Abstract
Urban trees provide numerous ecosystem services in cities such as pollution absorption and reduced urban heat island intensity, energy use, and mental fatigue. Understanding urban tree species diversity can enhance tree planning and management in rapidly urbanizing areas. However, few studies have examined the effects of urbanization on urban tree diversity in Thailand. This study assessed the diversity of large trees in urban landscapes including 11 cities along the 372 km Chao Phraya River Rim in central Thailand. Species diversity, importance value, and distribution were evaluated in each city. Our survey documented 987 large trees belonging to 65 species, 48 genera, and 31 families. The dominant species of Dipterocarpus alatus and Hopea odorata had the highest importance and relative abundance. The highest abundance of large trees was seen in the rural city of Sing Buri, while large urban cities such as Ayutthaya and Bangkok exhibited the highest species diversity. Detrended correspondence analysis indicated that the diversity of unique species was high in large urban cities, while dominant and common species were ubiquitous in rural cities. These findings suggest that large trees are few in number but exhibit high species diversity in large rapidly urbanizing cities. Therefore, preserving good site conditions is critical for the survival of large trees in urban cities. Heritage tree registration may aid preservation efforts and enhance the benefits of these large trees in rapidly urbanizing areas.
Highlights
IntroductionThe species diversity of urban trees is a key component of urban biodiversity [1,2]
The species diversity of urban trees is a key component of urban biodiversity [1,2].High diversity is important for the resilience of urban trees, under changing habitat and environmental conditions [3,4]
Cities located along the upper part of the river contained many large trees, especially Sing Buri
Summary
The species diversity of urban trees is a key component of urban biodiversity [1,2]. High diversity is important for the resilience of urban trees, under changing habitat and environmental conditions [3,4]. High tree diversity is associated with positive emotions and beneficial services, which fulfill important immaterial and non-consumptive human needs [5]. Urban trees benefit and improve environmental and ecological functions, as well as the socioeconomic status of urbanizing areas [6,7]. Urban tree diversity is linked to territorial sustainability, resilience, and mitigation of the impacts of climate change [12]. The species diversity of urban trees has numerous ecological impacts in urbanizing ecosystems
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