Comparison of Species Composition, Species Diversity, and Structural Distribution of Urban Trees in Three Types of Urban Greenspaces

Abstract

Urban greenspaces are considered as biodiversity hotspots in urban areas due to its limited presence and prevalent threat of land use conversion. The species composition and structural complexity of urban greenspaces influence the ecosystem services it can provide, and ability to adapt to environmental stresses. Hence, this study was conducted to understand how urban greenspaces were shaped by the different land uses associated to management. Fourteen urban greenspaces in the vicinity of Metropolitan Manila were selected and classified into three types – commercial greenspaces, recreational parks, and wildlife parks. These were compared based on tree species composition and diversity metrics estimated using species identification and abundance data. Tree measurement data were also used to compare the structural patterns of trees in different types of urban greenspace. Results of chi-square tests (α=0.05) showed that the proportion of native and exotic tree species and the relative abundance of threatened and non-threatened trees in both local and global scales were significantly associated with the type of urban greenspace. Significant associations also existed between the type of urban greenspace and the distribution of trees into diameter, height, and crown spread classes. Species diversity metrics and tree measurements were also significantly different across the three types of urban greenspace based on Kruskal-Wallis Test and Dunn’s Multiple Pairwise Comparison. The study concluded that different types of urban greenspace are composed of distinct tree communities that may require different management strategies.