ABSTRACT
Planning, restoration, and management of plant communities in cities is critical to conserving and enhancing biodiversity and the ecosystem services vegetation provides in cities. The composition and condition of urban vegetation drives trophic interactions, dictating what animal species will succeed in city environments. Urban green spaces are defined as all natural, semi-natural, and artificial ecological systems within a city and range from native remnant habitats to brownfields, vacant lots, gardens and yards, to engineered green infrastructure including bioswales and green roofs. Urban vegetation plays a key role in the provision of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, air and water purification, noise reduction, runoff mitigation, food supply, and temperature regulation. Urban floras face a series of stressors that can be divided into five main categories: habitat transformation, habitat fragmentation, the urban environment, non-native species introductions, and management decisions.
