Landscape configuration shapes bird-plant multilayer networks in urban green spaces: implications for urban biodiversity management
This project aims to investigate how urban landscape configuration influences the structure and stability of bird-plant multilayer interaction networks in urban green spaces. We focused on frugivorous bird species that disperse seeds through feeding behavior and constructed multilayer ecological networks linking frugivory and seed dispersal processes. Fieldwork was conducted in 13 urban parks across Tokyo, Japan, where fecal and seed samples were collected to identify plant species dispersed by birds. DNA metabarcoding was used to analyze mixed DNA extracted from feces, and Sanger sequencing was applied to validate representative plant taxa. The resulting interaction data were integrated to quantify network metrics such as complexity, modularity, and beta-diversity among sites. By combining ecological network analysis with spatial landscape metrics derived from GIS data, this project examines how urbanization-driven changes in landscape configuration alter the diversity and connectivity of species interactions. The outcomes will provide an empirical basis for biodiversity conservation and urban planning strategies that enhance the resilience and multifunctionality of green spaces.