Globally increasing urbanization results in rapid environmental changes, including the disappearance and fragmentation of natural habitats. At the same time, urban citizens create green spaces and aquatic habitats for recreational purposes in gardens and city parks. The resulting anthropogenic aquatic habitats such as urban ponds are increasingly considered valuable for biodiversity. While there is an increasing need for better understanding the functioning of urban pond networks, this cannot be complete without the explicit consideration of the numerous garden ponds in the landscape. So far, they remained largely excluded from studies either due to difficulties in obtaining access or due to limitations by their overall small sizes which curtailed their assessment via satellite-based imagery. Here, we present a novel approach in the form of a citizen science program where we aimed to assess garden ponds and their biodiversity with the help of pond owners in Hungary. In 2021-22, we collected data as part of an online survey from over 800 garden ponds across the country, followed by an eDNA-based sampling campaign covering over 300 garden ponds. Our data revealed a high engagement level of citizens and an overall high heterogeneity in pond morphology and management. With appropriate evidence-based suggestions, this could contribute to sustaining aquatic biodiversity in an urbanizing world.

Primary Presenter: Zsofia Horvath, Centre for Ecological Research (hhzsofia@gmail.com)

Authors:

Zsofia Horvath, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University  (hhzsofia@gmail.com)

Andrew Hamer, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, Centre for Ecological Research  ()

Csaba Vad, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University  ()

Beata Szabo, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary  ()

Peter Dobosy, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary  ()

Irene Tornero, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, Centre for Ecological Research, GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona  ()

Csilla Laskai, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary  ()

Vivien Kardos, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary  ()

Adam Fierpasz, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary  ()

Virag Csiszar, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary  ()

Zsuzsanna Marton, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University  ()

Barbara Barta, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University  ()