Flora and Vegetation in Cities: Basic and Applied Scientific Knowledge for Environmental Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Urbanization has been increasing across the globe over recent years, and urban development and expansion have caused many adverse effects on biodiversity as well as on the ecosystem services it provides, especially where most of humanity currently lives. Urban biodiversity studies, which have increased steadily during the last 30 years, represent a crucial aspect for sustainable city planning all over the world.

Threats to urban biodiversity are related to biological invasions, landscape fragmentation, the reduction in natural vegetation cover, habitat loss, pollution, and other adverse effects due to the density of population, artificial areas, and infrastructure. Accordingly, basic knowledge on urban biodiversity and the definition of nature-based solutions to reduce the impact of human activities have become essential to bring nature back into cities and increase the health and well-being of billions of people.

This Special Issue is open to original research articles and reviews focused on the basic and applied knowledge of urban and suburban flora and vegetation. Contributions dealing with interactions between plants and other biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems are also welcome.

Dr. Giulia Capotorti
Dr. Duilio Iamonico
Guest Editors

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