How to build dense cities without jeopardizing biodiversity? Insights from bird observations in Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract

A central challenge for sustainable urban development is balancing the trade-offs of high urban densities. We examined how biodiversity can be supported within dense or compact urban areas by analyzing bird species richness and composition across 30 sites representing three dense and compact urban form types and species-rich reference areas in Gothenburg, Sweden. Species richness and composition differed significantly between dense-compact urban forms and reference areas, but not between the urban form types themselves. Within dense-compact urban forms, however, sites with higher local natural habitat area and/or better connectivity to surrounding natural habitats supported higher species richness, whereas variation in species composition was associated primarily with local habitat area. Rarely recorded species in dense or compact urban areas were also observed where suitable habitat conditions existed. These results suggest that biodiversity can be supported within dense or compact cities through both site-level interventions and broader-scale planning for habitat connectivity.