scholarly journals Landscape ecological enhancement and environmental inequalities in peri-urban areas, using flora as a socio-ecological indicator – The case of the greater Paris area

2021 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 104062
Author(s):  
Fabien Roussel ◽  
Frédéric Alexandre
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ecological Indicator ◽  
Paris Area ◽  
Landscape Ecological ◽  
Environmental Inequalities

scholarly journals Green Infrastructures in the Peri-Urban Landscape: Exploring Local Perception of Well-Being through ‘Go-Alongs’ and ‘Semi-Structured Interviews’

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 6836
Author(s):  
Rocío Santo-Tomás Muro ◽  
Carlota Sáenz de Tejada Granados ◽  
Eva J. Rodríguez Romero
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Local Perception ◽  
Relevant Role ◽  
Environmental Inequalities

Providing conditions for health and well-being, especially for those most exposed to social and environmental inequalities, is a precondition for sustainable development. Green infrastructures in peri-urban areas have the potential to improve the quality of life of locals by fostering healthy practices, providing views, or bringing nature closer to the city. This work explores the local perception of well-being within urban green infrastructures (UGI) in the peri-urban fringe of Madrid (Spain) through a combination of qualitative methods: “go-alongs” and “semi-structured static interviews”. The grounded-theory based codification of the data using NVivo software and their subsequent analysis results in the identification of social, natural, and perceptual elements that prove to play a relevant role in locals’ perception of well-being. Among these, connectivity with other green spaces, panoramic views and place-based memories are aspects that seem to make UGI serve the community at its full potential, including perceived physical and psychological well-being. We identify in each case study both positive characteristics of UGI and dysfunctional aspects and areas of opportunity. Lastly, a methodological, geographical, and theoretical discussion is made on the relevance of the case studies and pertinence of the two interview methods as valuable tools for analysis and intervention in the peri-urban landscape.

scholarly journals Index of Atmospheric Purity reflects the ecological conditions better than the environmental pollution in the Carpathian forests

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 2691-2706
Author(s):  
Magdalena Tanona ◽  
Paweł Czarnota
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ecological Indicator ◽  
Epiphytic Lichen ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Ecological Conditions ◽  
Lichen Biota ◽  
High Degree

Abstract The Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) is a popular tool used for the assessment of air quality in polluted urban areas, on the basis of phytosociological data of epiphytic lichen communities. We hypothesized that this indicator could also be used in less polluted forest areas to determine the quality of ecological conditions for lichens. The aim of the present study was to verify the use of IAP method in the assessment of environmental pollution, and alternatively for the assessment of general ecological conditions in protected mountain forests of Gorce National Park (Polish Western Carpathians) based on the epiphytic lichen biota associated with Picea abies. The spatial distribution of IAP values on monitored sites in GNP was compared with: 1) spatial distribution of accumulated sulfur, nitrogen, selected heavy metals, and total heavy metals in Hypogymnia physodes thalli in 1993 and 2018 (30 sites), 2) mean ecological indicator values characterizing species requirements for light (L), substrate reaction (R) and nutrients (N), in 1993, 2013 and 2018 (33 sites). Generalized linear model and redundancy analysis were performed for disclosing most influencing factors affecting lichen communities. The study revealed a few negligible relationships between IAP values and accumulation of such elements as Ni, Mn, Cd, and Cr in both monitoring periods. Simultaneously, IAP can be useful for the identification of forest areas with a high degree of naturalness.

scholarly journals Assessment of vertically-resolved PM<sub>10</sub> from mobile lidar observations

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
pp. 8617-8638 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-C. Raut ◽  
P. Chazette
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
Paris Area ◽  
Surface Measurements ◽  
Surface Network ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Outlying Regions ◽  
Lidar Observations ◽  
Mass Concentrations

Abstract. We investigate in this study the vertical PM10 distributions from mobile measurements carried out from locations along the Paris Peripherique (highly trafficked beltway around Paris), examine distinctions in terms of aerosol concentrations between the outlying regions of Paris and the inner city and eventually discuss the influence of aerosol sources, meteorology, and dynamics on the retrieved PM10 distributions. To achieve these purposes, we combine in situ surface measurements with active remote sensing observations obtained from a great number of research programs in Paris area since 1999. Two approaches, devoted to the conversion of vertical profiles of lidar-derived extinction coefficients into PM10, have been set up. A very good agreement is found between the theoretical and empirical methods with a discrepancy of 3%. Hence, specific extinction cross-sections at 355 nm are provided with a reasonable relative uncertainty lower than 12% for urban (4.5 m2 g−1) and periurban (5.9 m2 g−1) aersols, lower than 26% for rural (7.1 m2 g−1) aerosols, biomass burning (2.6 m2 g−1) and dust (1.1 m2 g−1) aerosols The high spatial and temporal resolutions of the mobile lidar (respectively 1.5 m and 1 min) enable to follow the spatiotemporal variability of various layers trapping aerosols in the troposphere. Appropriate specific extinction cross-sections are applied in each layer detected in the vertical heterogeneities from the lidar profiles. The standard deviation (rms) between lidar-derived PM10 at 200 m above ground and surface network stations measurements was ~14μg m−3. This difference is particularly ascribed to a decorrelation of mass concentrations in the first meters of the boundary layer, as highlighted through multiangular lidar observations. Lidar signals can be used to follow mass concentrations with an uncertainty lower than 25% above urban areas and provide useful information on PM10 peak forecasting that affect air quality.

EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE AND MICROCLIMATE ON THE DISTRIBUTION FERNS IN AND URBAN AREAS

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (30) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashidi Othman ◽  
Nur Hanie Mohd Latiff ◽  
Izawati Tukiman ◽  
Khairusy Syakirin Has-Yun Hashim
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ecological Indicator ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Fern Species ◽  
Pityrogramma Calomelanos ◽  
Dicranopteris Linearis ◽  
Atmospheric Factor

The aim of the research is to explore the potential of fern species as natural ecological indicator agent to forecast microclimate changes in the urban area. Ferns which also known as pteridophyte are not only valuable in term of its ethno-botanical uses such as food and medicine but also useful in ecological values. Other than that it can be used to treat unhealthy environment such as absorbing methane gas, fertilizing land and treating heavy metal such as arsenic as well as can be used as a potential ecological indicator agent for microclimate changes. In this research, observation and measurement were made at two different environments which are natural environments; Gunung Jerai, Kedah and Lata Jarum, Pahang and manmade setting environments; Hospital Serdang, Serdang and Secret Garden, Kuala Lumpur. Interestingly results from two case studies of natural environments indicated that the distribution and abundance of fern species strongly influenced by differences in altitude. Twelve fern species were found at different elevations at Gunung Jerai, Kedah whereas 20 fern species were found at Lata Jarum, Pahang. Among the species found at Gunung Jerai were Selaginella willdenowii, Arcypteris irregularis, Adiantum caudatum, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Histiopteris stipulacea, Athyrium cordifolium, Osmund wachellii, and Cyathea contaminans. Whereas the species found at Lata Jarum are Dicranopteris linearis, Phymatodes scolopendria, Antrophyum callifolium, Arcypteris irregularis, Phymatodes crustachea, Selaginella willdenowi, Angiopteris evecta and Aglaomorpha heraclea. Another factor that influences the occurrences of the fern species is microclimate particularly atmospheric factor. Results observed from both case studies showed that light intensity, relative humidity and temperature also influenced the distribution of fern species. Therefore fern species are excellent ecological indicator which can be used as phytoindicator for unhealthy environment such as harsh environment or to predict microclimate changes at urban area.

scholarly journals Military, Race, and Urbanization: Lessons of Environmental Injustice from Las Vegas, Nevada

2020 ◽  
pp. 073112142094677
Author(s):  
Camila H. Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Las Vegas ◽  
Environmental Injustice ◽  
Additional Increase ◽  
Spatial Error ◽  
Census Tracts ◽  
The Military ◽  
Environmental Inequalities

Environmental justice scholarship argues state power perpetrates environmental inequalities, but less is known about the U.S. Military’s impact on local urban environmental inequalities. To evaluate the role of the military in contributing to environmental health disparities, I draw on the case study of Las Vegas, Nevada, a southwestern city with active military sites. The analysis uses environmental health, demographic, and Geographic Information System (GIS) data from federal and county agencies. Findings from spatial error models support environmental inequality and treadmill of destruction hypotheses by demonstrating that census tracts in closer proximity to military areas have greater estimated cancer risk from air toxics. Census tracts with a higher percent of poor and Latinx residents, independent of their proximity to military areas, have an additional increase in exposure to air pollution. The case study of Las Vegas offers important lessons of environmental injustice on Latinx environmental health vulnerability and military sites in urban areas.

Exploring Driving Forces of Avian Diversity in a Subtropical Asian City.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Wei Huang ◽  
Yi-Lei Hsu ◽  
Hui Xian Lau ◽  
Jerome Chie-Jen Ko
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Median Income ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Landscape Ecological ◽  
Different Levels

&lt;p&gt;Global urbanization has led to biodiversity decline. Although some case studies reveal rich biodiversity in cities, we still know little about the underlying factors that shape biodiversity at different levels of urbanization. This study statistically analyzes the relationships between environmental, socio-economic and landscape-ecological factors with avian diversity along the rural-urban gradient of Taipei, Taiwan. We use stepwise regression to explore factors that are correlated to variation of bird diversity. First, based on a citizen-science based breeding bird survey in Taiwan (BBS Taiwan), we identify avian richness at different levels of urbanization, using population density as a proxy. Then we correct median income, proportion of tertiary education attainment, precipitation and temperature data from open government data of Taiwan. Finally, we quantify landscape structures using landscape metrics. The results indicate that landscape-ecological factors, such as cohesion of forest, the edge length between building and wetland and area size of building, etc. are correlated with avian richness. On the other hand, socio-economic factors, such as median income and education level are not correlated with avian diversity. Our results reveal that the luxury effect, which describes the positive influence of wealth on urban biodiversity, may not be influential at a subtropical compact city in Asia. On the contrary, we suggest an eco-friendly landscape design that creates a landscape mosaic with scattered trees or wetlands can lead to a network of ecological stepping stones through urban areas for improving bird diversity.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Characterization of a commercial lower-cost medium-precision non-dispersive infrared sensor for atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> monitoring in urban areas

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 2665-2677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Arzoumanian ◽  
Felix R. Vogel ◽  
Ana Bastos ◽  
Bakhram Gaynullin ◽  
Olivier Laurent ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Co2 Flux ◽  
Atmospheric Co2 ◽  
Precision Instrument ◽  
Transport Modelling ◽  
Dry Air ◽  
Empirical Calibration ◽  
Paris Area

Abstract. CO2 emission estimates from urban areas can be obtained with a network of in situ instruments measuring atmospheric CO2 combined with high-resolution (inverse) transport modelling. Because the distribution of CO2 emissions is highly heterogeneous in space and variable in time in urban areas, gradients of atmospheric CO2 (here, dry air mole fractions) need to be measured by numerous instruments placed at multiple locations around and possibly within these urban areas. This calls for the development of lower-cost medium-precision sensors to allow a deployment at required densities. Medium precision is here set to be a random error (uncertainty) on hourly measurements of ±1 ppm or less, a precision requirement based on previous studies of network design in urban areas. Here we present tests of newly developed non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensors manufactured by Senseair AB performed in the laboratory and at actual field stations, the latter for CO2 dry air mole fractions in the Paris area. The lower-cost medium-precision sensors are shown to be sensitive to atmospheric pressure and temperature conditions. The sensors respond linearly to CO2 when measuring calibration tanks, but the regression slope between measured and assigned CO2 differs between individual sensors and changes with time. In addition to pressure and temperature variations, humidity impacts the measurement of CO2, with all of these factors resulting in systematic errors. In the field, an empirical calibration strategy is proposed based on parallel measurements with the lower-cost medium-precision sensors and a high-precision instrument cavity ring-down instrument for 6 months. The empirical calibration method consists of using a multivariable regression approach, based on predictors of air temperature, pressure and humidity. This error model shows good performances to explain the observed drifts of the lower-cost medium-precision sensors on timescales of up to 1–2 months when trained against 1–2 weeks of high-precision instrument time series. Residual errors are contained within the ±1 ppm target, showing the feasibility of using networks of HPP3 instruments for urban CO2 networks. Provided that they could be regularly calibrated against one anchor reference high-precision instrument these sensors could thus collect the CO2 (dry air) mole fraction data required as for top-down CO2 flux estimates.

scholarly journals COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF METHODOLOGIES FOR LANDSCAPE ECOLOGICAL AESTHETICS IN URBAN PLANNING / KRAŠTOVAIZDŽIO EKOLOGINĖS ESTETINĖS URBANISTINIO PLANAVIMO METODOLOGIJOS PALYGINAMOJI ANALIZĖ

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maija Jankevica
Keyword(s):  
Urban Planning ◽  
Urban Studies ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Combined Method ◽  
Ecological Aesthetics ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Urban Territories ◽  
High Level ◽  
Landscape Ecological

Areas with high level of urbanisation provoke frequent conflicts between nature and people. There is a lack of cooperation between planners and nature scientists in urban studies and planning process. Landscapes usually are studied using the ecological and aesthetical approaches separately. However, the future of urban planning depends on integration of these two approaches. This research study looks into different methods of landscape ecological aesthetics and presents a combined method for urban areas. The methods of landscape visual aesthetical assessment, biotope structure analysis, landscape ecology evaluation and multi-disciplinary expert level are compared in the article. A comparison of obtained values is summarized by making a comparative matrix. As a result, a multi-stage model for landscape ecological aesthetics evaluation in urban territories is presented. This ecological aesthetics model can be successfully used for development of urban territories. Santrauka Aukštas teritorinės urbanizacijos lygis skatina dažną gamtos ir žmogaus konfliktą. Urbanistinio planavimo studijų procesuose trūksta bendradarbiavimo tarp urbanistinių teritorijų planavimo ir gamtos mokslo srityse dirbančių mokslininkų. Kraštovaizdis dažnai tyrinėjamas atskirai, taikant ekologinius ir estetinius metodus. Tačiau miestų planavimo ateitis priklauso nuo šių dviejų metodų integracijos. Šio tyrimo metu nagrinėjami skirtingi kraštovaizdžio ekologinės estetikos metodai ir pateikiamas apibendrintas urbanizuotoms teritorijoms skirtas sprendimas. Palyginti kraštovaizdžio vizualinio estetinio vertinimo, biotopų struktūros analizės, kraštovaizdžio ekologijos vertinimo metodai ir įvairių sričių ekspertų išvados. Gauti rezultatai suvesti į palyginamąją matricą. Viso to rezultatas – urbanistinių teritorijų daugiapakopis kraštovaizdžio ekologinės estetikos vertinimo modelis. Šis ekologinės estetikos modelis gali būti sėkmingai taikomas urbanistinių teritorijų plėtrai.

scholarly journals Characterization of lower-cost medium precision atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> monitoring systems for urban areas using commercial NDIR sensors

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Arzoumanian ◽  
Felix R. Vogel ◽  
Ana Bastos ◽  
Bakhram Gaynullin ◽  
Olivier Laurent ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Co2 Concentration ◽  
Calibration Method ◽  
Atmospheric Co2 ◽  
Precision Instrument ◽  
Empirical Calibration ◽  
Paris Area ◽  
The Difference

Abstract. CO2 emission estimates from urban areas can be obtained with a network of in-situ instruments measuring atmospheric CO2 combined with high-resolution (inverse) transport modeling. The distribution of CO2 emissions being highly heterogeneous in space and variable in time in urban areas, gradients of atmospheric CO2 need to be measured by numerous instruments placed at multiple locations around and possibly within these urban areas, which calls for the development of lower-cost medium precision sensors to allow a deployment at required densities. Medium precision is here set to be a random error (uncertainty) on hourly measurements of ±1 ppm or less, a precision requirement based on previous studies of network design in urban areas. Here we present tests of a HPP commercial NDIR sensors manufactured by Senseair AB performed in the laboratory and at actual field stations, the latter for CO2 concentration in the Paris area. The lower-cost medium precision sensors are shown to be sensitive to atmospheric pressure and temperature conditions. The sensors respond linearly to CO2 when measuring calibration tanks, but the regression slope between measured and true CO2 differs between individual sensors and changes with time. In addition to pressure and temperature variations, humidity impacts the measurement of CO2, all causing systematic errors. In the field, an empirical calibration strategy is proposed based on parallel measurements with the lower-cost medium precision sensors and a high-precision instrument cavity ring-down instrument during 6 month. This empirical calibration method consists of using a multiple regression approach to create a model of the errors defined as the difference of CO2 measured by the lower-cost medium precision sensors relative to a calibrated high-precision instrument, based on predictors of air temperature, pressure and humidity. This error model shows good performances to explain the observed drifts of the lower-cost medium precision sensors on time scales of up to 1–2 months when trained against 1–2 weeks of high-precision instrument time series. Residual errors are contained within the ±1 ppm target, showing the feasibility to use networks of HPP instruments for urban CO2 networks, provided that they could be regularly calibrated against one anchor reference high-precision instrument.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document