Analysis of Urban Residents’ Willingness to Pay for Forest Ecological Services Based on the Multilayer Linear Model

This study takes 8 cities in Shaanxi province as the research object and uses the multilayer linear model specifically for nested structure data to introduce the urban macroexplanatory variables on the basis of individual level of residents and influence the willingness of urban residents to pay for forest ecological services. The factors are analyzed in multiple layers to find out the prediction effect on ecological payment, and on this basis, corresponding countermeasures and suggestions are put forward. The results show that regional differences have a significant impact on residents’ willingness to pay for forest ecological services; individual characteristics and regional characteristics can independently have a significant impact on residents’ willingness to pay; after introducing macrolevel variables, individual-level environmental awareness and per capita income, five variables, such as education level, place of residence, and age, have significant predictive effects on residents’ willingness to pay; among them, the interaction between consumer price index and environmental awareness is the largest, followed by the interaction between consumer price index and age. Per capita social security is the interaction between expenditure and environmental awareness. Finally, that is the interaction between the per capita social security expenditure and age and the interaction between the average salary of employees and the monthly per capita income.

Socio-Ecological Dimensions of Spontaneous Plants on Green Roofs

Green roofs have the potential to provide socio-ecological services in urban settings that lack vegetation and open space. However, implementation of green roofs is limited by high construction and maintenance costs. Consequently, green roof projects often disproportionately benefit wealthy communities and can further marginalise disadvantaged communities by increasing property values and housing costs. Vegetation cover on green roofs is crucial to their provisioning of socio-ecological services. Evidence suggests that green roof plantings change over time, especially with limited maintenance, and are replaced with spontaneous “weedy” species. This is often perceived as a failure of the original green roof design intent and spontaneous species are usually removed. However, where good coverage is achieved, spontaneous vegetation could provide beneficial services such as stormwater mitigation, habitat provision, and climate regulation. While social norms about “weediness” may limit the desirability of some spontaneous species, research suggests that their acceptability on green roofs increases with coverage. As spontaneous species can establish on green roofs without irrigation and fertiliser, reduced input costs could help facilitate adoption particularly in markets without an established green roof industry. Construction costs may also be reduced in hot and dry climates where deeper substrates are necessary to ensure plant survival, as many spontaneous species are able to colonise shallow substrates and can regenerate from seed. If implemented based on socio-ecological need, green roofs with spontaneous vegetation coverage may apply less pressure to property values and housing costs than conventionally planted green roofs, increasing the resilience of urban communities while limiting gentrification.

Identifying urban food trees in campus green spaces

The environmental impact of food is one of the drivers of cities’ growing interest in the developed food system in urban areas, one of which is campus green space. Green spaces (GS) on campus accompany native trees, landscaping, and water features for nurturing wildlife and people in the surrounding campus. In addition, GS can provide food sources such as fruit, alternative food, seeds, and nuts. This study aims to identify food trees in 120 hectares of the University Sumatera Utara campus area through field inventory methods. Our research showed that 49 species belong to 18 families and 1536 individuals USU campus produce beneficial food for people surrounding campus, either fruit, nuts, and alternative food. Thus, we conclude that the university’s green space can support the urban area’s vision as food providers and ecological services for achieving urban sustainability. Furthermore, gathering and gleaning from green space provides opportunities for inhabitants to maintain urban resources and deeply interact with nature.

Spatial Variation of Cladophora Epiphytes in the Nan River, Thailand

Cladophora is an algal genus known to be ecologically important. It provides habitats for microorganisms known to provide ecological services such as biosynthesis of cobalamin (vitamin B12) and nutrient cycling. Most knowledge of microbiomes was obtained from studies of lacustrine Cladophora species. However, whether lotic freshwater Cladophora microbiomes are as complex as the lentic ones or provide similar ecological services is not known. To illuminate these issues, we used amplicons of 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, and ITS to investigate the taxonomy and diversity of the microorganisms associated with replicate Cladophora samples from three sites along the Nan River, Thailand. Results showed that the diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic members of Cladophora microbiomes collected from different sampling sites was statistically different. Fifty percent of the identifiable taxa were shared across sampling sites: these included organisms belonging to different trophic levels, decomposers, and heterotrophic bacteria. These heterogeneous assemblages of bacteria, by functional inference, have the potential to perform various ecological functions, i.e., cellulose degradation, cobalamin biosynthesis, fermentative hydrogen production, ammonium oxidation, amino acid fermentation, dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonium, nitrite reduction, nitrate reduction, sulfur reduction, polyphosphate accumulation, denitrifying phosphorus-accumulation, and degradation of aromatic compounds. Results suggested that river populations of Cladophora provide ecologically important habitat for microorganisms that are key to nutrient cycling in lotic ecosystems.

Fore Karst: A Biotope-focused planning approach for the ecological management of Susong Dalaga, Quirino

Conventional planning approaches that prioritize built-up areas and rapid urbanization for economic growth and social security, instead of the environment and the ecological services they provide have consistently been problematic in maintaining sustainability. Because of this, there is a growing need to shift from the conventional to a greener approach. The research argues that an ecological management approach is a viable choice of approach in protecting the ecological integrity of the landscape, especially in biotopes where ecological services are sought-after, such as the karst system Susong Dalaga found in Cabarroguis, Quirino Province. This approach is done by identifying the different biotopes to find the existing relations, services, and underlying issues of the place. In assessing the items mentioned earlier, the research finds that the natural systems are slowly dwindling due to the expansion of agriculture and built-up areas. Each biotope is then assigned with an appropriate approach, and with the consultation of the stakeholders, policies are then strategized for specific functions. It is hoped that the study would help push the application and integration of ecological management approach, and green approaches and principles in general, to future urban planning projects in the Philippines.

Influence of Environmental Factors on Forest Understorey Species in Northern Mexico

Background: Understorey plants are key to maintaining forest structure and functioning. They protect the soil, improve its structure and fertility, reduce water run-off and sustain the below-ground biota, amongst other ecological services. However, little is known about the environmental conditions that regulate the occurrence of these plants. This study focuses on determining how canopy cover influences the occurrence of understorey species and identifying the most important soil properties that affect these species. The study area was a pine-oak forest in the Sierra Madre Occidental, an important source of ecological services for northwestern Mexico. Methods: To assess the conditions influencing the presence of herbaceous and shrub species, 25 soil variables were examined in relation to the species occurring in forest gaps and under the canopy. Sampling was conducted in five plots, each of 100 × 100 m. In each plot, 4 subplots, each of 20 × 20 m, were each subdivided in a grid of 2 × 2 m units, in which the presence-absence of herbaceous and shrub species was recorded (2000 units in total). Soil samples were extracted for analysis from the central point in each subplot. Data were analyzed using a Binomial Logistic Model (BLM) and Random Forest (RF) classification. Results: Understorey species were more strongly affected by soil variables than by their location in gaps or below canopy. The concentrations of Ca, P, K, Fe, Na, C, Zn, Mn, nitrates, organic matter, sand, silt, and percentage water saturation were statistically significantly associated with the presence of some plant species, whilst no significant differences were found in regard to preference for gaps or canopy, although several species were more frequent in open areas. Conclusions: Given the importance of the understorey cover in forest system functioning, we propose that understorey should be considered in integrated management and conservation practices for the temperate forests of northern Mexico.

Algerian Argan: Biodiversity, ecological services, and landscapes: A review

The Argan is a multipurpose tree, endemic of South-west of Morocco and Algeria. It populates the Sahara and gives it a very particular physiognomy which is that of the sparse forest. The argan forest is a patchwork of species occupying distinct environmental niches across the Hamada of the South-west region of Algeria. It covers a region characterized by the aridity of the climate and extreme xericity with geological and pedological diversity that are the source of the broad range of magnificent landscapes (Hamada, wet-lands, escarpments, wadis, Regs, mountains). The association of plants with landscapes, reveals an environmental heterogeneity influencing the richness in species and allowing a dynamic and development of a diversified floristic cover mainly xerophilic and thermophilic. The originality of its flora is as-cribed to the presence of Saharo-sindian elements, Mediterranean and en-demic. This particular diversity is due to its biological characterization, sys-tematic and phytogeographic. Unfortunately, this ecosystem and its poten-tial for biological resources are today highly threatened and face degradation from disturbances and uncontrolled exploitation of the plant environment by anthropogenic activities, that requires the development of a preservation strategy. Our work emphasizes the importance of this genetic heritage and its original ecosystem, where the preservation must be secured through the establishment of a strict protection system of species throughout their natu-ral range.