Biodiversity at disequilibrium: updating conservation strategies in cities

Rong Wang; Qi-Chong Zhu; Yuan-Ye Zhang; Xiao-Yong Chen

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.008

Biodiversity at disequilibrium: updating conservation strategies in cities

Trends Ecol Evol. 2022 Mar;37(3):193-196. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.008. Epub 2022 Jan 6.

Authors

Rong Wang¹, Qi-Chong Zhu², Yuan-Ye Zhang³, Xiao-Yong Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Sustainable Plant Innovation, Shanghai 200231, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
² Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
³ Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
⁴ Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Sustainable Plant Innovation, Shanghai 200231, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: xychen@des.ecnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 35000798
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.008

Abstract

Greenspaces represent an ark for urban biodiversity, but understanding their carrying capacity to sustain species remains challenging. Old greenspaces that were fragmented from natural habitats are now overcrowded, while revegetated new greenspaces remain vacant. This is because they have different processes leading towards biodiversity equilibrium, and conservation management needs to differentiate between fragmented and revegetated greenspaces.

Keywords: conservation strategy; fragmentation; revegetation; urban biodiversity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biodiversity*
Cities
Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecosystem*