Urban Green Spaces May Be Less Resilient Than They Look

Variety is the spice — and source — of life.

Loss of ecological uniqueness could make urban soils more vulnerable to climate shocks. A global study co-authored by University of Alberta researchers reveals that while city parks and residential green spaces contain more soil microbes than nearby forests or farmlands, those communities are becoming increasingly homogenous across cities.

The findings highlight how urban management practices — like fertilization and liming — boost local microbial richness, but also create similar soil conditions continent-wide. That sameness may lower resilience to extreme weather and other large-scale environmental stresses.

“If microbial populations in urban soils across large scales are less vulnerable and more resilient to environmental changes, the services that they provide to society could be less negatively affected.”

— Dr. Scott Change

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