Interactions

Between
Urbanization and
Biodiversity: A
Case Study on
Phoenix, Arizona
Taylor Thompson
Introduction
A new study of urban ecosystems


NSF LTER in two urban environments
1. Baltimore
2. Phoenix


I will demonstrate the importance of studying urban areas,
explain the need for a new urban ecology, and describe a
case study in the Phoenix area to exhibit the interaction
between urbanization and biodiversity, as researched at
LTER Phoenix, which is putting the new urban ecology into
practice.

http://globalmonitoring.sdstate.edu/LT
ER-phenology/
Urbanization Phoenix, AZ
Half of worlds
population lives in
cities
Suburbia is growing
even faster
Arizona is 2
nd
fastest-
growing state
Phoenix is largest city
in Southwest
Population doubled
twice in past 35 years
Low-productivity and
arid lands
Large ecological
footprint
http://3scape.com/pic/6130/Aerial-view-of-Phoenix-urban-
sprawl
Ecological-Sociological
Theoretical Framework
Cities full of people seem artificial

C.C. Adams ecology needs to incorporate
social sciences

People transport nutrients, divert water, increase
temperatures, and manipulate species habitat

Urban Ecology is necessary!
LTER span wide
geographical
locations and time
periods

Long-term data
sets

Trophic dynamics

Habitat patches

Models

How is biodiversity studied in
urban systems?
http://www.brazilbrazil.com/s/sat_090az.jpg
Abundance and Distribution
of Species Bird Surveys
Bird surveys conducted
in local parks to study
how ecological
processes, habitat, and
food availability affected
by:
Human values
Use
Management


Results:
High bird densities in
urban areas, but less
diversity
As socioeconomic status
increases, native species
increase in abundance

http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.1525/bio.2010.60.3.
6
Landscape
Vegetation
Vegetation
typically more
diverse in cities

Neighborhood
vegetation
richness
increased across
gradient of low to
high SES

Neighborhood
variation
abundance
decreased
across a gradient
of increased time
since disturbance
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii
/S0169204603002512
Riverine Floodplain
Amphibians and reptiles have valuable ecological roles in riverine
floodplain ecosystem
Analyzed wild land, urban rehabilitated, and urban disturbed sites
along Salt River
Results:
Vegetation structural complexity, vegetation species richness, densities of
trees, and animal burrow density have positive correlation with abundance
of at least one lizard species
Wild land = greatest species richness and diversity
Urbanization negatively influenced lizard abundance, richness, and diversity
http://www.inaraft.com/p
hoto-gallery/salt-river-
rafting-01.php
Community/Trophic Structure -
Birds
Study of behavioral and physiological
adaptations of sedentary Sonoran Desert
birds to urbanization through multifaceted
approach
Results:
City birds host substantially fewer blood
parasites than desert counterparts
Fitness advantage to urban birds
Differ behaviorally in responses to simulated
territory intrusion and mild acute stress
Community/Trophic Structure -
Arthropods
Study on how urban ecosystems affect the
variety of arthropods
Results:
Most taxa habitat generalists
Taxa associated with habitat features
Habitat structure present is determining factor in
community composition, not land use
Habitat islands separated by as little as 500
meters may be effectively isolated for some
arthropods
Preyed on intensely by birds

Conclusions
Overall, biodiversity decreases in urban areas,
but increasing trends of plant biodiversity along
the low to high socioeconomic gradient
We must:
Increase vegetation structural complexity
Plant native plants
Increase biodiversity
Use integrated multidisciplinary approach for
further study
Study case-by-case
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