Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments
Abstract Urban areas are increasing worldwide, which poses threats to animal wildlife. However, in certain cases cities can provide refuges for endangered animals. The European green toad (Bufotes viridis) is one of such examples, which is known from cities throughout their distribution. In contrast...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Zoology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-022-00480-x |
| _version_ | 1797945807076327424 |
|---|---|
| author | Lukas Landler Stephan Burgstaller Silke Schweiger |
| author_facet | Lukas Landler Stephan Burgstaller Silke Schweiger |
| author_sort | Lukas Landler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Urban areas are increasing worldwide, which poses threats to animal wildlife. However, in certain cases cities can provide refuges for endangered animals. The European green toad (Bufotes viridis) is one of such examples, which is known from cities throughout their distribution. In contrast, considerable areas of their former (primary) habitats have been degraded. The primary habitats of this species include steppes and wild river floodplains, both characterized by dynamic changes and the presence of open areas. We used available green toad observation data (2007–2020) to model the effects of land-use types on occurrence probability in the city of Vienna. Forest and densely populated areas were highly significantly negatively associated with green toad presence, while transformation/construction site areas showed a strong positive effect. Such occurrence pattern might be characteristic for early succession species, which depend on stochastic environmental disturbances (e.g., droughts and floods) in their primary habitats. We argue that urban landscape planning should appreciate the potential ecological value of open land in cities which is either in a transition phase or a permanent ‘wasteland’. Ecological managing of such landscape could vastly increase urban biodiversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:00:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64de0dc641ea4f7eb4cf16dd793a958b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1742-9994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:00:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Zoology |
| spelling | doaj.art-64de0dc641ea4f7eb4cf16dd793a958b2023-01-22T12:20:29ZengBMCFrontiers in Zoology1742-99942023-01-012011710.1186/s12983-022-00480-xLand-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environmentsLukas Landler0Stephan Burgstaller1Silke Schweiger2Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)First Zoological Department, Herpetological Collection, Natural History Museum ViennaAbstract Urban areas are increasing worldwide, which poses threats to animal wildlife. However, in certain cases cities can provide refuges for endangered animals. The European green toad (Bufotes viridis) is one of such examples, which is known from cities throughout their distribution. In contrast, considerable areas of their former (primary) habitats have been degraded. The primary habitats of this species include steppes and wild river floodplains, both characterized by dynamic changes and the presence of open areas. We used available green toad observation data (2007–2020) to model the effects of land-use types on occurrence probability in the city of Vienna. Forest and densely populated areas were highly significantly negatively associated with green toad presence, while transformation/construction site areas showed a strong positive effect. Such occurrence pattern might be characteristic for early succession species, which depend on stochastic environmental disturbances (e.g., droughts and floods) in their primary habitats. We argue that urban landscape planning should appreciate the potential ecological value of open land in cities which is either in a transition phase or a permanent ‘wasteland’. Ecological managing of such landscape could vastly increase urban biodiversity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-022-00480-xUrban ecologyAmphibiaAnuraLandcoverConservation |
| spellingShingle | Lukas Landler Stephan Burgstaller Silke Schweiger Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments Frontiers in Zoology Urban ecology Amphibia Anura Landcover Conservation |
| title | Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments |
| title_full | Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments |
| title_fullStr | Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments |
| title_short | Land-use preferences of the European green toad (Bufotes viridis) in the city of Vienna (Austria): the importance of open land in urban environments |
| title_sort | land use preferences of the european green toad bufotes viridis in the city of vienna austria the importance of open land in urban environments |
| topic | Urban ecology Amphibia Anura Landcover Conservation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-022-00480-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lukaslandler landusepreferencesoftheeuropeangreentoadbufotesviridisinthecityofviennaaustriatheimportanceofopenlandinurbanenvironments AT stephanburgstaller landusepreferencesoftheeuropeangreentoadbufotesviridisinthecityofviennaaustriatheimportanceofopenlandinurbanenvironments AT silkeschweiger landusepreferencesoftheeuropeangreentoadbufotesviridisinthecityofviennaaustriatheimportanceofopenlandinurbanenvironments |