scholarly journals Adaptation of UFORE-Hydro model for Szeged and the southern region of the Great Hungarian Plainbased on local meteorological database

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-17
Author(s):  
Ákos Kristóf Csete ◽  
Ágnes Gulyás
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Southern Region ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Anthropogenic Influence ◽  
Comprehensive View ◽  
Artificial Surface ◽  
The City

Urban environments are very different from natural ones in many cases. The geometry of the buildings and the various artificial surface elements can significantly influence the microclimatic and hydrological processes. In urban areas, the surface is mostly artificial and it is hard to find natural, undisturbed surfaces, in addition, the vast majority of soil surfaces are generally under strong anthropogenic influence. Models can provide a comprehensive view of the hydrological processes in the city and can help to investigate the different impacts of them. In this study, our aim is to introduce the preparation of a widely applicable model (UFORE-Hydro) for Hungarian pilot areas. Thus, we intend to introduce the procedure of preparing the weather and evaporation files and their local databases which we used for the model.

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal variability of rainfall and their effects on hydrological response in urban areas – a review

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 3859-3878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Cristiano ◽  
Marie-Claire ten Veldhuis ◽  
Nick van de Giesen
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Hydrological Response ◽  
Weather Radars ◽  
New Instruments

Abstract. In urban areas, hydrological processes are characterized by high variability in space and time, making them sensitive to small-scale temporal and spatial rainfall variability. In the last decades new instruments, techniques, and methods have been developed to capture rainfall and hydrological processes at high resolution. Weather radars have been introduced to estimate high spatial and temporal rainfall variability. At the same time, new models have been proposed to reproduce hydrological response, based on small-scale representation of urban catchment spatial variability. Despite these efforts, interactions between rainfall variability, catchment heterogeneity, and hydrological response remain poorly understood. This paper presents a review of our current understanding of hydrological processes in urban environments as reported in the literature, focusing on their spatial and temporal variability aspects. We review recent findings on the effects of rainfall variability on hydrological response and identify gaps where knowledge needs to be further developed to improve our understanding of and capability to predict urban hydrological response.

scholarly journals Urbanization drives the evolution of parallel clines in plant populations

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1845) ◽  
pp. 20162180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken A. Thompson ◽  
Marie Renaudin ◽  
Marc T. J. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Freezing Damage ◽  
Urban Centre ◽  
Dominant Feature ◽  
Urbanization Gradients ◽  
The City

Urban ecosystems are an increasingly dominant feature of terrestrial landscapes. While evidence that species can adapt to urban environments is accumulating, the mechanisms through which urbanization imposes natural selection on populations are poorly understood. The identification of adaptive phenotypic changes (i.e. clines) along urbanization gradients would facilitate our understanding of the selective factors driving adaptation in cities. Here, we test for phenotypic clines in urban ecosystems by sampling the frequency of a Mendelian-inherited trait—cyanogenesis—in white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) populations along urbanization gradients in four cities. Cyanogenesis protects plants from herbivores, but reduces tolerance to freezing temperatures. We found that the frequency of cyanogenic plants within populations decreased towards the urban centre in three of four cities. A field experiment indicated that spatial variation in herbivory is unlikely to explain these clines. Rather, colder minimum winter ground temperatures in urban areas compared with non-urban areas, caused by reduced snow cover in cities, may select against cyanogenesis. In the city with no cline, high snow cover might protect plants from freezing damage in the city centre. Our study suggests that populations are adapting to urbanization gradients, but regional climatic patterns may ultimately determine whether adaptation occurs.

scholarly journals The ectomycorrhizal community of urban linden trees in Gdańsk, Poland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Olchowik ◽  
Marzena Suchocka ◽  
Paweł Jankowski ◽  
Tadeusz Malewski ◽  
Dorota Hilszczańska
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Classification Tree ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Cenococcum Geophilum ◽  
Tree Damage ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Communities ◽  
The City

The linden tree ( Tilia  spp.) is a popular tree for landscaping and urban environments in central and northwest European countries, and it is one of the most popular in cities in Poland. Ectomycorrhizal fungi form a symbiosis with many urban tree species and protect the host plant from heavy metals and against salinity. The aim of this study was to characterize the ECM fungal community of urban linden trees along the tree damage gradient. The study was performed on two homogeneous sites located in the centre of the city of Gdańsk, in northern Poland. The vitality assessment of urban linden trees was made according to Roloff’s classification. Tree damage classes were related to soil characteristics using principal component analysis. The five ectomycorrhizal fungal species were shared among all four tree damage classes, and  Cenococcum geophilum  was found to be the most abundant and frequent ectomycorrhizal fungal species in each class. Park soil had significantly lower pH and Na, Cl and Pb content than street soils. Our knowledge of ectomycorrhizal communities in urban areas is still limited, and these findings provide new insights into ectomycorrhizal distribution patterns in urban areas.

scholarly journals Green Infrastructure and Biophilic Urbanism as Tools for Integrating Resource Efficient and Ecological Cities

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giles Thomson ◽  
Peter Newman
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
The Other ◽  
Ecological Approach ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Nature ◽  
Natural Landscape ◽  
The City ◽  
Different Parts

In recent decades, the concept of resource efficient cities has emerged as an urban planning paradigm that seeks to achieve sustainable urban environments. This focus is upon compact urban environments that optimise energy, water and waste systems to create cities that help solve climate change and other resource-based sustainability issues. In parallel, there has been a long-standing tradition of ecological approaches to the design of cities that can be traced from Howard, Geddes, McHarg and Lyle. Rather than resource efficiency, the ecological approach has focused upon the retention and repair of natural landscape features and the creation of green infrastructure (GI) to manage urban water, soil and plants in a more ecologically sensitive way. There is some conflict with the resource efficient cities and ecological cities paradigms, as one is pro-density, while the other is anti-density. This article focusses upon how to integrate the two paradigms through new biophilic urbanism (BU) tools that allow the integration of nature into dense urban areas, to supplement more traditional GI tools in less dense areas. We suggest that the theory of urban fabrics can aid with regard to which tools to use where, for the integration of GI and BU into different parts of the city to achieve <em>both</em> resource efficient and ecological outcomes, that optimise energy water and waste systems, <em>and</em> increase urban nature.

scholarly journals Stress in the city: meta-analysis indicates no overall evidence for stress in urban vertebrates

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1936) ◽  
pp. 20201754
Author(s):  
Maider Iglesias-Carrasco ◽  
Upama Aich ◽  
Michael D. Jennions ◽  
Megan L. Head
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
The City

As cities continue to grow it is increasingly important to understand the long-term responses of wildlife to urban environments. There have been increased efforts to determine whether urbanization imposes chronic stress on wild animals, but empirical evidence is mixed. Here, we conduct a meta-analysis to test whether there is, on average, a detrimental effect of urbanization based on baseline and stress-induced glucocorticoid levels of wild vertebrates. We found no effect of urbanization on glucocorticoid levels, and none of sex, season, life stage, taxon, size of the city nor methodology accounted for variation in the observed effect sizes. At face value, our results suggest that urban areas are no more stressful for wildlife than rural or non-urban areas, but we offer a few reasons why this conclusion could be premature. We propose that refining methods of data collection will improve our understanding of how urbanization affects the health and survival of wildlife.

scholarly journals First records for Lasiurus blossevillii, Histiotus humboldti and Enchisthenes hartii (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in an urban region in Southern Ecuador

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 2-8
Author(s):  
Carlos Nivelo-Villavicencio ◽  
Javier Fernández de Córdova ◽  
Amanda B. Quezada
Keyword(s):  
Adult Male ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
New Records ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Urban Region ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
Southern Ecuador ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time ◽  
The City

Currently in Ecuador there are 171 bats species, however little is known of their presence in urban and peri-urban areas. These information gaps make it difficult to know the distribution of the species, as well as the ecosystems they are occupying. In this work we report for the first time three bats species in the urban and peri-urban area of Cuenca City which is located in the south of the Inter-Andean Valley. The individuals were identified taxonomically by morphological and morphometric characters, these were deposited in the Zoological Collection of the University of Azuay. The specimens reported in this work are: an adult male of Lasiurus blossevillii, a juvenile female of Histiotus humboldti, and an adult male of Enchisthenes hartii. These new records allow us to contribute with information on the distribution of these species, as well as raise new questions about the use of present resources by these bats in the urban and peri-urban environments of the city.

scholarly journals Spectral analysis of flowers used by nectar-feeding birds in an urban area in Southeastern Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 70 (3 suppl) ◽  
pp. 729-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
MCB. Toledo ◽  
RJ. Donatelli
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Analysis ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Detection Capability ◽  
Nectar Feeding ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
The City

The objective of this study was to determine the spectral characteristic of nectar-producing flowers visited by nectarivorous birds in urban areas. This study was carried out in the central area of the city of Taubaté, in the northeast of the State of São Paulo. The sample areas included green areas, such as squares and parks, and the vegetation of streets and avenues. Twelve plant species were recorded with flowers visited by five nectar-feeding birds. The most visited flower species were those that reflected in long wavelengths (>600 nm). The study discussed the birds' detection capability due to the tetrachromatic vision of nectar-feeding birds and the conspicuity of flowers in urban environments. Finally, the study assessed the scarcity of plants attractive to nectar-feeding birds and the need for a management strategy to favour these species and biodiversity in urban areas.

Conclusions

2019 ◽  
pp. 354-356
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Urban environments can be toxic to people’s mental health. Life in the city can also have positive impact on education, cultural enrichment, and employment opportunities and access to services when needed. Wide variety of housing and transport can help. Cities can also provide sexual and ethnic diversity. As most clinical services themselves are set in the urban areas, clinicians often do not understand the impact of urban environment on people’s well-being. Similarly, very often urban designers and city planners do not take into account the effect built environments can have on people’s mental health. It is critical that as part of prevention of mental illnesses and promotion of mental health both groups work with other stakeholders to ensure that urban environments are safe and clean and provide a milieu for people to work, play, and live in without endangering their well-being. Joint working should be the first crucial step.

scholarly journals Using hexagonal grids and network analysis for spatial accessibility assessment in urban environments – a case study of public amenities in Toruń

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Burdziej
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Spatial Accessibility ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Hexagonal Grids ◽  
The City

Abstract Spatial accessibility is one of fundamental problems of geography, and transport geography in particular. It is one of the key factors affecting the ability to use certain services by the residents of a given area. Therefore, it is important to develop appropriate methods for the analysis of spatial accessibility. This paper describes a methodology for analyzing spatial accessibility in urban areas using a hexagonal grid combined with a network analysis. The proposed methodology is applied to the city of Toruń, Poland. Spatial distribution of accessibility to selected public amenities is analyzed and areas of high and low accessibility are identified. Finally, a prototype of a novel web-based system is proposed to allow citizens and city officials to perform custom analysis based on individual preferences.

scholarly journals Recurso polínico y ciclo estacional de Thygater aethiops (Hymenoptera: Apidae) en un ambiente urbano (Bogotá-Colombia)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Simon Pinilla-Gallego ◽  
Valentina Nieto ◽  
Guiomar Nates-Parra
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Ulex Europaeus ◽  
Pollen Loads ◽  
Pollen Types ◽  
Native Bee ◽  
The City ◽  
Dry And Rainy Seasons

Thygater aethiops is a native bee that can be found in parks and gardens in diverse urban areas such as those in the city of Bogotá (Colombia). However, little is known about its biology as well as ecological adaptations to urban areas. This study aimed to describe the seasonal cycle and daily foraging activities of T. aethiops, as well as identify the pollen resources used by this bee over a year in a population nesting in an aggregation in the “Parque Nacional Enrique Olaya Herrera” in Bogotá. Changes in the nest activity were monitored weekly by counting the number of active nests in the aggregation between December/2012 and February/2014. To determine the daily foraging activity, the numbers of bees entering their nests over a period of 10 minutes every hour between 8:00 and 14:00 h were recorded. Females with pollen loads entering to their nest were captured weekly, between September/2012 and August/2013, and their pollen loads analyzed. Three nesting peaks occurred after the precipitation peaks, but the number of active nests was not correlated with precipitation. The nesting activities stopped in a large number of the active nests (20-50 % of nests) after an anthropic disturbance was registered in the nesting area. Bees forage for nectar and pollen between 8:00 and 14:00 h, with a peak at 10:00 h. Daily foraging activity changed during the study period due to anthropic disturbance. There was not a significant relationship between air temperature and the number of females entering their nests. Foraging activities did not change between the dry and rainy seasons. A total of 26 pollen types were found in 169 pollen loads. Ulex europaeus (Fabaceae) and Solanum laxum (Solanaceae) were the most abundant plants represented on the pollen load across the study period. According to these results, T. aethiops would be considered a mesolectic species. The ability of T. aethiops to use different pollen resources both native and exotic, as well as to presumably recover its population after disturbances, are characteristics that may have allowed this bee to adapt to urban environments. Knowledge on the floral resources as well as other biological features of this bee species is important to promote its conservation in urban areas. 

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