A Simple Taxonomy of Urban Ecosystems
in the Northeast

Peter Del Tredici, February 21, 2006

Remnant Native Habitats

Freshwater wetlands and streams
Riverbank corridors
Salt water marshes
Woodlands
Rock outcrops

Managed Urban Habitats

Well Maintained Landscapes (weeds controlled):

Mowed grass (lawns and ball fields)
Mowed grass with scattered trees and shrubs (savannahs)
Public parks and open space
Planted woodlands with understory shrubs
Residential landscapes
Commercial and institutional landscapes

Minimally Maintained Landscapes (weeds abundant):

Trampled grass in public parks
Planting islands in paved areas
Neglected public parks and open space
Neglected residential and commercial landscapes

Derelict (Ruderal*) Urban Habitats

Abandoned or Neglected Open Space:

Vacant lots and waste dumps (primary succession)
Abandoned lawns and ball fields (secondary succession)
Alleyways (always in shade)
Woodlands on abandoned land (usually on slopes)
Freshwater wetland and stream corridors (siltation problems)
Riverbanks (impacted by roadways and development)
Saltwater marshes (brackish water)

Inner City Infrastructure:

Small-scale pavement openings (tree pits), edges, and cracks
Chain-link fence lines and stone walls
Roadway and highway banks, edges and median strips (salt applications)
Railroad tracks (gravel substrate and herbicide applications)

* Ruderal is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as "growing in rubbish, poor land, or waste places. From Latin rudera , ruins, rubbish, plural of rudus , broken stone."