Effects of urban filters on functional community assembly in tropical and temperate cities
Urbanization is increasing at an accelerated rate, and the urban population is expected to reach five billion people in the next 20 years. The process of urbanization transforms natural ecosystems from native forests to urban or peri-urban ones and also changes the normal forest functioning and ecosystem services provided to humans. In general, urban forests are subjected to four main filters: habitat transformation, habitat fragmentation, the urban environment, and human preferences. Understanding how these filters will affect forest composition and functioning is crucial for maintaining the ecosystem services provided by urban forests in cities worldwide. In this project we aim to assess the effect of these urban filters in tropical and temperate cites to understand the magnitude of impact of each filter on functional diversity and how the effect differs between tropical and temperate cities.
