Mechanisms Driving Ground‐Dwelling Animal Diversity Responses to Urbanization Gradients: A Case Study From the Chuhe River Riparian Zone in Nanjing, China

Urbanization is a major driver of global ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. Ground‐dwelling animals, due to their reliance on near‐ground resources and sensitivity to human disturbance, serve as important indicator taxa in urban ecosystems. Understanding the responses of ground‐dwelling animals to urbanization is therefore critical for the design and management of urban green spaces. In this study, we evaluated the responses of ground‐dwelling animal communities to urbanization along the Chuhe River riparian zone in Nanjing, China. Using camera trap data and a set of urbanization‐related variables, we examined community patterns across taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic dimensions of diversity. The results showed that: (1) no significant differences in α diversity were detected among urban, suburban, and rural sites; (2) generalized linear models indicated that different urbanization‐related factors exerted significant and taxon‐specific effects on diversity metrics, with building height, building density, road density, and distance to the government site being key variables; and (3) RLQ analysis revealed significant associations between urbanization and functional traits, with more urbanized areas favoring species characterized by larger body size, carnivorous diets, ground‐dwelling habits, and solitary behavior. Overall, urbanization did not lead to significant changes in local diversity across categorical urbanization gradients, but influenced ground‐dwelling animal communities through specific urbanization‐related factors and trait‐based filtering processes. These findings highlight the importance of integrating multiple diversity dimensions and trait‐based perspectives into urban ecological research and planning.