Nélida R. Villaseñor, Ricardo Truffello, Sonia Reyes-Paecke
Abstract
Biodiversity-sensitive cities can contribute to reconnect humans with nature and halt global biodiversity loss. Achieving biodiversity-sensitive cities is challenging, especially in regions threatened by growing urbanization. To inform urban management and planning in a global biodiversity hotspot, we conducted a multi-scale assessment of drivers of Neotropical birds in the capital city of Santiago de Chile. We investigate the influence of local and landscape variables on native bird species richness and abundance. We surveyed birds and vegetation in 449 sampling points distributed across the city. Native bird species richness was greater in areas with greater shrub and woody vegetation cover at the local scale. Native bird species richness was also greater with high vegetation density in the surrounding landscape and near to an urban boundary. Native birds were abundant in areas with large woody vegetation cover at both local and landscape scales, high vegetation density in the surrounding landscape, near to an urban park and near to an urban boundary. Additive effects of vegetation at different spatial scales suggest that combining local and landscape management, planning and design will be best to preserve native birds in a large city. Although native birds are species rich and abundant near the urban fringe and decrease towards the interior of the city, local-scale management of habitat encouraging shrub and tree planting and landscape-scale actions such as targeting high levels of vegetation (including woody cover) and providing a well-distributed network of urban parks will help sustain native birds across the city. Greening actions at local and landscape-scale will contribute to achieving biodiversity-sensitive cities, providing benefits for people and nature.
Cómo citar: Villaseñor, N., Trufello, R., Reyes-Paecke S. (2021). Greening at multiple scales promote biodiverse cities: A multi-scale assessment of drivers of Neotropical birds. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. Vol 66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127394
DIO: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127394