Urban Habitats may be a refuge for biodiversity

With the process of urbanization and industrialization, the cities were gaining ground natural habitats, often leading to the destruction of these and endangering native species of these spaces.

However, the cities that are located within or near these hotspots of biodiversity can accommodate a wide variety of wildlife, and may even become a refuge for many species of plants.

A recent study-"Urban biodiversity hotspots wait to get discovered: The example of the city of Ioannina, NW Greece" â€" prepared by Greek investigators tried to figure out how far the cities located in biologically important areas may provide suitable habitat for a wide diversity of plants. To this end, researchers focused in Ioannina, a town in northwestern Greece, near several protected areas national or European level, including a National Park, an urban forest of pine trees and a Lake, referred to the Science for Environment Policy, an environmental news service of the European Commission.

In all, investigators have identified about 11 different types of habitats which contained 379 species and subspecies of plants, including native and non-native species. About 27 (7%) of the species were plants with conservation interest that were endemic to Greece or the Balkans, or who were considered to be in danger by the EU. Non-native plants represent 11% of the total of identified species.

The habitats where these plants were found were classified by scientists as semi-natural or anthropogenic (local extensively altered by human activities). The semi-natural sites account for the smallest portion of non-native species and the largest proportion of species of conservation interest. However, approximately 68% of all species and subspecies have been found in anthropogenic habitats and the widest range of habitats or biodiversity of flora was found on the outskirts of the city or within the city itself.

In this way, the findings of the study indicate that there are European cities in which anthropogenic habitats are important for protecting biodiversity.

Foto:  OiMax / Creative Commons

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