Homogenization of Plant Diversity, Composition, and Structure in North American Urban Yards

Authors

William D. Pearse, Utah State UniversityFollow
Jeannine Cavender-Bares, University of Minnesota
Sarah E. Hobbie, University of Minnesota
Meghan L. Avolio, John Hopkins University
Neil Bettez, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Indiana University - Bloomington
Lindsay E. Darling, The Morton Arboretum
Peter M. Groffman, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
J. Morgan Grove, Forest Service, Northern Research Station
Sharon J. Hall, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
James B. Heffernan, Duke University
Jennifer Learned, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
Christopher Neill, Marine Biological Laboratory
Kristen C. Nelson, University of Minnesota
Diane E. Pataki, University of Utah
Benjamin L. Ruddell, Northern Arizona University
Meredith K. Steele, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Tara L. E. Trammell, University of Delaware

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Ecosphere

Volume

9

Issue

2

Publisher

Ecological Society of America

Publication Date

2-15-2018

First Page

1

Last Page

17

Abstract

Urban ecosystems are widely hypothesized to be more ecologically homogeneous than natural ecosystems. We argue that urban plant communities assemble from a complex mix of horticultural and regional species pools, and evaluate the homogenization hypothesis by comparing cultivated and spontaneously occurring urban vegetation to natural area vegetation across seven major U.S. cities. There was limited support for homogenization of urban diversity, as the cultivated and spontaneous yard flora had greater numbers of species than natural areas, and cultivated phylogenetic diversity was also greater. However, urban yards showed evidence of homogenization of composition and structure. Yards were compositionally more similar across regions than were natural areas, and tree density was less variable in yards than in comparable natural areas. This homogenization of biodiversity likely reflects similar horticultural source pools, homeowner preferences, and management practices across U.S. cities.

Recommended Citation

Pearse, William D.; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; Hobbie, Sarah E.; Avolio, Meghan L.; Bettez, Neil; Chowdhury, Rinku Roy; Darling, Lindsay E.; Groffman, Peter M.; Grove, J. Morgan; Hall, Sharon J.; Heffernan, James B.; Learned, Jennifer; Neill, Christopher; Nelson, Kristen C.; Pataki, Diane E.; Ruddell, Benjamin L.; Steele, Meredith K.; and Trammell, Tara L. E., "Homogenization of Plant Diversity, Composition, and Structure in North American Urban Yards" (2018). Ecology Center Publications. Paper 33.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/eco_pubs/33