Native and alien plant species respond differently to landscape and local factors shaping spontaneous herbaceous vegetation in villages

Abstract

Most urban ecological research focuses on large cities, while smaller settlements remain understudied despite hosting a significant share of both human population and biodiversity. Their unique characteristics, such as lower sealed surface ratio and stronger ties to rural landscapes – highlighting the importance of the wider landscape-scale context – may lead to different ecological dynamics and require tailored planning and management. Here, we investigated how species composition of spontaneous herbaceous vegetation in villages is influenced by landscape-scale and local factors, with particular focus on native, archaeophyte and neophyte species. In 2022, we surveyed vegetation in 64 villages in the Carpathian Basin (Hungary and Romania), sampling public green areas at village centres and edges in contrasting landscape contexts (villages in city agglomeration vs. far from cities, and in semi-natural forested vs. agricultural landscapes). We recorded species richness and relative cover, along with local factors like shading, disturbance, mowing, green area shape, solar radiation, and built-up age. Native species richness was highest at village edges in semi-natural landscapes, whereas archaeophyte cover peaked in villages embedded in agricultural landscapes. Neophyte richness was consistently higher at village edges, regardless of landscape context. Locally, shading increased both neophyte richness and cover. Older settlements promoted higher native richness and cover but resulted in lower archaeophyte cover. Conversely, disturbance reduced native cover while enhancing archaeophyte cover. The divergent responses of the three species groups to landscape and local-scale factors underscore the importance of integrating both landscape-scale planning and local management in managing native and alien species in village green areas.