Abstract
Roadside trees alter biotic and abiotic factors of plants diversity in an ecosystem. Rows of plants grow along the roadside due to the interplay between the arrival of propagule and seedling establishment, which depends on the road's specifications, land pattern, and road administration and protection practices. A field study was conducted to measure the roadside tree diversity in the city of Karachi (Pakistan). A total of 180 plots, divided into three primary road groups, were surveyed. The highest quantity of tree biomass per unit area was found on wide roads, followed by medium roads. On narrow roads, the least biomass was detected. A single species or a limited number of species dominated the tree community. Conocarpus erectus was the most dominant non-native species on all types of sidewalks or roadsides, followed by Guaiacum officinale. A total of 76 species (32 non-natives and 44 natives) that were selectively spread along the roadsides of the city were studied. There was a significant difference in phylogenetic diversity (PD), phylogenetic mean pairwise distance (MPD), and phylogenetic mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) among wide, medium, and narrow roads. Management practices have a significant positive correlation with diversity indices. Our study identified patterns of diversity in roadside trees in Karachi. It provides the basis for future planning for plant protection, such as the protection of plant species, the maintenance of plant habitats, and the coordination of plant management in Karachi.
Highlights
Plant diversity is an important part of urban green space
Conocarpus erectus had the largest number of trees and was followed by Guaiacum officinale
Nonnative species accounted for 79.16% and native species accounted for 20.84% of the tree population
Summary
Plant diversity is an important part of urban green space. It reflects the composition of a city’s green space structure, urban diversity pattern and management level, and occupies an extremely important position in the entire urban ecological system[1]. The number and configuration of plant species directly affect the ecology of greening function and landscape effect[2]. There are many reasons for the huge loss of biodiversity in urban areas, which is causing a gradual change in the diversity patterns. Increasing the urban greening may cause a decrease in the temperature and an increase in the biodiversity pattern across the area [6]
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