Plant Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Cities
When I first came across Dr. Darrel Jenerette’s studies on urban ecology and equity, I was impressed by his ability to combine ecology with social science. His work in terrestrial ecology spans from deserts to agricultural fields to cities, giving him expertise on how these different landscapes are connected, and how they connect with the people living in them. Whether you are interested in nitrogen cycling, plant biodiversity, or environmental justice, you should come to Dr. Jenerette’s talk.
— Rachel Torres, Bren School PhD Student
ABSTRACT
Cities can be hotspots of plant biodiversity and provide extensive ecosystem services. In Los Angeles, one of the most diverse cities in the world, we have found an order of magnitude more urban tree species than in the local native community. Urban plants also provide extensive ecosystem services. Plant-derived cooling can provide extensive benefits as a key human health related service, and may act as a negative climate feedback. Applications of urban plants for their services leads to two prominent challenges. Ensuring sufficient water for plants is a fundamental trade-off, especially in arid environments where water availability may be limited. At the same time, the distribution of urban plants in many cities is highly segregated and can lead to environmental injustice. To improve sustainability and resilience of urban environments, management of trade-offs and equity for multiple impacts is needed.
BIO
Darrel Jenerette is a landscape and ecosystem scientist who is currently a Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences and the Director of the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of California, Riverside. His research has been directed to two main thrusts: urban ecosystems and dryland responses to precipitation variability. Recently he has begun combining these research threads into new approaches for considering the urban wildland interface.