scholarly journals The Impact of Microclimate on the Reproductive Phenology of Female Populus tomentosa in a Micro-Scale Urban Green Space in Beijing

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3518
Author(s):  
Xiaoyi Xing ◽  
Li Dong ◽  
Cecil Konijnendijk ◽  
Peiyao Hao ◽  
Shuxin Fan ◽  
...  

The spatial variation of poplars’ reproductive phenology in Beijing’s urban area has aggravated the threat of poplar fluff (cotton-like flying seeds) to public health. This research explored the impact of microclimate conditions on the reproductive phenology of female Populus tomentosa in Taoranting Park, a micro-scale green space in Beijing (range <1 km). The observed phenophases covered flowering, fruiting, and seed dispersal, and ENVI-MET was applied to simulate the effect of the microclimate on SGS (start day of the growing season). The results showed that a significant spatial variation in poplar reproductive phenology existed at the research site. The variation was significantly affected by the microclimate factors DMT (daily mean temperature) and DMH (daily mean heat transfer coefficient), with air temperature playing a primary role. Specifically, the phenology of flowering and fruiting phenophases (BBB, BF, FF, FS) was negatively correlated with DMT (−0.983 ≤ r ≤ −0.908, p <0.01) and positively correlated with DMH (0.769 ≤ r ≤ 0.864, p < 0.05). In contrast, DSD (duration of seed dispersal) showed a positive correlation with DMT (r = 0.946, p < 0.01) and a negative correlation with DMH (r = −0.922, p < 0.01). Based on the findings, the increase in air convection with lower air temperature and decrease in microclimate variation in green space can be an effective way to shorten the seed-flying duration to tackle poplar fluff pollution in Beijing’s early spring.

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Titin Woro Murtini ◽  
Arnis Rochma Harani

The decrease of green areas around houses leads to the increase of both in-house and out-house temperature. The development of garden nowadays brings people into developing vertical gardens to fulfill the needs of green areas. The existence of vertical gardens causes many impacts. One of them is the impact toward the temperature. However, further research is needed to determine the level of this impact. This journal aims to find the influence of exterior vertical gardens toward air temperature. This is a descriptive qualitative case study with several houses as the samples. The houses chosen as the samples are those with and without exterior vertical gardens located within similar air temperature environment. In this study, the measurement is not only conducted in the real houses chosen as the samples but also in the models of houses. Based on the results of the study, it is found that the application of vertical garden on house exterior does not only enhance esthetic values of the house but can also become the solution for the limited open green space. Moreover, the vertical garden is also functioned as natural air cooler; the decrease of the temperature in each house depends on the size of vertical garden it has.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 4703
Author(s):  
Majid Amani-Beni ◽  
Biao Zhang ◽  
Gao-Di Xie ◽  
A. Jacob Odgaard

The cooling effect of green spaces as an ecological solution to mitigate urban climate change is well documented. However, the factors influencing the microclimate in the built environment around forest parks, diurnal variations of their impact and their degree of importance have not been explicitly addressed. We attempted to quantify how much various landscape parameters, including land cover and spatial location, impact the ambient air and surface temperature in the area around Beijing’s Olympic Forest Park. Data were taken along strategically located traverses inside and outside the park. We found: (1) The air temperature during the day was 1.0–3.5 °C lower in the park than in the surrounding area; the surface temperature was 1.7–4.8 °C lower; air humidity in the park increased by 8.7–15.1%; and the human comfort index reduced to 1.8–6.9, all generating a more comfortable thermal environment in the park than in the surrounding area. (2) The distance to the park and the green space ratio of the park’s surrounding area are significant factors for regulating its microclimate. A 1 km increase in distance to the park caused the temperature to increase by 0.83 °C; when the green space ratio increased by 10%, the temperature dropped by 0.16 °C on average. The impact of these two parameters was more obvious in the afternoon than in the middle of the day or in the morning. The green space ratio could be used for designing a more stable thermal environment. (3) Land cover affects surface temperature more than it does air temperature. Our data suggest that an urban plan with an even distribution of green space would provide the greatest thermal comfort.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 640
Author(s):  
Sadroddin Alavipanah ◽  
Dagmar Haase ◽  
Mohsen Makki ◽  
Mir Muhammad Nizamani ◽  
Salman Qureshi

The changing climate has introduced new and unique challenges and threats to humans and their environment. Urban dwellers in particular have suffered from increased levels of heat stress, and the situation is predicted to continue to worsen in the future. Attention toward urban climate change adaptation has increased more than ever before, but previous studies have focused on indoor and outdoor temperature patterns separately. The objective of this research is to assess the indoor and outdoor temperature patterns of different urban settlements. Remote sensing data, together with air temperature data collected with temperature data loggers, were used to analyze land surface temperature (outdoor temperature) and air temperature (indoor temperature). A hot and cold spot analysis was performed to identify the statistically significant clusters of high and low temperature data. The results showed a distinct temperature pattern across different residential units. Districts with dense urban settlements show a warmer outdoor temperature than do more sparsely developed districts. Dense urban settlements show cooler indoor temperatures during the day and night, while newly built districts show cooler outdoor temperatures during the warm season. Understanding indoor and outdoor temperature patterns simultaneously could help to better identify districts that are vulnerable to heat stress in each city. Recognizing vulnerable districts could minimize the impact of heat stress on inhabitants.


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 341
Author(s):  
Ralf-Uwe Syrbe ◽  
Ina Neumann ◽  
Karsten Grunewald ◽  
Patrycia Brzoska ◽  
Jiři Louda ◽  
...  

The quality of life in our cities critically depends on the intelligent planning and shaping of urban living space, in particular urban nature. By providing a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), urban nature essentially contributes to the well-being of city dwellers and plays a major role in avoiding common diseases through its positive impact on physical and mental health. Health is one of the most important factors underlying human welfare and is, thus, vital to sustainable development. The ES of urban green space provide other social-cultural functions alongside public health, for example by fostering environmental justice and citizenship participation. Thus, they should always be considered when searching for solutions to urban problems. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of green areas in three selected cities on the health and well-being of people by self-reporting of green areas’ visitors. To this end, we posed the research question: which types and characteristics of urban green space are most appreciated by city dwellers? Based on our findings, we have drawn up recommendations for practices to promote better living conditions. We have also pinpointed obstacles to and opportunities for leisure time activities as well as ways of supporting the public health of citizens.


Author(s):  
Fengrui Jing ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
Suhong Zhou ◽  
Jiangyu Song ◽  
Linsen Wang ◽  
...  

Previous literature has examined the relationship between the amount of green space and perceived safety in urban areas, but little is known about the effect of street-view neighborhood greenery on perceived neighborhood safety. Using a deep learning approach, we derived greenery from a massive set of street view images in central Guangzhou. We further tested the relationships and mechanisms between street-view greenery and fear of crime in the neighborhood. Results demonstrated that a higher level of neighborhood street-view greenery was associated with a lower fear of crime, and its relationship was mediated by perceived physical incivilities. While increasing street greenery of the micro-environment may reduce fear of crime, this paper also suggests that social factors should be considered when designing ameliorative programs.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaomin Ding ◽  
Renguang Wu

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of sea ice and snow changes on surface air temperature (SAT) trends on the multidecadal time scale over the mid- and high-latitudes of Eurasia during boreal autumn, winter and spring based on a 30-member ensemble simulations of the Community Earth System Model (CESM). A dynamical adjustment method is used to remove the internal component of circulation-induced SAT trends. The leading mode of dynamically adjusted SAT trends is featured by same-sign anomalies extending from northern Europe to central Siberia and to the Russian Far East, respectively, during boreal spring and autumn, and confined to western Siberia during winter. The internally generated component of sea ice concentration trends over the Barents-Kara Seas contributes to the differences in the thermodynamic component of internal SAT trends across the ensemble over adjacent northern Siberia during all the three seasons. The sea ice effect is largest in autumn and smallest in winter. Eurasian snow changes contribute to the spread in dynamically adjusted SAT trends as well around the periphery of snow covered region by modulating surface heat flux changes. The snow effect is identified over northeast Europe-western Siberia in autumn, north of the Caspian Sea in winter, and over eastern Europe-northern Siberia in spring. The effects of sea ice and snow on the SAT trends are realized mainly by modulating upward shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes.


2007 ◽  
Vol 93 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 179-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Hua ◽  
Z. G. Ma ◽  
W. D. Guo

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (202) ◽  
pp. 367-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Pellicciotti ◽  
Thomas Raschle ◽  
Thomas Huerlimann ◽  
Marco Carenzo ◽  
Paolo Burlando

AbstractWe explore the robustness and transferability of parameterizations of cloud radiative forcing used in glacier melt models at two sites in the Swiss Alps. We also look at the rationale behind some of the most commonly used approaches, and explore the relationship between cloud transmittance and several standard meteorological variables. The 2 m air-temperature diurnal range is the best predictor of variations in cloud transmittance. However, linear and exponential parameterizations can only explain 30–50% of the observed variance in computed cloud transmittance factors. We examine the impact of modelled cloud transmittance factors on both solar radiation and ablation rates computed with an enhanced temperature-index model. The melt model performance decreases when modelled radiation is used, the reduction being due to an underestimation of incoming solar radiation on clear-sky days. The model works well under overcast conditions. We also seek alternatives to the use of in situ ground data. However, outputs from an atmospheric model (2.2 km horizontal resolution) do not seem to provide an alternative to the parameterizations of cloud radiative forcing based on observations of air temperature at glacier automatic weather stations. Conversely, the correct definition of overcast conditions is important.


Author(s):  
Vidya Anderson ◽  
William A. Gough

AbstractThe application of green infrastructure presents an opportunity to mitigate rising temperatures using a multi-faceted ecosystems-based approach. A controlled field study in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, evaluates the impact of nature-based solutions on near surface air temperature regulation focusing on different applications of green infrastructure. A field campaign was undertaken over the course of two summers to measure the impact of green roofs, green walls, urban vegetation and forestry systems, and urban agriculture systems on near surface air temperature. This study demonstrates that multiple types of green infrastructure applications are beneficial in regulating near surface air temperature and are not limited to specific treatments. Widespread usage of green infrastructure could be a viable strategy to cool cities and improve urban climate.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e24121-e24121
Author(s):  
Celeste Cagnazzo ◽  
Veronica Franchina ◽  
Giuseppe Toscano ◽  
Franca Fagioli ◽  
Tindara Franchina ◽  
...  

e24121 Background: Barriers for low recruitment in clinical trials have been classified based on three main sources: physician, patient, system. A primary role is played by a low patient awareness, which often leads to a lack of confidence in science and a substantial inability to estimate the benefits deriving from trial participation, aggravated by the spread of fake news. A prospective observational study was conducted to investigate the views of cancer patients on aspects of clinical research, their expectations, the level of comprehensibility of informed consent and the impact of the fake news phenomenon. Methods: From January 2018, after Ethics Committees approval, the ELPIS study was initiated in 9 Italian Medical Oncology Units. After signing the informed consent, patients were asked to complete a questionnaire, consisting of a set of multiple choice and Likert-score questions. Results: As of January 2021, 115 patients were enrolled, with a balanced sex distribution and a prevalence of subjects older than 55-years (79.8%). Regarding the previous knowledge about clinical research, the average score was 3.9 (range 1-5). The vast majority of respondents (91.3%) had already started experimental therapy and many of them constantly used internet (65.2%) and social networks (34.8%). More than half (53.9%) stated the interview with the physician was sufficient for a full understanding of informed consent. In case of doubt, the majority seeked support in the clinician (39.1%) while very few (1.7%) relied on the web. The average score attributed to doctor-patient relationship was equal to 8.89 (range 1-10). Respondents were quite confident in their ability to independently search for information on their disease, discriminate fake news and identify reliable sites (average score 3.26, 3.27, 3.09 respectively, over a range of 1-5). The scores related to the presumed ability to understand the results of a clinical study and to actively collaborate to produce research were high (average score 4.72 and 4.39 over a range of 1-5). Conclusions: Preliminary data from our research show a good level of patient awareness and a fine ability to understand information, discerning real from fake news. Continuing and implementing the training initiatives of the population in the health sector will certainly contribute to further improvement, hopefully obtaining an even greater involvement of patients in the early phases of research.


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