How small cities affect the biodiversity of ground-dwelling mammals and the relevance of this knowledge in planning urban land expansion in terms of urban wildlife

Abstract

Fundamental principles regarding urban biodiversity are based on studies conducted in large cities. However we cannot know whether the same phenomena occur in smaller cities or how small cities affect biodiversity. Small cities are an inherent element of urbanization and in the future, most global urban growth is expected to take place in small and mediumsized cities. Understanding the effects of small cities on biodiversity will be an important aspect in planning urban land expansion. Our study examined the effects of a small city on communities of small ground-dwelling mammals on 41 sites arranged in a four step gradient of urbanization. In 6700 trapdays, we caught 2333 individuals comprising 15 species. In the downtown area the same phenomena as those described for large cities were observed: a reduction in species richness and diversity, a decline in the abundance of urban sensitive species and an increase in synurbic species. However, in contrast to large city studies, green areas outside the downtown area did not differ from rural sites in small mammal population parameters. This phenomenon of relatively unchanged fauna outside the downtown area shows that small cities have the potential to maintain a high level of diversity of small grounddwelling mammals if appropriate planning of further building expansion is implemented. More studies of small cities are needed to better assess their impact on biodiversity. This knowledge can then be applied in better planning for urban wildlife. Generalizations based solely on large city studies are inadequate and may lead to incomplete or inappropriate conservation strategies for small cities.

Variations in the trophic niches of the golden jackal Canis aureus across the Eurasian continent associated with biogeographic and anthropogenic factors

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Hormonal adjustments to urban conditions: stress hormone levels in urban and rural populations of Apodemus agrarius

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How Is Wildlife Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic? Lockdown Effect on the Road Mortality of Hedgehogs

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