Abstract
The spatial heterogeneity of plant diversity at the neighborhood scale has less been understood, although it is very important for the planning and management of neighborhood landscape. In this case study of Beijing, we conducted intensive investigations of the plant diversity in different neighborhoods along a rural–urban gradient. The results showed that the mean numbers of plant species per neighborhood were 30.5 for trees, 18.8 for shrubs, and 31.9 for herbs, respectively. There were significant logarithmic relationships between the numbers of species and patch area, indicating that larger patches within neighborhoods could harbor more plant species. Hierarchical linear modeling showed that the variations in plant diversity within neighborhoods were higher than those between neighborhoods. The number of species increased logistically with both the number of patches within neighborhoods and the number of neighborhoods, suggesting that it is important to sample a sufficient number of patches within neighborhoods, as well as a sufficient number of neighborhoods in order to sample 90% of the plant species during the investigation of plant diversity in urban neighborhoods. So the hierarchical design of sampling should be recommended for investigating plant diversity in urban areas.
Highlights
Urban green spaces provide a wealth of available habitats for plants and animals, as well as multiple ecosystem services for residents by mitigating heat stress and the occurrence of flooding, reducing air and water pollution, enhancing carbon sequestration and aesthetic value, and promoting human health [1,2]
We intensively investigated the green spaces in 12 neighborhoods in the urban areas of Beijing, China, in order to determine the heterogeneity of the species composition and plant diversity in this urban environment
In this study, based on intensive investigations of 12 neighborhoods in Beijing, we analyzed the variations in the plant species compositions and diversity within and between neighborhoods
Summary
Urban green spaces provide a wealth of available habitats for plants and animals, as well as multiple ecosystem services for residents by mitigating heat stress and the occurrence of flooding, reducing air and water pollution, enhancing carbon sequestration and aesthetic value, and promoting human health [1,2]. Green spaces in neighborhoods host a substantial level of plant diversity, especially for the native species that contributed 52.4% of the total number of tree species of neighborhoods in Beijing, China [9,10]. Green spaces in neighborhoods often have a higher percentage of native species than those in other land-use types, such as roadsides, institutional areas, community parks, and commercial areas [10]. Alien species, such as Buchloe dactyloides native to America, have invaded the green spaces in neighborhoods in Beijing [9]. At the country or continental scales, the homogenization of plant diversity has been confirmed due to the dominant effects of human activities [14,15,16]
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