Journal article
A conceptual framework for predicting the effects of urban environments on floras
NSG Williams, MW Schwartz, PA Vesk, MA McCarthy, AK Hahs, SE Clemants, RT Corlett, RP Duncan, BA Norton, K Thompson, MJ McDonnell
Journal of Ecology | WILEY | Published : 2009
Abstract
1. With the majority of people now living in urban environments, urbanization is arguably the most intensive and irreversible ecosystem change on the planet. 2. Urbanization transforms floras through a series of filters that change: (i) habitat availability; (ii) the spatial arrangement of habitats; (iii) the pool of plant species; and (iv) evolutionary selection pressures on populations persisting in the urban environment. 3. Using a framework based on mechanisms of change leads to specific predictions of floristic change in urban environments. Explicitly linking drivers of floristic change to predicted outcomes in urban areas can facilitate sustainable management of urban vegetation as wel..
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Funding Acknowledgements
This paper is dedicated to the memory of Steven E. Clemants; an excellent plant systematist and dedicated conservationist. His knowledge of urban floras and taxonomic insights significantly improved the quality of this paper and the research of the Urbanisation and Plant Functional Traits working group. The working group was funded by the ARC-NZ Research Network for Vegetation Function. Financial support was also provided by The Baker Foundation. We acknowledge the support of The Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology and the School of Botany at The University of Melbourne as hosts.