Avian response to urbanization in the arid riparian context of Reno, USA

The difference between the urban and non-urban environment in arid landscapes can be quite distinct because of the large water and nutrient (along with many other) subsidies provided by human development. With these subsidies comes the potential to increase vertical structure and vegetation diversity over the natural landscape, creating artificial habitats. We assessed how birds were responding to urbanization in Reno, Nevada, USA (pop ∼200,000), located in a semi-arid, “cold desert” climate. Despite a heavily developed core, we found that native richness increased as urbanization increased. Our analysis suggests that this pattern is driven by the Truckee River that flows through the city. Remnant riparian patches could combine with urban landscaping to effectively extend riparian habitat into the city. The role of urban riparian habitats for native bird conservation needs to be assessed as urbanization continues in arid regions.

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► This research provides evidence of increasing bird diversity with increasing urbanization at the landscape scale.
► This research highlights the importance of the surrounding landscape in modeling the impacts of urbanization on biodiversity.
► This research adds to the existing body of knowledge for semi-arid urban landscapes with a major riparian component.
► These findings provide an opportunity for ecologists and land-use planners to further explore how urban environments can provide suitable habitat for native bird species.