In the heart of the Amazon, public-square tree palettes look surprisingly un-Amazonian
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
An inventory of 1,218 woody individuals across 35 public squares recorded 88 species, with exotics accounting for 61.4% of species richness. Fifteen exotic species were identified as having invasive potential; exotic taxa dominated 30 of 35 squares and six squares contained no species native to the Amazon domain under the study’s biogeographic definition.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Urban planting palettes can create biotic homogenization even inside one of the world’s most diverse regional floras. For tropical cities, nursery supply, procurement and species-selection standards are therefore biodiversity decisions, not just aesthetic ones.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
The study sampled public squares rather than the entire Manaus urban forest and used a strict definition in which only Amazon-domain taxa were considered native. Invasive potential is a risk indicator, not proof that every planted population has invaded adjacent remnants.
SOURCE
Biotropica · Original evidence
View original evidence ↗
A survey of 35 Manaus squares found exotic species dominated urban plantings, including multiple taxa with invasive potential near native forest remnants.
Read the Wild Lands assessment →