Elsevier

Urban Ecology

Volume 8, Issues 1–2, September 1984, Pages 69-90
Urban Ecology

Composition and structure of an urban woody plant community

https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4009(84)90007-XGet rights and content

Abstract

The numbers and size of trees, saplings and shrubs were determined on 316 lots in an older Milwaukee suburb and recorded by lot location and land use. Vegetation pattern, structure, biomass and productivity were examined. Structurally, Shorewood vegetation resembles a savanna dominated by American elm but now shifting toward dominance by ash, maple and elm. Woody vegetation is predominant on back and front yards as opposed to side yards and parkways and on lots with one and two family residences as opposed to other land uses. Size class distribution for most species indicates high levels of reproduction and planting. Tree density is 32 stems per ha, sapling density is 64 stems per ha, and woody plants cover 42% of the surface. Biomass was estimated to be 36.48 t/ha, 97% of it in trees, while productivity is estimated at 0.49 kg/m2 per year, to which trees contributed 45% and lawns 53%. The diversity of species and partitioning of biomass and productivity among vegetation strata make this urban ecosystem distinct from natural savannas.

References (32)

  • R.F. Brady et al.

    A typology for the urban ecosystem and its relationship to large biogeographical units

    Urban Ecol.

    (1979)
  • R.C. Anderson et al.

    The presettlement vegetation of Williamson County, Illinois

    Castanea

    (1975)
  • T.R. Crow

    Biomass and productivity regressions for the trees and woody shrubs common to the enterprise forest

  • J.T. Curtis

    The vegetation of Wisconsin — an ordination of plant communities

  • G. D'Ambrosio

    Present conditions of the Carmel, California Forest

  • M.A. Dirr
  • J.R. Dorney et al.

    Urban vegetation: composition, structure and function of woody communities in Shorewood, Wisconsin

  • C.P. Dunn et al.

    Shorewood street trees: history, disease and plantings — an ecological view

  • J.H. Falk

    The primary productivity of lawns in a temperate environment

    J. Appl. Ecol.

    (1980)
  • R. Finley

    Original vegetation cover of Wisconsin from U.S. General Land Office Notes

    (1976)
  • E. Gacka-Grzesikiewicz

    Assimilation surfaces of urban green areas

    Ekol. Polska

    (1980)
  • W.J. Geib et al.

    Soil Survey of Milwaukee County

  • H.A. Gleason et al.

    Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada

  • D.F. Grigal et al.

    Biomass estimation for shrubs from northeastern Minnesota

    U.S. For. Serv. Res. Note NC-226

    (1977)
  • M. Herte et al.

    Productivity of an urban park

    Univ. Wis. Field Stn. Bull.

    (1971)
  • ISA

    A guide to the professional evaluation of landscape trees, specimen shrubs and evergreens

  • Cited by (73)

    • Design possibilities of leftover spaces as a pocket park in relation to planting enclosure

      2021, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
      Citation Excerpt :

      A park with a different type of planting can provide various experiences (Forsyth and Musacchio, 2005). However, most studies on plantings continue to be conducted on holistic views (Dorney et al., 1984). In addition, the type of planting and the users' preferences, especially in the PPs, has not been widely considered.

    • Greening in style: Urban form, architecture and the structure of front and backyard vegetation

      2019, Landscape and Urban Planning
      Citation Excerpt :

      Yard management mostly affects vegetation. It is perhaps not surprising that previous field studies found significant differences in vegetation characteristics in front and backyards within the same parcel (Dorney, Guntenspergen, Keough, & Stearns, 1984; Richards, Mallette, Simpson, & Macie, 1984; van Heezik, Freeman, Porter, & Dickinson, 2013). To further complicate this picture, architectural style and housing type also define the character of a residential landscape, delineating neighborhood boundaries and the physical geography of the city (Fusch & Ford, 1983).

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    1

    Present address: Crop Science Department, University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A.

    View full text