vermin And spiders They are generally not very good around people. arthropods in general (animals distinguished by a hard exoskeleton and jointed legs) are generally not treated well; They play an important role in maintaining the ecosystems on which humans depend..
High biodiversity in urban environments has been reported in different scientific studies. benefits such as better air quality, reduced risk of flooding and even better human mental health. Additionally, greater biodiversity creates a healthier, more resilient ecosystem.
Arthropods make up about 84% of known animal species: there are more than 1.3 million described species, most of them insects (about one million). Therefore, the number of arthropods found in a particular place largely determines the biodiversity of that area.
On an increasingly urban planet, the majority of the growing human population is concentrated around cities. The expansion of urban areas has important consequences for biodiversity; however, abiotic drivers of biodiversity in urban ecosystems are not well defined for arthropods.
Given its great diversity, relatively small distribution areas and dispersal ability, Arthropods provide an excellent model for studying what factors can more accurately predict urban biodiversity.
A study published in ‘Scientific Reports’ examines how human activity affects biodiversity among arthropods and how non-biological factors, such as daily temperature changes And proximity to the oceanaffects the biodiversity of arthropods in urban areas.
Bees, flies, moths and spiders
Research conducted in Los Angeles (United States) reveals some surprises and points out how this might be possible. homeowners, landscape architects And city planners This can provide a healthy combination of small but vital neighbors.
Scientists collected flying arthropods: bees, flies And mothsand also spidersas well as other animals. Arthropods were counted to determine the diversity of groups living in each area studied over the course of a year. The results were surprising.
“We thought that most arthropods in general would be similarly affected by environmental factors, such as forested landscapes. asphalt or concrete “Instead, we found an unexpectedly broad range of responses to such factors, both within closely related groups and across disparate groups,” adds lead researcher Melissa Guzmán.
For example, The prevalence of hard surfaces such as concrete and asphalt has had very different effects on different insect populations.. Thus, although the diversity of fruit flies from the Drosophilidae family increased, the diversity of flies from the Tipuloidea superfamily decreased.
Curiously, Spider diversity was high in hard material areas. The researchers also found that temperature affected the diversity of fungus gnats in the family Mycetophilidae and the Syrphidae family of bee-like flies. As temperatures increased, the diversity of these insects decreased.
50 new species discovered
Researchers believe that high summer temperatures dry out the plants eaten by aphids, which are the food source of many hoverflies (flower flies). Additionally, non-native bees forage more at higher temperatures and therefore compete for food needed by some hoverflies.
“To know how variation among various species is related to the following factors land value, ground cover And heat Scientists say it could help urban planners and developers adjust their projects to increase biodiversity and deliver its benefits to all citizens.
But what surprised the researchers the most was this: Discover many unknown arthropod species living in the study area, including 50 new species previously unknown to science.
The study, conducted by the University of Southern California, offers a new dimension to how biodiversity is in cities. “Instead of the 3,500 or 4,000 species we previously thought existed, we now think there are closer to 20,000 species. live here’insect city‘” says entomologist Brian Brown, referring to Los Angeles.
Among the suggestions to increase biodiversity, the authors of the study highlight two: Prioritize green areas And reduce pesticide use. They provide advice to urban planners and builders Contains microhabitats designed to allow a greater variety of species to thrive.
While the study focused on the Los Angeles area, researchers believe similar results could be applied to other similar urban communities.
Reference work: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50675-3
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