Vegetation Patches Research Articles

A New Procedure for Combining UAV-Based Imagery and Machine Learning in Precision Agriculture

Drone images from an experimental field cropped with sugar beet with a high diffusion of weeds taken from different flying altitudes were used to develop and test a machine learning method for vegetation patch identification. Georeferenced images were combined with a hue-based preprocessing analysis, digital transformation by an image embedder, and evaluation by supervised learning. Specifically, six of the most common machine learning algorithms were applied (i.e., logistic regression, k-nearest neighbors, decision tree, random forest, neural network, and support-vector machine). The proposed method was able to precisely recognize crops and weeds throughout a wide cultivation field, training from single partial images. The information has been designed to be easily integrated into autonomous weed management systems with the aim of reducing the use of water, nutrients, and herbicides for precision agriculture.

Characteristics of Shallow Flows in a Vegetated Pool—An Experimental Study

Pools are often observed in gravel-bed rivers, together with the presence of vegetation patches. In the present study, a conceptual model of a gradual varied flow with both convective deceleration and acceleration flow sections has been constructed in a flume to study turbulent flow structures. Vegetation patches with extended canopies were planted in the pool sections in order to increase the thickness of the boundary layer inside the inner zone. The effects of different flows (namely decelerating, uniform and accelerating flows) along an artificial pool on flow velocity, shear stress and bursting events have been investigated. In addition, due to the occurrence of secondary currents in shallow streams, the characteristics of turbulent shallow flow have been investigated along two axes that are parallel to the sidewall of the flume. The results showed that the application of the log law should be used with care to estimate shear velocity along a pool with a vegetated bed. The presence of a vegetation patch causes an increase in Reynolds shear stress, especially along the entrance section of the pool where the flow decelerates. The results of the quadrant analysis reveal that the sweep and ejection events have the most dominant influence over the vegetation patch in the pool; however, the contributions of outward and inward events increase near the bed, especially in the entrance section of the pool where the flow is decelerating. The distribution of stream-wise RMS of turbulence intensity along the pool generally presents a convex shape.

Verges as fragments of loess grasslands near Kondoros

Loess vegetations of the Carpathian Basin have been ploughed for a thousand years. Therefore, in Hungary, it is also important to find out the composition of loess vegetation. Therefore, loess steppes of verges of the Transdanubia have nearly disappeared.The extent of the loess bedrock and its vegetation were significant in the Pannonian area, but nowadays (Zólyomi, 1936, 1958; Zólyomi et al., 1997), they have been left in only fragments, mainly because of intensive agricultural activities and expansion of agricultural areas (Rákóczi and Barczi, 2014; Barczi et al., 2004a, b; Penksza et al., 2011; Deák et al., 2016a; Valkó et al., 2018). Therefore, the patches are very important, extending mainly over the central plain of the Pannonian area, but also spreading up to the foothills (Bíró et al., 2018; Penksza et al., 1994, 1996). Thus, several researchers have investigated these remnant vegetation patches in the central Carpathian Basin, Szerényi and Kalapos (2000), Csontos and Tamás (2007), Csontos et al., (2022). However, most of the studies were made in the Great Hungarian Plain, where the role of the Cumanian mounds was also significant from among the remnants. These patches of loess remnants are considered as hot spots for vegetation (Deák et al., 2016b, 2022; Dembicz et al., 2018, 2020). In addition, verges alongsideagricultural areas and roads, where the vegetation has been reduced, are also very important as relics of the former vegetation (Csathó, 2008, 2011; Szentes et al., 2022; Bajor et al., 2016).

Factors determining the occupancy of nest-boxes by Great Tits (Parus major) in eucalypt plantations

Providing nest-boxes as surrogate tree cavities can be of great importance to increase the breeding populations of cavity-nesting birds in managed forests. However, the exact placement of nest-boxes should be taken into consideration to enhance their occupancy according to species-specific preferences. In this study, we investigated which factors can better predict nest-box occupancy by the Great Tit (Parus major) in eucalypt plantations. We used generalised linear mixed-effects models to analyse the influence of topography, nest-box positioning, vegetation cover and landscape variables on three-year occupancy records from 80 newly provided nest-boxes. Non-random patterns of nest-box occupancy were found with respect to all categories except topography. Results suggest that Great Tits prefer to occupy high-placed nest-boxes, close to areas that can provide them with supplementary resources either within or in the vicinity of the stand (i.e., trees other than eucalypts, riparian vegetation, and large patches of adjacent habitats). Overall, this study provides important recommendations for nest-box placement and spatial distribution in managed forests and enhances the potential of nest-box interventions as a biodiversity offset and management tool.

Habitat area and local habitat conditions outweigh fragmentation effects on insect communities in vineyards

Abstract Fragmentation of habitat, for example by intensive agricultural practices, can be detrimental to local biodiversity. However, it often remains unclear whether such biodiversity declines are caused by loss of habitat area or increased fragmentation, and how habitat quality factors into it. In our study system, vegetated vineyards are typically small, and isolated from one another, potentially limiting the distribution and dispersal of organisms. In a full‐factorial experiment of a priori selected vegetated vineyard patches of differing size and fragmentation, we aimed to disentangle the effects of habitat area (area of vegetated vineyards), habitat fragmentation (number of vegetated vineyards per 100 ha) and field‐scale ground vegetation density on ground beetle, leafhopper and wild bee communities using a combined framework of multiscale and multispecies modelling (Hierarchical Model of Species Communities). We demonstrate variable effects of habitat area, fragmentation and local ground vegetation density on the three insect groups: Increased habitat area at fine scales favours higher species richness of leafhoppers, while local vegetation density boosts species richness of both leafhoppers and ground beetles, whereas no community‐level responses were detected for wild bees. We conclude that increased ground vegetation density at both field and landscape scales (i.e. higher habitat area) favours more diverse and abundant insect communities, while fragmentation effects are highly variable and species specific. In addition, our results highlight that mainly ground beetles and leafhoppers will benefit from simple ground greening measures in vineyards, while for wild bees environmental factors other than the ones tested here may drive community structure. We recommend increasing the number and area of vegetated vineyards (even at small spatial scales) requiring more nature‐friendly farming practices especially regarding a reduction or renunciation from herbicide applications, while the within‐field vegetation density should optimally be intermediate or high to favour a diverse insect community.

Variation in adult and pup wolf diets at natal den sites is influenced by forest composition and configuration.

Although wolves are wide-ranging generalist carnivores throughout their life cycle, during the pup-rearing season wolf activity is focused on natal den sites where pup survival depends upon pack members provisioning food. Because prey availability is influenced by habitat quality within the home range, we investigated the relative importance of prey species for adults and pups and further examined the relationship between habitat characteristics, wolf diet, and litter size on Prince of Wales Island (POW) in Southeast Alaska. During 2012-2020, we detected 13 active den sites within the home ranges of nine wolf packs. We estimated minimum pup counts using motion-detecting cameras and individual genotypes from noninvasive samples (hair: n=322; scat: n=227) and quantified wolf diet composition using fecal DNA metabarcoding (n=538). We assessed habitat composition, configuration, and connectivity within denning and annual home ranges estimated using wolf GPS-collar data. Contrary to expectations, wolves had a more constricted diet during denning season (April 15-July 31), and within this season pups had a narrower dietary niche (species richness [S]=4) focused more on deer (relative frequency of occurrence [O/I]=0.924) than adults (S=15; deer O/I=0.591). Litter size had a positive relationship with the relative frequency of deer in a wolf pack's diet. Wolf consumption of deer was positively associated with the proportion of young-growth forest (≤25 years old) within denning and annual home ranges. High levels of vegetation patch interspersion, and the density of closed logging roads were also important predictors, suggesting these habitat qualities were influential for increasing the availability of deer to wolves. Our results contrast with previous research indicating wolf pup diets included more alternate prey (i.e., beaver) than adults and emphasize the importance of deer to wolf viability on POW, especially during denning season.

Extinction debt varies in two threatened Mediterranean-type woodland communities undergoing rapid urbanisation

Context Extinction debt, the time-delayed species loss response to fragmentation associated with habitat clearance, is a conservation concern for management of biological diversity globally. Extinction debt is well defined but difficult to measure owing to the long-term data needed to measure species loss, particularly for communities of long-lived species. Aims We aimed to estimate extinction debt for two adjacent threatened communities with contrasting soil fertility in south-western Australia: banksia and tuart woodlands. Further, we assessed what species functional traits are associated with extinction risk. Methods Using contemporary (2016) and historical (1992) data on vegetation richness, and patch characteristics dating back to the time of European colonisation (1829), we examined 60 woodland patches using three methods to detect and quantify extinction debt. Key results We found evidence of extinction debt in banksia woodland, but not in tuart woodland. We estimated the extinction debt for banksia woodlands as a future average loss of 28% or ~13 species per patch. Conclusions Our study demonstrated a delay of species loss consistent with extinction debt in one of two vegetation communities. Despite sharing species and traits, these vegetation communities have responded differently to landscape change over the same timescale and within the same landscape. Implications Understanding how vegetation communities, and functional trait types, respond to time-delayed impacts helps land managers to prioritise intervention efforts to pre-empt species decline and extinction through species conservation, and ecological restoration of remnant vegetation patches.

The persistence and conversion of coastal foredune and swale vegetation community distributions 63 years later

AbstractVegetation shifts can directly alter habitat dynamics and indirectly impact habitat stability relative to disturbance response. Barrier island dune habitats exhibit spatiotemporally dynamic topography that is affected by vegetation. However, vegetation distribution data can be rare and vegetation persistence is largely unknown such that species turnover over in communities can occur unnoticed. This is true despite concerns and documented cases of woody encroachment related to climate change in these ecogeomorphic habitats where physical stability to resist storm erosion varies with vegetation distribution and density. In 1956 and 1957, the vegetation of Island Beach State Park, NJ, was mapped as a permanent record for subsequent ecological study. In June 2020, we remapped the vegetation of 5.4 of 17 km north to south, seaward of the thicket community boundary. We maintained the same classification system as the historic record, physically mapping vegetation patches via GPS. We quantified changes in thicket, heather, and grass community distribution between the two time periods. Habitat persistence and conversion varied in the 63 years. Heath communities saw 80%–97% habitat loss in conversion to woody thicket. Conversely, thicket community distribution drastically increased, replacing heath where it was previously prevalent. This represents the first known documented instances of woody encroachment for Morella pensylvanica. When they did not expand, thicket communities receded landward or underwent turnover to an invasive species. Woody species of interest for dune stabilization occupied areas of similar habitat characteristics. Dune vegetation distribution persistence from 1957 to 2020 was relatively consistent and stable with the exception of heath habitat conversion. Barrier island stability is directly related to vegetation stability such that understanding where community shifts might occur over time can aid in managing and modeling efforts surrounding these dynamic ecogeomorphic habitats.

Characterizing the Three‐Dimensional Flow in Partially Vegetated Channels

AbstractPartially obstructed shear flows, such as flows over submerged vegetation patches in river systems, are common in natural environments. Here, a model of a patchily‐vegetated river flow, using staggered arrays of rigid wooden dowels, is used to experimentally characterize the flow. Three‐component point velocity measurements in the cross sectional plane are used to investigate the highly nonuniform, 3D flow field in patchy vegetation and its effect on mass and momentum exchange. The cross‐sectional distribution of mean streamwise velocity varies as a consequence of the bed heterogeneity, being highly dependent on vegetation density. Asymmetric shear layers form at the vertical and lateral edges of the canopy, having different scales within the canopy and in the unvegetated region. Secondary flow cells form in the cross‐plane, with a size that decreases with increasing canopy density. The strength of the upward and downward motions is found to be greater for denser canopies. In addition to the secondary flow, additional rotating cells are observed both above the patch and next to it with increasing canopy density. A triple‐averaging procedure allowed for the quantification of the vertical advective dispersive stresses, which are up to 21% of the total shear stress. This demonstrates the significant role of secondary circulation generated by patchy vegetation in interfacial momentum exchange. Finally, the secondary circulation contribution to vertical scalar transport is estimated to be of the same order as that due to turbulent diffusion, highlighting the importance of understanding the impact of the secondary flow field on aquatic ecosystem function.

Investigation of hydrodynamics along an embankment generated by a nearby riparian vegetation patch

Investigation of hydrodynamics along an embankment generated by a nearby riparian vegetation patch

Олень шляхетний (Cervus elaphus) Чорнобильського радіаційно-екологічного заповідника: моніторинг, екологія, поведінка

Data on the number, monitoring system, ecology, and behaviour of red deer are presented. The most effective survey methods of the number and spatial distribution of deer turned out to be the survey of the number per roar (during the mating season) and transect survey for piles of faeces. The most significant factors limiting the population were established: wolf predation, the spread of invasive tree species, clonal marten grass, weak recovery of heather on the fires, and changes in behaviour (digging wells-watering holes). Under the conditions of the Chernobyl Reserve, the species is an effective ecosystem engineer able to a certain extent to restrain undesirable phenomena of ecosystem development. But this species is not able to independently restore degraded ecosystems, and in the Chernobyl Reserve, special projects are needed to restore natural forests, grazing areas for ungulates, and degraded ecosystems. Photos of antlers of adult deer makes it possible to reliably identify them. The specific shape of the antlers is preserved in the following year with the possibility of identification. The process of deer reintroduction in the Chornobyl Reserve, after the phase of intensive population growth, entered a state of dynamic equilibrium of the predator-prey system. After the fall in the number of wild boars (Sus scrofa) in 2015 the pressure of wolf predation probably increased. The current abundance of deer in the exclusion zone fluctuates around 30% throughout the year and is 3.8–2.6 thousand individuals with a population of about 3.4 thousand individuals during rut. Foraging conditions for deer and other herbivores slowly deteriorate over time due to the overgrowth of fallows with pine (Pinus sylvestris), expansion of invasive trees and clonal marten grass (Calamagrostis epigejos). Fires on a large area with piles of wood do not contribute to the creation of mosaic productive biotopes for deer. In the future, the number of deer and other herbivores may increase in the case of successful implementation of re-wilding projects, restoration of heather wastelands, natural forests, reduction of the spread of martens, introduction of a system of targeted fires to create patches of early successional vegetation. The creation of a scientific hub in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, the involvement of volunteers in monitoring work, and the development of ecotourism will contribute to the strengthening of technical capabilities of conducting fieldwork, attracting volunteers and funding for restoration projects.

Numerical Analysis on Influences of Emergent Vegetation Patch on Runup Processes of Focused Wave Groups

During severe weather, the runup of the devasting surges and waves can cause extensive damages to the coastal facilities and results in significant loss of life. Therefore, it becomes necessary to find reliable measures to reduce the wave runup in coastal regions. As a natural barrier to the shorelines, coastal vegetation has great potential to attenuate wave runup and to prevent the coastal communities from extreme floodings and huge land loss. This study numerically discusses the influences of the emergent vegetation patch on the runup processes of extreme wave groups by applying a nonhydrostatic flow solver. Influences of the major factors, i.e., water depth, peak wave period, significant wave height, and density and length of the vegetation patch, are analyzed in detail. Research findings indicate that the presence of the emergent vegetation patch can substantially dissipate most of the incident wave energy and effectively reduce the maximum wave runup heights of extreme wave groups at the sloped beach. It is hoped that the research results of this study will be helpful to the design of coastal soft protection measures.

Substrate and low intensity fires influence bacterial communities in longleaf pine savanna

Bacterial communities associated with vegetation-soil interfaces have important roles in terrestrial ecosystems. These bacterial communities, studied almost exclusively in unburnt ecosystems or those affected by rare, high-intensity wildfires, have been understudied in fire-frequented grasslands and savannas. The composition of ground-level bacterial communities was explored in an old-growth pine savanna with a centuries-long management history of prescribed fires every 1–2 years. Using 16S metabarcoding, hypotheses were tested regarding differences in bacterial families of litter and soil surface substrates in patches of ground layer vegetation that were naturally burnt or unburnt during landscape-level prescribed fires. Litter/soil substrates and fire/no fire treatments explained 67.5% of bacterial community variation and differences, driven by relative abundance shifts of specific bacterial families. Fires did not strongly affect plant or soil variables, which were not linked to bacterial community differences. Litter/soil substrates and the naturally patchy frequent fires appear to generate microhabitat heterogeneity in this pine savanna, driving responses of bacterial families. Prescribed fire management may benefit from considering how fire-altered substrate heterogeneity influences and maintains microbial diversity and function, especially in these fiery ecosystems. Frequent, low-intensity fires appear ecologically important in maintaining the diverse microbial foundation that underlie ecosystem processes and services in fire-frequented habitats.

Vegetation Cover Management and Landscape Plant Species Composition Influence the Chrysopidae Community in the Olive Agroecosystem.

Habitat manipulation through the promotion of semi-natural habitats such as cover and patch vegetation is a possible means of offsetting the negative impacts of the agricultural practices. A baseline situation is crucial before any successful habitat manipulation is attempted. We studied the effects that current vegetation cover management practices have on plant composition and the potential attraction that the plant families from the semi-natural habitats could have on the Chrysopidae community, a key pest control agent, in five olive farms in Granada (Spain). Vegetation cover was assessed using a point quadrat methodology in eight transects per farm. In addition, the patch vegetation was characterized with 60 transects using a line intercept methodology. The woody patch vegetation and olive tree canopies were vacuumed using a field aspirator to collect adult Chrysopidae. In the cover vegetation we observed great variability in both the richness and diversity of plant communities caused by the vegetation cover management techniques and the transect position (in the middle of the rows or beneath the tree canopy). The plant families with the greatest plant cover were the Asteraceae and Fabaceae, where Asteraceae was favoured by tillage and Fabaceae by grazing, while in the patch vegetation, the predominant families were the Rosaceae and Fagaceae. Our results indicate that the genus Chrysoperla was mostly correlated with the Plantaginaceae, Brassicaceae and Asteraceae plant families in the cover vegetation, and with the Caryophyllaceae and Rosaceae families in the patch vegetation. The genera Apertochrysa and Pseudomallada were associated with the families Malvaceae and Poaceae in the cover vegetation, and with the families Cupressaceae, Poaceae and Pinaceae in the patch vegetation. Our study shows to the farmers the possibilities of vegetation cover management to select plant families for the cover vegetation.

Impact of native vegetation cover near crops on the occurrence and molecular diversity of fire ants

AbstractSolenopsis invicta and Solenopsis saevissima are the most common fire ants in Brazil. Environmental disturbances favour the colony dispersal of both species, particularly those with an anthropogenic origin. However, the frequencies of the species can vary according to the amount of anthropogenic disturbances. Crops near native vegetation fragments is a common landscape in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Here, we analyse if there is influence of native vegetation cover on the occurrence of these fire ants and their molecular diversity in crops. Our hypothesis is that these species are antagonistic in terms of occurrence and molecular diversity when compared in the same habitat. We selected crops near fragments with around 50% of native vegetation cover, a percentage informative enough to detect biological responses from insects belonging to a same order. Nests were collected and the species were identified using external morphology, and mtDNA COI sequences. We reject our hypothesis, which suggest that the species colonize the vegetation patches around crops in a similar way. Solenopsis invicta is not limited by vegetation cover, and has a high haplotype diversity when compared to S. saevissima, particularly when the vegetation cover is greater than 50%. Additionally, the vegetation cover seems to not have influence in the total number of haplotypes, but the species have haplotypes that are exclusive to each landscape. Our findings suggest that S. invicta is expanding to native vegetation areas that it has not occupied before, as S. saevissima was dominant there.

Numerical simulation of hyporheic exchange driven by an emergent vegetation patch

AbstractVegetation patches increase the pressure gradient of local channels and can create an uneven pressure distribution at the water–sediment interface, thereby driving hyporheic exchange. However, this process has rarely been discussed. We investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of hyporheic exchange under the influence of multiple factors. A bidirectional coupling model of the overlying water and sediment with an emergent vegetation patch was adopted. The results show that hyporheic exchange driven by vegetation patches are spatially heterogeneous. The active area of hyporheic exchange was concentrated directly below the vegetation patch. A finger flow was formed at the edge of the active hyporheic exchange zone as the exchange took place. Furthermore, intermittent downward solute transport path (IDSTP) was formed downstream of the vegetation patch, and the exchange rate was one order of magnitude smaller than that of the hyporheic exchange active zone. Hyporheic exchange occurred at the stem and patch scales when the vegetation density was relatively high. There was a logarithmic relationship between the hyporheic exchange flux and sediment permeability, and a power function relationship existed between the hyporheic exchange flux and Reynolds number. The active area of hyporheic exchange will help predict pollutant transport and understand vegetation's nutrient absorption process. IDSTP will provide references for vegetation patch expansion.

Land use system, invasive species and shrub diversity of the riparian ecological infrastructure determine the specific and functional richness of ant communities in Mediterranean river valleys

The Riparian Ecological Infrastructure (REI) is defined by the ensemble of natural and semi-natural woody and herbaceous vegetation patches located contiguously to water courses. Freshwater environments and the associated REI provide habitat for many species, acting as corridors linking landscapes at a wider scale.Focusing on ants, a ubiquitous and diverse group of insects that provide a large number of ecosystem roles, we address the relative importance of REI-related local and landscape factors that drive the species and functional richness of ant communities.The study was conducted in 2019, at 100 sites in central Portugal, in Tagus and Sorraia irrigated valleys, comprising three landscape systems, namely, Forest production, Agroforestry and Irrigated cropland. Four major types of variables were used to characterize the sampling patches, including the landscape system, patch typology, spatial configuration and habitat quality. Ants were collected using pitfall traps and species composition was used to classify functional groups. Using an extensive survey, machine learning methods were used to identify the relative importance of REI-related variables in explaining ant specific and functional richness.Results indicated that ant biodiversity was primarily explained by the ‘Landscape system’ and the ‘Argentine ant abundance’. Nevertheless, ‘Shrub richness’ was selected as an important variable to enhance ‘Animal community regulation’ and ‘Plant community regulation’ functional groups, while herbaceous patches appeared to be relevant for the ‘Decomposition through scavenging’ group.The highest ant biodiversity was found in the Forest production ‘Landscape system’, where patches were larger, more complex and less fragmented, showing high habitat quality associated with a reduced abundance of the invasive Argentine ant. Contrarily, the lowest was expected in the Intensive cropland ‘Landscape system’, where the REI is highly fragmented, showing low habitat quality and suffering from a high Argentine ant invasion, as a result of high human pressure. The Agroforestry ‘Landscape system’ showed moderate ant biodiversity, mainly associated with patches characterized by low strata complexity and shrub cover densities, due to understory clearing and grazing activities.

Assessment of forest fragmentation in greater Gir landscape area, Gujarat using geospatial techniques

Due to the negative consequences of climate change, the fragmentation of forest areas worldwide as a result of increased anthropogenic pressure has become a source of concern. The objective of this research study was to evaluate forest fragmentation analysis around the Greater Gir Landscape, Gujarat. The Fragmentation assessment was performed based on Land-use & Land-cover (LULC) analysis using the Landsat 8 OLI images of 2015 and 2019 as primary datasets for the study. Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were employed for LULC mapping with seven classes showing increment in the agriculture and vegetation patches with the year 2019 in compare to year 2015 due to accumulative rainfall pattern. The Spatial Metric was performed with the use of FRAGSTATS software, where Landscape Metrics were quantified using Class level, Landscape level and Moving Window Analysis. The trend observed in all the metrics calculated indicates increasing of continuity in Greater Gir Landscape. The forest has not undergone severe degradation but a rise in the natural classes like agriculture, vegetation patches, and waterbodies has led to increase in the level of continuity which is leading to conversion of these land patches in homogeneity of the areas using geospatial techniques. These spatial metrics using FRAGSTATS helps in simplifying quantification of the complex spatial processes and can be used for generating a positive framework for forest conservation.

Ant Diversity Is Enhanced by Ecological Infrastructures in Agroecosystems: A Case Study in Irrigated Mediterranean Farmland

We aimed at assessing the role of ecological infrastructures (EI) in promoting ant biodiversity in floodplain Mediterranean agricultural crops. We examined and compared ant communities at the interface between EI (remnant vegetation patches) and adjoining agricultural matrix (maize, rice, others) in irrigated farmland. The study was conducted in 2019, in two agricultural landscapes in the valleys of the rivers Tagus and Sorraia, Central Portugal. We used the Akaike information criterion for model selection and to distinguish among a set of possible models describing the relationship between: the ant richness in the agricultural matrix and drivers associated with the surrounding landscape and crop type; the ant richness in EI and the habitat quality of EI patches, the characteristics of the surrounding landscape, and the presence of invasive ant species. We found that: EI patches supported a higher ant diversity and an overall specialized ant community, distinctive from the agricultural matrix; location but not vegetation physiognomy influenced ant diversity; ant richness within the agricultural matrix decreased with the distance to the EI, and that this relationship was influenced by the crop type; and that ant richness in the EI was associated with the absence of the invasive Argentine ant and the area of terrestrial EI in the surrounding landscape.

Looking Closer at the Patterns of Land Cover in the City of Porto, Portugal, between 1947 and 2019—A Contribution for the Integration of Ecological Data in Spatial Planning

As more people reside in cities and metropolitan areas, urban vegetation assumes an increasingly important role as one the main providers of ecosystem services in close proximity to human agglomerations. To improve the conditions for citizens and to optimise the sustainability of urban areas, the fields of landscape and urban ecology need to address the urgent priority to integrate ecological data in spatial planning, design, and management programs. With the objective to produce “actionable knowledge” for urban planning in the city of Porto (Portugal), we analyse the evolution of land cover since the mid-20th century at a fine spatial scale. Porto has followed the global trends of urbanisation, marked by a general increase in built-up and impervious surfaces that conquered the previously rural surrounding areas. This caused a severe decline in vegetation cover (especially herbaceous), as well as an increase in fragmentation and isolation of the remaining vegetation patches. These outcomes provide a detailed analysis of the city spatial dynamics, generating valuable information that can be relevant for future interventions regarding urban landscape change at a local scale, the most relevant for planning.