• DOI:10.1139/ER-2016-0027
• Corpus ID: 54086868

A review of drivers of tree diversity in suburban areas: Research needs for North American cities

@article{Nitoslawski2016ARO,
  title={A review of drivers of tree diversity in suburban areas: Research needs for North American cities},
  author={Sophie A. Nitoslawski and Peter N. Duinker and Peter G. Bush},
  journal={Environmental Reviews},
  year={2016},
  volume={24},
  pages={471-483}
}

• Sophie A. Nitoslawski, P. Duinker, Peter G. Bush
• Published 20 July 2016
• Environmental Science
• Environmental Reviews

Tree diversity is crucial to urban forest management. More diverse urban forests provide habitat for a wider range of organisms, increase resilience to pests and disease and, in cases where native tree species are well represented, contribute to local biodiversity protection. Studies have shown that tree diversity can peak in the low- to mid-density neighbourhoods found in suburban and peri-urban areas, emphasizing the potential for biodiversity enhancement during and after subdivision development. Most studies quantifying tree species composition in suburban areas focus on one or two major drivers of tree diversity, such as land use, socioeconomics and demographics, or the presence of natural features like parks or greenways. Furthermore, relatively little attention has been paid to the drivers of diversity for the variety of land types that make up the entire urban forest, which represent differences in tree planting and establishment practices, ownership, and maintenance. This paper presents an overvie...