Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Socioeconomics Drive Urban Plant Diversity

  • Chapter
Urban Ecology

Abstract

Spatial variation in plant diversity has been attributed to heterogeneity in resource availability for many ecosystems. However, urbanization has resulted in entire landscapes that are now occupied by plant communities wholly created by humans, in which diversity may reflect social, economic, and cultural influences in addition to those recognized by traditional ecological theory. Here we use data from a probability-based survey to explore the variation in plant diversity across a large metropolitan area using spatial statistical analyses that incorporate biotic, abiotic, and human variables. Our prediction for the city was that land use, along with distance from urban center, would replace the dominantly geomorphic controls on spatial variation in plant diversity in the surrounding undeveloped Sonoran desert. However, in addition to elevation and current and former land use, family income and housing age best explained the observed variation in plant diversity across the city. We conclude that a functional relationship, which we term the “luxury effect,” may link human resource abundance (wealth) and plant diversity in urban ecosystems. This connection may be influenced by education, institutional control, and culture, and merits further study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Pickett, S. T. A., Burch, W. R., Jr., Dalton, S., Foresman, T., Grove, J. M. & Rowntree, R. (1997) Urban Ecosyst. 1, 185–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Grimm, N. B. Grove, J. M., Pickett, S. T. A. & Redman, C. L. (2000) Bioscience 70, 571–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Vitousek, P. M., Mooney, H. A., Lubchenco, J. & Melillo, J. M. (1997) Science 277, 494–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. McDonnell, M. J. & Pickett, S. T. A. (1993) Humans as Components of Ecosystems: The Ecology of Subtie Human Effects and Populated Areas (Springer, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Collins, J. P., Kinzig, A. P., Grimm, N. B., Fagan, W. B., Hope, D., Wu, J. & Borer, E. T. (2000) Am. Sci. 88, 416–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kaiser, J. (2001) Science 293, 624–627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chesson, P. (2000) Theor. Popul. Biol. 58, 211–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Anderson, E. (1956) in Man’s Role in Changing the Face of the Earth, ed. Thomas, W. L., Jr. (Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago), pp. 763–777.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Whitney, G. G. & Adams, S. D. (1980) J. Appl. Ecol. 17, 431–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. McDonnell, M. J. & Pickett, S. T. A. (1990) Ecology 71, 1232–1237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. McDonnell, M. J., Pickett, S. T. A. & Pouyat, R. V. (1993) in Humans as Components of Ecosystems, eds. McDonnell, M. J. & Pickett, S. T. A. (Springer, New York), pp. 175–189.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Blair, R. B. (1996) Ecol. Appl. 6, 506–519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Clergeau, P., Savard, J. P. L., Mennechez, G. & Falardeau, G. (1998) Condor 100, 413–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Alberti, M., Botsford, E. & Cohen, A. (2001) in Avian Ecology and Conservation in an Urbanizing World, eds. Marzluff, J. M., Bowman, R. & Donnelly, R. (Kluwer, Boston), pp. 89–115.

    Google Scholar 

  15. McDonnell, M. J., Pickett, S. T. A., Groffman, P., Bohlen, P., Pouyat, R., V., Zipperer, W. C., Parmelee, R. W., Carreiro, M. M. & Medley, K. (1997) Urban Ecosyst. 1, 21–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Medley, K. E., McDonnell, M. J. & Pickett, S. T. A. (1995) Prof. Geogr. 47, 159–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Pouyat, R. V., McDonnell, M. J. & Pickett, S. T. A. (1995) J. Environ. Qual. 24, 516–526.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kent, M., Stevens, R. A. & Zhang, L. (1999) J. Biogeogr. 26, 1281–1298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Dana, E. D., Vivas, S. & Mota, J. F. (2002) Landsc. Urban Plan. 59, 203–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Grove, J. M. & Burch, W. R., Jr. (1997) Urban Ecosyst. 1, 259–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Dow, K. (2000) Urban Ecosyst. 4, 255–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Navch, Z. (2000) Bioscience 50, 357–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Savard, J. L., Clergeau, P. & Mennechez, G. (2000) Landsc. Urban Plan. 48, 131–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Liu, J. (2001) Ecol. Modell. 140, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Matson, P. A., Parton, W. J., Power, A. G. & Swift, M. J. (1997) Science 277, 504–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. McAuliffe, J. R. (1994) Ecol. Monogr. 64, 111–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Parker, K. C. & Bendix, J. (1996) Phys. Geogr. 17, 113–141.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Whittaker, R. H. & Niering, W. A. (1975) Ecology 56, 771–790.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Shreve, F. (1951) Vegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert: Volume I, Vegetation (Carnegie Institute, Washington, DC), Vol. 591, pp. 1–192.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Turner, M. G. (1989) Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 20, 171–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Turner, M. G. & Gardner, R. (1991) Quantitative Methods in Landscape Ecology (Springer, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Luck, M. A. & Wu, J. (2002) Landsc. Ecol. 17, 327–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Stevens, D. L., Jr. (1994) J. Environ. Manage. 42, 1–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Stapanian, M. A., Sundberg, S. D., Baumgardner, G. A. & Liston, A. (1998) Plant Ecol. 139, 49–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Stevens, D. L., Jr. (1997) Environmetrics 8, 167–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Peterson, S. A., Urquhart, N. S. & Welch, E. B. (1999) Environ. Sci. Technol. 33, 1559–1565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Maricopa Association of Governments (1997) Urban Atlas: Phoenix Metropolitan Area (Maricopa Association of Governments, Phoenix).

    Google Scholar 

  38. Knowles-Yànez, K., Moritz, C., Fry, J., Redman, C. L., Bucchin, M. & McCartney, P. H. (1999) Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Contribution No. 1 (Center for Environmental Studies, Arizona State Univ., Tempe).

    Google Scholar 

  39. Peterson, K. A., McDowell, L. B. & Martin, C. A. (1999) HortScience 34, 491.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Limerick, P. N. (1987) The Legacy of Conquest (Norton, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Roy, D. B., Hill, M. O. & Rothery, P. (1999) Ecography 22, 507–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Sukopp, H. (1990) in Urban Ecology: Plants and Plant Communities in Urban Environments, eds. Sukopp, H., Hejny, S. & Kowarik, I. (SPB Academic, The Hague, The Netherlands), pp. 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Meyer, W. B. (1994) Urban Geogr. 15, 505–513.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Martin, C. A., Peterson, K. A. & Stabler, L. B. (2003) J. Arboric. 29, 9–17.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Detwyler, T. R. (1972) in Urbanization and Environment, eds. Detwyler, T. E. & Marcus, M. G. (Duxbury, Belmont, CA), pp. 230–259.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Talarchek, G. M. (1990) Urban Geogr. 11, 65–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Iverson, L. R. & Cook, E. A. (2000) Urban Ecosyst. 4, 105–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Martin, C. A. (2001) Desert Plants 17, 26–31.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Fraser, E. D. G. & Kenney, W. A. (2000) J. Arboric. 26, 106–112.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Wondzell, S. M., Cunningham, G. L. & Bachelet, D. (1996) Landsc. Ecol. 11, 351–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Fagan, W. F., Meir, E., Carroll, S. S. & Wu, J. (2001) Landsc. Ecol. 16, 33–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Qi, Y. & Wu, J. (1996) Landsc. Ecol. 11, 39–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Jelinski, D. E. & Wu, J. G. (1996) Landsc. Ecol. 11, 129–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Tilman, D. (1977) Ecology 58, 338–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Ulrich, R. S. (1986) Landsc. Urban. Plan. 13, 29–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Ulrich, R. S. (1993) in The Biophilia Hypothesis, eds. Kellert, S. R. & Wilson, E. O. (Island, Washington, DC), pp. 73–137.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Nelson, A. L., Schwirian, K. P. & Schwirian, P. (1998) Soc. Sci. Res. 27, 410–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3211, USA

    Diane Hope

Authors
  1. Diane Hope
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Corinna Gries
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Weixing Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. William F. Fagan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Charles L. Redman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Nancy B. Grimm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Amy L. Nelson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Chris Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Ann Kinzig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Washington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195

    John M. Marzluff , Gordon Bradley  & Clare Ryan ,  & 

  2. University of Washington, 3912 NE 127th Street, Seattle, WA 98125

    Eric Shulenberger

  3. Geographisches Institute, Humboldt University Unter den Linden, 10099 Berlin, Germany

    Wilfried Endlicher

  4. University of Washington, Box 355740, Seattle, WA 98195

    Marina Alberti

  5. Humboldt University Miningstrasse 46, 12359 Berlin, Germany

    Ute Simon

  6. University of Washington, Box 355740, Seattle, WA 98195

    Craig ZumBrunnen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hope, D. et al. (2008). Socioeconomics Drive Urban Plant Diversity. In: Marzluff, J.M., et al. Urban Ecology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73412-5_21

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation