought tolerance and rapid growth as key factors for success. The utilization of non-destructive data collection in a botanical tree collection enables the highlighting of variations in environmental tolerance and growth strategies among species. It is noteworthy that a subset of species exhibited a distinctive combination of high drought tolerance and robust growth, distinguishing them from the majority. These findings highlight the value of preliminary screening to identify promising candidates for more detailed and resource-intensive studies, such as greenhouse trials. Additionally, the study underscores the crucial role of botanical collections as repositories of distinctive genetic material, offering avenues to discover unconventional species suitable for urban greening. Further advancement of screening methodologies will enhance our capacity to select resilient tree species capable of flourishing in urban environments and providing multifunctional ecosystem benefits.

The response of avian chewing lice (Psocodea: Phthiraptera) loads to early-1900s urbanization in the Western United States - Ethan X. Kahn; Jake M. Jacobsen; Amanda Leyel; Mia C. Rosati; Graham A. Montgomery; Morgan W. Tingley (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanization can alter all types of ecological interactions, including parasitism. For urban-associated hosts, two hypotheses predict the response of parasites to urbanization: dense host populations can increase disease transmission, and/or healthy host populations can increase immunity against disease. Using a historical record of bird specimens, we examined the effect of historical urban environments on parasitic interactions by measuring the abundance of ectoparasites on two bird species: House Finch and Hairy Woodpecker. We counted adult chewing lice and their nits from museum study skins of these two species, which were collected in the western United States from 1900 to 1932. Our urbanness metric for each specimen’s collection site and year was extracted from the Built-Up Footprint Area dataset, which measures the area covered by human structures each decade. Despite finding many lice preserved on museum specimens, we found no significant relationship between urbanness and louse loads. This result could be because lice are not sensitive to their external environment, or because the impacts of urbanization on birds were still small in the temporal range documented by our specimens. We also found that House Finches had more nits but fewer adult Ischnocera than Hairy Woodpeckers, and that Ischnocera and nit loads exhibited slight seasonal variation. Our study emphasizes the value of museum collections for understanding the historical process of urbanization in an ecological context, including bird-louse dynamics, and provides an important initial evaluation of how chewing lice may or may not respond to urbanization.

Mistletoe-bearing trees positively influence bird foraging patterns across urban and natural environments - Kees W. Hood; Frank Fabbro; Daniel S. Karp (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Worldwide, parasitic mistletoe species have become successful inhabitants of urban forests, despite novel host trees and communities of potential avian dispersers compared to natural habitats. Though land managers often remove mistletoe because of its impact on urban trees, these hemiparasites may nonetheless provide important food resources and structural heterogeneity for local avifauna. This study compares bigleaf mistletoe’s ( Phoradendron leucarpum spp. macrophyllum ) host distribution and relationships with birds in the urban and natural landscapes of California’s Central Valley. We established vegetation plots in urban parks and riparian forests to survey mistletoe distributions and measured avian visitation and behavior within individual trees. Mistletoe was detected in 10 of 32 surveyed tree species. Mistletoe presence did not vary across land-uses or tree origins (i.e., native vs. non-native trees); however, infestation levels were highest on larger and nonnative trees. Bird species richness and abundance were higher in trees with mistletoe, a pattern driven by insectivorous gleaning species. Birds were more likely to be observed foraging in trees with mistletoe in natural areas but not urban areas. Finally, birds observed foraging or gleaning were more likely to use mistletoe compared to birds observed perching. Our study reinforces ideas surrounding mistletoe’s host adaptability and importance for native birds. While prior work has focused on the importance of its berries and nectar, we found that mistletoe may also be important for invertebrate-gleaning birds. Looking forward, land managers should look to balance the biodiversity benefits of native mistletoe against potential effects on tree health.

Tree cavity availability and distribution across habitats in Udaipur (Rajasthan), a small Indian City: implications for urban wildlife - Vijay Kumar Koli; Rakesh Kumar; Kanishka Mehta; Satish Kumar Sharma (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Evidence for urban food limitation in a widespread invasive lizard - Sean T. Giery; Zachary A. Chejanovski; Braulio A. Assis; Tracy Langkilde; Jason J. Kolbe (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Declining diversity, abundance, and body size of arthropods are characteristic features of urbanization. Recent work indicates that arthropod declines can cascade through urban food webs and limit consumer populations. However, the magnitude and extent of urban food limitation remains unknown. To expand our understanding of the consequences of urban arthropod declines, we examined signatures of food limitation in a widespread, urban-tolerant lizard, the brown anole ( Anolis sagrei ). Our results show that male brown anoles exhibit significant decline in body condition, but not body size, across a gradient of increasing urbanization in south Florida, USA. Further, we observed a positive relationship between arthropod biomass and lizard body condition, as well as declining arthropod biomass with increasing urbanization. Our results contribute to a growing realization that urbanization-driven arthropod declines are likely to adversely impact a variety of predators—even the most urban-tolerant ones.

Examination of the presence of evolutionary response behind larger size at metamorphosis in urban toads - Sena Irie; Noriko Iwai (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Endozoochorous seed dispersal in urban ecosystems: a global review of patterns, interactions, and knowledge gaps - Harsh Yadav; Yuki Iwachido; Shyam S. Phartyal; Takehiro Sasaki (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
Urbanisation influences various aspects of species interactions, including animal-mediated endozoochorous seed dispersal – an essential mechanism that facilitates plant dispersal and establishment in urban environments. However, in-depth and systematic assessments of how urbanisation shape endozoochory interactions remain limited. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed studies on endozoochory in urban ecosystems and examined the effects of urbanisation on endozoochorous seed dispersal. We also assessed whether urban endozoochorous networks exhibit high evenness and nestedness. Additionally, we analyzed trends in the abundance of the resulting plant functional diversity in urban ecosystems. Our review identified 34 studies on endozoochory in urban ecosystems across 17 countries, documenting 429 interactions involving 69 animal and 212 plant species. Most studies (26) focused on a single animal species as a seed disperser, while only two examined urbanisation rates. Furthermore, only 15 studies conducted germination tests on dispersed seeds, indicating limited attention to post-dispersal seed fate. We found substantial interaction evenness in urban endozoochory, alongside a reduction in the functional diversity of dispersed native plants compared to all dispersed plants, including non-native species. Among animal dispersers, only bats exhibited a positive response to urbanisation in terms of the number of plant species dispersed. Additionally, fleshy and dark-coloured fruits that often contain large seeds were positively correlated with urbanisation, suggesting that these traits may facilitate the dispersal of large-sized seeds in urban areas. Our findings highlight urbanisation as a key driver of endozoochorous interactions, emphasizing the need for future research to deepen our understanding of urban endozoochory and to enhance biodiversity conservation efforts.

Exploring perceptions and attitudes towards wildlife in urban home gardens in Bengaluru, India - Varsha Bhaskaran; Charles H Nilon (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)

Cats in the city: urban cat distribution is influenced by habitat characteristics, anthropogenic factors, and the presence of coyotes - Angelinna Bradfield; Chris Nagy; Mark Weckel; David C. Lahti; Bobby Habig (Urban Ecosystems, 2025)
The free-ranging cat ( Felis catus ) is an invasive carnivore that can inflict extensive mortality on wildlife. The New York metropolitan area, the most densely populated region of the United States, is home to several urban greenspaces that support local populations of wildlife. It is currently unknown to what extent free-ranging cats make use of these greenspaces and what factors influence their distribution. To address these gaps, we used motion-activated cameras to survey free-ranging cat occupancy and detection probability in 31 major greenspaces in the New York metropolitan area. We compared the daily detection rate of free-ranging cats to other local carnivores and investigated anthropogenic and ecological variables predicted to influence their occupancy and detection probability. Finally, because the eastern coyote ( Canis latrans ) has expanded its historic range and now occupies several greenspaces in the New York metropolitan area, we tested whether free-ranging cats avoid habitats occupied by coyotes. Our study yielded three main results. First, free-ranging cats were documented in all 31 greenspaces surveyed and were second only to the raccoon ( Procyon lotor ) in terms of daily rate of detection. Second, free-ranging cat occupancy and detection probability were significantly higher in greenspaces with smaller patch areas that were surrounded by more developed land cover and lower densities of humans. Third, free-ranging cat detection probability was significantly lower in habitats where coyotes were present. Because cats are an invasive species that can cause extensive mortality on urban wildlife, these findings may inform conservation practices and help protect vulnerable species.