scholarly journals Leaf Functional Traits Vary in Urban Environments: Influences of Leaf Age, Land-Use Type, and Urban–Rural Gradient

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuebo Su ◽  
Bowen Cui ◽  
Yunjian Luo ◽  
Jia Wang ◽  
Xuming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Stomatal Density ◽  
Leaf Age ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
The City

An increasing number of studies have focused on the response and adaptation of plants to urbanization by comparing differences in leaf functional traits between urban and rural sites. However, considerable uncertainties remain because differences in land-use type have not frequently been taken into account when assessing the effect of urbanization on leaf traits. In this study, we sampled the needles of Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis Carr.) in areas with three land-use types (roadsides, parks, and neighborhoods) along an urban–rural gradient in Beijing, China to determine the effect of urbanization on leaf functional traits. There were significant differences in the values of leaf functional traits between the needles of the current and previous year and across land-use types. Pines growing on roadsides had leaves with smaller length, width, and area, as well as lower stomatal density, compared with those growing in parks and neighborhoods. This implies that on roadsides, plant capacity to acquire resources (e.g., light and carbon dioxide) was degraded. Stomatal density, leaf width, and leaf P concentration increased with increasing distance from the city center, while leaf K concentration decreased with increasing distance from the city center. Importantly, there were significant differences in the urban–rural gradient of leaf functional traits between leaves of different ages, and across land-use types. Leaf age was the most important factor influencing leaf nutrient traits, while land-use type was the most important factor influencing leaf morphological traits in urban environments. Thus, considering the effects of the plant characteristic and land-use type on traits is important for assessing the urban–rural gradients of plant functional traits.

scholarly journals Herbert Sukopp – an inspiring pioneer in the field of urban ecology

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Kowarik
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Urban Ecology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
90Th Anniversary ◽  
The City ◽  
Further Development

Abstract Urban ecology is a well-established integrative discipline with many historical roots. One of the eminent pioneers of urban ecology is the German ecologist Herbert Sukopp, who works in Berlin since the late 1950s and is often referred to as the founder of the "Berlin School of Urban Ecology". On the occasion of his 90th anniversary in 2020, this paper aims to recognize and commemorate the major contributions of Sukopp to the field of urban ecology, based on his scientific work and on results of an online survey on his perception in the international scientific community. Sukopp’s contributions were groundbreaking for the establishment of urban ecology. Specifically, his work furthered: (1) the performance of comprehensive biodiversity studies across all land-use types within the city, in relation to the specifics of urban environments; (2) the establishment of modern approaches of nature conservation in cities and their integration into all land-use types, and the city as a whole; (3) the formation of a multidisciplinary conceptual basis of urban ecology as a modern science, with combined scientific and applied perspectives, ultimately aiming at the preservation and further development of nature within cities for the benefit of urban residents. Herbert Sukopp is thus an important and inspiring pioneer in the field of urban ecology.

scholarly journals Activity density of carabid beetles along an urbanisation gradient

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (Suppl.) ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Simone Fattorini ◽  
Cristina Mantoni ◽  
Davide Bergamaschi ◽  
Lorenzo Fortini ◽  
Francisco J. Sánchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Intermediate Disturbance ◽  
Rural Environments ◽  
Activity Density ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Several works have investigated the impact of urbanisation on carabid activity density using urban-rural gradients. Such works compared activity density recorded from green spaces located in different parts of a city and assigned to categories of increasing urban intensity, which poses two problems: (1) since the gradient is divided into categories, it is impossible to model continuous variations in biotic responses, and (2) sites representative of different urbanisation levels are not true segments of the same ecological continuum. To surpass these problems, we modelled variations in carabid activity density along an urban-rural transect within a single green space extending from the city centre of Rome to rural environments. Carabids were sampled by pitfall traps from sites distributed along the entire gradient. We used breakpoint regressions to model how (1) carabid activity density, (2) carabids/beetles ratio, (3) carabids/insects ratio and (3) carabids/arthropods ratio varied along the gradient. As already observed for various organisms in urban environments, we found that activity density of carabids and their contribution to the abundance of beetles, insects and arthropods, peaked in the middle of the gradient. This supports the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, according to which moderate urbanisation may favour diversity by increasing habitat heterogeneity.

scholarly journals Drinking Water Security in the Mid-hill Region of Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-48
Author(s):  
Durga D. Poudel ◽  
Timothy W. Duex ◽  
Roshan Poudel
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Total Coliform ◽  
Spring Water ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Hill Region ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Spring Type

Drinking water security is increasingly becoming a global concern in recent decades. The mid-hill region of Nepal is also experiencing serious water shortages in recent years. In order to assess the availability of drinking water in the mid-hill regions of Nepal, we studied hydrogeology, land use types and collected water samples from 30 springs in Kavre, Kahmandu Valley, Nuwakot and Tanahu in Nepal between July 17-September 12, 2017. For each sampling spring, while surrounding land use type (mixed, agriculture, urban, vegetation) and spring type (fracture, depression, contact) were determined through field observation, the field pH, conductivity and temperature was determined using relevant probes and thermometers. Water samples were collected in 1L and 165mL plastic bottles for chemical and total coliform determination, respectively, in the lab. Bottles were rinsed twice using spring water before filling them with sample water, then stored in an ice chest, and brought to the lab. In the laboratory, turbidity, conductivity, Ca, Mg, HCO3, SO4, Na, NO3, Cl, Fe, As, and total coliform were determined using standard methods. Spring water in agricultural areas showed significantly higher suspended solids compared to other land use types whereas spring water in urban areas showed significantly higher dissolved substances. By spring type, turbidity and conductivity values and the concentration of dissolved constituents (Ca, Mg, HCO3, SO4, NO3, and Cl) were ranked in the order of fracture < contact < depression. Na and Fe concentration were in the order of fracture = contact < depression. By land-use type, conductivity and dissolved constituents (Ca, Mg, HCO3) were in the order of agriculture < vegetation < mixed < urban. Whereas urban land use had the highest values for SO4, Na, NO3, and Cl, other land use types showed variable order. Fe concentration was ranked in the order of urban < mixed < vegetation < agriculture. Total coliform was in the order of mixed < agriculture < urban < vegetation. These results indicate that land use type and surface condition, which is possibly associated with human activities, heavily affect spring water properties in the region. These results suggest that drinking water security of mid-hill region of Nepal is threatened heavily due to poor spring water quality. Protection of drinking water sources should be specific to land use type and activities around the springs. Index Terms— three to six pertinent, specific to the paper, keywords added after the abstract, separated by commas.

scholarly journals Forms and Dynamics of Soil Potassium in Acid Soil in the Wolaita Zone of Southern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mesfin Kassa ◽  
Wassie Haile ◽  
fassile kebede
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ammonium Acetate ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Exchangeable Potassium ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Grazing Land ◽  
Soil Potassium ◽  
Crop Land ◽  
Land Use Types

Quantity-intensity characteristics are among conventional approaches for studying potassium dynamics and its availability; this was assessed to determine availability in four districts: namely, Sodo Zuria, Damot Gale, Damot Sore, and Boloso Sore at three different land use type viz., enset-coffee, crop land, and grazing land. There was water soluble, ammonium acetate, nitric acid extractable potassium, exchangeable potassium, and non-exchangeable potassium studied in soil samples, which were collected from 0-20 cm depth of each land type. The study revealed that water soluble and ammonium acetate extractable potassium concentrations ranged from 0.04 to 0.42 cmolKg-1 soils enset-coffee and grazing land use types, respectively. The study showed that exchangeable potassium constituted the highest proportion of available potassium, while the proportion of water soluble potassium was found to be the lowest. In this study, non-exchangeable potassium concentrations varied from 0.10 to 0.04cmolKg-1soils for enset-coffee, and crop and grazing land use type. Furthermore, available potassium and exchangeable potassium concentrations were positively correlated with OC(r=0.95***), cation exchange capacity, and sand and clay(r=0.98***). In addition, the K dynamics as impacted by land use types found that the highest change in exchangeable potassium (0.31cmolkg-1soils) and potential buffering capacity (1.79cmolkg-1soils) were noted in crop land use types, whereas the lowest change(1.26cmolkg-1 soils) was observed in the enset-coffee system, The varying properties, potassium status, dynamic and land use type of soils identified in the study areas provided adequate information to design soil potassium management options and further research about the soil in each site. Therefore, application of site specific soil fertility management practices and research can improve soil potassium status and quantity intensity parameters to sustain crop productive soils.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Stable Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes of Soil Moisture under Different Land Use in Dry Hot Valley of Yuanmou

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiao-Jiao Han ◽  
Xu Duan ◽  
Yang-Yi Zhao ◽  
Meng Li
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Oxygen Isotopes ◽  
Hydrogen Isotope ◽  
Variable Coefficient ◽  
Hydrogen Isotopes ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Hydrogen And Oxygen Isotopes ◽  
Land Use Types

AbstractSoil moisture, stable hydrogen, and oxygen isotopes were sampled and determined in a demonstration area of soil and moisture conservation at the Laocheng Town of Yuanmou County in Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan of three land use types: Leucaena Benth artificial forest, Heteropogon contortus grass field, and farmland. The characteristics of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of soil moisture in these different land use types at different soil depths were analyzed to investigate the regularities in the quantitative formation of soil moisture balance. In terms of forest land, we found that the variable coefficient of hydrogen isotopes in the 0-20 cm soil layer was the smallest, but decreased with depth under 20 cm. While in grassland, the variable coefficient in 80-100 cm was the largest, and decreased with depth above 80 cm. As for farmland, the variable coefficient in the top 20 cm was the largest, followed by 40-60 cm, and the medium 20-40 cm was the smallest. The soil moisture hydrogen isotope values of three land use type were different at surface layer, but prone to be consistent in each type. Along the soil depth in forest land, the hydrogen isotope increased first and then decreased, while increased in the end, and the maximum appeared in 80-100 cm. In grassland, the hydrogen isotope increased initially as the forest land but then decreased continuously, so the maximum was found at 20-40 cm. And in grassland, the hydrogen isotope of all depths were higher than which of forest land and farmland. In same land use type, the hydrogen isotope of soil moisture changed significantly at the surface, and the variation of hydrogen isotopes was obviously decreased along the depth. Our findings could provide reference data which would contribute to the assessment of regional groundwater resources in the dry-hot valley of Yuanmou in this study.

scholarly journals A Combination Model for Quantifying Non-Point Source Pollution Based on Land Use Type in a Typical Urbanized Area

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 729
Author(s):  
Siru Wang ◽  
Pinzeng Rao ◽  
Dawen Yang ◽  
Lihua Tang
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Pollution Load ◽  
Combination Model ◽  
Urbanized Area ◽  
Nps Pollution ◽  
Poultry Breeding

Water pollution poses threats to urban environments and subsequently impacts the ecological health and sustainable development of urban areas. Identifying the spatiotemporal variation in non-point sources (NPS) pollution is a prerequisite for improving water quality. This paper aimed to assess the NPS pollution load and then recognized the spatiotemporal characteristics of the pollution sources in a typical urbanized area. A combination model based on land use type was used to simulate the NPS pollution load. The results showed the following: (1) ponds and farmlands had higher pollution production intensities than other land use types, but the intensity and magnitude of pollution emissions were generally greater in urban areas; (2) monthly and annual total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) emissions had the same pattern as rainfall, and TN and TP emissions accounted for 56.2% and 58.0%, respectively, of the total in summer; (3) TN pollution was more serious than TP pollution in the study area, especially in farmlands; (4) urban runoff (UR) and livestock and poultry breeding (LPB) were the main sources of NPS, TN and TP emissions in the study area. If these NPS pollutants cannot be removed from this area, a large amount of freshwater is needed to dilute the current rivers to meet the requirement of the fourth category of China national environmental quality standards for surface water. This problem is serious in the control of polluted rivers in many cities throughout China.

scholarly journals Fertility Status of Acid Soils under Different Land Use Types in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Mesfin Kassa Cholbe ◽  
Fassil Kebede Yeme ◽  
Wassie Haile Woldeyohannes
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Acidity ◽  
Acid Soil ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Grazing Land ◽  
Exchangeable Acidity ◽  
Fertility Status ◽  
Land Use Types

Information on soil fertility status of acid soil of a particular area as affected by land use type is important for developing sound soil management systems for improved and sustainable agricultural productivity. The main objective of this study was to assess the fertility status and effect of land use change on soil physicochemical properties. In this study, adjacent three land use types, namely, enset-coffee, crop, and grazing land use were considered in four districts (i.e., Bolos Sore, Damot Gale, Damot Sore, and Sodo Zuria) of Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm from each land use type of the respective districts for physicochemical analyses. The results showed that land use types significantly affected ( P ≤ 0.05 ) soil properties such as bulk density, available P, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable bases (Na, K, Ca, Mg), exchangeable acidity, and CEC. Besides, soil pH, OC, and TN were influenced significantly ( P ≤ 0.05 ) both by districts and land use types. The very strongly acidic soils were found predominantly in the crop and grazing lands whereas a neutral acidity level was found in the enset-coffee land use type of four districts. In conclusion, the study proves that land use type change within the same geographic setting can affect the severity of soil acidity due to over cultivation and rapid organic matter decomposition. Finally, the study recommends an in-depth study and analysis on the root causes in aggravating soil acidity under crop and grazing land use types.

scholarly journals Tree Species Diversity and Socioeconomic Perspectives of the Urban (Food) Forest of Accra, Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertrand Nero ◽  
Nana Kwapong ◽  
Raymond Jatta ◽  
Oluwole Fatunbi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Urban Forestry ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
The City

Urban and peri-urban forestry has emerged as a complementary measure to contribute towards eliminating urban hunger and improved nutritional security. However, there is scanty knowledge about the composition, diversity, and socioeconomic contributions of urban food trees in African cities. This paper examines the diversity and composition of the urban forest and food trees of Accra and sheds light on perceptions of urbanites regarding food tree cultivation and availability in the city. Using a mixed methods approach, 105 respondents in six neighborhoods of Accra were interviewed while over 200 plots (100-m2 each) were surveyed across five land use types. Twenty-two out of the 70 woody species in Accra have edible parts (leaves, fruits, flowers, etc.). The food-tree abundance in the city is about half of the total number of trees enumerated. The species richness and abundance of the food trees and all trees in the city were significantly different among land use types (p < 0.0001) and neighborhood types (p < 0.0001). The diversity of food-bearing tree species was much higher in the poorer neighborhoods than in the wealthier neighborhoods. Respondents in wealthier neighborhoods indicated that tree and food-tree cover of the city was generally low and showed greater interest in cultivating food (fruit) trees and expanding urban forest cover than poorer neighborhoods. These findings demonstrate the need for urban food policy reforms that integrate urban-grown tree foods in the urban food system/culture.

scholarly journals Influence of the Land Use Type on the Wild Plant Diversity

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 602
Author(s):  
Ina Aneva ◽  
Petar Zhelev ◽  
Simeon Lukanov ◽  
Mariya Peneva ◽  
Kiril Vassilev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Grazing Land ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Bioclimatic Variables ◽  
The Impact

Studies on the impact of agricultural practices on plant diversity provide important information for policy makers and the conservation of the environment. The aim of the present work was to evaluate wild plant diversity across the agroecosystems in two contrasting regions of Bulgaria; Pazardzhik-Plovdiv (representing agroecosystems in the lowlands) and Western Stara Planina (the Balkan Mountains, representing agroecosystems in the foothills of the mountains). This study conducted a two-year assessment of plant diversity in different types of agricultural and forest ecosystems, representing more than 30 land use types. Plant diversity, measured by species number, was affected by the land use type only in Pazardzhik-Plovdiv region. More pronounced was the effect of the groups of land use types on the diversity, measured by the mean species number per scoring plot. Climatic conditions, measured by 19 bioclimatic variables, were the most important factor affecting plant species diversity. Six bioclimatic variables had a significant effect on the plant diversity, and the effect was more pronounced when the analysis considered pooled data of the two regions. The highest plant diversity was found on grazing land with sparse tree cover, while the lowest one was in the land use types representing annual crops or fallow. The study also established a database on weed species, relevant to agriculture. A number of common weeds were found in the Pazardzhik-Plovdiv region, while the most frequent species in the Western Stara Planina region were indigenous ones. Overall, the natural flora of Western Stara Planina was more conserved; eleven orchid species with conservation significance were found in the pastures and meadows in that region. The present study is the first attempt in Bulgaria to characterize the plant diversity across diverse agroecosystems representing many different land use types and environmental conditions. The results can contribute to nature conservation, biodiversity, and the sustainable use of plant resources.

The Quantitative Evaluation of Ecological Assets in Sanjiang Plain Based on Remote Sensing Technology

2013 ◽  
Vol 316-317 ◽  
pp. 245-249
Author(s):  
Fan Ying Meng ◽  
Zheng Hong Miao
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Quantitative Measurement ◽  
Sanjiang Plain ◽  
Land Use Type ◽  
Remote Sensing Technology ◽  
Sensing Technology ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Landsat 7 ◽  
Ecological Assets

on the basis of the measurement of ecological parameters by using remote sensing technology, combined with ecological method and Landsat–7 ETM +, we made a quantitative measurement of ecological assets of Sanjiang Plain in 2010, got the spatial distribution of ecological assets. The results show that: the value of ecological assets in Sanjiang Plain was 2.35 × 1012 yuan. The value was generally higher in the southern and lower in the northern parts of the study area. Baoqing has the highest sum value and Youyi has the lowest value than other areas. Forestlands have higher value of ecological assets than other land use types. Land use type may be the mainly reason for the spatial difference of ecological assets in Sanjiang Plain.

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