Optimizing landscape management for breeding bird conservation in urban areas: Insights from a species–habitat network based on citizen science

Urban biodiversity conservation has largely focused on the local scale, often overlooking how multiple habitats jointly influence community processes. Green spaces are widely recognized for enhancing biodiversity, yet managing green spaces across multiple urban administrative units to support species-specific preferences remains challenging for biodiversity conservation. In this study, we constructed a species–habitat network to evaluate how green space structure across urban subdistricts affects breeding bird occurrence. First, using bird occurrence data from Shanghai, sourced from the China Bird Report Center (2020−2023), we connected 64 breeding bird species with 26 urban subdistricts to assess the topological importance of particular urban subdistrict nodes in the network. Subsequently, we used linear regression models to examine how green space structure metrics (i.e., percentage, patch density, edge density, and distance between patches) and urbanization factors (i.e., road density) influenced the roles of urban subdistrict nodes in the network. We found that the species-habitat network exhibits distinct compartmentalization (three modules), and the topological role of urban subdistrict nodes in the networks was driven by the percentage of green space positively and road density negatively. High patch density of green spaces could promote the specialized role of a subdistrict across the overall network, but reduce its connectivity within modules. We recommend optimizing landscape structure to protect multiple species and maintain network cohesion, ensuring the maintenance of a high percentage of green space with limited road density. Additionally, integrating heterogeneous small patches within well-connected green spaces could benefit both specialist and generalist species. • The species–habitat network was applied in high-density built environments. • Urban subdistricts with high percentage of green spaces and low road density support more bird species. • High percentage of green spaces increases network cohesion, while road density reduces it. • High patch density of green spaces increases specialization but reduces network cohesion. • Species–habitat networks can be used in urban planning to tailor strategies.