资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

Amidst ongoing urbanization and increased research on urban greenspaces, the biodiversity level of these spaces is an important variable. Attaining biodiversity estimates by asking non-expert greenspace users to assess aspects of a greenspace has a number of advantages over expert assessments (costs, sample size etc.). This article discusses an approach to such a citizen-science assessment of plant species richness using reported garden habitat heterogeneity and visually assisted reported plant species richness. We compare expert-assessed plant species richness with garden owner-generated estimates in a sample of 83 gardens. We show it is possible to predict approx. 50% of variation in plant species richness in gardens using just two visual survey questions regarding habitat heterogeneity and plant species richness.