Filters
Abandoned Railways Support Greater Functional and Phylogenetic Plant Diversity Than Adjacent Grassy Meadows in Agricultural Landscape
ABSTRACTLinear structures such as woodlots and hedgerows offer many benefits to ecosystems, including enhancing biodiversity, increasing the abundance of plants and animals, and providing a wide range of ecosystem services. However, agriculture expansion has deteriorated and destroyed these elements in the farmland landscape. Human‐made structures like road verges, electricity pylons, or railways may enhance biodiversity in intensive farmland, replacing natural woody elements. We aimed to explore whether abandoned railway lines in agriculture‐dominated landscapes can serve as alternative habitats for plant species. We evaluated the taxonomical, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, along with the community composition of plants, in 25 sites along abandoned railway lines and 25 reference sites in adjacent semi‐natural grasslands. We found no significant difference in species richness and Shannon diversity between grasslands and abandoned railway vegetation, but we observed distinct differences in functional and phylogenetic diversity. Moreover, the vegetation along abandoned railways is not a variant of surrounding semi‐natural grasslands but comprises a novel vegetation type composed of species associated mainly with crops, ruderal, and forest habitats. Abandoned railway lines are characterized by specific abiotic conditions providing a set of opportunities for shaping distinct plant communities in an intensively managed agricultural landscape, fulfilling the concept of a novel ecosystem. Abandoned railways offer a unique opportunity for conservation and can serve as valuable dispersal corridors and habitats for plants, increasing functional and phylogenetic diversity in agricultural landscapes. Combining ecological restoration techniques and sustainable land management practices can help support plant diversity on abandoned railways.
How do urbanization and alien species affect the plant taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity in different types of urban green areas?
AbstractHuman pressure on urban landscapes has serious consequences for urban plant species. Therefore, environmental and anthropogenic factors affect the assembly of urban wildlife in plant communities. For biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in urban areas, it is crucial to understand the impacts of urbanization as well as the introduction of alien plant species on urban plant communities. On 47 sites in Poznań (W Poland), we studied variation within and between three management greenery habitats, i.e., urban parks, greenery associated with housing estates, and urban grasslands, as they relate to taxonomical, functional, and phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity. We also examined how urbanization (measured by ISA) and alien plant species relate to vegetation compositional differences. We found that both urbanization and alien plant species cover decreased alpha diversity, while urbanization had various impacts on beta diversity within each studied habitat. Our results suggest that human pressure leads to similarities in the urban flora, where plant species with specific functional traits adapted to the urban environment. To achieve sustainable urbanization, urban planners should not only create diverse green spaces but also eliminate alien plants, increasing the role of urban land management in promoting the wildness of plant biodiversity in cities.