Exotic, exotic, exotic: the monotonous urban forestry in a small Brazilian town

Abstract Despite the astonishing richness of native biodiversity in Brazil, it is common to see the urban landscapes composed mostly by exotic species, some of which are invasive. This results in little value being given to native plants by urban citizens. In this study we surveyed the urban forestry in the town of Forquilha, in the state of Ceará, Brazil. We aimed to assess how much native plants are being ignored in the composition of the town’s forestry. During a survey of tree and shrub species found in streets and squares of the town, we recorded 1,889 individuals belonging to 44 species. The most common species were the exotic Azadirachta indica (1,184 individuals) and Ficus benjamina (276) both native to Asia. Surprisingly, only three native species were found in our sample, totalling a mere five individuals. It is clear how much the urban forestry of Forquilha is composed predominantly by exotic species. We call here attention to the need for a greater valuation of the native flora in Brazilian cities.

摘要：尽管巴西本土生物多样性禀赋斐然，但当地城市景观却多由外来物种主导，其中不乏入侵性物种，此类现象屡见不鲜。这一现状致使城市居民普遍对本土植物缺乏应有的重视与价值认同。本研究针对巴西塞阿拉州福基利亚镇的城市林业开展实地调查，旨在评估该镇城市林木组成中本土植物被忽视的程度。本次调查覆盖该镇街道与广场内的乔木及灌木物种，共记录到1889株个体，隶属于44个物种。其中最为常见的外来物种为原产于亚洲的印楝（Azadirachta indica，1184株）与垂叶榕（Ficus benjamina，276株）。令人诧异的是，本次样本中仅发现3个本土物种，总计仅5株个体。由此不难看出，福基利亚镇的城市林业几乎完全由外来物种构成。本研究特此呼吁，需进一步强化巴西城市本土植物区系的保护与价值认知。