How well do treeS fit tHe city? leSSonS from an

urban tree Survey in córdoba, argentina

¿

Qué tan bien Se ajuStan loS árboleS a la ciudad? reSPueStaS

a Partir de un relevamiento de arbolado urbano en córdoba,

argentina

1

1,2

1

& Ana Calviño

Giovana M. Galfrascoli * , Gabriel Bernardello

Summary

Background and aims: Urban tree composition is generally highly diverse and largely

non-native in origin. Species selection, however, should consider not only future

predicted climate and species’ environmental requirements, but also the regional

invasion risk assessments and the respiratory health potential of species. Here, we

assessed the suitability of the most frequent urban tree species by using available

online databases.

M&M: Suitability was assessed by analysing tree attributes in relation to their invasive

status in the study area, the respiratory health potential of the species given by their

known pollination strategy and the bioclimatic match of species with the plantation zone.

We grouped species according to their nativeness as non-native, regionally native and

local native. After ﬁltering those with undesirable characteristics (i.e., invasive species

and/or with anemophilous pollination strategy) we analysed three bioclimatic variables:

annual temperature, annual precipitation and precipitation seasonality.

1

. Instituto Multidisciplinario

de Biología Vegetal (CONICET-

Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),

Córdoba, Argentina

2

. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas,

Físicas y Naturales, Universidad

Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina

*giovanagalfrascoli@gmail.com

Citar este artículo

G A L F R A S CO L I, G. M., G.

BERNARDELLO & A. CALVIÑO.

Results: Results showed that the composition of Córdoba’s street trees is heavily biased

towards non-native species, many of which are invasive, have an anemophilous

pollination strategy and/or exhibit high bioclimatic mismatch. In addition, the strong bias

in the current tree composition towards species from more humid, temperate regions

is evident.

2

023. How well do trees fit the

city? lessons from an urban tree

survey in Córdoba, Argentina. Bol.

Soc. Argent. Bot. 58: 561-572.

Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of revising current policy decisions to

adjust urban tree ﬂora in the face of climate change.

DOI: https://doi.

org/10.31055/1851.2372.v58.

n4.42421

Key wordS

Anemophilous pollination, invasive species, nativeness, policy making, urban forestry.

reSumen

Introducción y objetivos: La composición del arbolado urbano suele ser muy diversa

y en gran medida de origen no nativo. Sin embargo, la selección de especies debe

tener en cuenta no sólo el clima previsto en el futuro y los requisitos ambientales

de las especies, sino también las evaluaciones regionales del riesgo de invasión y

el potencial perjuicio para la salud respiratoria. Aquí evaluamos la idoneidad de las

especies arbóreas urbanas más frecuentes utilizando bases de datos de libre acceso.

M&M: La idoneidad se evaluó analizando los atributos de los árboles en relación

con su estatus invasor en la zona de estudio, el potencial perjuicio para la salud

respiratoria dado por la estrategia de polinización de las especies y la correspondencia

bioclimática de las especies con la zona de plantación. Agrupamos las especies según

su origen como no nativas, nativas regionales y nativas locales. Tras ﬁltrar aquellas

con características indeseables (especies invasoras y/o anemóﬁlas) analizamos tres

variables bioclimáticas: temperatura anual, precipitación anual y estacionalidad de las

precipitaciones.

Resultados: La composición del arbolado de Córdoba está fuertemente sesgada hacia

especies no nativas, muchas de las cuales son invasoras, tienen una estrategia de

polinización anemóﬁla y/o presentan un elevado desajuste bioclimático. Además, es

evidente el fuerte sesgo de la composición arbórea actual hacia especies procedentes

de regiones más húmedas y templadas.

Recibido: 5 Sep 2023

Aceptado: 2 Nov 2023

Publicado impreso: 22 Dic 2023

Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados ponen de maniﬁesto la importancia de revisar las

decisiones políticas actuales para ajustar la ﬂora arbórea urbana frente al cambio climático.

Editora: Natalia Aguirre Acosta

PalabraS clave

Elaboración de políticas, especies invasoras, origen nativo, polinización anemóﬁla,

silvicultura urbana.

ISSN versión impresa 0373-580X

ISSN versión on-line 1851-2372

561

Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58 (4) 2023

introduction

and adaptive traits that help them cope with local

environmental stresses, which are particularly

Trees are recognized as key elements of important in arid and semi-arid environments (de

urbanized landscapes given the valuable ecosystem Carvalho et al., 2022) avoiding waste of water by

services provided by tree cover in cities around the irrigation (Roman et al., 2021). This, however,

world. Temperature regulation, runoﬀ control, does not guarantee their full adaptation to future

carbon sequestration, wildlife sheltering and ﬂoral conditions challenging tree planning in the face

reward for pollinators are a few examples of the of the current rapid climate change (Davis &

environmental beneﬁts provided by trees (Bates et Shaw, 2001). Moreover, urban systems can trigger

al., 2011; Roy et al., 2012; Willis & Petrokofsky, diﬀerent responses for both native and non-native

2

017). They also provide important social (i.e., species than those registered for other ecosystems

enhancing quality of urban life), economic (i.e., (e.g., Moser et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2019).

energy saving), health (i.e., reducing stress), While recognising this range of possibilities,

aesthetic and cultural beneﬁts (i.e., a sense of the beneﬁts of native trees stand out, and are

place and identity) (reviewed in Priego-González especially important for biodiversity conservation,

&

Breuste, 2008; Roy et al., 2012). A remarkable ecosystem integrity and for people (de Carvalho

aspect is that urban tree composition is highly et al., 2022).

diverse and largely non-native in origin (Nagendra Planting trees is one of the most feasible

Gopal, 2011; Sjöman et al., 2012; Freire Moro actions within cities to increase urban greenery

&

et al., 2014), mainly because of early decisions and the optimal species selection is crucial for

on urban forestry or due to citizen´s own choices. optimizing urban green infrastructure (Roman et

Nevertheless, given the potential of urban areas al., 2021) and scaling up their beneﬁts (reviewed

for biodiversity conservation, the selection of in Ferrini et al., 2020). However, the selection of

plant species for urban green infrastructure has tree species is not a simple task given that it might

become a widely discussed topic nowadays consider and weight multiple criteria, according

(

reviewed by Farrell et al., 2022). Tree species to concrete objectives expressed at the beginning

selection strategies are usually pulling in opposite of any design and intervention. For instance, tree

directions, from the ‘natives are best’ to the ‘right species should be chosen not only depending

tree in the right place’ assumptions (e.g., Fontaine on their planting sites but also balancing the

&

Larson, 2016; Grant, 2016; Roman et al. 2021) advantages and disadvantages related to both,

often disregarding how local the ﬁnal planning their expected performance and the multiple

decisions are. Recent evidence of the effects beneﬁts they provide for the human and non-

of plants’ origin on urban ecosystem function, human beings in the city. Among these criteria, the

combined with local survey data can be used to climatic match between species’ environmental

shed light on how much current urban trees ﬁt a requirements and actual or predicted climate

given city, and to further improve urban planning.

for the city has been widely used (reviewed in

Increasing evidence points to the multiple Farrell et al., 2022). This approach, however, has

benefits derived from the presence of native usually been applied irrespectively of the species

vegetation within urbanized communities origin (i.e., not considering species’ native range)

(

reviewed in Berthon et al., 2021 and de Carvalho (Roloﬀ et al., 2009; Yang, 2009; Sjöman et al.,

et al., 2022). Native vegetation has been shown to 2016). One drawback of this approach is that

be better for climate change mitigation, nutrient some non-native species are prone to invasion

cycling regulation, soil stability and native animal (Roman et al., 2021) or even more, have become

diversity than non-native species (Berthon et al., successful invaders out-side their native range.

2

021; de Carvalho et al., 2022). Fostering native Therefore, they should be subject to special

vegetation can even be highly synergistic as scrutiny when considering them as candidate

community-level insect abundance and ecological urban trees. In addition, the allergenic potential

interactions can be simultaneously promoted (e.g., of urban tree pollen has been little considered

Fenoglio et al., 2023; Calviño et al., 2023). In in the past but requires special attention since

addition, native species possess great plasticity pollen allergy is one of the most widespread

562

G. M. Galfrascoli et al. - How well do trees ﬁt the city?

diseases in urban populations (reviewed by cities, despite the large non-native forestry history

Cariñanos & Caseres, 2011). Pollen release and the major relevance of trees to increase native

during the pollination period affects human ﬂora within urban areas, there has been little

health, prompting an allergic response in around attention on them. Punctually, a few municipalities

3

0-40% of the world population (Bousquet et have developed preliminary assessments of

al., 2008; Pawankar et al., 2011). Databases that their tree composition (e.g., https://www.rosario.

summarize tree data on invasive species, their gob.ar/inicio/arbolado-publico and Buenos Aires:

allergenic potential and climatic match are needed data available in https://data.buenosaires.gob.ar/

especially in regions with so many records of tree dataset/arbolado-publico-lineal). Between 2017

invasions like South America (Giorgis & Tecco, and 2019, the city council of Córdoba developed

2

014; Richardson et al., 2014). They will also a virtual platform to share information about a

contribute to improving decision making on the preliminary urban tree inventory, which was used

identity of the tree species to be implanted in here as a baseline for identifying common street

urban areas. In Argentina, most of the invasive tree species.

trees were introduced for ornamental or forestry

The aim of this study was to characterize and

purposes (i.e., 70 recognized invasive tree species compare the suitability of the current urban tree

in http://www.inbiar.uns.edu.ar/), and even some species in relation to their nativeness status. For

native species from humid regions are becoming the purpose of this paper we decided to narrow

invasive in semi-arid areas of the country (Giorgis the nativeness status into three groups (but see

&

Tecco, 2014). Therefore, the invasive status Lemoine&Svenning2022forbroaderdeﬁnitions):

of urban trees should be a matter of concern, non-native (i.e., species with no biogeographic

especially for policy makers. history in the area), regionally natives (i.e.,

The relentless urban sprawl adds to the extensive species with a regionally biogeographic history)

modifications that agriculture and livestock and local natives (i.e., species with a local

farming have made to the land surface over the last biogeographic history). Suitability was assessed

half-century. Under this scenario, and considering by analysing tree attributes in relation to their

that the global growth rate of urban lands was invasive status in the study area, the respiratory

higher than the population growth rate over the health potential of the species given by their

last 30 years -which is, in turn, consistently known pollination strategy and the bioclimatic

positive- (Liu et al., 2020), it is imperative to match of species with the plantation zone.

consider urban green infrastructure in a functional

way (Tan, 2017). Given the strong negative eﬀect

of urbanization in native plant species richness materialS and metHodS

(

reviewed in Hou et al., 2023) and the great

potential of urban habitats to contribute with Study system

native species conservation (Xing et al., 2017),

Córdoba city in central Argentina (31°20’ S,

planning urban tree composition would beneﬁt 64°10’ W, elevation 440 m a.s.l.) has a subtropical

from nativeness. This is especially meaningful climate with dry winters (Cwa under the Köppen-

in places with a strong colonial imprint on Geiger classiﬁcation system) (Peel et al., 2007).

urban forestry (i.e. prevalence of non-native Two phytogeographic provinces, Chaco and

plants) like America, since urban trees are part Espinal, converge on it (Luti et al., 1979; Kopta,

of an inherited landscape (Roman et al., 2018). 1999; Oyarzabal et al., 2018). Córdoba has

Therefore, recognizing the role of local socio- undergone an accelerated urbanization process

political history in the urban tree stock is crucial (Grifone, 2014) characterized by a diﬀuse growth

and incorporating this view into current forestry beyond the city edges. As a consequence, an

decisions is paramount if a more native future is accelerated metropolitanisation is taking place

sought. A ﬁrst step in planning any intervention to hold the growing population (Marengo et al.,

2

is to know the current species composition of a 2006). The city covers an area of 576 km and has

city’s tree stock, which is unknown in many South a population of 1,565,112 inhabitants (INDEC,

American cities. As an example, in Argentinian 2023).

563

Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58 (4) 2023

Species selection and characterization

Species original ranges: the selection of

The above-mentioned virtual platform has been geographical coordinates

developed to share information about urban trees.

Thirty spatial coordinates for each species were

It includes common names, location, structural selected from available databases and ﬂoras, to

problems, phytosanitary status, and missing trees. obtain a representative sample of coordinates from

A table with 22700 records located at the urban species´ native distribution range (Supplementary

core was downloaded and it was used for the material: Tables S2 and S3). We opted to use 30

selection of target species. The scientiﬁc names coordinates per species to balance the sampling

of the target species were assigned by the authors. as some species barely reached this number while

The available dataset was downloaded from others far exceeded it. Geographic coordinates

https://gobiernoabierto.Córdoba.gob.ar/arbolado from the native range of each species were

(

accesed date:11/5/2018). Unfortunately, this obtained from GBIF (https://www.gbif.org) using

preliminary survey was interrupted in 2018 before the occ_search and ﬁlter functions of the rgbif

completing the entire sampling. Of the total package (Chamberlain & Boettiger, 2017) from

number of species, we considered only those with uploaded accessions’ information. For simplicity

at least 100 trees, i.e., 26 species, as indicators in citations Catalogue ID were listed instead of

of the most frequent ones. The selected species DOI or URL of each specimen used (Table S3).

were then categorized by their origin (see Table For central Córdoba ten geographic coordinates

S1). The native/non-native status of each species that encompass the capital and nearby smaller

was determined by regional and local ﬂoras after cities (e.g., Carlos Paz, Alta Gracia) and their

Pyšek et al. (2004), within a biogeographical surroundings were defined. That is, the two

perspective.

biogeographical provinces that converge in the

Then, species were categorized as invasive city were represented. Ten coordinates were used

or non-invasive according to Giorgis & Tecco instead of thirty because the area to be sampled was

(

2014). Schinus areira is a special case as its considerably smaller than the species’ distribution

native status depends on the time scale used. This ranges. By projecting the coordinates on a map,

species is an example of an historic introduction we visually inspect that the selected ones were

(

sensu Lemoine & Svenning, 2022) from Peru uniformly spread over the native range of each

in pre-colonial times (Demaio et al., 2002). Here species.

we decided to consider S. areira as a native tree.

The respiratory health potential of the species was Bioclimatic parameters

inferred by the pollination strategy of species (i.e.,

Three bioclimatic parameters were chosen:

anemophilous or entomophilous). Respiratory mean annual temperature, mean annual

allergy caused by allergens contained in pollen precipitation, and mean precipitation seasonality.

grains is called pollinosis, and is one of the most We chose mean annual temperature given the joint

frequent allergic diseases (Alfaya Arias, 2002). eﬀect of the ‘heat island eﬀect’ and greenhouse

Central Argentina is severely aﬀected by seasonal gas emissions on urban temperature (McPherson

pollinosis and in Córdoba in particular, about et al., 2018). It is worth mentioning that the aim

8

0% of atmospheric pollen comes from urban of this study was not to assess urban heat island

trees (Ramon et al., 2020), with a consequent eﬀects per se, but to provide an overview of a

negative impact on public health. Pollinosis is possible climate decoupling between species’

most frequent with pollen from anemophilous original environments and planting areas. In

plants that pollinate by releasing and dispersing addition, a validation test with an independent

pollen into the air (Nitiu et al., 2019). Thus, dataset of measured temperature and precipitation

anemophilous species were treated here as records across Europe found that annual mean

potentially high allergenic and entomophilous as temperature series dataset of the WorldClim

not allergenic. Given that ambophilous trees were shows good reliability for the period 1961-

very sporadic, and their ﬂoral characteristics are 1990 (Marchi et al., 2019). Regarding annual

quite more consistent with biotic pollination, they precipitation, predictions of WorldClim were less

were treated as entomophilous.

accurate but also more diﬃcult to estimate than

564

G. M. Galfrascoli et al. - How well do trees ﬁt the city?

those of mean annual temperature (Marchi et al., replacement from the observations). For the

2

019). Nevertheless, Roloﬀ et al. (2009) already analysis, species were ﬁltered by their invasive

used annual precipitation to evaluate species’ status and pollination strategy so that only non-

suitability in urban areas. In addition, mean annual invasive entomophilous-pollinating species would

temperature and precipitation were widely used to remain. After that, species were grouped by

explain species occurrence through environmental their origin as: Non-natives, Regionally natives

gradients (e.g., Cabido et al., 2018; Zeballos et al., (i.e., natives from Argentina without natural

2

020). Lastly, we chose precipitation seasonality distribution in Córdoba) and Local natives (i.e.,

because rainfalls are concentrated in summer and natives from Argentina with natural distribution

it has been shown that precipitation seasonality in Córdoba). Then, all species within each group

and temperature are the main climatic constraints were pooled and contrasted against Córdoba. If

for vegetation in Córdoba (Matteucci, 2018). the conﬁdence interval includes zero, there is

Climatic variables were recognized as appropriate insuﬃcient evidence to argue that the variable

parameters when the study has a regional to global under consideration diﬀers between Córdoba and

scale (Pearson & Dawson, 2003). Therefore, the compared group. Eﬀect sizes can be graphically

we consider these three bioclimatic variables appreciated. In addition, all the 26 species were

as reliable parameters to estimate the degree of individually compared against Córdoba. These

mismatch between species’ native environments results are shown in Table S1. The bootstrap-

and the urban one.

coupled estimation analysis was made with the

The three bioclimatic variables of the native dabest function of the dabestr package (Ho et al.,

range of the selected species and those of central 2019). All analyses were made in R environment

Córdoba were obtained with the extract function 3.6.3 (R Core Team, 2020).

of the raster package (Hijmans et al., 2015)

2

(

resolution = 10 minutes; 18.6 x 18.6 = 344 km

at the equator), that access to the WorldClim reSultS

database (Fick & Hijmans, 2017). The sp package

(

Bivand et al., 2013) was also used. We chose

By analysing the pollination strategy, invasive

this resolution to represent in a general way the status and bioclimatic match of common urban

bioclimatic conditions, both of the city and of the tree species we assessed the suitability of nearly

original areas of tree species. With this resolution 80% of the recorded trees as a function of their

the general conditions of an area smaller than that origin (i.e., 13218 tree records belonging to

of the city are represented. By combining points 26 species, from which 14 are non-native, 8

throughout the central part of the province we tried are regionally natives and 4 are local natives)

to represent the range of climatic conditions in and (see Table S1 for individual species responses).

around the urban area. Although the urban climate Overall, 39% of the species and 69% of the

is heterogeneous, this general measure represents analysed trees were considered unsuitable for

the average condition to which trees would be Córdoba, either because they were invasive and/

exposed.

or because they were anemophilous (Table S1).

Within the remaining species, considered as

potentially suitable species, local natives showed

Statistical analysis

Bioclimatic variables for the native range of the best bioclimatic matching, as evidenced

each species were contrasted with a sample of by the three variables considered (Figs. 1; 2;

the same variables for central Córdoba using 3). Overall, annual precipitation was the most

estimation plots (Ho et al., 2019). Estimation uncoupled parameter, followed by seasonality

plots provide a robust and elegant framework for and mean annual temperature (Figs. 1; 2; 3).

presenting data. This non-parametric graphical Non-native species showed higher mismatches in

method, based on bootstrap, allows to visualize precipitation seasonality (Fig. 3) while regionally

eﬀect sizes and their precision (i.e., its degree of native species showed higher mismatches in mean

uncertainty) on the same graph. Bootstrapping annual temperature and annual precipitation (Figs.

was set at ﬁve thousand times (resampling with 1; 2).

565

Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58 (4) 2023

Fig. 1. Estimation plots (sensu Ho et al., 2019) for the comparison of mean annual temperature from the native

range of Non-native species (blue; 6 species), Regionally native species (i.e., species from Argentina without

natural distribution in Córdoba) (green; 6 species) and Local native species (i.e., species from Argentina with natural

distribution in Córdoba (purple; 4 species) against Córdoba (red). The species included in the analysis were selected

according to the other two criteria: invasive status and pollination strategy (see table S1) and grouped according to

their nativeness. The upper plot shows the values obtained from the WordClim database (30 values for species).

The lower plot shows the eﬀect sizes for multiple comparisons against central Córdoba (Cba), after 5000 iterations.

Fig. 2. Estimation plots (sensu Ho et al., 2019) for the comparison of annual precipitation from the native range

of Non-native species (blue; 6 species), Regionally native species (i.e., species from Argentina without natural

distribution in Córdoba) (green; 6 species) and Local native species (i.e., species from Argentina with natural

distribution in Córdoba (purple; 4 species) against Córdoba (red). The species included in the analysis were selected

according to the other two criteria: invasive status and pollination strategy (see table S1) and grouped according to

their nativeness. The upper plot shows the values obtained from the WordClim database (30 values for species).

The lower plot shows the eﬀect sizes for multiple comparisons against central Córdoba (Cba), after 5000 iterations.

566

G. M. Galfrascoli et al. - How well do trees ﬁt the city?

Fig. 3. Estimation plots (sensu Ho et al., 2019) for the comparison of precipitation seasonality from the native

range of Non-native species (blue; 6 species), Regionally native species (i.e., species from Argentina without

natural distribution in Córdoba) (green; 6 species) and Local native species (i.e., species from Argentina

with natural distribution in Córdoba (purple; 4 species) against Córdoba (red). The species included in the

analysis were selected according to the other two criteria: invasive status and pollination strategy (see table

S1) and grouped according to their nativeness. The upper plot shows the values obtained from the WordClim

database (30 values for species). The lower plot shows the eﬀect sizes for multiple comparisons against

central Córdoba (Cba), after 5000 iterations.

diScuSSion

native species of great concern. Their wide climatic

amplitude makes it abundant in diﬀerent biomes

Urban ecosystems are very dynamic environments, around the world and its rapid adaptation to cities is

where current management decisions may have facilitated by its tolerance to pollution (reviewed by

positive eﬀects on native species in the near future. Fernandez et al., 2020). Special attention should be

When selecting urban trees, an appropriate mix of paid to the matching pattern found for this species

species that supports biodiversity and maximizes in mean annual temperature and precipitation

ecosystem services should be considered, not only seasonality, since this must be related to the local

those with easy maintenance (Nagendra & Gopal, success of this invader. Given that in Córdoba

2

010) or cultivation. Thus, an urban forestry policy L. lucidum has spilled over from urban areas to

that seeks functionality for people and the urban adjacent forests in an exponential way through the

ecosystem must take into account the invasive last decades (Gavier-Pizarro et al., 2012), it would

status of species, their potential for respiratory be essential to stop their ornamental use. Another

health and/or their bioclimatic mismatch. Notably, species of concern is Bauhinia forﬁcata since it

the composition of Córdoba’s street trees is heavily also shows a matching pattern and it is invading

biased towards non-native species, many of which natural environments in Córdoba (Giorgis & Tecco,

are invasive, have an anemophilous pollination 2014). The environmental similarity between

strategy and/or exhibit high bioclimatic mismatch.

Córdoba and B. forﬁcata native range could be

It is widely recognised that invasive trees are facilitating its spread. Consequently, their use as

detrimental to biodiversity and ecosystem services, urban trees should be reconsidered. Conversely, if

yet their use in urban environments has not ceased. non-native species are considered for urban tree

For instance, Ligustrum lucidum is an invasive non- planting, priority should be given to planting those

567

Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58 (4) 2023

that have some degree of climatic match but are not Furthermore, using more native plants would help

invasive or allergenic (e.g., Lagerstroemia indica). to maintain arthropods communities’ integrity and

Furthermore, it would be appropriate to go further in turn, the populations of animals that consume

in the selection criteria for these non-native species them (Burghardt & Tallamy, 2013, Liang et al.,

including others such as the dispersal modes. Non- 2023), promoting a higher biodiversity conservation.

native invasive species which are dispersed by The implementation of native plants in cities not

birds or wind should be avoided since these are the only depends on legal promotion, but also on their

modes that facilitate tree invasions (reviewed by availability in local nurseries and the value that the

Richardson & Rejmánek, 2011).

neighbours give to these species that represent the

In arid and semi-arid zones water availability natural heritage of the region. Consequently, it would

is the main factor limiting natural distribution of be necessary to encourage native tree production

trees (FAO, 2007). Córdoba´s urban trees natural to reach this purpose. In addition, the urban tree

watering and are prone to suﬀer higher water decision process would considerably improve by

stress due to urban growing conditions (i.e., integrating the perspective of diﬀerent stakeholders

shallow soils and high temperatures that accelerate (e.g., citizens, plant breeders, policy makers), which

evapotranspiration). Precipitation seasonality may is well beyond the scope of the present study.

also be of great concern since the dry season is

Finally, it was recently found that urban tree

very pronounced and could further increase water cover has a direct negative eﬀect on Aedes aegypti

stress in urban conditions, as found for three mosquito occurrence in Córdoba city (Benítez et

exotic urban tree species in Mendoza (Martínez al., 2019). However, in spite of being important

2

014). Consequently, native species and those components of public health, urban trees in Córdoba

with similar bioclimatic conditions in their original are still insufficient in number and have poor

ranges of distribution are likely to perform better phytosanitary conditions. Even worse, allergenic

within the city, and even more under the expected species like F. pennsylvanica are over-abundant

expansion of arid climate zones in the near future (26% of the total trees recorded), which is of

(IPCC 2019). Among the studied species here, only concern since the amount of pollen released into

four were native from Córdoba, which shows the the air is directly proportional to the number of

scarcity of native species in urban tree plantations. individuals of a single species in any given area

Overall, the native species showed a complete (Cariñanos et al., 2014) and considering that no

match pattern in bioclimatic parameters, which single species should exceed 10% of the total

probably makes them suitable to live under the number of planted trees (Dowhal 2016).

general climatic conditions of Córdoba. In contrast,

both non-native species and those regionally native

showed a completely uncoupled pattern (i.e., in concluSionS

all three parameters considered). The mismatch in

annual precipitation and seasonality is a matter for

Most of the street trees would not ﬁt well in the

careful consideration as water stress might promote city, which is a worrying situation that demands

pest outbreaks (Raupp et al., 2010). For regionally concrete action. Córdoba tree species composition

native species in particular the observed decoupling is heavily biased towards non-native species,

is likely linked to the widespread use of ornamental many of which are invasive, have an anemophilous

plants from humid temperate regions of the country pollination strategy and/or exhibit high bioclimatic

(e.g., Handroanthus spp.).

mismatch. Given the key ecosystem services that

Native trees (i.e., here considered as local trees provide in cities and considering the fact that

natives) are not only suitable for local environments, Córdoba is expected to expand during the following

but also promote interactions with native animals years, policy makers should answer whether and

even in Córdoba (e.g., Galfrascoli et al., 2023). how urban green infrastructure would contribute

Encouraging their planting in cities could help to ameliorate climate change eﬀects. In order to

to counteract the global pollination crisis and the design a healthy and ecologically functional urban

generalized negative effects of urbanization on tree infrastructure, and to promote the connectivity

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