Luxury and legacy effects on urban biodiversity, vegetation cover and ecosystem services

This research investigates the impact of socio-economic and historical factors on urban biodiversity, vegetation, and ecosystem services in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Using remote sensing and census data, the study examines "luxury effects" (wealth-related) and "legacy effects" (historical management) on tree and bird species richness, vegetation cover, and regulating ecosystem services (ES). Higher educational attainment positively correlated with urban biodiversity (luxury effect), while older areas showed higher vegetation cover and ES (legacy effect), but lower biodiversity. Habitat quality amplified the luxury effect, and population density strengthened the legacy effect. The results suggest that urban biodiversity is primarily driven by socio-economic factors, while vegetation cover and ES are influenced by historical management practices and population density.

Celina Aznarez, Jens-Christian Svenning, Juan Pablo Pacheco, Frederik Have Kallesøe, Francesc Baró, Unai Pascual