Background & Aims: Urbanization is a global process accompanied by rapid environmental changes, which accelerates the evolutionary process of urban organisms and reshapes community structure and species interactions in urban ecosystems. In this paper, we reviewed relevant researches on the effects of urbanization on animals at community, population, and individual level. Then we summarized both the advances and shortcomings in the scientific urbanization literature. Finally, we provided an outlook for research in the related fields.

Review Results: Currently, relevant studies primarily reflect the level of urbanization by using the proportion of impervious area or the urban-rural gradient. By replacing time with space, the studies explore the changing trend of species composition and diversity, population demographics, genetic structure of animals, biological traits, phenology, and behavior under urbanization. Most studies focus on descriptive analysis, while mechanism-based research and applied research are relatively lacking.

Prospect: (1) Based on the observed phenomena under urbanization, future studies should conduct controlled experiments to identify the key factors affecting different animals under urbanization and explore the molecular genetic basis of urban biological evolution with molecular methods. (2) Particular attention needs to be paid to adaptive species in urban grey habitats, which are often associated with humans, pets, or food. Understanding how urban species adapt may provide direction and help predict the future effects of urbanization on animals, including human beings. (3) Since complex interspecific interaction networks can buffer the impacts of the change of animal abundance and behavior on ecological services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control to a certain extent, the effects of urbanization on multitrophic networks should be studied further. (4) Finally, basic research on animal diversity and genetic structure should be extended to urban ecological planning and restoration.

Background & Aim: There are more than 140 species of bats in China, accounting for about 10 percent of the world’s bat species. China is one of the countries with the richest bat species diversity in the world. With the development of urbanization, the species diversity of bats in China has been seriously threatened. This paper aims to discuss the current state of research on bats in China under the background of urbanization, and then, based on the threats of urbanization factors faced by bats in China, to propose targeted conservation recommendations.

Progresses: The review preliminarily defines urban bats as those whose life history is not directly controlled by humans, but whose stages such as foraging, roosting, and migration are completed in urban and surrounding areas affected by urbanization. Thus, their morphological, physiological, behavioral, and genetic adaptive characteristics are influenced by the urbanization In the process of urbanization, bats face a range of threats, including human hunting, human buildings, roads, light pollution, noise pollution, and chemical pollution; this is mainly manifested in three aspects in China: loss of habitat, utilization of biological resources, and disturbance of habitat. Despite this, preliminary bibliometric analysis indicates that research on the impacts of urbanization on bats in China is relatively lacking, and this field needs more attention.

Conservation Measures: In view of the significant impact of urbanization threats on the existence of bats in China and the scarcity of related research, it is necessary to strengthen the protection of bats in the process of urbanization in China. We suggest that research in the fields of taxonomy and conservation genomics should be intensified, special surveys for urban bats should be conducted, and the protection of bat habitats should be valued. As a result, the management of light and noise pollution should be strengthened, legislative protection should be carried out for bats that are unique to China and have a higher level of threat, and science popularization education related to bats should be carried out for the public, i to better protect bats in the process of urbanization.

Background & Aim: Urbanization has caused widespread changes in species habitats, leading to changes in community composition and species traits. This process has notably transformed the interspecific interactions involving birds, but current research has limited knowledge about this change. In this paper, the modification patterns of predator-prey interactions, host-parasite interactions, competitive interactions, and mutualistic interactions involving birds in urban environments are reviewed, to provide suggestions for future research and conservation efforts on birds in urban environments.

Review Results: With increasing urbanization, the identity of species involved in various forms of interspecific interactions is directly affected by changes in species composition, leading to changes in the process, intensity, and outcomes of interspecific interactions. In predator-prey interactions, anthropogenic disturbances, enhanced resource availability, and habitat changes modify the community composition of both predators and prey. These changes affect the predation behavior of predators and the antipredator behavior of prey. In host-parasite interactions, pollution and zoonotic disease transmission change parasite taxa, while the spatial concentration and diminished diversity of urban bird communities heighten disease transmission risks. Additionally, factors such as dietary quality and environmental disturbances influence host immunophysiology. In competitive interactions, adaptation of birds to urban environment leads to intensification of competitive behavior, and stabilization of the environment and resource availability may increase competitive intensity and promote competitive exclusion. In mutualistic interactions between birds and plants, the loss of native species and the introduction of exotic species reduce the uniqueness of interactions. Landscape features such as habitat fragmentation affect spatial patterns of pollination and seed dispersal. Changes in the participants and processes of interspecific interactions can modify the nodes and edges in interaction networks and the structural characteristics of such networks, decrease in species diversity simplifies the network structure, while the loss of specialist species and rise of generalist species enhance evenness and reduce the specialization of the interactive networks.

Prospect: There are three important directions for future research on interspecific interactions in urban birds: (1) Development of methods for identifying and quantifying interspecific interactions; (2) Development of ecological network theories, including multilayer networks, in the study of interspecific interactions in urban birds; (3) Utilization of interspecific interactions to increase the effectiveness of conservation in urban bird conservation.

Aims: In light of the profound impact of urbanization on wildlife habitats, understanding the circadian activity patterns and ecological dynamics of urban terrestrial mammals is crucial for biodiversity conservation.

Methods: This study employed 60 camera traps from November 2019 to November 2021 across urban areas of Tianjin, China, to assess the circadian rhythms and temporal overlaps of key terrestrial mammal species, such as dogs (Canis lupus), cats (Felis catus), Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica), Amur hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), Tolai hares (Lepus tolai) and Asian badgers (Meles leucurus). Various circadian rhythm indices, including mean vector, concentration, circular variance, activity level, and attributes, were utilized alongside kernel density estimation to determine temporal overlaps. Additionally, the study employed a generalized additive model (GAM) to explore the influence of urbanization level on temporal overlap coefficients.

Results: With a sampling effort totaling 11,517 camera nights and 2,428 independent terrestrial mammal detections, the study revealed diverse activity patterns. Dogs were predominantly diurnal, while Siberian weasels, Amur hedgehogs, and Asian badgers exhibited nocturnal tendencies. Cats and Tolai hares displayed cathemeral behavior. Tolai hares exhibited the highest activity level (0.68, 95% CI: 0.56–0.73), whereas Asian badgers displayed the lowest (0.40, 95% CI: 0.29–0.44). Despite substantial (80%) temporal niche overlaps, according to the Mardia-Watson-Wheeler test results, significant differences were observed in diurnal activity patterns among species. For instance, cats and Siberian weasels demonstrated the highest temporal overlaps ($\overset{\scriptscriptstyle\frown}{\Delta }$= 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82–0.93), while dogs and Amur hedgehogs exhibited the lowest ($\overset{\scriptscriptstyle\frown}{\Delta }$= 0.35, 95% CI: 0.31–0.40). Moreover, the temporal niche overlap of cats-hedgehogs and hedgehogs-hares correlated positively with urbanization levels. In contrast, the overlap coefficient of dogs-hedgehogs showed a non-linear trend with the urbanization level.

Conclusion: This pioneering study offers a systematic analysis of circadian rhythms in terrestrial mammals in urban areas of Tianjin, China. Findings underscore the considerable heterogeneity in circadian behaviors across mammalian species and unveil a nuanced multi-response model depicting temporal overlaps in response to urbanization levels. These insights contribute to understanding wildlife coexistence mechanisms within urban landscapes, and offer valuable guidance for the conservation and management of urban wildlife in China.

Aims: The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is a small felid widespread in Asia and serves as a primary predator in North China’s temperate forest ecosystem, after the mega-carnivores such as the leopard went extinct from the region. Despite its ecological resilience and adaptivity, whether the leopard cat can survive in nearest proximity to urban Beijing remains unknown. Field surveys of the presence of leopard cats in the suburban Beijing and evaluation of the environmental factors associated with its distribution will set the stage for elucidating the pattern of human-wildlife coexistence around a megacity of China like Beijing.

Methods: From October 2022 to June 2023, we conducted 16 transect line surveys in search of leopard cats in the nearest mountainous area west of urban Beijing. The region refers to the Western Beijing Crescent Bay Mountains that covers the wilderness landmarks of Mt. Baiwang-Fragrant Hills-West Mountains-Mt. Jiufeng-Mt. Yangtai-Mt. Miaofeng-Mt. Fenghuangling-Baihujian. The presence of leopard cats was examined through non-invasive sampling of scat samples, DNA extraction, and species identification based on DNA barcoding analysis. By integrating species presence information and eight selected environmental variables, we constructed an ensemble model to assess the impact of various environmental factors on the species distribution.

Results: We validated 258 sites of leopard cat presence from cumulative 180 km trails in the Western Beijing Crescent Bay Mountains survey area. For a relatively continuous habitat, the occurrence of leopard cats was primarily influenced by anthropogenic variables, with the distance to artificial infrastructure (42.71%) and hiking intensity (20.12%) being the two primary factors. A buffer distance of at least 1,000 m from major human facility was required for a habitat to be considered suitable for leopard cats around Beijing. While the distance to artificial infrastructure displayed a positive correlation with the presence of leopard cats, hiking intensity exerted relatively little impact, suggesting the leopard cat’s tolerance to moderate human activities to certain extent.

Conclusions: The existence of a wild leopard cat population is confirmed in the mountainous area on the outskirts of Beijing, illustrating the prospect for human-wildlife co-existence around China’s capital city. This preliminary survey suggests that as far as relatively intact habitat could be preserved on a landscape scale with minimum anthropogenic disturbance, a generalist species such as the leopard cat may be ecologically resilient enough to survive in nearest proximity to an urban region.

Aims: Species with high behavioral plasticity are able to utilize resources in urban environments, successfully colonizing and adapting to cities. Researching key behavioral changes in carnivorous species, such as foraging behavior and habitat selection, helps our understanding of how species respond to urban environments. This study focused on raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Shanghai with the objective to (1) understand the food composition of raccoon dogs and how raccoon dogs adjust their feeding strategies to respond to urban environments in Shanghai, and (2) evaluate how raccoon dogs change their habitat selection within their home range when colonizing urban environments.

Methods: We sampled from May 2021 to December 2023 in two different urbanized environments of Shanghai: highly urbanized residential environments (residential areas) and semi-natural habitats (forest parks) with lower urbanization. Fecal samples were collected, processed, and analyzed using logistic regression and Chi square tests to measure differences in food components. Wildlife bio-trackers were used to collect raccoon dog activity data, and autocorrelated kernel density estimation was used to approximate their home range. Finally, a resource selection function was developed to evaluate raccoon dog habitat selection within their home ranges.

Results: A total of 568 fecal samples were processed, and logistic regression results showed that raccoon dogs in residential areas ate significantly more human-derived products (P < 0.001) and mammals (P < 0.01) compared with raccoon dogs living in less urbanized forest parks. A total of 32 individuals were collared, and tracked with satellite positioning, and results from a resource selection function revealed that while raccoon dogs in forest parks avoided buildings within their home range (β = -0.222), those in residential areas selected for buildings within their home range (β = 0.021).

Conclusion: This study provides the first assessment of behavioral changes of raccoon dogs in urban environments within Shanghai, including their habitat selection and feeding tendencies, which revealed their behavioral plasticity. Based on these results, we propose adaptive management strategies to reduce human-derived food consumption through community-based urban wildlife conservation planning. Long-term assessment of raccoon dog behavior is needed to further elucidate how raccoon dogs respond to urban environments, and to provide information for ecology-based protection and management of urban wildlife.

Aims: Small Indian civet (Viverricula indica) is a small carnivore of the family Viverridae, and national first-class key protected wild animal which was once widely distributed in southern China. Its population has shown a rapid downward trend in recent years. Due to the lack of understanding of the distribution area, habitat characteristics and activity rhythm of small civets, we carried out field investigation and research in Fenghuang Hill (with a high degree of urbanization) and Qi’ao Island (with a low degree of urbanization) in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province from 2021 to 2023.

Methods: We deployed 30 and 15 infrared trigger cameras respectively according to the kilometer grid, with 6,640 and 4,109 effective camera working days respectively, and obtained independent detections of 329 and 702 small Indian civets. Based on these data, we calculate the grid detection rate and relative abundance index of small Indian civets. We examined activity kernel densities to estimate the activity rhythm of small Indian civets in Fenghuang Hill and Qi’ao Island, and analyze the annual activity rule by calculate the relative abundance index with 10 days as a time window. We also examined the relationship between small Indian civets and other species by analyzing the relative abundance data from relevant literatures, and explored the impact of human disturbance in combination with population density.

Results: We found that the grid detection rate was 100% and the relative abundance index (I_RA) was 17.08 in Qi’ao Island, while the population density in Fenghuang Hill was slightly lower (grid detection rate = 92.6%, I_GRA = 4.95). There was a significant negative correlation between the relative abundance and altitude of small Indian civet (P < 0.001), indicating that they preferred to habitat in the low-altitude plains near the sea. The annual activity rhythm of the civet in Fenghuang Hill and Qi’ao Island was similar, but the daily activity rhythm was significantly different (P < 0.05). In Qi’ao Island, where urbanization is low, the diurnal activity rhythm of the civet cat is a typical “bimodal type”, while in Fenghuang Hill, which is more urbanized, it is a “stepped type”, which may be an adaptive strategy to the rhythm of human activities in the city. In terms of annual activity rhythm, the civet cat populations in Fenghuang Hill and Qi’ao Island had similar trends. We also found the relative abundance index of small Indian civets and Himalayan palm civet had a significant negative correlation (r = - 0.51, P < 0.001). The population density of Fenghuang Hill is higher than that of Qi’ao Island, which means that the activities of small Indian civets may be disturbed by human activities.

Conclusion: This study shows that the low-altitude plains along the coast of South China are suitable habitats for small Indian civets, and they are at risk of habitat loss and increased conflict with humans due to urban development and construction. It is necessary to strengthen monitoring in its important provenance areas, and promote the health, stability and conservation of the civet population through habitat restoration and ecological corridor construction.

Aims: The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, being at the forefront of China’s economic development, is undergoing rapid urbanization, posing potential effects on biodiversity. Birds, prevalent in urban and suburban landscapes, possess a sensitivity to environmental shifts and are crucial indicators of urban biodiversity. This research focuses on the avifauna of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, delving into differences in bird community structure and functional traits among urban, rural, and wild habitats.

Methods: A dataset of 58,620 observation records spanning 2000 to 2019 was compiled from China Bird Report, GBIF, ebird, and other databases. After excluding records outside the breeding and wintering seasons, 17,978 valid observations were retained for analysis. We employed non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), principal component analysis (PCA), multivariate kernel density estimation, and other analyses to examine the differences in species composition and functional traits across the three landscape zones.

Results: Initial records documented 482 bird species in the region, representing 23 orders and 77 families. Following data screening, rural areas exhibited the highest species diversity (258 species) compared to the urban and wild zones. These species, spanning 20 orders and 64 families, accounted for 92.1% of the total number of species richness in the region. Urban and wild zones harbored 251 and 228 species, respectively, with 198 species (70.7%) shared among all zones. Species richness per sampling location was significantly greater in rural and wild areas compared to urban zones, with comparable levels between rural and wild habitats. Notable species composition overlaps were observed among the three habitat types. Functional traits analysis revealed that birds in urban and rural areas had higher mean body mass than those in wild areas, with no significant difference between urban and rural zones. Clutch size exhibited no significant variation among the zones. Urban habitats supported wide-ranging species, while wild areas hosted primarily narrow-ranging species. Despite these distinctions, dietary composition showed similarity across urban, rural, and wild landscapes.

Conclusions: Our investigation underscores the capacity of well-designed urban and suburban ecologies to sustain diverse avian populations. Noteworthy is the adaptability of birds to both urban and rural terrains amid the ongoing urbanization trend. Against this backdrop, we advocate for further research into conservation strategies tailored for regions with dense human populations and intensive land utilization. Future research endeavors should focus on safeguarding crucial resources within urban green spaces, water bodies, wetlands, rural agricultural lands, and paddy fields across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Aims: Migratory birds are experiencing widespread population declines, highlighting the urgency of effective conservation actions. Various migratory bird species, especially migratory landbirds, have been documented to use urban green space as stopover sites, including for refueling purposes. Considering the ongoing global urbanization, urban green space can potentially present great opportunities for the conservation of migratory landbirds by providing high-quality stopover habitats for these birds. However, this prospect premises on the accurate assessment of the stopover habitat quality of urban green space for migratory landbirds, including under specific management measures. In this study, we assessed the stopover habitat quality of an urban park in Beijing for migratory landbirds over a nine-year period, and we tested the response of this quality to a set of urban wilding measures implemented by the park to increase the naturalness of park vegetation.

Methods: We measured the stopover habitat quality for migratory landbirds by refueling conditions as represented by the rate of birds’ body mass gain, focusing on the Cuihu Wetland Park in the northwestern corner of central Beijing where a bird ringing program has been running since 2014. We used ringing data from 2015 to 2023 to estimate the hourly rate of body mass gain for each species within each migration season, for the species-season combinations with ≥ 50 captured individuals. We further examined whether this rate responded positively to the urban wilding measures implemented in the park since 2017 (i.e. allowing the vegetation to naturally develop by not mowing, pruning, or clearing leaflitter and seedlings).

Results: Of the 19 species-season combinations we were able to assess, we observed significant hourly body mass gain for the majority of combinations, involving 12 migratory landbird species from four families. However, overall, we did not find obvious impacts of urban wilding measures on birds’ refueling conditions, with only two species-season combinations showing indications of hourly body mass gain under these measures.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that Cuihu Wetland Park can offer positive refueling conditions for multiple species of migratory landbirds that have diverse dietary preferences and foraging strategies, providing scientific evidence for the value of urban green space as stopover habitat for migratory landbirds. Additionally, urban wilding measures may have enhanced these refueling conditions for at least some of the species, although further research is needed to robustly test this potential benefit. More generally, our study also serves as a proof-of-concept case for wider assessments of stopover habitat quality for migratory landbirds using data on their refueling performance.

Aims: This study aims to explore the effectiveness of AI recognition-based passive acoustic monitoring of bird species in urban wetland parks, as well as to compare its results with traditional transect survey.

Methods: A three-month concurrent monitoring has been carried out from March to May in 2023 at Wanzuitou Wetland Park in Guangzhou City, China. The transect method involved a twice-monthly survey, while acoustic monitoring method utilized two acoustic monitoring devices operating in triggered recording mode throughout the day. Audio files were transmitted via a 4G mobile network to a server, and bird species were identified using an AI model based on the Pearl River Delta bird list, filtered by confidence scores and manually reviewed.

Results: The transect method recorded 2,200 individuals, whereas the acoustic monitoring collected 96,848 audio files, and obtained 34,117 valid records after screening and validation. Two methods identified a total of 70 bird species: 48 species by the transect survey and 49 species by the acoustic monitoring, with 27 species common to both survey methods.

Conclusions: The proportion of species overlapping between the two survey methods was less than half of the total species, suggesting that neither method can fully replace the other in this type of wetland park habitat. Transect survey is more accurate and makes it easier to estimate the population density, but it requires a higher level of bird species identification skills and involve more workloads. The acoustic monitoring can be automated and unmanned, making it easy to expand the scale of monitoring. However, processing the data from audio files is more challenging, and AI species identification results still need manual correction. The combination of traditional transect survey methods and AI recognition-based passive acoustic monitoring will provide higher accuracy and broader application prospects in the future.

Aims: Urban development influences local aquatic ecosystems. As one of the world’s megacities, urbanization process in Beijing are more rapid compared to other cities. Beijing’s local aquatic ecosystem is more affected by its urbanization projects, particularly the fish fauna, which is one of the most sensitive groups in the aquatic ecosystem. This study focuses on fish to better understand the impact of urbanization on Beijing’s aquatic ecosystem over the past decades. We apply functional diversity (FD), a crucial component of biodiversity, to assess ecosystem function, and to reflect the extent of resource allocation and complementarity among species within fish communities.

Methods: Using field survey data, historical specimens, and relevant literature, this study screened functional indicators that relate to fish habitat, feeding, movement, and reproduction. This enabled us to calculate and compare the functional richness index (FRic), functional evenness index (FEve), functional divergence index (FDiv), and functional dispersion index (FDis) of fish in Beijing across four periods (1920-1960, 1960-1984, 1984-2013, and 2013-2024). This study then compares these indices from developed/ developing areas in Beijing, and its ecological conservation area.

Results: We found that decreasing numbers of indigenous fish were recorded in Beijing as urban development was progressing, with 81, 66, 48 and 55 species detected in 1920-1960, 1960-1984, 1984-2013 and 2013-2024, respectively. The fish FRic in Beijing initially decreased and then increased over the four periods, from 28.889 to 17.693, then to 11.358, and finally to 19.888, which was synchronized with the change in species diversity. The FEve, FDiv, and FDis showed no significant changes. There was a positive correlation between the FRic and species diversity in both the built-up area and the ecological conservation area of Beijing. The FRic in the built-up area (1.639) was significantly lower than in the ecological conservation area (14.156), while the other three indices showed little variation between the two areas. Additionally, the introduction of non-native fish species had some impact on FRicbut had minimal impact on the other three indices.

Conclusions: Overall, FRic responds more clearly to the changes caused by urban development. Fish FRicin Beijing continuously declined before 2013 and slightly rebounded after 2013 due to the restoration of native fish resources, however it has yet to rebound to the level of the pre-urbanization 1960s. The functional diversity in built-up areas is significantly lower than in the ecological conservation area, clearly due to the impact of urban development. Moreover, non-native fish species can occupy the niches of native fish, making it challenging for native fish species to recover. Although the non-native fish can increase functional diversity to some extent, they introduced threats to the survival of native fish. Therefore, it is necessary to control the non-native fish species in Beijing.

Aims: The tropical coastal regions have very unique fish diversity, and these coastal regions are also becoming the hotspots of the significant urbanization. Sanya City, located in the south of Hainan Island, is a typical tropical coastal city with the Sanyahe River as its main river system. This study aims to provide an overview of the current fish diversity in Sanya City.

Methods: Two field collection journeys were conducted throughout Sanyahe River system in May (dry season) and July (rainy season) of 2022. Additionally, long-term monitoring was carried out at nine monitoring stations across different sections of the river from March to July in the same year. Relevant historical literature and the voucher records from ichthyologic collections of the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, were also integrated. Three α diversity indices (Margalef richness index, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, and Pielou evenness index) were used to assess the diversity across different habitat, river sections, and seasons.

Results: There were 133 fish species distributed in Sanya City, 120 of which were native. The brackish zone had the most abundant fish species. Among the four main tributaries of the Sanyahe River, the Tangtashui River and the Liuluoshui River had a higher fish diversity. The mangrove brackish habitat, the four reservoirs, and their downsteam areas, which were closely located with the dense urban residence, had a higher proportion on individual number of exotic species. Estuary and upper stream habitats had a lower proportion of exotic species, both in terms of individual numbers and species.

Conclusions: Exotic species are currently the main threat to fish diversity in Sanya City. Based on the results of this study, the conservation of native fish diversity in Sanya City should primarily focus on preventing and controlling exotic and invasive fish species. This should be followed by the restoration of various types of wetlands, controlling non-point and point source pollution, and coordinating the ecological flow of the local reservoirs.

Aims: Biodiversity in urban ecosystem is a prominent topic in scientific research. Many studies have documented urban biodiversity, but changes in species interactions within these ecosystems remain unclear. Our research aims to elucidate the effects of different types of urban green spaces on the diversity of Drosophilidae species and their parasitoids, as well as their interactions. This understanding is significant for the effective management and planning of urban green spaces and the conservation of urban biodiversity.

Methods: From August to October 2023, we collected Drosophilidae species and their parasitoids from park green spaces, residential green spaces, and road green spaces in Xianlin university town in Nanjing using trap bottles baited with bananas. Insect identification was guided by taxonomic monographs, and α-diversity was evaluated using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou evenness index, and Simpson diversity index. Additionally, we collected Drosophilidae pupae and measured parasitism rates by counting the number of emerged parasitoids.

Results: A total of 2,228 Drosophilidae adults belonging to five species across two genera were collected from three types of green spaces. Four of these species preferred rotten fruits. Drosophila melanogaster was the most abundant species, accounting for 82.9% of the total. More Drosophilidae adults were trapped in residential green spaces than in park green spaces or road green spaces, whereas D. suzukii, which preferred fresh fruits, was not found in road green spaces. The species composition of Drosophilidae varied significantly among the green spaces. α-diversity analyses showed that diversity indices were higher in park green spaces than in residential green spaces, with the Shannon-Wiener diversity index significantly higher in park green spaces compared to road green spaces. Additionally, only 23 adult parasitoids were collected, including 15 Pachycrepoideus vindemiaeand 8 Trichopria drosophilae, the dominant parasitoid enemies of Drosophilidae species in the study area. We found 334 parasitoids that emerged from Drosophilidae pupae, with road green spaces having the lowest parasitism rate at an average of 22.7%. Trichopria drosophilaeaccounted for 6.7% of the total, which was significantly lower than in residential green spaces. This could be attributed to the scarcity of T. drosophilae, which has higher host exploration efficiency, as well as temperature fluctuations and restricted host availability that limit its survival.

Conclusions: Our study found that the diversity of Drosophilidae species and the parasitism rate vary across different urban green spaces, revealing the interactions between hosts and parasitoids in urban ecosystems. The decrease in parasitoid diversity may be a key factor contributing to the weakening of the top-down effect. These results enhance our understanding of how biodiversity and ecosystem functions change in urban ecosystem and could provide theoretical guidance for the management of urban green spaces and the conservation of species diversity.

Aims: With the rapid expansion of road networks, the conflict between transportation development and ecological conservation has become increasingly prominent, garnering significant attention from ecologists. Research on road ecology has indicated that roads can fragment animal habitats, reduce connectivity between populations, and severely impact biodiversity. Among these impacts, animal vehicle collisions (i.e., roadkill) represent the most direct and significant threat to wildlife.

Methods: This research investigated the incidence of animal vehicle collisions in Nanjing, a mega city in East China. From November 2020 to October 2021, transect survey method was employed to investigate roadkill incidents across roads of different administrative levels in Nanjing. Regression analysis was used to explore the probability of roadkill incidents, and models were established to further clarify the impact of roads and surrounding environmental factors on the probability of animal roadkill.

Results: Our findings revealed that: (1) A total of 293 roadkill incidents involving 21 species were recorded during the survey period. Mammals accounted for 46.42% of the incidents, with cats (Felis catus) and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) being the most common, while birds accounted for 48.81%, with the Chinese Blackbird (Turdus mandarinus) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) being predominant. (2) The proportion of arable land (dryland and irrigated farmland) and buildings (buildings and structures) in natural landscape significantly influenced the probability of roadkill incidents. Specifically, within a 250 m radius around the road, the coverage proportion of arable land and buildings was significantly negatively correlated with the occurrence probability of roadkill incidents. As cultivated land coverage increased, the probability of roadkill of birds decreased, while the probability of mammals’ roadkill increased, showed completely opposite trends. (3) The road characteristic affected the probability of animal vehicle collisions; roads with isolation belts were associated with an increased probability of roadkill incidents. (4) Linear features (distance to the nearest river, the nearest viaduct and the nearest main road) also affected the incidence of bird’s roadkill events. Birds had fewer vehicle collisions the farther they were from rivers, but more collisions while the farther they were from viaducts and main roads.

Conclusion: This study represents the first periodic investigation into terrestrial vertebrate roadkill in Nanjing. It preliminarily identifies the natural landscape and road factors that influence animal roadkill in Nanjing, thereby providing foundational knowledge to inform strategic decisions regarding regional road network optimization, infrastructure enhancements, ecological corridor establishment, and management strategies.

Aims: With the acceleration of global urbanization, urban ecosystems are becoming increasingly important. Community habitat gardens, which are gardens that are populated with native plants and are designed to attract animals, positively impact urban biodiversity conservation in high-density cities. Thus, habitat gardens have drawn attention from academia and government institutions, but there is a lack of research on the exact impact of these gardens. Specifically, there is a need for quantitative research on species composition, interaction, and external factors in habitat gardens. This study aims to catalog the species composition, relative population size, and spatiotemporal distribution of wildlife in habitat gardens. These data can then be used to identify species’ responses to biotic and abiotic factors within the city, and to identify and assess specific threats to the animals in these urban communities. This analysis will inform effective wildlife conservation measures and adaptive management recommendations.

Methods: We surveyed 10 sites in seven habitat gardens in the Changning District of Shanghai from February 11, 2023 to January 13, 2024 using camera trapping technology. From this, we collected 20,375 photos of birds and mammals within 627 effective camera days. Based on this camera trapping data, methods including the relative abundance index, kernel density estimation, avoidance-attraction index, biodiversity index, and regression analysis were used. We explored the species composition of habitat gardens, assessed the relative sizes of animal populations at the community scale, analyzed the diel activity of different species, and investigated avoidance-attraction relationships between the species, revealing complex relationships between the animals and the habitat gardens.

Results: The results indicated that at least 15 species of birds and five species of mammals existed in the habitat gardens in the Changning District. Out of all the species that were detected, the relative abundance index of cats (Felis catus) was the highest. Diel activity analysis showed temporal avoidance relationships between cats and other wildlife, with the cats posing a particular threat to birds and small mammals. The patch area of the blue-green infrastructure in the landscape surrounding the habitat gardens, quantified using a 1-meter resolution land use map, showed a positive correlation with species richness index (S) (r= 0.09, P > 0.05), diversity index (H) (r= 0.03, P > 0.05), and evenness index (EH) (r= 0.01, P > 0.05) within the gardens, although not significantly. The relationship between habitat garden area and species α diversity was weak and insignificant (P > 0.05). Finally, species inhabited different spaces within the habitat gardens (β diversity).

Conclusion: This study provides quantitative evidence that community habitat gardens can form ecological networks in synergy with other urban green spaces, thus providing stepping stones for urban wildlife. This study also highlights that proliferation of cats has a destructive impact on the biodiversity within habitat gardens. In future urban planning, habitat gardens should be incorporated into urban biodiversity conservation plans. Specific attention should be paid to their synergistic conservation effect with the surrounding landscape and on how to strengthen the eco-friendly design of habitat gardens. For example, the gardens should incorporate design elements that provide food, water, and shelter for animals to improve their survival. Additionally, It is essential to implement more strict management of domestic and feral cats within the community and bolster community involvement in maintenance of the garden space.

Aim: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding serves as a significant urban park green space and an important habitat for avian species within urban ecosystems and migratory bird flyways. This study aims to provide foundational data and a scientific basis for the conservation of urban ecosystems and avian diversity by understanding the composition of bird species in this area.

Methods: This study comprehensively reviewed the records of bird species diversity in this area since 1993, using data from transect surveys, bird ringing, literature, and citizen science contributions.

Results: A total 262 bird species, representing 16 orders, 56 families, and 154 genera, have been recorded at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. These species account for 45.4% of the total bird species in Chengdu City (n = 577), placing the base among the top urban green spaces nationwide in terms of avian diversity. Notably, the base has documented three Class I species of state key protected wild birds: Aythya baeri, Clanga clanga, and Emberiza aureola. Additionally, 31 Class II species of state key protected wild birds, including Otus sunia, Accipiter trivirgatus, Emberiza siemsseni, and others have been recorded. Compared to the avian checklist in historical records, the current checklist includes 95 newly recorded bird species, 11 species of which are state key protected wild birds. Aythya baeri was recorded in the Swan Lake of Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Conclusions: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding exhibits significant avian diversity. Employing various survey methods can yield a more comprehensive bird species inventory, which is crucial for understanding the basic characteristics of urban ecosystems.