Within urban areas, greenspace and plant diversity play invaluable roles in providing ecological services and in increasing the well-being of local residents and the environment. For example, urban greenspace can accommodate existing, local plant diversity and may be vital to conservation efforts. Simultaneously, urban greenspace, which contains both native and non-native species, can serve as an important carbon sink and can aid in creating cooler microclimates. For these and other reasons, it is urgent to investigate the distribution patterns, driving mechanisms and ecological service functions of urban plant biodiversity.
We propose this Research Topic at a time when society is undergoing rapid urbanization, and sites of urban development experience considerable ecological changes, such as loss of native species, urban heat island effects, and others. We welcome submissions covering the following research areas:
1. The distribution patterns and driving mechanisms of urban plant diversity
2. The temporal and spatial variations of urban greenspace with rapid urbanization
3. The relationships between urban plant diversity and above-ground biomass
4. Plant-animal-fungal interactions in urbanized areas
5. Ecological service functions (e.g. regulating the microclimate) of urban plant diversity and greenspace
Within urban areas, greenspace and plant diversity play invaluable roles in providing ecological services and in increasing the well-being of local residents and the environment. For example, urban greenspace can accommodate existing, local plant diversity and may be vital to conservation efforts. Simultaneously, urban greenspace, which contains both native and non-native species, can serve as an important carbon sink and can aid in creating cooler microclimates. For these and other reasons, it is urgent to investigate the distribution patterns, driving mechanisms and ecological service functions of urban plant biodiversity.
We propose this Research Topic at a time when society is undergoing rapid urbanization, and sites of urban development experience considerable ecological changes, such as loss of native species, urban heat island effects, and others. We welcome submissions covering the following research areas:
1. The distribution patterns and driving mechanisms of urban plant diversity
2. The temporal and spatial variations of urban greenspace with rapid urbanization
3. The relationships between urban plant diversity and above-ground biomass
4. Plant-animal-fungal interactions in urbanized areas
5. Ecological service functions (e.g. regulating the microclimate) of urban plant diversity and greenspace