Application of the City Biodiversity Index to populated cities in Japan: Influence of the social and ecological characteristics on indicator-based management

Abstract

Abstract For sustainability of a region, a holistic view is necessary to understand its dynamics and the conditions surrounding cities and beyond. Conservation activity indicators can be instrumental in this context, yet they can be simultaneously counterproductive in areas where intra-city sectionalisms exist. With regard to urban biodiversity, Singapore proposed an index to evaluate the biodiversity, ecosystem services, and governance specific for the cities. The index, known also as “City Biodiversity Index,” is currently applied worldwide. We analyzed the relationships between local biodiversity management in twenty populated cities in Japan and their social and ecological characteristics in order to identify the characteristics necessary for the smooth functioning of indicator-based management practices. As a result, cities with high percentages of built-up areas (with limited natural resources) tended to implement quantitative evaluations for biodiversity, although most of the twenty analyzed cities conducted participatory monitoring with stakeholder involvement. Furthermore, we identified that collaborations among different government sectors can be linked to certain ecological conditions; municipalities with relatively large amounts of forest land per capita (with many natural resources) tend to implement collaborations. Our findings suggest that indicator-based monitoring and management practices conducted through collaborations among different sectors are common challenges in municipal biodiversity management. Using the indicators could promote dealing with these challenges and contribute toward maintaining biodiversity in a wider range of regions.