Control of arthropod abundance, richness, and composition in a heterogeneous desert city

There is a demand for mechanistic studies to explore underlying drivers behind observed patterns of biodiversity in urban areas. We describe a two-year field experiment in which we manipulated bottom-up (resource availability) and top-down (bird predation) forces on arthropod communities associated with a native plant, Encelia farinosa, across three land-use types—urban, desert remnant, and outlying natural desert—in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Arizona, USA. We monitored the trophic structure, richness, and similarity of the arthropod communities on these manipulated plants over a two-year period. We predicted that (1) increased water resources increase plant productivity, (2) increased productivity increases arthropod abundances, and (3) in the urban habitat, top-down forces are greater than in other habitats and limit arthropod abundances. We also predicted that urban remnant habitats are more similar to urban habitats in terms of arthropod richness and composition. Strong interannual differences due to an unusual cold and dry winter in the first year suppressed plant growth in all but urban habitats, and arthropod abundances in all habitats were severely reduced. In the following year, arthropod abundances in desert and remnant habitats were higher than in urban habitats. Water had positive effects on plant growth and arthropod abundance, but these water effects emerged through complex interactions with habitat type and the presence/absence of cages used to reduce bird predation. Plants grew larger in urban habitats, and phenology also differed between urban and desert habitats. The results from caging suggest that bird predation may not be as important in cities as previously thought, and that arthropods may retard plant growth. As expected, desert communities are strongly bottom-up regulated, but contrary to predictions, we did not find evidence for strong top-down control in the city. Remnant habitats were intermediate between desert and urban habitats in terms of diversity, richness, evenness, arthropod composition and phenology, with urban habitats generally lowest in terms of diversity, richness, and evenness. Our study shows that control of biodiversity is strongly altered in urban areas, influenced by subtle shifts in top-down and bottom-up controls that are often superseded by climatic variations and habitat type.     

乌兰布和沙漠典型灌木群落结构及数量特征

灌木群落是乌兰布和沙漠生态系统中最重要的组成部分,根据野外样地的调查资料,从各群落物种组成、生活型谱、盖度特征、物种多样性、群落相似性等方面对乌兰布和沙漠中典型灌木群落结构和数量特征进行分析,为该区生物多样性保护与植物资源持续利用提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)梭梭、白刺、沙冬青、沙蒿、油蒿、盐爪爪是乌兰布和沙漠中主要灌木群落类型;各典型灌木植被群落中仅出现12科47属共计58种植物,各群落间物种组成差异较大,但均以藜科、菊科、禾本科、蒺藜科、豆科等干旱荒漠区的表征科数量居多;(2)沙漠中分布范围最广的梭梭群落、白刺群落、沙冬青群落和油蒿群落其生活型谱均以一年生植物所占比例最大,与研究区干旱的气候特征相吻合;(3)各群落中灌木层植物所占群落盖度的比重均超过了50%,其贡献率大于草本植物;(4)分布于生境条件较好的群落类型其物种多样性相对较高,从整体看各典型灌木群落的H′多样性指数的变化范围在0.98～3.42之间,而D多样性指数的变化范围在0.415 5～0.879 5之间,其物种多样性指数较低,物种组成比较简单;(5)各典型植物群落的相似性系数在0.068 2～0.604 7之间,均未达到极相似水平,其中白刺群落、梭梭群落以及沙冬青群落之间呈轻度相似水平,而其他各群落之间相似性系数均低于0.25,表明各群落间生境差异较大。     

放牧强度对短花针茅荒漠草原甲虫群落分布格局的影响

放牧对脆弱的荒漠草原生态系统有着重要影响,且随放牧强度及持续时间不同而变化。鞘翅目昆虫是环境监测与生物多样性变化的指示生物。利用巴氏罐诱法对短花针茅荒漠草原不同放牧强度草地的甲虫群落组成和多样性进行调查,探究放牧对荒漠草原甲虫群落的影响。结果表明:(1)步甲科、金龟科为短花针茅荒漠草原甲虫群落优势类群,埋葬甲科、芫菁科、拟步甲科和花金龟科为常见类群。(2)放牧强度增加不利于维持更多的捕食性甲虫;对照和轻度放牧样地可维持更多的腐食性甲虫。(3)甲虫数量随放牧强度增加而递减;群落多样性以重度放牧草地最大,轻度放牧草地最小;群落优势度为对照、中度、重度显著高于轻度放牧草地。各甲虫类群在不同放牧强度草地出现时间、高峰期均不同。(4)对照、轻度、重度放牧样地的甲虫优势类群群落结构不同于其他生境,但均与中度放牧样地存在相似性。轻度、中度、重度放牧样地的甲虫稀有类群群落结构不同于其他生境,但均与对照样地存在相似性。(5)甲虫群落个体数与植物群落物种丰富度、盖度、植物平均高度、生物量呈显著正相关。Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数均与植物群落物种丰富度、生物量显著负相关...     

农田景观和管理方式对稻田系统植物多样性的复合影响

农田生物多样性对于维持农田生态系统服务功能和农业可持续发展具有重要意义.为揭示农田景观特征和管理方式对农田生态系统植物群落和物种多样性的影响,以有机稻田(ON)、常规化防稻田(天然林脚下,CN)、常规化防稻田(距天然林>10km,CF)系统为研究对象,调查了田内、田埂和沟渠生境的植物物种组成和多样性特征,并对三种类型稻...     

鄂尔多斯高原植物群落多样性时空变化特点

作者利用1999年和2000年野外植物群落调查资料,结合李博(1990)的植物群落调查结果,分析了鄂尔多斯高原植物群落多样性的时空变化特点。鄂尔多斯高原主要植物群落类型有23类,不同植被类型的群落多样性表现出一定的差异性,其中丰富度指数的差异不显著,而Simpson指数和Shannon-Wiener指数及群落盖度的差异明显。中东部典型草原表现为高多样性高盖度;西鄂尔多斯荒漠草原和草原化荒漠物种多样性较高,但盖度较低;毛乌素沙地植物群落物种多样性低,但盖度较高。从1986年到2000年,该地区典型草原群落、荒漠草原和沙地植被的群落多样性指数都有下降趋势;典型草原和草原化荒漠的群落盖度有所增加,荒漠草原有所下降。以上结果表明,沙地植被和草原化荒漠生物多样性已经得到了一定的保护,但还有待加强,而荒漠草原的保护亟待引起重视。     

塔里木荒漠河岸林异质生境物种多样性比较与其测度指标筛选及评价

选择合适的物种多样性测度指标与多样性指数是进行群落多样性研究的基础工作。依据塔里木河上游荒漠河岸林样地调查资料,分别采用重要值、盖度和多度为测度指标比较了反映群落物种丰富度、多样性、均匀度和优势度12种多样性指数与异质生境群落多样性特征,并对多样性指数进行了相关分析与评价。结果表明,荒漠河岸林异质生境群落物种组成种类差异明显,轮南镇胡杨群落物种丰富度与多样性指数最高,水工三连灰胡杨群落多样性最低,土壤水盐的空间异质性是引起荒漠植被空间分布与群落多样性差异的主导因子。表征荒漠群落多样性以重要值和盖度为测度指标优于多度指标,其中以重要值为测度指标来反映群落多样性更为合理。相关与主成分分析表明,均匀度与多样性指数间的相关性高于丰富度与多样性指数,且多样性指数受均匀度、优势度指数受丰富度影响较大,反映出荒漠河岸林群落多样性主要决定于物种分布的均匀程度。12种多样性指数中Margalef丰富度指数（Ma）、Shannon-Weiner多样性指数（H）与Simpson多样性指数（D）能客观真实地反映异质生境荒漠植物群落多样性。同时,针对高度生境异质性的荒漠植物群落,还应综合考虑群落物种组成与生境特征,选择合适的多样性指数组合可更客观地反映荒漠河岸林群落多样性变化。     

Soil prokaryotic community shows no response to 2 years of simulated nitrogen deposition in an arid ecosystem in northwestern China

An arid ecosystem might be sensitive to nitrogen (N) deposition, but the associated ecosystem-specific response of soil microbes is not well studied. To assess the N enrichment effects on plant and prokaryotic community diversity, we performed a two-year NH₄NO₃ treatment in a desert steppe in northwestern China. Results showed that N addition increased plant aboveground biomass and decreased plant Shannon diversity. A C₄ herb (Salsola collina) became dominant, and loss of legume species was observed. The concentrations of soil NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, microbial biomass N, and the plant aboveground biomass N pool increased in contrast to total N, suggesting that the N input into the arid ecosystem might mainly be assimilated by plants and exit the ecosystem. Remarkably, the α-diversity and structure of the soil prokaryotic community did not vary even at the highest N addition rate. Structural equation modelling further found that the plant aboveground N pool counteracted the acidification effect of N deposition and maintained soil pH thus partially stabilizing the composition of prokaryotic communities in a desert steppe. These findings suggested that the plants and N loss might contribute to the lack of responsiveness of soil prokaryotic community to N deposition in a desert steppe.     

草原沙化与恢复中昆虫群落组成、营养结构及多样性变化研究

为了探讨草原沙化和人工固沙区植被恢复演替过程中昆虫群落组成、营养结构、多样性及稳定性的变化,在宁夏沙坡头自然保护区,利用随机和定点抽样法对上述二过程中不同地段的昆虫进行了调查。结果表明,随着沙化程度的增加和人工固沙区植被演替时间的延长,昆虫群落组成的复杂化和多样性呈现为负向和正向增加的变化趋势,但表现在群落组成结构、演替时间与方向上并不完全一致。随着沙化程度的加重,群落中天敌昆虫比率明显下降,在两个演替过程中,昆虫群落稳定性表现出下降趋势,但群落优势种的组成和不稳定机制明显不同。     

柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛群落谱系结构研究

谱系信息是群落生态学和保育生物学研究的主要内容之一。为探究柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛群落谱系结构及其与环境因子的关系,该研究以柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛为对象,基于群落中物种存在与否的物种组成数据,使用R语言中picante软件包计算了灌丛群落谱系多样性指数和谱系结构指数,并且分析了谱系结构指数与年均温度、年均降水以及土壤含水量之间的关系,以揭示柴达木盆地灌丛群落物种之间的亲缘关系和群落生物多样性维持机制。结果表明:(1)柴达木盆地灌丛群落谱系结构与土壤含水量之间存在极显著相关性(P=2.77×10-6),随着土壤含水量的增加,群落谱系结构聚集程度逐渐降低,表现出生境过滤作用逐步减弱,生物间相互作用逐渐加强的变化趋势。(2)群落谱系结构与年均温度、年均降水之间无显著相关性。(3)典型荒漠生境灌丛和河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落的谱系结构差异显著(P0.05),整体上分别表现为谱系聚集状态和谱系发散状态;河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落的谱系多样性显著高于典型荒漠生境灌丛(P0.05)。(4)将群落谱系信息应用在生物多样性保护实践中,发现河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落较典型荒漠生境的灌丛群落可能具有更高的保护价值。研究认为,将群落谱系研究与保育生物学理论结合将会使生物多样性保护策略更加科学有效。     

短花针茅荒漠草原土壤微生物群落组成及结构

为详细了解内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原生态系统中土壤微生物群落组成与结构。对其土壤中微生物的总DNA提取后,采用高通量测序技术对土壤中细菌的16Sr DNA和真菌的ITS基因进行了序列测定,分析了短花针茅荒漠草原土壤中微生物群落结构特征。结果表明,共获得细菌OTUs13711个,真菌OTUs 5929个。物种分类显示,细菌种类隶属于29门57纲111目191科485属,其中优势类群为Gammaproteobacteria和Thermoleophilia,它们的相对丰度分别为32.68%和26.83%。真菌隶属于4门16纲45目78科105属,优势类群为Ascomycota和Basidiomycota,它们的相对丰度分别为35.76%和25.90%。土壤中细菌群落的多样性和丰富度均高于真菌。     

Evolutionary ecology of plant-microbe interactions: soil microbial structure alters selection on plant traits

? Below-ground microbial communities influence plant diversity, plant productivity, and plant community composition. Given these strong ecological effects, are interactions with below-ground microbes also important for understanding natural selection on plant traits? ? Here, we manipulated below-ground microbial communities and the soil moisture environment on replicated populations of Brassica rapa to examine how microbial community structure influences selection on plant traits and mediates plant responses to abiotic environmental stress. ? In soils with experimentally simplified microbial communities, plants were smaller, had reduced chlorophyll content, produced fewer flowers, and were less fecund when compared with plant populations grown in association with more complex soil microbial communities. Selection on plant growth and phenological traits also was stronger when plants were grown in simplified, less diverse soil microbial communities, and these effects typically were consistent across soil moisture treatments. ? Our results suggest that microbial community structure affects patterns of natural selection on plant traits. Thus, the below-ground microbial community can influence evolutionary processes, just as recent studies have demonstrated that microbial diversity can influence plant community and ecosystem processes.     

Effects of plant diversity,community composition and environmental parameters on productivity in montane European grasslands

In the past years, a number of studies have used experimental plant communities to test if biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning such as productivity. It has been argued, however, that the results achieved in experimental studies may have little predictive value for species loss in natural ecosystems. Studies in natural ecosystems have been equivocal, mainly because in natural ecosystems differences in diversity are often confounded with differences in land use history or abiotic parameters. In this study, we investigated the effect of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning in semi-natural grasslands. In an area of 10×20 km, we selected 78 sites and tested the effects of various measures of diversity and plant community composition on productivity. We separated the effects of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning from potentially confounding effects of community composition, management or environmental parameters, using multivariate statistical analyses. In the investigated grasslands, simple measures of biodiversity were insignificant predictors of productivity. However, plant community composition explained productivity very well (R²=0.31) and was a better predictor than environmental variables (soil and site characteristics) or management regime. Thus, complex measures such as community composition and structure are important drivers for ecosystem functions in semi-natural grasslands. Furthermore, our data show that it is difficult to extrapolate results from experimental studies to semi-natural ecosystems, although there is a need to investigate natural ecosystems to fully understand the relationship of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.     

Phylogenetic structure and formation mechanism of shrub communities in arid and semiarid areas of the Mongolian Plateau

The mechanisms of species coexistence within a community have always been the focus in ecological research. Community phylogenetic structure reflects the relationship of historical processes, regional environments, and interactions between species, and studying it is imperative to understand the formation and maintenance mechanisms of community composition and biodiversity. We studied the phylogenetic structure of the shrub communities in arid and semiarid areas of the Mongolian Plateau. First, the phylogenetic signals of four plant traits (height, canopy, leaf length, and leaf width) of shrubs and subshrubs were measured to determine the phylogenetic conservation of these traits. Then, the net relatedness index (NRI) of shrub communities was calculated to characterize their phylogenetic structure. Finally, the relationship between the NRI and current climate and paleoclimate (since the Last Glacial Maximum, LGM) factors was analyzed to understand the formation and maintenance mechanisms of these plant communities. We found that desert shrub communities showed a trend toward phylogenetic overdispersion; that is, limiting similarity was predominant in arid and semiarid areas of the Mongolian Plateau despite the phylogenetic structure and formation mechanisms differing across habitats. The typical desert and sandy shrub communities showed a significant phylogenetic overdispersion, while the steppified desert shrub communities showed a weak phylogenetic clustering. It was found that mean winter temperature (i.e., in the driest quarter) was the major factor limiting steppified desert shrub phylogeny distribution. Both cold and drought (despite having opposite consequences) differentiated the typical desert to steppified desert shrub communities. The increase in temperature since the LGM is conducive to the invasion of shrub plants into steppe grassland, and this process may be intensified by global warming.     

Patterns of zonal changes in the spatial structure of Orthopteran communities in the European steppe

Patterns of zonal changes in the species composition, diversity, and community structure of Orthoptera were studied along the latitudinal series of steppe types from meadow to desert steppe in European Russia. The maximum abundance of Orthoptera was recorded in the typical steppe, while the maximum species richness shifted to the southern dry steppe. Changes in the ecological preferences of orthopterans due to aridization are shown by the example of zonal communities. A gradual decline of the forest-steppe orthopteran complex and an increase in the number of semidesert and desert species are demonstrated. The changes in the species composition are accompanied by the intra-landscape shifts of areas with high species diversity. Most species in the meadow steppe occupy mesophytic habitats in depressions. In the typical and dry steppe, the species richness and abundance are restricted to habitats with zonal and xerophytic vegetation. In the desert steppe, the species diversity is the highest in dry habitats, including halophytic ones, where xerophilic and desert species predominate. The diversity and evenness indices increase in the northern and southern ecotones of the steppe zone.     

Effects of management and structural connectivity on the plant communities of organic vegetable field margins in South Korea

Field margins are an important component of the agri-environment as they contribute to maintaining ecosystem functions and protecting biodiversity. Field margin structure, landscape attributes, and management practices have been examined as determinants of plant species diversity and composition for mainly cereal field margins; however, relatively little is known about their influence on vegetable field margins. We selected three types of field margins (each n = 4; non-managed connected to forests, non-managed isolated, and isolated and managed margins with mowing and organic herbicide) adjacent to organic vegetable crop fields and recorded the species richness and abundance of all vascular plants. The effects of structural connectivity, weed control management, and margin width on the community composition, species richness, and diversity were examined using multivariate statistical techniques. Plant community composition was clearly explained by structural connectivity between field margin and forest, as well as by weed control management. In contrast, species richness of functional guilds was influenced by connectivity and margin width, but not by weed control management. All communities had similar numbers of summer and fall blooming nectar- and pollen-producing plants, an important source of pollination services. In addition, each community of field margin types, despite different species composition, had similar levels of Shannon diversity and evenness. Our results suggest that habitat arrangement is important for determining community composition in field margins. Management practices may be important in determining dominance patterns of individual species. A combination of various margin types and widths may be beneficial for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.     

Examining differences in phylogenetic composition enhances understanding of the phylogenetic structure of the shrub community in the northeastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

Periodic climatic oscillations and species dispersal during the postglacial period are two important causes of plant assemblage and distribution on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP). To improve our understanding of the bio‐geological histories of shrub communities on the QTP, we tested two hypotheses. First, the intensity of climatic oscillations played a filtering role during community structuring. Second, species dispersal during the postglacial period contributed to the recovery of species and phylogenetic diversity and the emergence of phylogenetic overdispersion. To test these hypotheses, we investigated and compared the shrub communities in the alpine and desert habitats of the northeastern QTP. Notably, we observed higher levels of species and phylogenetic diversity in the alpine habitat than in the desert habitat, leading to phylogenetic overdispersion in the alpine shrub communities versus phylogenetic clustering in the desert shrub communities. This phylogenetic overdispersion increased with greater climate anomalies. These results suggest that (a) although climate anomalies strongly affect shrub communities, these phenomena do not act as a filter for shrub community structuring, and (b) species dispersal increases phylogenetic diversity and overdispersion in a community. Moreover, our investigation of the phylogenetic community composition revealed a larger number of plant clades in the alpine shrub communities than in the desert shrub communities, which provided insights into plant clade‐level differences in the phylogenetic structures of alpine and desert shrub communities in the northeastern QTP.     

库姆塔格沙漠南缘荒漠植物群落多样性分析

 根据20个样地的调查资料,应用重要值计算多样性指数、均匀度指数、丰富度指数 、优势度指数,对库姆塔格沙漠南缘荒漠植物群落物种多样性进行分析。结果表明: 1）荒漠植物群落分布随其生境地貌不同而不同,山前戈壁上分布有合头草(Sympegma regelii)群落,冲积河道低地分布有荒漠林胡杨(Populus euphratica)、多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、胀果甘草（Glycyrrhiza inflata）群落,戈壁沙漠过渡带为梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)群落,低海拔的沙山上分布有沙拐枣(Calligonum mongolicum)群落、膜果麻黄(Ephedra rzewalskii)群落和梭梭群落。2）荒漠植物群落物种多样性水平较低,群落结构简单,物种组成单一。群落Shannon_Wiener物种多样性水平表现为合头草群落最高（1.706）,具有草原化荒漠植被类型的成分;梭梭群落、膜果麻黄群落居中（0.875～0.890）,荒漠植被类型特征明显;沙拐枣群落、胡杨群落、多枝 柽柳群落、胀果甘草群落较低（0.079～0.495）,荒漠林、盐地沙生灌丛及盐化草甸植被均有零星分布。3）荒漠植物群落结构层次中,灌木层占居主导地位,群落灌木层物种多样性水平（0.769～1.451）远远大于草本层（0.193～0.254）,且草本层物种多样性受灌木层影响较大。4）荒漠植物群落物种多样性分布格局表现为经向、纬向和海拔梯度的变化,经向、纬向变化为物种多样性水平较高的草原化植物合头草群落（1.706）向物种多样性水平较低的荒漠植物梭梭群落（1.379）和盐化植物多枝柽柳群落（0.376）的过渡,海拔梯度则 呈现低水平的沙拐枣群落（0.819）到高水平的膜果麻黄群落（0.890）向低水平的梭梭群落 （0.645）变化。荒漠植物群落过渡地带一般具有较高的物种多样性和较低的生态优势度。     

荒漠草原“土岛”生境群落物种共存机制

经过长期破碎化, 荒漠草原原生硬质灰钙土斑块散布在广大沙化土地中, 形成类似“土岛”的土被结构。为揭示土岛生境的群落物种共存机制, 2016年在宁夏盐池县皖记沟村选取大(200-300 m²)、中(约100 m²)、小(约50 m²)土岛各3个开展调查, 采用Jaccard相异系数、物种生态位宽度和生态位重叠度、零模型、Meta分析, 综合计算和分析土岛内部与外部植物群落相似性、物种生态位宽度和生态位重叠、物种共存格局及其影响因子。研究发现, (1)随着破碎化加剧, 土岛内部植物多样性整体呈现下降趋势, 群落优势种从短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)转变为猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)和短花针茅共优种, 土岛内外群落相似性增加。(2)土岛内外绝大多数物种生态位重叠较小, 生态位重叠在土岛内呈集中分布, 而土岛外则呈均匀发散分布。(3)环境过滤为主的生态过程决定了土岛生境群落物种的共存格局, 随着土岛面积减小, 环境因子对群落物种共存的调控强度降低, 关键性环境因子由土壤细砂粒和黏粒转变为粗砂粒, 显著性竞争物种共存格局在小岛出现。综上所述, 土岛生境对于维持草原物种具有重要作用, 环境过滤主导了荒漠草原物种共存格局。随着生境破碎化加剧或土岛面积减小, 物种共存格局及其调控因子发生转变。保护面积在200 m²以上的大土岛对于恢复荒漠草原区草原成分种和其物种多样性机制都十分必要。     

Intraspecific chemical diversity among neighbouring plants correlates positively with plant size and herbivore load but negatively with herbivore damage

Intraspecific plant diversity can modify the properties of associated arthropod communities and plant fitness. However, it is not well understood which plant traits determine these ecological effects. We explored the effect of intraspecific chemical diversity among neighbouring plants on the associated invertebrate community and plant traits. In a common garden experiment, intraspecific diversity among neighbouring plants was manipulated using three plant populations of wild cabbage that differ in foliar glucosinolates. Plants were larger, harboured more herbivores, but were less damaged when plant diversity was increased. Glucosinolate concentration differentially correlated with generalist and specialist herbivore abundance. Glucosinolate composition correlated with plant damage, while in polycultures, variation in glucosinolate concentrations among neighbouring plants correlated positively with herbivore diversity and negatively with plant damage levels. The results suggest that intraspecific variation in secondary chemistry among neighbouring plants is important in determining the structure of the associated insect community and positively affects plant performance.     

Urban greenspace composition and landscape context influence natural enemy community composition and function

Conservation research has historically been aimed at preserving high value natural habitats, but urbanization and its associated impacts have prompted broader mandates that include the preservation and promotion of biodiversity in cities. Current efforts within urban landscapes aim to support biodiversity and diverse ecosystem services such as storm water management, sustainable food production, and toxin remediation. Arthropod natural enemies provide biocontrol services important for the ecosystem management of urban greenspaces. Establishing habitat for these and other beneficial arthropods is a growing area of urban conservation. Habitat design, resource inputs, management, and abiotic conditions shape the value of greenspace habitats for arthropods. In general, larger patches with diverse plant communities support a greater abundance and diversity of natural enemies and biocontrol services, yet opposing patterns or no effects have also been documented. The surrounding landscape is likely a contributor to this variation in natural enemy response to patch-scale habitat design and management. Looking across rural–urban landscape gradients, natural enemy communities shift toward dominance by habitat generalists and disturbance tolerant species in urban areas compared to rural or natural communities. These changes have been linked to variation in habitat fragmentation, plant productivity and management intensity. In landscape-scale studies focusing solely within cities, variables such as impervious surface area and greenspace connectivity affect the community assembly of natural enemies within a patch. Given these findings, a greater mechanistic understanding of how both the composition and spatial context of urban greenspaces influence natural enemy biodiversity–biocontrol relationships is needed to advance conservation planning and implementation.