How Do Urban Habitats Compare to Natural Biomes in Terms of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services?

Urban areas and natural environments are very different when it comes to the variety of living things and the services they provide.

Biodiversity:

Urban areas usually have fewer types of plants and animals than natural places. Studies show that parks in cities might only have 30-50% of the plant species found in nearby natural areas.
Natural biomes, like rainforests, make up about 6% of the Earth's land but are home to nearly 50% of all plant and animal species.
When cities expand and take over habitats, many species struggle to survive. For example, in some cities, urban growth has led to a 30% drop in the number of native birds.

Ecosystem Services:

Natural areas provide important services for the planet, like absorbing carbon dioxide, cleaning water, and controlling temperature. For instance, forests can absorb around 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year.
Urban areas can also provide some of these services, but they do not work as well. Parks and green spaces can help lower temperatures in cities by up to 5°C, making the air cooler and more pleasant.
A study found that trees in US cities offer about $4 billion in benefits each year. This comes from cleaner air, storing carbon, and managing rainwater.

Conclusion:

While cities can provide some helpful services, they usually have less variety of living things and are generally not as effective as natural environments. To improve city ecosystems and help support more plant and animal life, we need to create more green spaces, green roofs, and pathways for wildlife.

Urban areas and natural environments are very different when it comes to the variety of living things and the services they provide.

Biodiversity:

Urban areas usually have fewer types of plants and animals than natural places. Studies show that parks in cities might only have 30-50% of the plant species found in nearby natural areas.
Natural biomes, like rainforests, make up about 6% of the Earth's land but are home to nearly 50% of all plant and animal species.
When cities expand and take over habitats, many species struggle to survive. For example, in some cities, urban growth has led to a 30% drop in the number of native birds.

Ecosystem Services:

Natural areas provide important services for the planet, like absorbing carbon dioxide, cleaning water, and controlling temperature. For instance, forests can absorb around 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year.
Urban areas can also provide some of these services, but they do not work as well. Parks and green spaces can help lower temperatures in cities by up to 5°C, making the air cooler and more pleasant.
A study found that trees in US cities offer about $4 billion in benefits each year. This comes from cleaner air, storing carbon, and managing rainwater.

Conclusion:

While cities can provide some helpful services, they usually have less variety of living things and are generally not as effective as natural environments. To improve city ecosystems and help support more plant and animal life, we need to create more green spaces, green roofs, and pathways for wildlife.

Related articles