Center for Urban Nature and Climate Adaptation, subproject 5 – pilot study: climate adaptation in the cities of Bavaria: comparative studies on the use of non-resident and domestic urban climate trees | Umweltbundesamt

Background and Goals

The focus of this project is a comparison of the arthropod diversity of three native or closely related alien tree species of an urban location. The alien species are characterized in times of climate change by higher stress tolerance and thus often by higher vitality, which is why they are also referred to as urban climate trees. It is unknown how the stress tolerance of these species affects the species community of the tree canopy of invertebrate animals, among which i.a. also include herbivorous or plant-sucking insects. The individuals in this community could be fairly evenly distributed among the species present; however, certain species could also become dominant, massively multiply and damage the tree or impair its function as a city tree.
The project therefore aims to compare urban climate trees with their native susceptibility to pest infestation. These investigations include the assessment of the habitat of treetops and thus also provide data for the question of what contribution non-resident trees can make to the preservation of a species-rich tree canopy.
The project, which is designed over a growing season, is based on a screening of the species diversity of insects and arachnids on alien and native tree species in Würzburg. The aim is to create a first, reliable data basis for the comparative assessment of the use of domestic and non-domestic urban trees with regard to the variety of arthropods in the crown area. The results should provide information for environmental and nature conservation authorities and associations and provide recommendations for municipalities in Bavaria in the design of climate-tolerant urban greenery.

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