Results
Urbanization in a buffer of 200 m radius was on average 9.72 ± 0.91 %
(± SE, n = 298 trees) and ranged from 0 to 70 %. Local canopy cover in
a buffer of 20 m radius centered on focal oaks was on average 46.51 ±
1.90 % and ranged from 0 to 100 % cover.
Leaf damage was on average 7.72 ± 0.33 %. Model selection retained the
percentage of urbanization and local canopy cover, year and spring
precipitation as important predictors explaining variability in leaf
damage (Figure 2A, Table A ). Specifically, leaf damage
significantly decreased with increasing urbanization (from 8.23 to
5.59 % along the range of urbanization, Figure BA ) and
increased with local canopy cover (from 7.16 to 8.71 % along the range
of local canopy cover, Figure BD ). Leaf damage varied across
years and was significantly greater in 2019 and lower in 2020 as
compared to 2018 (Figure 2A ). Leaf damage decreased
significantly with increasing spring precipitation (Figure 2A ).