Biodiversity and Urban agriculture: Insights and future directions

Urban agriculture has gained increasing attention as a potential driver of biodiversity in urban landscapes, yet its precise impacts remain inadequately understood. Through a literature review looking at: (i) study of taxa in urban agriculture sites, (ii) taxa sampling methodology and (iii) local and landscape factors, this article aims to understand the potential impact of urban agriculture on biodiversity focusing on three key taxa: birds, flora, and arthropods. A comprehensive analysis of biodiversity measurements of each taxon assessed in relationship with local and landscape factors reveals a growing interest in urban agriculture’s role in fostering biodiversity. The findings indicate that larger plots, greater plant diversity, and habitat heterogeneity generally promote biodiversity across taxa. Significant biases exist in the literature, with a predominance of studies in North America and Europe focusing on non-professional urban agricultural forms, particularly community gardens, while professional urban farms remain under-researched. The review identifies landscape and local factors as pivotal influences on biodiversity outcomes, suggesting that the surrounding environment, gardening practices, and plot characteristics significantly affect species diversity and abundance. Despite the positive implications of urban agriculture for biodiversity, the article underscores the need for standardised methodologies and a broader representation of taxa and urban agricultural types in future research.