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Xu Z, Zhao S. Fine-grained urban landscape mapping reveals broad-scale homogeneity in urban environments. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:1802-1805. [PMID: 38641512 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.03.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyu Xu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shuqing Zhao
- School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
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Estien CO, Fidino M, Wilkinson CE, Morello-Frosch R, Schell CJ. Historical redlining is associated with disparities in wildlife biodiversity in four California cities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321441121. [PMID: 38861597 PMCID: PMC11194601 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321441121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Legacy effects describe the persistent, long-term impacts on an ecosystem following the removal of an abiotic or biotic feature. Redlining, a policy that codified racial segregation and disinvestment in minoritized neighborhoods, has produced legacy effects with profound impacts on urban ecosystem structure and health. These legacies have detrimentally impacted public health outcomes, socioeconomic stability, and environmental health. However, the collateral impacts of redlining on wildlife communities are uncertain. Here, we investigated whether faunal biodiversity was associated with redlining. We used home-owner loan corporation (HOLC) maps [grades A (i.e., "best" and "greenlined"), B, C, and D (i.e., "hazardous" and "redlined")] across four cities in California and contributory science data (iNaturalist) to estimate alpha and beta diversity across six clades (mammals, birds, insects, arachnids, reptiles, and amphibians) as a function of HOLC grade. We found that in greenlined neighborhoods, unique species were detected with less sampling effort, with redlined neighborhoods needing over 8,000 observations to detect the same number of unique species. Historically redlined neighborhoods had lower native and nonnative species richness compared to greenlined neighborhoods across each city, with disparities remaining at the clade level. Further, community composition (i.e., beta diversity) consistently differed among HOLC grades for all cities, including large differences in species assemblage observed between green and redlined neighborhoods. Our work spotlights the lasting effects of social injustices on the community ecology of cities, emphasizing that urban conservation and management efforts must incorporate an antiracist, justice-informed lens to improve biodiversity in urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar O. Estien
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Mason Fidino
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Christine E. Wilkinson
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA94118
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Christopher J. Schell
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
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Liu F, Yu X, Che X, Zhang Q, Grossi AA, Zhang M, Wang Z, Zou F. Patterns and processes underlying understory songbird communities in southern China. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11446. [PMID: 38846706 PMCID: PMC11154815 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Understory bird communities, especially those comprising insectivores, are highly sensitive to forest loss and fragmentation. Currently, there is little knowledge regarding the large-scale diversity patterns of understory bird communities, particularly in Eastern Asia. Consequently, we aimed to identify the distribution patterns of understory birds in southern China and the factors underlying these patterns. We analysed the diversity distribution patterns of taxonomic and functional α and β diversity for understory Passeriformes birds in southern China utilising cluster and ordination analyses. Subsequently, we analysed the effects of geographic distance, annual mean temperature, annual temperature range, annual mean precipitation, and annual precipitation range on diversity distribution patterns. In total, 9282 individuals belonging to 11 orders, 48 families, and 297 species were captured over 98,544 net hours, with Alcippeidae being the most abundant family in southern China. The understory bird communities of the 25 sites were categorised into six sub-regions of the Oriental Realm (Indo-Malayan Realm). The pattern in the distribution of taxonomic and functional β-diversity of understory birds in southern China was consistent with zoogeographical regionalisation. Three distinct geographical groups were identified: Group 1 was located in the Min-Guang Coast and Hainan sub-regions; Group 2 was located in the East Hilly Plain, Southwest Mountains, and Western Mountains and Plateaus sub-regions; and Group 3 was located in the Southern Yunnan Mountain subregion. The most critical factors related to the distribution patterns of β-diversity were geographical distance, annual mean temperature, and annual temperature range. Our results showed that the understory bird communities of the Southwest Mountain, East Hilly Plain, and Western Mountains, and Plateaus sub-regions were similar, as were those of the Min-Guang Coast and Hainan sub-regions. Our results underscore the joint roles of distance, temperature, and historical evolution in understory bird communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Liu
- College of Life SciencesShaanxi Normal UniversityXi'anChina
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- College of Life SciencesShaanxi Normal UniversityXi'anChina
| | - Xianli Che
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Alexandra Ashley Grossi
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Min Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life SciencesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhengzhen Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Fasheng Zou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Library of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
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Xiao L, Chen D, Xu Z, Zhang Y. Ocurrence dataset of birds in university campuses of Nanjing, Juangsu Province China. Biodivers Data J 2024; 12:e126064. [PMID: 38841137 PMCID: PMC11150867 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.12.e126064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The protection of urban biodiversity plays a critical role in maintaining urban ecological security. As a unique taxon of urban wildlife, birds have been intensively used as an indicator of our surrounding environment. Although the diversity of urban bird species has received increasing attention, present studies are mainly focused on urban parks. As one of the important components of the urban ecosystem, the university campus also plays a critical role in maintaining bird diversity. Due to the lack of observation data, it is a challenge to evaluate the impact of the environmental conditions on campus bird diversity. Given the most concentrated higher education resources in China, Nanjing has a large number of universities, covering a wide area of the urban landscape. The landscape of these universities usually has a high percentage of green space as well as waterbodies, which is conducive to attracting various bird species to inhabit. Here, we conducted a one-year bird survey from January 2019 to December 2019 in 12 universities in Nanjing and provided an occurrence dataset containing detailed species and geographical information, providing a good source to study the ecological and anthropogenic factors on urban bird diversity on a local and larger scale. New information This dataset represents the first annual record of birds publicly released by 12 universities in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. It includes classification information, population, distribution and survey details. All data have been published on GBIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Xiao
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaNanjingChina
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Ding Chen
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaNanjingChina
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Zheping Xu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yong Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaNanjingChina
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
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Deng J, Zhu Y, Luo Y, Zhong Y, Tu J, Yu J, He J. Urbanization drives biotic homogenization of the avian community in China. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38379130 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization-driven biotic homogenization has been recorded in various ecosystems on local and global scales; however, it is largely unexplored in developing countries. Empirical studies on different taxa and bioregions show conflicting results (i.e. biotic homogenization vs. biotic differentiation); the extent to which the community composition changes in response to anthropogenic disturbances and the factors governing this process, therefore, require elucidation. Here, we used a compiled database of 760 bird species in China to quantify the multiple-site β-diversity and fitted distance decay in pairwise β-diversities between natural and urban assemblages to assess whether urbanization had driven biotic homogenization. We used generalized dissimilarity models (GDM) to elucidate the roles of spatial and environmental factors in avian community dissimilarities before and after urbanization. The multiple-site β-diversities among urban assemblages were markedly lower than those among natural assemblages, and the distance decays in pairwise similarities in natural assemblages were more rapid. These results were consistent among taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional aspects, supporting a general biotic homogenization driven by urbanization. The GDM results indicated that geographical distance and temperature were the dominant predictors of avian community dissimilarity. However, the contribution of geographical distance and climatic factors decreased in explaining compositional dissimilarities in urban assemblages. Geographical and environmental distances accounted for much lower variations in compositional dissimilarities in urban than in natural assemblages, implying a potential risk of uncertainty in model predictions under further climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. Our study concludes that taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional dimensions elucidate urbanization-driven biotic homogenization in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiewen Deng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Younan Zhu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuelong Luo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongjing Zhong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahao Tu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiehua Yu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiekun He
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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Li L, Yan M, Hong Y, Feng W, Xie D, Pagani-Núñez E. Protecting China's major urban bird diversity hotspots. AMBIO 2024; 53:339-350. [PMID: 37884617 PMCID: PMC10774474 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01943-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework puts forward a new conservation target to enhance urban biodiversity. Cities have a great potential for sustaining biodiversity and nurturing a healthy relationship between people and our nearest nature. It is especially important in developing countries such as China, which has a rich biodiversity and a rapidly growing urban population. Using citizen science data, we show that 48% of the national bird diversity and 42% of its threatened species have been recorded in the top-20 most avian-diverse cities of China. Urban bird diversity hotspots clustered along the eastern coast, indicating the importance of establishing an inter-city conservation network along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. This urban conservation network would be a starting point to promote social recognition of biodiversity's relational value in a country with a vast population and an increasingly important role in meeting UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Mingxiao Yan
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- School of Design, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yixuan Hong
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijia Feng
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Dong Xie
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Emilio Pagani-Núñez
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China.
- Centre for Conservation and Restoration Science, School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
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Zhong Y, Luo Y, Zhu Y, Deng J, Tu J, Yu J, He J. Geographic variations in eco-evolutionary factors governing urban birds: The case of university campuses in China. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:208-220. [PMID: 38098103 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization alters natural habitats, restructures biotic communities and serves as a filter for selecting species from regional species pools. However, empirical evidence of the specific traits that allow species to persist in urban areas yields mixed results. More importantly, it remains unclear which traits are widespread for species utilizing urban spaces (urban utilizers) and which are environment-dependent traits. Using 745 bird species from 287 university/institute campuses in 74 cities and their species pools across China, we tested whether species that occur in urban areas are correlated with regards to their biological (body mass, beak shape, flight capacity and clutch size), ecological (diet diversity, niche width and habitat breadth), behavioural (foraging innovation) and evolutionary (diversification rate) attributes. We used Bayesian phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models to disentangle the relative roles of these predictors further, and to determine the extent to which the effects of these predictors varied among different cities. We found that urban birds were more phylogenetically clustered than expected by chance, and were generally characterized by a larger habitat breadth, faster diversification rate, more behavioural innovation and smaller body size. Notably, the relative effects of the attributes in explaining urban bird communities varied with city temperature and elevation, indicating that the filters used to determine urban species were environment dependent. We conclude that, while urban birds are typically small-sized, generalists, innovative and rapidly diversifying, the key traits that allow them to thrive vary spatially, depending on the climatic and topographic conditions of the city. These findings emphasize the importance of studying species communities within specific cities to better understand the contextual dependencies of key traits that are filtered by urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjing Zhong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuelong Luo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Younan Zhu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiewen Deng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahao Tu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiehua Yu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiekun He
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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