Urbanization and plant diversity in urban fringes: Differential responses across life forms

Urban fringe areas, as critical transition zones between urban expansion and natural environments, provide essential ecosystem services that enhance the overall health and sustainability of urban environments. However, previous studies have focused on urban built-up areas while neglecting the unique conditions of urban fringe zones. This study investigated the spatial distribution patterns of plant diversity across different life forms in Jiangdong New District and their responses to urbanization levels. The results indicate that hot and cold spots of diversity for trees and shrubs show similarity, while diversity in herbaceous plants differs significantly. Nighttime light intensity, POI (Point-of-Interest) density, and road density are primary influencing factors, with nighttime light intensity and POI density having the greatest combined impact, and herbs showing the highest sensitivity to these factors. Further analysis reveals that in the northwestern forest, grassland, and farmland mosaic areas, urbanization levels are positively correlated with tree and shrub diversity but negatively correlated with herb diversity. In the southeastern nursery planting area, urbanization levels consistently relate to the diversity of these three plant types. These findings underscore the necessity of adopting diverse conservation and management strategies in urban fringe areas to address the ecological needs and functional contributions of different plant types. This provides new perspectives on urban planning and ecological conservation that can help improve the overall health and sustainability of urban ecosystems.