TY - JOUR
T1 - Increases in avian diversity associated with COVID-19 lockdowns in urban Colombia
AU - MacGregor-Fors, I.
AU - Arbeláez-Cortés, E.
AU - Estela, F. A.
AU - Ocampo, D.
AU - Sánchez-Sarria, C. E.
AU - García-Arroyo, M.
AU - Aguirre-Samboní, G. K.
AU - Cortés-Díaz, D.
AU - Franco Morales, J. C.
AU - Gaitán-García, C. D.
AU - Guerrero-Pelaez, S.
AU - Gutiérrez Parodys, Y.
AU - Holguín-Ruiz, M.
AU - Meza-Angulo, E.
AU - Vides, H. A.
AU - Wilches-Vega, J. D.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Research on urban biodiversity has primarily addressed the effects of urbanization and human activity synergistically as it has been virtually impossible to dissociate their impact on city wildlife. However, the anthropause resulting from COVID–19 lockdowns provided an unprecedented scenario to study the relative role of human activity on avian communities. Here we provide evidence of the relationships between human activity and bird species richness in urban areas of Colombia during its strict and subsequent relaxed lockdowns. Once the strict lockdown was lifted and human activity increased, avian species richness decreased by 32 % in 46 % of our sampling sites. Although the strict lockdown lasted only six weeks, local assemblages (mainly from low–intensity urbanization peri–urban sites) swiftly became more diverse. Our findings highlight the importance of taking human activity into account when planning cities, with important focus on greenspaces, if our aim is to conserve and enhance urban biodiversity. Such plans will require not only the cooperation of local governments but also greater awareness among the local population regarding the importance of creating livable, healthy, biodiverse, and resilient cities.
AB - Research on urban biodiversity has primarily addressed the effects of urbanization and human activity synergistically as it has been virtually impossible to dissociate their impact on city wildlife. However, the anthropause resulting from COVID–19 lockdowns provided an unprecedented scenario to study the relative role of human activity on avian communities. Here we provide evidence of the relationships between human activity and bird species richness in urban areas of Colombia during its strict and subsequent relaxed lockdowns. Once the strict lockdown was lifted and human activity increased, avian species richness decreased by 32 % in 46 % of our sampling sites. Although the strict lockdown lasted only six weeks, local assemblages (mainly from low–intensity urbanization peri–urban sites) swiftly became more diverse. Our findings highlight the importance of taking human activity into account when planning cities, with important focus on greenspaces, if our aim is to conserve and enhance urban biodiversity. Such plans will require not only the cooperation of local governments but also greater awareness among the local population regarding the importance of creating livable, healthy, biodiverse, and resilient cities.
KW - Bird surveys
KW - Coronavirus
KW - Data–intensive science
KW - Neotropic
KW - Urban ecology
KW - 1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology
U2 - 10.32800/abc.2022.45.0315
DO - 10.32800/abc.2022.45.0315
M3 - Article
SN - 1578-665X
VL - 45.2
SP - 315
EP - 325
JO - Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
JF - Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
ER -