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Abstract Cities tend to be built in areas of high biodiversity, and the accelerating pace of urbanization threatens the persistence of many species and ecological communities globally. However, urban environments also offer unique prospects for biological conservation, with multiple benefits for humans and other species. We present seven ecological principles to conserve and increase the biodiversity of cities, using metaphors to bridge the gap between the languages of built-environment and conservation professionals. We draw upon John Ruskin's famous essay on the seven lamps of architecture, but more generally on the thinking of built-environment pioneers such as Patrick Geddes (1854–1932) who proposed a synoptic view of the urban environment that included humans and non-humans alike. To explain each principle or 'lamp' of urban biodiversity, we use an understanding from the built-environment disciplines as a base and demonstrate through metaphor that planning for the more-than-human does not require a conceptual leap. We conclude our discussion with ten practical strategies for turning on these lamps in cities. Urban planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers and other built-environmental professionals have a key role to play in a paradigm shift to plan for the more-than-human, because of their direct influence on the evolving urban environment. This essay is intended to increase dialogue between ecologists and members of these professions, and thus increase the biodiversity of cities around the world. Highlights • Cities and towns offer important opportunities for the conservation of biodiversity. • A paradigm shift that integrates biodiversity into the urban fabric is required. • We present seven ecological principles to increase the biodiversity of cities through planning for the more-than-human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Beetle faunas in agricultural landscapes are a robust subset of the beetle communities that existed prior to land clearing. [•] Habitat restoration may be ineffective without the translocation of specialised beetles and the introduction of ground layers. [•] Beetle species and trophic groups are adapted to agricultural vegetation variables rather than vegetation in remnant areas. [•] Beetle community composition is influenced by environmental variables such as native vegetation structure and soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Urban climates are known to differ from those of the surrounding rural areas, as human activities in cities lead to changes in temperature, humidity and wind regimes. These changes can in turn affect the geographic distribution of species, the behaviour of animals and the phenology of plants. The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a large, nomadic bat from eastern Australia that roosts in large colonies known as camps. Historically a warm temperate to tropical species, P. poliocephalus recently established a year-round camp in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Using a bioclimatic analysis, we demonstrated that on the basis of long-term data, Melbourne does not fall within the climatic range of other P. poliocephalus camp sites in Australia. Melbourne is drier than other summer camps, and cooler and drier than other winter camps. The city also receives less radiation, in winter and annually, than the other summer and winter camps of P. poliocephalus. However, we found that temperatures in central Melbourne have been increasing since the 1950s, leading to warmer conditions and a reduction in the number of frosts. In addition, artificial watering of parks and gardens in the city may contribute the equivalent of 590mm (95% CI: 450–720mm) of extra rainfall per year. It appears that human activities have increased temperatures and effective precipitation in central Melbourne, creating a more suitable climate for camps of the grey-headed flying-fox. As demonstrated by this example, anthropogenic climate change is likely to complicate further the task of conserving biological diversity in urban environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Loss and fragmentation of habitat resulting from the clearing of forests for agriculture and urban development threaten the persistence of thousands of species worldwide. The clearing of native forest to plant a monoculture of exotic trees may also reduce and fragment the habitat available for indigenous plants and animals. Metacommunity theory suggests that the species richness of a community in a patch of habitat will increase with patch size but decrease with patch isolation. We investigated whether replacement of native Eucalyptus forest with a plantation of Pinus radiata has reduced and fragmented habitat for frogs, leading to a lower species richness of frog communities in the pine plantation and in small and/or isolated remnant patches of native forest. We surveyed frogs at 60 sites at streams and wetlands in the pine plantation, remnant patches of native forest surrounded by pines, and adjacent areas of contiguous native forest near Tumut in New South Wales, Australia. Only two of eight species of frogs were recorded in the pine plantation, and regression modelling indicated that streams and wetlands in the pines supported fewer frog species than those in remnant patches or the intact native forest. In addition, species richness tended to be higher at wide, shallow swamps and marshes near the headwaters of streams, with herbs, grasses, shrubs, reeds, sedges and rushes in the emergent and fringing vegetation. There was little evidence to suggest that larger eucalypt remnants supported more species of frogs, or that remnants isolated by greater expanses of pines supported fewer species, but we had low power to detect these effects with our data set. Our results support the preservation of all remnants of native forest along drainage lines and around swamps, soaks and bogs, regardless of size. Where new pine plantations are established, for example, on cleared agricultural land, care should be taken to maintain the structural and vegetative characteristics of water bodies to ensure that they continue to provide suitable breeding habitat for frogs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many animals use acoustic signals as a means of intra- and inter-specific communication. For example, male anuran amphibians produce advertisement calls to attract females for breeding, and as a territorial signal. The production of acoustic signals can be energetically costly, and the distance over which a signal is effective depends on a range of variables including the location of the caller and receiver, ambient conditions and the habitat through which the sound travels. This paper presents a spatially explicit model of the propagation of an anuran advertisement call across a landscape, using the example of the northern spring peeper Pseudacris crucifer crucifer. The model is used to investigate (a) the effect of habitat, caller position and chorus noise on the effective distance of a call with a frequency of approximately 3 kHz; and (b) the energetics and efficiency of calling at different intensities and from different locations in the landscape. Calling next to still water or from an elevated perch increases, while calling in a chorus decreases, the distance over which a female can distinguish an individual male''s call. For a given call intensity and calling rate, a male spring peeper will get the greatest “bang for its energetic buck” if it calls next to still water in the absence of chorus noise. However, when a chorus of spring peepers is gathered at a pond, calling from an elevated position away from the pond (and the chorus noise) will maximise the effective distance of an individual call, although this may entail other costs. The model presented here is the first realistic, interactive mathematical model of the propagation of animal sounds across a landscape, and uses a gis interface to display the effect of habitat and caller position on animal communication. It has applications for both research and teaching, and a copy can be obtained free of charge by contacting the author. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Environmental contamination contributes to the threatened status of many amphibian populations. Many contaminants alter behaviour at concentrations commonly experienced in the environment, with negative consequences for individual fitness, populations and communities. A comprehensive, quantitative evaluation of the behavioural sensitivity of amphibians is warranted to better understand the population-level and resultant ecological impacts of contaminants. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating behavioural changes following exposure to contaminants. Most studies were conducted in North America and Europe on larval stages, and 64% of the 116 studies focussed on the effects of insecticides. We found that a suite of contaminants influence a wide range of behaviours in amphibians, with insecticides typically invoking the strongest responses. In particular, insecticides increased rates of abnormal swimming, and reduced escape responses to simulated predator attacks. Our analysis identified five key needs for future research, in particular the need: (1) for researchers to provide more details of experimental protocols and results (2) to develop a strong research base for future quantitative reviews, (3) to broaden the suite of contaminants tested, (4) to better study and thus understand the effects of multiple stressors, and (5) to establish the ecological importance of behavioural alterations. Behavioural endpoints provide useful sub-lethal indicators of how contaminants influence amphibians, and coupled with standard ecotoxicological endpoints, can provide valuable information for population models assessing the broader ecological consequences of environmental contamination. Unlabelled Image • Chemical contamination is driving amphibian declines, often at sub-lethal concentrations. • We used meta-analysis to quantify responses to a suite of contaminants. • Contaminants caused abnormal swimming and affected escape responses. • Behaviours were typically altered in meaningful ways. • Understanding behavioural alterations help predict ecological implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Bayesian Networks can predict how social and ecological factors influence biodiversity. [•] Faunal gains are greatest when cleared areas are restored compared with remnant and revegetated habitat. [•] Cost-effective management actions differ between habitats and faunal groups. [•] Landholder demographics can influence habitat variables and faunal species richness. [•] Current restoration actions may not increase faunal species in agricultural areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]