Fire ecology is a discipline with a long tradition of conceptualising disturbances in terms of time, space, intensity, duration and frequency, and using these concepts to frame research at landscape scales that both inform understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem responses to disturbance, as well as guiding management actions. Urban ecology is a younger discipline, which historically has often conceptualised disturbance associated with urban environments using a more generalised understanding, often associated with the concept of gradients of urbanisation. We explore the potential for borrowing the disturbance concepts from Fire Ecology to inform new approaches to urban ecology research, and the potential implications for the management, planning and design of urban areas for improved biodiversity outcomes.

In the Elbe catchment many projects for floodplain and river restoration have started, but only a few have been finished. One of the larger projects in Germany is the revitalisation project “Lebendige Luppe” in the Leipzig agglomeration started in 2012. The objective is the revitalization the floodplain ecosystems, with one of the largest urban floodplain forests in Germany. One of the main objectives is to improve floodplain dynamics by inundation to increase the quality of the habitats for plants and animals, and to maintain and increase its ecosystem services for people. Unexpected events like the flooding events in 2011 and in 2013 inundated the study area and showed the potential of the former river dynamics in the project area.
The presentation will give a short overview of floodplain restoration projects in the German Elbe catchment and present in more detail the project “Lebendige Luppe” with its planning challenges and related ecosystem services in a strongly modified hydrological river and floodplain network in an urban context.
First results of an ecosystem service approach dealing with the quantification and assessment of ecosystem service which are important in floodplains will be presented. The results describe the current situation of the performance of selected ecosystem services. Possible hydrological scenarios describe the future situation and allow the future performance of these ecosystem functions and services to be estimated (e.g. habitat provision, flood and nutrient retention, carbon sequestration or cultural services like nature based recreation).

Cities are increasingly connected through smart technologies and the Internet of Things. The promise of integrated urban systems relies in the capacity of recording, storing and analyzing large amounts of data. Current and emerging technologies will greatly depend upon the ability to sense all the biophysical characteristics of complex urban environments, as well as human-environment interactions across socio-techno-ecological systems.

Despite concerns on dystopian futures devoid of Nature, technology and big data will offer unparalleled opportunities for urban ecology. These range from real-time tracking of species movements, to using robotics and drones for monitoring ecological processes and functions, to boosting our predictive capacity with augmented and assisted decision-making tools. A research framework based on big data will allow to move away from ecological sampling towards “ecological accounting” (e.g., census). In this way, big data applications will allow a much more precise exploration of the emerging properties of socio-techno-ecological systems across spatial scales, the interactive effects across urban macrosystems and their evolution over time.

In this talk, key opportunities and challenges for ecological exploration in cities will be discussed by drawing selected examples from the emerging big data literature. Particular emphasis will be placed on the analysis of the challenges posed by big data analytics, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as the theoretical and practical limitations dictated by a future bringing unlimited data.

We describe our experiences applying spatially explicit, quantitative methods in Melbourne’s Healthy Waterway Strategy, and how they informed stakeholder deliberations on the identification of actions and targets for ecological values in the strategy’s participatory framework. We developed habitat suitability models for 52 macroinvertebrate families, 13 native fish species, and platypus. We then applied quantitative methods (Zonation) to prioritise cost-effective management actions throughout the >8,000km stream network to optimise protection and restoration of instream animal diversity. Using examples, we elaborate on the benefits of this approach (relative to previous approaches to prioritizing investment) including:
• better use of available biological data, with point-location data used to generate spatially continuous estimates of instream biodiversity at unsurveyed sites
• improved granularity in mapping of biodiversity patterns, alerting stakeholders to values, constraints and opportunities they might have been unaware of
• ability to integrate and model strategic considerations such as different aspects of climate change impacts (warming, drying), land use change and their interactive effects
• ability to quantify the expected difference made by management actions, and to account for costs so that action planning can be based on cost-effectiveness
• ability to spatially prioritise management actions, and to interrogate and critically debate alternative actions at specific locations for planning and target-setting
• improved ability to map, summarise and communicate decision-relevant data to different audiences
• repeatable analyses that can be scrutinised, error-checked, critiqued and built upon
Finally, we discuss the nuances of communicating the workings of quantitative tools and outputs in participatory settings.

As global populations are becoming increasingly concentrated in urban areas, residents are seeking ways to connect with nature in their cities. However, many of the plants and animals residing in cities remain largely unknown to onlookers, which can inhibit people from creating meaningful connections with urban nature. Research-oriented citizen science programs can encourage people to interact with nature in cities, while allowing ecologists to collect detailed data on urban ecosystems.

Here, we present a novel approach to engage urban citizen scientists with insect pollinators, through monitoring a network of flowering plants known as ‘pollinator observatories’. For two years, both citizen scientists and research scientists have been repeatedly surveying these pollinator observatories, to understand urban plant-pollinator interactions. Through the use of ecological modelling methods, we have produced predicted ‘observation windows’ for these plants, to understand, based on the plants’ floral resources and flowering season, when insects are most likely to be interacting with these plants at any given time.

Greenspace managers can use these predicted observation windows to guide the public to observatories where they will have the highest chance of observing insect pollinators. Implementing this method thus allows us to not only engage citizen scientists in the data collection process, but to collect meaningful information regarding interactions between flowering plants and insect pollinators. Doing so will better inform managers and ecologists of how to best showcase the often-unseen ecological interactions occurring in urban environments, and help city residents appreciate, and interact with, nature in cities.

Citizen science has demonstrated utility for multiple taxa across various spatial scales. Birds, insects, marine megafauna and koalas have all been the subject of successful citizen science projects in Australia. However, these species tend to be either large, conspicuous and/or diurnal. We examine the potential for citizens to correctly identify the presence of a nocturnal threatened species (western ringtail possum) in urban areas, and discriminate it accurately from a similar co-occurring species (common brushtail possum). We quantify the level of agreement between citizens and qualified ecologists and their ability to detect and correctly identify possums on their own property. Our results found a very level of accuracy between citizens and ecologists, with as much as 85% agreement in positive identification of the threatened western ringtail possum. Likewise, citizens showed high levels of accuracy in their reporting of absence of both possum species in their gardens. The role private land can play in the effort to prevent extinctions is underpinned by the understanding the landholders have of the species living alongside them, or not as the case may be. Our study provides critical evidence that this understanding can and does extend beyond commonly monitored species in urban gardens (i.e. birds, insects). It is clear that citizens have a significant contribution to make in building a more ecological comprehensive understanding of what and how biodiversity persists in the urban landscape, including threatened species.

The implementation of green roofs is increasing worldwide, aiming to improve urban climate, storm water retention, human well-being, and to increase habitat for species. Yet, it is unclear which species use them and how green roof characteristics and landscape context determine their value for biodiversity.
Green roofs usually comprise small site areas and experience increased solar radiation and heat as well as strong winds due to their elevation. These characteristics, in addition to limited access, could impede the use and efficiency of some standard methods for surveying biodiversity. Therefore, we conducted a pilot study to test the feasibility of our chosen methods.
We surveyed microbats using passive bat detectors, birds using timed visual surveys and timed observation plots followed by random transects to survey bees and butterflies.
Results suggest that using audio recorders to survey microbats on green roofs is feasible. However, timed surveys and random transects were less suitable for recording birds, bees and butterflies, even when survey conditions were suitable, which may be due to lower abundances and shorter visitations of these taxa. Therefore, we believe that the methods need further consideration.
We conclude that a combination of active and passive sampling methods should be used when surveying biodiversity on green roofs since this would expand the survey time and likely cover different temporal pattern of various species using them. Furthermore, we highly recommend testing the feasibility and efficiency of survey methods before applying them in novel ecosystems, and be prepared to consider approaches used in other disciplines.

Urban biodiversity can enhance the health and wellbeing of city-dwellers and urban spaces can enhance biodiversity. Advances in remote camera technology and image identification provide tools for studying the influences driving wildlife presence in cities. Urban ecology also lends itself to Citizen Science which is a good tool to engage residents with the biodiversity value of urban landscapes. We use a combination of public questionnaire and remote cameras to address three questions about how wildlife live in suburban Hobart, Tasmania: 1) How far into the suburbs different species of wildlife penetrate? 2) What factors influence the presence and abundance of different species in urban bushland, bushland-edge properties and in backyards and how does the configuration of these influence penetration into the suburbs and connectivity between patches of bushland? 3) Do urban wildlife species display risk-sensitive behaviours to the presence of pets in backyards?
We detected 20 species of mammals and a ground-dwelling bird using bushland edge and suburban backyards. The Citizen Science survey, representing household members observing their backyard year-round, produced more species and records than the three week camera survey, although the results of both were congruent. Four species were detected in suburbia more than 1 km from the bush edge and an additional four species up to 500m. Native vegetation in yards and in urban green space are important factors influencing wildlife presence and connectivity in the suburbs. Presence of dogs and cats influence vigilance behaviour in some species but others appear naïve to these alien predators.

Management practices within urban environments facilitate the establishment of trees outside their natural distributions. Nevertheless, their survival and performance across contrasting urban microclimates requires broad physiological tolerance or phenotypic plasticity. The role of adaptive responses in functional traits of urban trees remains a source of uncertainty for sustainable urban forests, especially under climate change. We assessed the plasticity of functional and physiological traits of tree species planted along an urban climatic gradient. We used the Greater Sydney region as a case study, selecting four sites along a ~55 km east-west transect, ranging from the cooler/wetter coast to the drier/warmer inland (TMAX = 21.8 vs. 24.7 °C, rainfall = 1216 vs. 717 mm, respectively). We investigated five tree species with different predicted climatic vulnerability based on climate-origins (four natives, one exotic). We assessed functional and physiological traits indicative of drought tolerance: Huber value (HV), specific leaf area (SLA), wood density (WD), leaf osmotic potential (πO) and turgor loss point (πtlp). All species showed significant differences in drought tolerance across sites along the climatic gradient. Broadly, trees planted in the inland sites had more negative πO and πtlp, higher HV and WD, and lower SLA compared to the coastal sites, indicating phenotypic plasticity. Species differed in their response to the climatic gradient with greater plasticity found in the exotic Celtis australis and the more southernly-distributed Tristaniopsis laurina, whereas the more northernly-distributed Cupaniopsis anacardioides showed limited plasticity. Our findings reveal adaptation of urban trees to climate via plasticity in drought stress tolerance traits.

Australian hoverflies (approximately 180 species) provide important ecosystem services such as pollination and control of phytophagous pests. The role of hoverflies as predators has the potential to reduce pesticide use in cities while their role as pollinators will benefit the conservation of native vegetation. Although 86% of Australia’s population is urban, little is known about the impact of urbanization on hoverfly diversity and distribution. We surveyed hoverflies from 30 urban sites in two consecutive seasons. We used a multi-scale approach to quantify habitat attributes and compared hoverfly richness and diversity to the measured environmental variables. Hoverflies were active during the entire sampling period, and hoverfly abundance was strongly and positively related to sunshine but not temperature. Hoverfly diversity was higher on less frequently mowed sites and in sites with higher abundance of flowers, regardless of human population density. The ability of hoverflies to stay active during the coldest months, inhabit densely populated urban areas, and having a generalist flower diet are characteristics that make them suitable candidates for the provision of multiple ecosystem services in cities. Urban hoverfly diversity and abundance can be increased with simple interventions such as assuring a constant flower supply throughout the year or decreasing the frequency in which ground cover is mowed. We suggest a series of environmental practices that can increase the diversity and abundance of native hoverfly species in urban areas, thus enhancing the provision of important ecosystem services such as pollination and control of hemipteran pests.

Rapid land use change in cities requires measuring shifting patterns in biodiversity at various spatial scales to inform landscape management. However, assessing changes in biodiversity at different scales is logistically challenging in urban ecosystems managed by many individuals. Consequently, we do not know much about the structure and function of green spaces that support urban biodiversity. This work aimed to 1) understand how ecological heterogeneity in urban community gardens varies at different spatial scales, applying new technologies in urban ecology; and 2) provide applied suggestions to researchers, land managers, and urban planners. We performed two methods to assess garden vegetation structure (plant height) and function (plant species diversity/coverage)) at two spatial scales: the garden scale and the garden plot scale. First, we used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to measure garden and plot vegetation. Second, we used field sampling of garden and plot vegetation. We evaluated differences in canopy height models at each spatial scale across the gardens and compared UAV and field measurements to one another. We found that gardens vary in vegetation characteristics at different spatial scales. Higher plant species richness was positively predicted by UAV-derived imagery. Surprisingly and counter to our predictions, vegetation cover and vegetation height were not predicted by UAV imagery at either plot or garden scale. New technologies paired with human field sampling can together inform how ecological heterogeneity varies with spatial scale in urban landscapes. Spatial scale is the key to accurate and meaningful analyses of heterogeneity with implications for land management and planning.