scholarly journals Optimizing Spatial Distribution of Urban Green Spaces by Balancing Supply and Demand for Ecosystem Services

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Yi-Wen Ji ◽  
Lang Zhang ◽  
Jie Liu ◽  
Qicheng Zhong ◽  
Xinxin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Air Purification ◽  
Explicit Model ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Ecological Flows

The capacity and ecological flows of ecosystem services as well as the demand for them are key areas of urban and rural ecological planning that have been studied using the spatial-explicit model as a decision support tool. This study develops a framework for mapping the relationships among the capacity of and demand for ecosystem services, ecological flows, and planning management. This is done by estimating the ecosystem services based on the space for recreation and environmental conditions and assessing planning for green spaces using the spatial-explicit model. The results show that the carrying capacity of green recreational space was high in the northwest, southwest, and southeast parts of the city of Hefei in China, where this space was highly sustainable in the northwest and southwest. The data also show that the carrying capacity for air purification was higher in the northwest, southwest, and southeast suburbs of Hefei, while areas with high demand for air purification were mainly located in the northeast. The spatial variation in the flows of supply and demand for ecosystem services remained high and unbalanced in the northeast and southwest of Hefei. The excessive use of ecosystem services was concentrated in the urban center while their use in suburban areas was sustainable. The results show that the gap between the supply and demand of space for recreation increased with distance while that between the supply and demand of air purification decreased with increasing distance. The results of assessment based on spatial visualization show that green space was abundant in areas with low demand for it, while those with high demand for it tended to have limited green space in Hefei. This analysis shows that indices for the demand for green spaces in the context of ecosystem services can be improved via public participation, interactions between different scales of ecosystem services for green space, and use of decision support in urban and rural planning systems. These areas will form important directions for future research.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Equity and Regional Management of Some Urban Green Space Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of Main Urban Area of Xi’an City

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 813
Author(s):  
Hui Dang ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Yumeng Zhang ◽  
Zixiang Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Green Space ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Deposition Flux ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Xi’An City

Urban green spaces can provide many types of ecosystem services for residents. An imbalance in the pattern of green spaces leads to an inequality of the benefits of such spaces. Given the current situation of environmental problems and the basic geographical conditions of Xi’an City, this study evaluated and mapped four kinds of ecosystem services from the perspective of equity: biodiversity, carbon sequestration, air purification, and climate regulation. Regionalization with dynamically constrained agglomerative clustering and partitioning (REDCAP) was used to obtain the partition groups of ecosystem services. The results indicate that first, the complexity of the urban green space community is low, and the level of biodiversity needs to be improved. The dry deposition flux of particulate matter (PM2.5) decreases from north to south, and green spaces enhance the adsorption of PM2.5. Carbon sequestration in the south and east is higher than that in the north and west, respectively. The average surface temperature in green spaces is lower than that in other urban areas. Second, urban green space resources in the study area are unevenly distributed. Therefore, ecosystem services in different areas are inequitable. Finally, based on the regionalization of integrated ecosystem services, an ecosystem services cluster was developed. This included 913 grid spaces, 12 partitions, and 5 clusters, which can provide a reference for distinct levels of ecosystem services management. This can assist urban managers who can use these indicators of ecosystem service levels for planning and guiding the overall development pattern of green spaces. The benefits would be a maximization of the ecological functions of green spaces, an improvement of the sustainable development of the city, and an improvement of people’s well-being.

scholarly journals Optimization of Green Space Planning to Improve Ecosystem Services Efficiency: The Case of Chongqing Urban Areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8441
Author(s):  
Shuiyu Yan ◽  
Jun Tang
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Space ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Space Planning ◽  
Buffer Analysis ◽  
Gis Software

This paper applied landscape indexes to evaluate the size, form, and structure of green spaces in the mountainous city of Chongqing and found that green spaces benefit from certain advantages in size, but the network suffered from low heterogeneity and limited interconnectivity. To ensure the integrity and continuity of ecological processes and improve the efficiency of ecosystem services (ES), the authors used Geographic Information System (GIS) software to conduct adaptability evaluation and adjacent buffer analysis for the existing green spaces, wetlands, rivers, and other landscapes with relatively high capacity for ES. We designed a comprehensive map of potential areas for UGS expansion by superimposing the maps obtained from adaptability evaluation and buffer analysis. We also proposed some strategies that respect, consider, and evaluate aspects and special features of urban environment to optimize green space planning and improve ES efficiency, such as protection of important areas, development of green corridors, and careful consideration of ecological processes and complex functions in urban areas. Based on these strategies, the paper put forth suggestions for green space planning to improve ES efficiency that can function as foundation for subsequent green space planning.

scholarly journals Greenspace to Meet People’s Demand: A Case Study of Beijing in 2005 and 2015

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4310
Author(s):  
Zhanghao Chen ◽  
Ganlin Huang
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Spatial Relationship ◽  
Remote Sensing Images ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Socioeconomic Characteristics ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Over Time

Urban greenspace provides essential benefits and often depends on its distribution and spatial relationship with residents. Many cities set ambitious goals to increase the coverage of greenspace. In addition, to increase the total amount of greenspace, spatial patterns of greenspace supply and demand also need to be taken into account to make sure its ecosystem services can reach the residents. While previous research has examined greenspace distribution, its association with various ecosystem services, and its spatial relationship with residents’ socioeconomic characteristics, relatively few studies have considered the spatial pattern of greenspace demand to assess its supply change over time. To fill this gap, we evaluated the greenspace change of Beijing between 2005 and 2015 using 2.5 m and 0.5 m high resolution remote sensing images. We first identified all of the greenspace changes, then evaluated the improvement of greenspace that was accessible to residents, and finally, we examined whether such improvement met different levels of demand estimated by neighborhood population, age structure, and economic status. The results showed a net increase of 1472 ha (7.8%) from 2005 to 2015. On average, percent greenspace within 500 m of the neighborhood boundary increased from 21% to 24%. Areas with low greenspace supply had a significantly higher increase. The standard deviation reduced from 8% to 7%, which indicated a smaller disparity of accessible greenspace. However, results showed that greenspace increase had little variation among neighborhoods with different demand levels. Our findings indicated that the greening efforts improved spatial distribution and reduced inequality in accessibility but failed to address different demand levels among neighborhoods. Furthermore, we identified neighborhoods with low supply/high demand and that lost greenspace between 2005–2015. These neighborhoods need to be given attention in future greening projects.

scholarly journals Nourishing and protecting our urban ‘green’ space in a post-pandemic world

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-169
Author(s):  
Christopher Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Planning Policy ◽  
Urban Commons

‘Green spaces’ provide important cultural ecosystem services in our towns and cities. ‘Green’ space may come in many forms – for example parks, village greens, urban commons, or just neglected and undeveloped wasteland. But all of it is important as it can provide much needed space for open air recreation and exercise in crowded urban areas. The covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown has shown just how important it is for us to have easy access to open space for recreation and exercise. But much of our green space is, in an age of austerity, under threat. Covid-19 has shown that we need to reappraise planning policy for the designation and protection of new areas of green space in our urban environment; to better protect existing open space, including village greens and commons; and to seek to rebalance planning policy to ensure that the drive for new housing does not take place at the expense of ensuring that adequate green space is provided for existing and future communities.

scholarly journals Urban Ecosystem services on the local level: Urban green spaces as providers

2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jürgen Breuste ◽  
Johanna Schnellinger ◽  
Salman Qureshi ◽  
Anna Faggi
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Urban Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Urban Green Spaces

AbstractBreuste J., Schnellinger J., Qureshi S., Faggi A.: Urban ecosystem services on the local level: Urban green spaces as providers. Ekologia (Bratislava), Vol. 32, No. 3, p. 209-304, 2013. Ecosystem services are provided at different spatial and service/functional scales. The local level is the basic unit for ecosystem services, especially when it comes to the human dimension of urban landscapes. These services are provided by green elements (patches) or basic complex ecosystems (green areas) which differ from their neighbourhoods through their structures and functions. This study reviews the generally available knowledge on urban green functions and services at the site level and explains them by using own studies in five different cities in three different continents related to distinct ecosystem services. This allows the development of a methodology to evaluate and compare ecosystem services at the site level. The methodology is based at two levels, patch and green space, and includes the relationship with the surrounding green and built-up space. Different urban green space types are characterized by their internal structures of vegetation, size, shape and location in relation to at least a semi-quantitative scaling of their urban ecosystem services. The evaluated urban green spaces are public urban green spaces. The urban ecosystem services assessed include climate regulation, biodiversity, nature experience, recreation and health. The actual urban challenges, such as land use change, adaptation to climate change, demographic change and urban cultural diversity, demand a systematic and very concrete monitoring of urban ecosystem services at the site level.

scholarly journals Roślinność wieloletnich nieużytków miejskich – systematyka zbiorowisk, ich struktura i pełnione usługi ekosystemowe = Vegetation of perennial urban wastelands – syntaxonomy, structure and ecosystem services

2021 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-363
Author(s):  
Piotr Archiciński ◽  
Piotr Sikorski ◽  
Daria Sikorska ◽  
Arkadiusz Przybysz
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Urban Green Space ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Surface Cooling ◽  
Urban Green

There is wide recognition that urban green space provides city residents with considerable benefits, inter alia of an environmental, economic and health-related profile. However, the different types of urban greenery include a rather large proportion taking the form of vegetation on abandoned sites that remain uncultivated, to the extent that a plant cover develops without much active human involvement. Almost by definition, there is only a poor level of recognition of the ecological potential such sites (here referred to as “informal green spaces” – IGS) enjoy, or of their capacity to render a variety of different ecosystem services. Against that background, the work presented here entailed in-depth study of the flora and plant communities present in Warsaw’s informal green spaces, the aim being to better ascertain their role in preserving biodiversity and delivering ecosystem services. Specifically, we identified the plant species composition present at 75 different locations within the urban green space of Poland’s capital city. To qualify for consideration, these sites had to be identified as entirely bereft of vegetation maintenance, or else only minimally subject to it, to the extent that it is largely processes of natural succession that are ongoing. The sites in fact range from wastelands with stabilised vegetation, via urban scrub and forest, through to non-forest habitats, sporadically cultivated and established over 20 years. We determined the density of vegetation present, and examined its structure in relation to various known classes of green space. We further determined the role of various vegetation types in rendering ecosystem services, be that surface cooling, substrate moisture maintenance or a capacity to remove particulate matter from the air. The informal green spaces we investigated are in fact found to comprise mainly-stable forest communities dominated by invasive species of tree (phytosociological Classes Robinietea and Salicetea purpureae), as well as non-forest communities (of Classes Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Epilobietea and Artemisietea) again largely dominated by invasive plant species. The level of biodiversity here is average, it mostly being common forest and non-forest species that are preserved. However, in exceptional cases, the habitats constituted here do support species rare on a regional scale. It emerges that the forest vegetation is of weakly-diversified structure, as a reflection of the specific strategy invasive species pursue as they form monospecific communities. As noted already, the vegetation of the informal green spaces is seen to be largely dominated by such invasive species. Nevertheless, despite their evidently limited role in preserving biodiversity, these sites represent such a high density and volume of vegetation that their provisioning of ecosystem services is on a high level, especially where forest plant communities are involved. Sites that have come to be dominated by invasive plant species are shown to render ecosystem services comparable with (or sometimes even surpassing) those provided by native species, and this is especially the case when it comes to the removal of particulate matter from air and the exerting of a cooling effect.

Beyond burial: researching and managing cemeteries as urban green spaces, with examples from Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Quinton ◽  
Peter N. Duinker
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
The Many ◽  
Ecosystem Disservices

Cemeteries existing within cities are often omitted from the “green space” narrative despite their high levels of vegetation. Given the relatively small areas of green space in many cities, it is important to appropriately manage these landscapes to ensure that residents can access green spaces and enjoy the many benefits they offer. The purpose of our paper is to demonstrate that cemeteries should be managed and researched as urban green spaces that provide ecosystem services. We compared and contrasted cemeteries with urban parks and used their similarities and differences, as well as a review of existing cemetery and other green-space literature, to discuss how cemeteries can provide a wide variety of ecosystem services. We found that cemeteries and parks both have high levels of vegetation, similar perceived safety issues, and some common rules and regulations, while differing in their consideration as public spaces, effect on real-estate values, historical–cultural value, and funding and management goals. Despite the differences, we believe that the vegetation (particularly trees), monuments, other infrastructure, and atmosphere within cemeteries make them well-suited to providing ecosystem services such as recreation, human health and restoration, stormwater management, microclimate regulation, aesthetics, and so on. Cemeteries can also potentially provide ecosystem “disservices” such as allergens, invasive/dangerous/poisonous species, and the degradation of groundwater quality. However, we believe that the potential for ecosystem services far outweighs the potential for ecosystem disservices in urban cemeteries, and as such we believe they should be studied and managed as green spaces with functions beyond those of interment and mourning. Given the general superiority of trees over other vegetation in providing a diversity of ecosystem services, we urge cemetery managers to consider options for increases and improvements in cemetery tree populations.

scholarly journals Qualitative Exploration of Perception and Use of Cultural Ecosystem Services from Tree-Based Urban Green Space in the City of Zagreb (Croatia)

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 876
Author(s):  
Silvija Krajter Ostoić ◽  
Ana Marija Marin ◽  
Martina Kičić ◽  
Dijana Vuletić
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Place Attachment ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Urban Green Space ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
Different Types

Background and Objectives: Cultural ecosystem services of urban green spaces are increasingly important and often recognized as such by people living in urban areas. Qualitative studies on perception of cultural ecosystem services from urban green spaces are still rare. Previous studies addressed only certain types of urban green space and often only some services. There is a lack of understanding how people perceive cultural ecosystem services from different types of tree-based urban green spaces. Hence, the purpose of the study was to explore whether and how people perceive and use cultural ecosystem services of different types of tree-based urban green spaces. Materials and Methods: Focus groups were conducted with citizens in each city district. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and transcripts analyzed in MAXQDA software. We used bottom up code-category-theme approach to analyze the data without predefined set of codes or categories. Results: Place attachment, aesthetic and recreational services were more recognized than educational and cultural identity services. For place attachment, most important single attributes were positive memories, and good maintenance, while most important categories were facilities, existence of emotional ties, possibility of experiences, recreational use and access. Presence of specific tree species and presence of trees in general were most important attributes for aesthetic services, while possibility of experiences and trees were the most important categories. Conclusions: People perceived various cultural ecosystem services from tree-based urban green space, even though some services more than others. Recreation may be the underlying goal of our participants when interacting with tree-based urban nature. Forests, parks were recognized as those providing multiple cultural ecosystem services. However, other types of green spaces were also recognized as bearers of these services, albeit with less services and attributes attached. It supports the importance of careful planning of urban green spaces in terms of providing a variety of green space types. The study provides basis for later quantification of cultural ecosystem services (CES) from tree-based urban green space.

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