Biodiversity in urban ecosystems: Plants and macromycetes as indicators for conservation planning in the city of Coimbra (Portugal)

Urban landscapes support a high and rich diversity often occurring as unusual or unique communities. Urban green areas are a vital part of the urban landscape, providing contact with wildlife and environmental services with additional socio-ecological benefits to the overall quality of life. The composition and diversity of vascular plants and macromycetes were assessed in an urban green area of the city of Coimbra (central Portugal) comprising three landscape types (Oak-, Eucalyptus-, and Olive-stands), with historical periurban agriculture and forest uses. We recorded 287 taxa of plants, including three taxa with important ecological value (Quercus suber, Quercus faginea subsp. broteroi and Ruscus aculeatus) and 96 taxa of macromycetes. The pattern of land use resulted in the establishment of different plant and soil fungal communities’ composition and diversity among these landscapes. The plant richness and diversity indices revealed similar trends within the landscape types, with the highest values found in the Olive-stands due to the presence of herbaceous that decreased with tree cover density. Richness and diversity of macromycetes were higher in Oak-stands especially the symbiotic ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities. Although not significant, higher saprobic fungi richness and diversity values were found in the Eucalyptus-stands. Given the undoubted ecological complexity of urban green areas and the value of these ecosystems for society in terms of goods and services, it is imperative to select bioindicators that are readily accessible and reliable to design balanced urban ecosystems by linking wildlife and biological parameters to human well-being.

► We characterized plant's and macromycete's diversity in urban landscapes.
► Plant diversity was significantly different when analysed by growth-form.
► Oak-stands exhibited the highest ECM fungal diversity values.
► Eucalyptus-stands were more affected by invasive taxa.
► Taxa with higher biological and conservation value were found in Oak-stands.
► Disturbed and abandoned areas showed high capacity for regeneration.