Improving urban green infrastructure by incorporating hidden biodiversity networks (HiddenBiodiversity)

Cities should become greener, more biodiverse and climate-resilient. Many organisms that are important for the functioning of urban green and the wellbeing of urban citizens, however, remain little known. This ‘hidden biodiversity’ (bacteria, fungi, soil animals, algae, mosses, lichens and pavement plants) is investigated, and brought to the attention of urban citizens, in HiddenBiodiversity. We will unravel hidden biodiversity networks and assess their contribution to urban greening. We will improve methods to identify species and infer how citizens can appreciate biodiversity in their living environment. The results will help urban planners, designers and managers to foster and protect biodiversity.