scholarly journals What are the contributions of native plants to the urban ecosystem?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvan Ender Altay ◽  
Murat Zencirkıran
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Food Source ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Natural Landscape ◽  
Ecosystem Integrity ◽  
Ecological Criteria ◽  
The Face ◽  
Local Species ◽  
Rich Flora

Abstract For the coming years, it is a potential danger that the ecosystems existing in urban areas will be heavily affected, especially under the pressure of climate change. In the face of this danger, it is of great importance to ensure the sustainability of life chains in urban areas. In this context, a good understanding of the natural landscape and the adoption of local species make important contributions to urban areas for sustainable ecosystems. Natural plants interact with all physical and biotic factors in their areas and contribute to the life of natural living communities by easily adapting to environmental conditions. This research was carried out in Bursa (Turkey), which has a rich flora in terms of natural plant taxa. The contributions of 72 woody taxa in Bursa flora to the ecosystem were examined. The relationships that emerged in terms of the criteria examined revealed important results. The existence of a positive relationship between features, which are considered among ecological criteria in terms of contribution to the ecosystem, such as shelter for animals, being a food source, being a food source for humans, attracting butterflies, attracting bees, and preventing erosion, shows that the use of native plants is extremely important for the preservation of ecosystem integrity in urban areas.

scholarly journals Mapping the Life Cycle Co-Creation Process of Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Climate Change Adaptation

Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Marta Irene DeLosRíos-White ◽  
Peter Roebeling ◽  
Sandra Valente ◽  
Ines Vaittinen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Participatory Approaches ◽  
Creation Process ◽  
Living Lab ◽  
The Face

Developing urban and peri-urban ecosystem services with nature-based solutions (NBS) and participatory approaches can help achieve more resilient and sustainable environments for cities and urban areas in the face of climate change. The co-creation process is increasingly recognised as the way forward to deal with environmental issues in cities, allowing the development of associated methods and tools that have been described and published for specific stages. It is argued that the co-creation process comprises various interlinked stages, corresponding stakeholders, and subsequent methods and tools that need to be mapped and integrated across all stages. In this study, a Life Cycle Co-Creation Process (LCCCP) for NBS is developed, building on continuous improvement cycles and Design Thinking methodologies, and for which the stages and substages, involved stakeholders and engagement methods and tools are mapped and defined. For stakeholders, the actors of an Urban Living Lab (ULL) are adapted to the LCCCP; for the engagement methods and tools, the goals of stakeholder engagement are used as a guide to select examples of co-creation methods and tools. The developed LCCCP comprises five stages, i.e., CoExplore, CoDesign, CoExperiment, CoImplement and CoManagement, creating a unique path that can be followed by practitioners for NBS co-creation.

scholarly journals A Novel Approach for the Assessment of Cities through Ecosystem Integrity

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Ian MacGregor-Fors ◽  
Ina Falfán ◽  
Michelle García-Arroyo ◽  
Richard Lemoine-Rodríguez ◽  
Miguel A. Gómez-Martínez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Ecosystem Integrity ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Integrity Index ◽  
The City

To tackle urban heterogeneity and complexity, several indices have been proposed, commonly aiming to provide information for decision-makers. In this study, we propose a novel and customizable procedure for quantifying urban ecosystem integrity. Based on a citywide approach, we developed an easy-to-use index that contrasts physical and biological variables of urban ecosystems with a given reference system. The Urban Ecosystem Integrity Index (UEII) is the sum of the averages from the variables that make up its intensity of urbanization and biological components. We applied the UEII in a Mexican tropical city using land surface temperature, built cover, and the richness of native plants and birds. The overall ecosystem integrity of the city, having montane cloud, tropical dry, and temperate forests as reference systems, was low (−0.34 ± SD 0.32), showing that, beyond its biodiverse greenspace network, the built-up structure highly differs from the ecosystems of reference. The UEII showed to be a flexible and easy-to-calculate tool to evaluate ecosystem integrity for cities, allowing for comparisons between or among cities, as well as the sectors/regions within cities. If used properly, the index could become a useful tool for decision making and resource allocation at a city level.

Design, simulation and matched structure of a living ecological & energized modules (EEMs) bridge system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
XiangWen Xiong ◽  
Mingzi Wu
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Ecosystem Integrity ◽  
Local Species ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Global Carbon ◽  
Bridge System

<p>This paper presents a novel ecological &amp; energized modules (EEMs) system for transportation and bridge systems. It has a general interest in almost all human living &amp; ecological systems, civil engineering, and infrastructure. As an underlying and fundamental system of zero energy, zero- water-consumption, and zero-carbon with a 100% greening rate and 100% clean energy, high- quality air, and powerful carbon capture system with significant positive spillover for global carbon removal and climate challenges, etc., the EEMs bridge system is easy, fast, efficient, and zero- dependence on the large complex equipment during the construction. It is applied to a wide variety of bridge systems, such as road bridges, footbridges, flyovers, and overpasses. It’s pollution-free, safe, noiseless, and can be used soon after paving, repairing, and re-laying. The EEMs bridge system has unique superiority in ecosystem integrity and connectivity, resulting in available consequences for global biodiversity, local species interactions, ecosystem integrity and connectivity.</p>

scholarly journals A Differentiated Spatial Assessment of Urban Ecosystem Services Based on Land Use Data in Halle, Germany

Land ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janis Arnold ◽  
Janina Kleemann ◽  
Christine Fürst
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Urban Ecosystem Services ◽  
Climate Regulation ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Cooling Effects

Urban ecosystem services (ES) contribute to the compensation of negative effects caused by cities by means of, for example, reducing air pollution and providing cooling effects during the summer time. In this study, an approach is described that combines the regional biotope and land use data set, hemeroby and the accessibility of open space in order to assess the provision of urban ES. Hemeroby expresses the degree of naturalness of land use types and, therefore, provides a differentiated assessment of urban ES. Assessment of the local capacity to provide urban ES was conducted with a spatially explicit modeling approach in the city of Halle (Saale) in Germany. The following urban ES were assessed: (a) global climate regulation, (b) local climate regulation, (c) air pollution control, (d) water cycle regulation, (e) food production, (f) nature experience and (g) leisure activities. We identified areas with high and low capacity of ES in the urban context. For instance, the central parts of Halle had very low or no capacity to provide ES due to highly compact building styles and soil sealing. In contrast, peri-urban areas had particularly high capacities. The potential provision of regulating services was spatially limited due to the location of land use types that provide these services.

scholarly journals Building The Tree Inventory Application for City of East Jakarta

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bambang Sulistyantara ◽  
Imawan W. Hidayat ◽  
A. Nasirudin Taher ◽  
Hendrawan
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Fundamental Function ◽  
Tree Inventory ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Trees are essential elements of an urban space. The presence of trees in urban areas is not only appreciated as physical attribute, but beyond this, it serves a fundamental function in balancing and conserving urban ecosystem. Especially in tropical countries like Indonesia which receive high levels of solar radiation, trees contribute to the protection of urban areas from the impact of excessive micro-climatic conditions. But, the presence of trees sometimes resulted in the accidents for the residences because of broken branches and human injuries. This situation leads the city to prepare a tree inventory system, which is beneficial in giving the information about tree conditions and thus the information that would be useful for tree maintenance activities. The tree inventory on application for the city of East Jakarta was built for this purpose, comprising a tree inventory and easy access to the database. The application connects the database source with the GIS map, so that the users could retrieve information for each kind of data.

scholarly journals The contribution of the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) to the winter diet of frugivores in novel ecosystems

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk HR Spennemann
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Canary Island ◽  
Food Source ◽  
Date Palm ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Novel Ecosystems ◽  
Date Palms ◽  
Phoenix Canariensis ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Native Foods

Abstract With the increasing expansion in urban areas, many species have adapted to utilising horticulturally used plants as alternate or augmentary food sources, in particular, during winter – when native foods are largely absent. Ornamental palms, particularly Canary Island Date Palms, fruit continuously during most of the year and thus provide a stable food supply. Based on observational, metric and bio-chemical data, this paper examines the role Canary Island Date Palms can and do play in the nutrition of frugivorous animals, in particular, for birds. It demonstrates that with its nearly year-round provisioning of drupes, the palm plays a major role as a ‘staple’ and backup food source for several species.

scholarly journals The Impact of Home Gardening amidst Climate Change

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-23
Author(s):  
Froilan D. Mobo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Community Gardens ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Ozone Layer ◽  
Home Gardening ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Town

Today’s climate is unpredictable there are so many natural calamities which took place in our country which is the Philippines, two weeks ago because of the sudden changes of the weather in the Province of Zambales, the Philippines a strong tornado hits the town of Castillejos, Zambales which some of the electrical wirings were severely damaged because of the sudden change of the climate. The researcher is thinking of implementing a home gardening to each Municipality in our Province. By doing this it can help lessen the pollution in the air and it will help heal our Ozone Layer faster. The empirical evidence for the benefits of gardening and the advocate of the development and testing of socio-ecological models of community resilience through the impact of community gardens, especially in urban areas is highly effective(Okvat & Zautra, 2011). As lessening the air pollution will have a greater impact on our Ozone Layer no to deplete but it will heal the would faster. The present study revealed that local experiences in the face of climate change adaptation have merits that need special consideration(Anik & Khan, 2012). Also, the Researcher will implement this project in the Municipality of Subic, Zambales.

scholarly journals Inteligentne rozwiązania w miastach w czasie pandemii - wybrane obszary, funkcje i zastosowania

e-mentor ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63
Author(s):  
Dominika P. Brodowicz ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
Modern Technologies

Today's cities face many challenges, including those related to the aging of the population, climate change, or broadly understood public safety and health. Examples from many places around the world show that without access to modern technologies, cities, companies, and public institutions could not function, provide services or care for the safety of billions of people living in urban areas. That is especially vital in conditions of the threat to many people's health and life and shutdown of economies caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the article aims to present selected examples of smart solutions used in cities in the face of the challenges related to ensuring security. Their functionality in pandemic conditions is also described both at present and if the state of emergency continued for the following years. The study proved that the importance of smart solutions for contemporary cities' functioning is growing in the face of the threat to the residents' health and life caused by COVID-19. That mainly applies to tools in the area of e-government, e-education, and e-services in the healthcare sector, including applications for reporting and informing about clusters of virus infections.

Assessing Urban Ecosystem Services

2018 ◽  
pp. 183-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marise Barreiros Horta ◽  
Maria Inês Cabral ◽  
Iva Pires ◽  
Laura Salles Bachi ◽  
Ana Luz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Landscape Planning ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Belo Horizonte ◽  
Economic Perspectives

By integrating social, ecological, and economic perspectives, the assessment of ecosystem services (ES) provides valuable information for better targeting landscape planning and governance. This chapter summarizes different participatory approaches for assessing ES in urban areas of three countries. In Belo Horizonte (Brazil), a conceptual framework for the vacant lots ES assessment is presented as an attempt to integrate landscape, social, and political dimensions. In Leipzig (Germany), a combination of site surveys, interviews, and remote sensing provides a valuable data set that fostered a comparative study between two forms of urban gardening. In Lisbon (Portugal), the study is based on interviews that offer a social insight into the horticultural parks situation, which in turn demands a better dialogue with the municipality. In general, the studies demonstrate the potential benefits of utilizing the ES assessment approaches on urban landscapes, especially for better understanding the interactions between people and nature in urban sites.

scholarly journals Global Variation in Climate, Human Development, and Population Density Has Implications for Urban Ecosystem Services

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 6200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Richards ◽  
Mahyar Masoudi ◽  
Rachel R. Y. Oh ◽  
Erik S. Yando ◽  
Jingyuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Urban Ecosystem Services ◽  
Global Variation ◽  
The World ◽  
Tropical Cities ◽  
Future Work

Humans rely upon ecosystem services to regulate their environment and to provide resources and cultural benefits. As the world’s urban population grows, it becomes increasingly important to find ways of improving the provision of ecosystem services in urban areas. However, the kinds of ecosystem services that are most needed or demanded by urban populations, and the opportunities to provide these, vary widely in cities around the world. Here we explore variation in climate, Human Development Index (HDI), and population density, and discuss their implications for providing and managing urban ecosystem services. Using 221 published studies of urban ecosystem services, we analyse the extent to which existing research adequately covers global variation in climatic and social conditions. Our results reveal an under-representation of studies from tropical cities and from lower HDI countries, with implications for how we conceptualize and quantify urban ecosystem services, and how we transfer benefits across case studies. Future work should be aimed at correcting these deficits and determining the extent to which conclusions about urban ecosystem services are transferable from one city to another.

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