Attitudes and preferences towards plants in urban green spaces: Implications for the design and management of Novel Urban Ecosystems

Difference in summer heatwave-induced damage between desert native and urban greening plants in an arid desert region

Summer heatwaves have caused a distinct mortality between urban greening and native plants. However, there are insufficient studies revealing the underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that differentiation in hydraulic traits and their integration cause the varied heatwave-induced damages between the two plant types. To prove it, three desert native species and five urban greening species were selected as the experimental objects. Then, the number of damaged individuals caused by summer heatwaves were investigated based on the 100 individuals for each species. The hydraulic traits (including hydraulic transport, photosynthetic and leaf traits) of 3-5 mature individuals were measured for each species. The comparative analysis (independent sample t test and one-way ANOVA) and the collaborative analysis (Pearson correlation and network analysis) were used to reveal the differences in heatwave-induced damage, hydraulic traits and their integration between urban greening and native plants. Our results showed that the heatwave-induced damage to urban greening plants was larger than that to native species. Water potentials of leaf and branch in pre-dawn and midday, P50, leaf dry matter content, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance of desert native species were significantly lower than those of urban greening plants (P < 0.05), while twig specific hydraulic conductivity, Huber value, wood density, intrinsic water use efficiency and the specific leaf area showed opposite patterns (P < 0.05). Trait integration of desert native species (0.63) was much higher than greening plants (0.24). Our results indicate that artificial urban greening plants are more susceptible to drought stress caused by heatwaves than native desert species. In the context of global climate change, in order to maintain the stability and function of urban ecosystems in extreme climate, the screening of greening plants should start from the perspective of hydraulics and trait integration, and more native species with strong drought adaptability should be planted.

Response of spontaneous plant communities to microhabitats in a riparian corridor in Beijing, China

With the increasing urban environmental problems, spontaneous vegetation has been gradually emphasized for high ecological value, whose distribution has been reported as strongly influenced by fine-scale environmental factors. As one of the major zones for urban spontaneous vegetation distribution, urban riparian corridors are well suited for research on the response of spontaneous plants to microhabitats. Taking the Wenyu River-North Canal in Beijing as the study site, we measured six microhabitat factors, including the level of maintenance and visitor activity, canopy density, litter thickness, and distance to water and road, to investigate their effects on spontaneous plant assemblages. The results showed that spontaneous plants respond significantly to fine-scale habitat variation, and were more responsive to human disturbance than other factors. Compared with diversity indicators, the functional trait compositions were more significantly correlated with microhabitat factors. Under lower maintenance of plants, the spontaneous communities had a higher invasion risk for plants. Thick litter can impede the occurrence of invasive species while favoring the growth of native ones. Our findings are important for furthering understanding of the spontaneous plant community establishment, and can serve as a good reference for the maintenance and management of spontaneous plants in urban riparian corridors.

A comprehensive review of the environmental benefits of urban green spaces

This detailed analysis highlights the numerous environmental benefits provided by urban green spaces, emphasizing their critical role in improving urban life quality and advancing sustainable development. The review delves into critical themes such as the impact of urban green spaces on human health, the complex interplay between urban ecology and sustainability, and the evaluation of ecosystem services using a comprehensive review of existing literature. The investigation thoroughly examines various aspects of green infrastructure, shedding light on its contributions to social cohesion, human well-being, and environmental sustainability in general. The analysis summarizes the study's findings and demonstrates the critical role of urban green spaces in urban ecology, which significantly mitigates environmental challenges. The intricate links between these green spaces and human health are thoroughly investigated, with benefits ranging from enhanced mental and physical well-being to comprehensive mental health. Furthermore, the analysis emphasizes how green spaces benefit urban development by increasing property values, boosting tourism, and creating job opportunities. The discussion also considers possible futures, emphasizing the integration of technology, the advancement of natural solutions, and the critical importance of prioritizing health and well-being in the design of urban green spaces. To ensure that urban green spaces are developed and maintained as essential components of resilient and sustainable urban environments, the assessment concludes with practical recommendations for communities, urban planners, and legislators.

Construction and optimization of Green Infrastructure Network in mountainous cities: a case study of Fuzhou, China

Green infrastructure networks enhance the protection and improvement of urban ecological environments, augment the efficiency and quality of ecosystem services, and furnish residents with healthier and more comfortable living conditions. Although previous research has investigated the construction or optimization methods of green infrastructure networks, these studies have been relatively isolated and lacking in case studies for mountainous cities. In the development of green infrastructure, mountainous cities must specifically consider the impact of terrain on network construction. Taking Fuzhou, a mountainous city in China, as an example, this study constructs and optimizes the green infrastructure network by employing morphological spatial pattern analysis, connectivity analysis, the Minimum Cumulative Resistance model, and circuit theory. These methodologies increase the connectivity of the Green Infrastructure within the study area, thereby promoting the health of the local ecosystem and creating conducive circumstances for the city's sustainable development. The findings reveal that: (1) Green infrastructure in Fuzhou takes up 5366.38 ha, constituting 21.76% of the study area, primarily situated in the northwest and south; (2) Fuzhou's Green Infrastructure network comprises 10 hubs and 17 corridors with a hub area of 1306.98 ha, predominantly distributed in the mountains encircling the city, including Meifeng Mountain, Gaogai Mountain, and Qingliang Mountain; (3) Based on optimization, the circuit centrality index categorizes hub importance into three protection levels, pinpointing nine crucial protected areas in the corridors and 680 areas requiring enhancement, including 68 areas for first-level improvement, 149 areas for second-level improvement, and 463 areas for third-level improvement. This research offers a methodological reference for constructing and optimizing green infrastructure networks in mountainous cities, providing both theoretical and practical foundations for optimizing green infrastructure networks in Fuzhou City.

From Conservation to Connection: Exploring the Role of Nativeness in Shaping People's Relationships with Urban Trees

Deciding whether to plant native or non-native trees in public urban green spaces is becoming complex and conflicted, and decisions purely based on biotic nativeness are likely to be hamstrung as climate change and rising urban heat push many native species beyond their natural ranges. Importantly, tree selection considerations by urban planners and environmental managers will have to move beyond a primary focus on securing conservation and ecological outcomes, to elucidate and engage with a growing interest in the socio-cultural values and services of urban trees. Building on emerging theoretical perspectives, this place-based study explores the role that perceptions of nativeness have in shaping people's relationships with native and non-native urban trees and landscapes in an Australian city. Nativeness was associated with a range of subjective meanings including cultural identity, political expression, nature connection, desirable and undesirable traits, and environmental and cultural compatibility. Our findings emphasise that the ways in which urban trees and green spaces are valued and experienced is likely mediated by people's perceptions of nativeness and its importance relative to other attributes. To provision and sustain green spaces that meet the diverse needs and preferences of urban publics, planners and managers need to elucidate and incorporate the nuanced, place-based and multifaceted subjective meanings of nativeness into urban greening decision-making and practice.

Lawn or spontaneous groundcover? Residents' perceptions of and preferences for alternative lawns in Xianyang, China

Within urban green spaces, spontaneous groundcovers, as potential alternatives for traditional lawns, have garnered attention due to their ecological adaptability. However, little attention has been paid to whether spontaneous groundcovers can serve as suitable replacements for lawns in terms of the aesthetic values and human preferences for each. Based on questionnaires accompanied by photo elicitation, this study explored the perceptions of and preferences for seven kinds of lawns and six kinds of spontaneous groundcovers in China. The effects of social backgrounds on people's perceptions of and preferences for ground covers were also analyzed. The results indicated a general equivalence in preferences for the lawn and spontaneous groundcover. The Taraxacum mongolicum - Cynodon dactylon - Conyza canadensis community was significantly preferred most among all of the selected ground covers. Spontaneous groundcovers were regarded as more natural, wild, variable, and species-richer compared to lawns, while lawns were perceived as better kept than spontaneous groundcovers. Ground covers were preferred which were perceived to have high ecological aesthetic value and low wildness. Industry and attention to herbaceous plants mostly affected human perceptions and preferences among the social background factors, and gender, age, education level, and occupation also had significant effects. The results thus provide the support for the application of spontaneous groundcovers in moderately developed cities, but such application should consider the comprehensive development of ecological aesthetic value and the applicability of different groups of residents.

"Green transit-oriented development": Exploring the association between TOD and visible green space provision using street view data

Environmental inequalities generated by transit-oriented development (TOD) are of planning and policy relevance in developing countries. Existing literature has pointed out that TOD has the effect of 'place making', which means the newly developed transit systems may be able to change the environment and amenities of a certain area. While previous studies have largely focused on environment hazards such as noise and pollution induced by transit systems, scant attention has been paid to visible green space provision at station areas. This study develops a new and systematic framework to assess potential disparities in quality and quantity aspects of visible green space provision around subway stations. We explore the effects of TOD on visible green space provision around subway stations using spatial regression models. The results show that there are disparities in visible green space provision around subway stations, but such disparities tend to fade with distance away from stations. We also find that population density, land use mix, intersection density and bus stop density are significantly associated with quantity and quality aspects of visible green space provision around subway stations.