The Effects of Urbanization on Plant Biodiversity in Southeastern Virginia

This research project investigated the impacts of urbanization on plant species biodiversity within Southeastern Virginia. The hypothesized results of this research were if there was an increase in urbanization, then plant diversity would decrease. Plant biodiversity can increase the decomposition rates, pollination success, and biomass production of the area. Decreasing in plant biodiversity can increase the spread of pathogens through plant populations and increase herbivore damage. There was data compiled from SERNEC herbarium records of four counties, Accomack, Northampton, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach had the largest population increase, which was considered the measurement for urbanization in this study. Virginia Beach’s population increased from 8,091 in 1960 to 449,974 in 2019. Northampton had the smallest recorded population for both time periods, however, it had similar plant species population as Virginia Beach. The research supported that there was no clear association between the increasing urbanization and the change in plant biodiversity. The results supported that there was a loss of plant diversity in Norfolk, which was the only human population that experienced a decrease in population from the time periods of 1960 to 2019. The county with the most plant species biodiversity was Accomack County, which had the second lowest recorded population. Norfolk county had the second highest population with the lowest plant species diversity. Northampton and Virginia Beach had a large gap in population sizes, but had similar plant biodiversity, with a difference of only four more species in Virginia Beach. Further research is needed in order to determine whether there was a decrease in biodiversity of native plants and an increase in biodiversity in non-native plants