Urbanization is radically transforming habitats, according to Hungarian researchers

Using the statistical method of meta-analysis, the researchers analyzed 103 urbanization studies from all over the world in order to understand the impact of urbanization on soil fauna, the Eötvös Loránd Research Network said in a statement sent to MTI on Friday.

The publication presenting the results was published in the international scientific journal Science of the Total Environment.
The researchers examined the changes in the species richness of soil animals and the development of individual numbers as a function of climatic conditions. They found that the species richness of groups of soil animals that are sensitive to stronger soil compaction and that generally spread with difficulty, such as earthworms, snails and jumping forks, while the number of individuals of the mobile, well-adapted groups of wasps, millipedes and centipedes is beneficially affected by urbanization - states the in a statement.

Urbanization has a favorable effect on the number of soil animals in drier climates as a result of a lot of watering, while in wet climates the drier urban environment resulting from more intense evaporation and faster runoff precipitation reduces the number of individuals.

Urbanization, i.e. the increase in the area and population of cities, radically transforms habitats. The soil is degraded or replaced, planted with non-native plants, often covered with asphalt, concrete and buildings in large areas, and in many places a vibrant green lawn is maintained at all times of the year. These transformations endanger or may eliminate the habitats of several animal groups - the researchers emphasize in the announcement.

In the case of the numbers of individuals, it was revealed that urbanization favored the group of centipedes, millipedes and centipedes, as these are mobile groups and are not picky about their nutrition, so they easily thrive in the urban environment. Taking the climatic conditions into account, however, it turned out that the above statement is only true for the numbers of individuals if the annual rainfall is lower in the examined city, and urbanization reduces the numbers of individuals in wet climates.

For this reason, the researchers recommend that urban green areas should be managed in such a way that they are similar to the natural environment surrounding the city, instead of creating an alien environment for the soil fauna by over-watering or by covering too many areas.

By the way, soil animals provide many services to humans, earthworms, for example, are so-called ecosystem engineers, which can greatly transform their environment by intensively mixing the soil. They create up to thousands of kilometers of channels per hectare, thus helping water to enter the soil, loosening it and contributing to the formation of humus.

The researchers found that the species richness of earthworms, snails and jumping forks decreased in cities compared to suburban and rural areas, because there is more covered area and less natural green space, the announcement states.

(Source: marmalade.co.hu; MTI | Image: pixabay.com)