Assessment and ranking of influencing factors in the relationship between spatial patterns of urban green spaces and socioeconomic indices in Mashhad urban districts, Iran

Urban soil is the foundation of ecosystem functioning in urban green spaces, which plays an important role in sustainable urbanization. To maintain the ecosystem services provided by urban green space, it is important to manage and monitor the urban soil using appropriate evaluation parameters. Given that the urban soil is under direct and indirect influence of anthropogenic factors, the characteristics of urban ecosystem should be considered when assessing the soil quality. My research group already suggested a new soil quality parameter set for urban roadside soils, which is composed of soil penetration resistance (PR), pH, the C/H ratio of particulate organic matter (POM-C/H), POM-N, and soil microbial respiration (RES). This parameter set indicated that the urban soil has very unique quality of soil organic matter (SOM) and it should be considered as well as SOM quantity when assessing the urban soil status. In this study, we aimed at assessing the SOM quality in various types of urban green space using the C/H ratio and N of POM and analyzing the relationship between SOM quality and soil RES. Soil RES was regarded as a representative parameter for overall soil health and used as a dependent variable. The study was conducted in three different types of urban green spaces, which are roadside, urban park, and riverside green in Seoul, Korea. In each type of green space, three sites were selected varing in the degree of human disturbance. Soil samples were collected from the 0-15 cm depth, passed through 2mm sieve and dried before analysis. The POM was separated after wet sieving using 53 um screen and the C, N, and H contents of POM were measured using combustion analysis using the Carlo Erba NS Analyzer Carlo Erba, Milan, Italy). We calculated the POM-C/H as a proxy for aromaticity, which increases with high non-degradable OM. To trace the source of SOM, we measured the N stable isotope ratio of POM (POM-&#948;15N). On the same day of soil sampling, soil RES was measured on-site using the EGM CO2 Gas Analyzer PP Systems, MA, USA). We performed multiple regression to analyze the relationship between SOM quality and soil RES. The POM C/H was higher in roadside soil than urban park, which means the urban roadside soil has a significantly higher amount of non-biodegradable compounds such as PAH. This further implies that OM quality is significantly different among types of urban green spaces. Using the POM delta N value, we found that OM in the roadside soils was originated from sewage sludge, animal urine/feces as well as atmospheric deposition. Analysis of OM source tracing in the urban park and riverside soil will be conducted. There was a negative correlation between POM C/H ratio and soil RES, which indicates the poor soil health condition partly due to low OM quality. In conclusion, this study clarifies the importance of OM quality for assessing the soil in urban green spaces affected by anthropogenic factors and indicates that the SOM quality management needs to be established.

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The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16030452 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 452 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Viniece Jennings ◽

Omoshalewa Bamkole

Keyword(s):

Social Cohesion ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Green Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

The Relationship ◽

Health And Well Being

Social cohesion involves the interpersonal dynamics and sense of connection among people. Increased social cohesion can be associated with various physical and psychological health benefits. The presence of urban green spaces can encourage positive social interactions that cultivate social cohesion in ways that enhance health and well-being. Urban green spaces have also been linked to positive health behaviors and outcomes including increased physical activity and social engagement. Understanding the relationship between social cohesion and urban green space is important for informing holistic approaches to health. In this article, we discuss how positive interactions in urban green space can catalyze social cohesion, social capital and critical health-promoting behaviors that may enhance psychological health and well-being. We also summarize the strengths and limitations of previous studies and suggest directions for future research.

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Exploring urban green spaces in China: Spatial patterns, driving factors and policy implications

Land Use Policy ◽

10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104249 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 89 ◽

pp. 104249 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ze Xu ◽

Zhengfeng Zhang ◽

Chu Li

Keyword(s):

Spatial Patterns ◽

Driving Factors ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces

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Reading Urban Green Morphology to Enhance Urban Resilience: A Case Study of Six Southern European Cities

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13169163 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 9163

Author(s):

Michèle Pezzagno ◽

Barbara M. Frigione ◽

Carla S. S. Ferreira

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Spatial Patterns ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Morphology ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Resilience ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

European Cities

A loss of natural capital within cities and their surrounding areas has been noticed over the last decades. Increasing development associated with higher sealing rates has caused a general loss of Urban Green Spaces (UGS) within the urban environment, whereas urban sprawl and the improvement of road networks have deeply fragmented the surrounding landscape and jeopardized ecosystems connectivity. UGS are an essential component of the urban system, and their loss has a greater impact on, e.g., ecological and hydrological processes, threatening human well-being. Different types and spatial configurations of UGS may affect their own ability to provide ecosystem services, such as biodiversity support and water regulation. Nevertheless, the study of UGS spatial patterns is a research branch poorly addressed. Moreover, UGS analyses are mainly focused on public and vast green spaces, but seldom on informal, private, and interstitial ones, returning a myopic representation of urban green areas. Therefore, this study investigates the UGS spatial patterns within six Southern European cities, using the urban morphology analysis to assess all urban vegetated lands. Results revealed three main Urban Green Spatial Patterns (UGSPs): Fragmented, Compact, and Linear Distributions. UGSPs taxonomy represents a novelty in the urban morphology field and may have important implications for the ability to provide ecosystem services and, thus, human well-being.

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INFLUENCING FACTORS ON PERFORMANCE OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR SETTINGS AT PARKS AND GREEN SPACES OF TABRIZ

Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis ◽

10.37043/jura.2018.10.2.4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Ali Majnouni TOUTAKHANE

Keyword(s):

Social Behavior ◽

Influencing Factors ◽

Urban Parks ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Test Results ◽

Analysis Model ◽

Factor Analysis Model ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Behavior Setting

Parks and green spaces are significant areas that are necessary to reduce citizens’ mental and moral pressures more than ever. So, as for the importance of parks and urban green spaces, consideration of influencing factors on performance of these areas as citizen’s social behavior setting is basically significant. This research seeks to answer the question of how citizens’ behaviors are distinctly the same in terms of gender, age and social and economic characteristics in urban parks. The population of this research is represented by those who go to the parks and green spaces of Tabriz metropolis. The Cochran’s formula was used to select a sample of 400 subjects who were specified by a simple random method. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated at 0.902 using the Cronbach’s alpha formula while the research data was analyzed via the descriptive-inferential approach. The implementation of factor analysis model reduced the 62 variables of citizens’ social behavior to 23 variables and 4 factors. In considering the effects on citizen’s behavior in parks, these factors in order of preference are: social-psychological, physical-structural, economic and environmental. These four factors can explain 85.272% of the citizen’s social behavior. The stepwise regression test results showed that all the analyzed variables, referring to the performance of citizen’s social behavioral setting in parks and urban green spaces, are positively and meaningfully correlated. The independent t-test results showed that the urban park performances as behavior setting register significant differences between men and women. In this sense, the conclusions of the paper highlight the need to consider the complex needs of the residents in the designing and execution process of urban parks and green spaces.

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Is the Qi experience related to the flow experience? Practicing qigong in urban green spaces

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0240180 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0240180

Author(s):

Shih-Han Hung ◽

Ching-Yung Hwang ◽

Chun-Yen Chang

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Methods ◽

East Asian ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Flow Experience ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

High Level ◽

The Mind ◽

The Relationship ◽

Quantitative And Qualitative Methods

People experience a healthy energy gained from the environment and an inner feeling, called the Qi experience. The flow experience has been a popular topic in Western studies, especially within the fields of psychology and health, and in all kinds of activities. Our current study used quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the relationship between the Qi experience and the flow experience. After collecting data using open-ended questions, we integrated and connected the Qi experience into five orientations: (1) the feeling of Qi; (2) the mind; (3) Qi and consciousness; (4) physical, mental, and spiritual benefits; and (5) the feeling of Tao. The results revealed a high level of consistency between the flow experience and the Qi experience (r = 0.90, p<0.00, which supports the conclusion that the concept of the flow experience in Qigong activity seems to be the same as that in East Asian disciplines, called the Qi experience.

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Characterising urban green space density and accessibility in models of BMI

10.21203/rs.2.14642/v2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Carthy ◽

Sean Lyons ◽

Anne Nolan

Keyword(s):

Weight Status ◽

Green Space ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Combining Data ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background : While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We suggest that dimensions of urban green space accessibility, which are generally unobserved in the existing literature, may be a source of this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods: We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses in network buffers, which are adjusted to account for the density of local footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to accessible urban green space and BMI. Results: Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600m accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16-1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion : The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some other unobserved factors, other than footpath availability, that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status.

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Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI

10.21203/rs.2.14642/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Carthy ◽

Sean Lyons ◽

Anne Nolan

Keyword(s):

Weight Status ◽

Green Space ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Combining Data ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We ask whether footpath availability, generally unobserved in the existing literature, may mediate exposure to urban green space and help explain this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods: We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses using street-side and area buffersthat take account of the presence of footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to several measures of urban green space and BMI. Results: Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600m footpath-accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16-1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion: The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some unobserved factors other than footpath availability that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status.

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The influence of urban landscape spatial patterns on single-family housing prices

Environment and Planning B Urban Analytics and City Science ◽

10.1177/0265813516663932 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 26-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jun-Hyun Kim ◽

Wei Li ◽

Galen Newman ◽

Sung-Ho Kil ◽

Sun Young Park

Keyword(s):

Spatial Patterns ◽

Green Space ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Housing Prices ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Single Family ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces

Many empirical studies assessing the economic benefits of urban green space have continually documented that green space tends to increase both value and sale price of nearby residential properties. Previous studies, however, have not fully captured the quality of neighborhood level landscape spatial patterns on housing prices. To fill this literature gap, this study examined the association between landscape spatial patterns of urban green spaces and single-family home sale transactions using a spatial regression model. The research was conducted through the analysis of 11,326 housing transaction records from 2010 to 2012 in Austin, TX, USA. Variables measuring the structural, locational and neighborhood characteristics of housing were coupled with Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing and FRAGSTATS to calculate several landscape indices measuring the quality of existing landscape spatial patterns. After controlling for any spatial autocorrelation effects, we found that that larger tree and urban forest areas surrounding single-family homes positively contributed to property values, while more fragmented, isolated and irregularly shaped landscape spatial patterns resulted in the inverse. The results of this research increase awareness of the role of urban green spaces while informing community design/planning practices about the linkages between landscape spatial structure and economic benefits.

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Urban Green Space Fragmentation and Urbanization: A Spatiotemporal Perspective

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10040333 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 333 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Fangzheng Li ◽

Wei Zheng ◽

Yu Wang ◽

Junhui Liang ◽

Shuang Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Patterns ◽

Shape Index ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Rapid Urbanization ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Geographically Weighted Regression Model ◽

Nighttime Light Data ◽

Green Areas ◽

High Level

Urbanization leads to the occupation of green areas, directly contributing to a high level of fragmentation of urban green spaces, which, in turn, results in numerous socioeconomic and environmental problems. Consequently, an understanding of the relationships between patterns of urban green spaces and urbanization processes is essential. Although previous quantitative studies have examined this relationship, they have not included an exploration of spatial heterogeneities in the effects of urbanization on the spatial patterns of urban green areas. We therefore applied a spatiotemporal perspective to examine the above relationship, while considering the wider planning context. First, we quantified the extent of fragmentation of urban green spaces using landscape metrics comprising the largest patch index (LPI) and landscape shape index (LSI). Next, using the calculated spatial metrics and nighttime light data (NTL) for central Beijing for the period 1992–2016, we applied a geographically weighted regression model to assess variations in the spatiotemporal effects of urbanization on the fragmentation of urban green spaces. The results showed that urbanization initially occurred mainly in the northern parts of Beijing, whereas urbanization of southern urban fringe areas occurred after 2008. The reduction in green spaces along with increasing fragmentation and complex spatial patterns are indicative of issues relating to Beijing’s rapid urbanization and planning policies. This study contributes to an understanding of how urbanization influences fragmentation of urban green spaces and offers insights for the planning of urban green spaces from the perspective of promoting sustainability.

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