Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Urban Ecosystems, cilt.28, sa.5, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study provides a comparative assessment of woody plant diversity in two major urban parks in Gaziantep, Türkiye—Festival Park and Galle Park—using alpha, beta, and gamma biodiversity indices. A total of 77 species and 10,572 individuals were recorded across both parks. Galle Park exhibited higher species richness with 49 species and 6,887 individuals, while Festival Park had 43 species and 3,685 individuals. However, diversity indices revealed a more balanced species distribution in Festival Park: Shannon-Wiener (2.48), Simpson (0.88), and Evenness (E = 0.83); in Galle Park, these values were 1.97, 0.76, and 0.67, respectively. The proportion of native individuals was 38% in Galle Park and 6% in Festival Park. In both parks, most woody species belonged to the angiosperms. In terms of leaf morphology, 56% of individuals in Festival Park were deciduous broadleaf, while 73% in Galle Park were evergreen broadleaf; the share of conifers was low in both (Festival: 1%, Galle: 3%). Bray-Curtis dissimilarity showed that Galle Park had a more variable and fragmented plant composition, whereas Festival Park was more homogeneous and structured. Universal beta diversity was higher in Galle Park (1.22) than in Festival Park (0.69), indicating greater spatial heterogeneity. Gamma diversity was similar in both parks (Festival: 3.17; Galle: 3.18). Despite the dominance of exotic species, Festival Park demonstrated a more balanced diversity and structural stability. The study recommends increasing the use of native species, incorporating more gymnosperms, and adopting hybrid landscape strategies that integrate aesthetic and ecological functionality in urban green space planning.