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Guo H, Du E, Terrer C, Jackson RB. Global distribution of surface soil organic carbon in urban greenspaces. Nat Commun 2024; 15:806. [PMID: 38280879 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44887-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Urban greenspaces continue to grow with global urbanization. The global distribution and stock of soil organic carbon (SOC) in urban greenspaces remain largely undescribed and missing in global carbon (C) budgets. Here, we synthesize data of 420 observations from 257 cities in 52 countries to evaluate the global pattern of surface SOC density (0-20 cm depth) in urban greenspaces. Surface SOC density in urban greenspaces increases significantly at higher latitudes and decreases significantly with higher mean annual temperature, stronger temperature and precipitation seasonality, as well as lower urban greenness index. By mapping surface SOC density using a random forest model, we estimate an average SOC density of 55.2 (51.9-58.6) Mg C ha-1 and a SOC stock of 1.46 (1.37-1.54) Pg C in global urban greenspaces. Our findings present a comprehensive assessment of SOC in global urban greenspaces and provide a baseline for future urban soil C assessment under continuing urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Enzai Du
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
- School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - César Terrer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robert B Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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2
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Jha S, Egerer M, Bichier P, Cohen H, Liere H, Lin B, Lucatero A, Philpott SM. Multiple ecosystem service synergies and landscape mediation of biodiversity within urban agroecosystems. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:369-383. [PMID: 36691722 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem services (ESs) are essential for human well-being, especially in urban areas where 60% of the global population will live by 2030. While urban habitats have the potential to support biodiversity and ES, few studies have quantified the impact of local and landscape management across a diverse suite of services. We leverage 5 years of data (>5000 observations) across a network of urban community gardens to determine the drivers of biodiversity and ES trade-offs and synergies. We found multiple synergies and few trade-offs, contrasting previous assumptions that food production is at odds with biodiversity. Furthermore, we show that natural landscape cover interacts with local management to mediate services provided by mobile animals, specifically pest control and pollination. By quantifying the factors that support a diverse suite of ES, we highlight the critical role of garden management and urban planning for optimizing biodiversity and human benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalene Jha
- Integrative Biology Department, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA.,Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Monika Egerer
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA.,Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Bichier
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Hamutahl Cohen
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Heidi Liere
- Environmental Studies Program, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brenda Lin
- CSIRO Land and Water, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Azucena Lucatero
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Stacy M Philpott
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
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3
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Pineda-Pinto M, Frantzeskaki N, Nygaard CA. The potential of nature-based solutions to deliver ecologically just cities: Lessons for research and urban planning from a systematic literature review. AMBIO 2022; 51:167-182. [PMID: 33864236 PMCID: PMC8651950 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01553-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Planning for and implementing multifunctional nature-based solutions can improve urban ecosystems' adaptation to climate change, foster urban resilience, and enable social and environmental innovation. There is, however, a knowledge gap in how to design and plan nature-based solutions in a nonanthropocentric manner that enhances co-benefits for humans and nonhuman living organisms. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to explore how an ecological justice perspective can advance the understanding of nature-based solutions. We argue that ecological justice, which builds on the equitable distribution of environmental goods and bads, social-ecological interconnectedness, nature's agency and capabilities, and participation and inclusion in decision-making, provides a transformative framework for rethinking nature-based solutions in and for cities. A qualitative analysis of 121 peer-reviewed records shows a highly human-centred worldview for delivering nature-based solutions and a relationship to social justice with no direct reference to the dimensions of ecological justice. There is, however, an underlying recognition of the importance of nonhumans, ecosystem integrity and well-being, and a need to consider their needs and capacities through multispecies nature-based solutions design and planning. We conclude with a discussion of the critical aspects for designing and planning ecologically just cities through nature-based solutions and future research directions to further integrate these fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Pineda-Pinto
- Centre for Urban Transitions, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Niki Frantzeskaki
- Centre for Urban Transitions, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christian A. Nygaard
- Centre for Urban Transitions, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
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4
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Mabon L, Shih WY. Urban greenspace as a climate change adaptation strategy for subtropical Asian cities: A comparative study across cities in three countries. GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE : HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS 2021; 68:102248. [PMID: 34092934 PMCID: PMC8164163 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Interest in nature-based approaches for climate change adaptation in cities is growing. Whilst there is a growing field of scholarship in a European and North America setting, research on the policy and governance of urban greenspace for climate adaptation in subtropical Asia is limited. Given the different development patterns, environmental characteristics and governance arrangements in subtropical cities, plus their comparatively large population and high climate risk, this is a significant knowledge gap. In response, this paper evaluates competences - skill sets, capabilities, and supporting policy and legislation - to enact adaptation through greenspace across different governance contexts; and assesses how international rhetoric on nature-based adaptation becomes localised to subtropical Asian city settings. We conduct interviews with stakeholders, plus review of relevant policy and city-specific research, for three cities with different governance and development contexts: Hanoi (Vietnam); Taipei (Taiwan); and Fukuoka (Japan). Across all three cases, we find that institutional structures and processes for connecting different remits and knowledge systems are a bigger challenge than a lack of appropriate policy or individuals with the required technical knowledge. However, opportunities for civil society participation and consideration of justice issues vary between the cities according to the socio-political context. These findings illustrate the value of individuals and organisations able to work across institutional boundaries in linking greenspace and adaptation agendas for subtropical Asian cities; and the importance of competence in collaboration with developers and civil society so that the rapid development or regeneration seen in subtropical Asian contexts does not tend towards green climate gentrification. More broadly, our findings show that the diverse nature of subtropical Asian cities means the role of greenspace in climate adaptation is likely to be context-specific, and thus that caution must be exercised against uncritically importing best practices from exemplar cases elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Mabon
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban PA37 1QA Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Wan-Yu Shih
- Department of Urban Planning and Disaster Management, Ming-Chuan University, Taiwan
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5
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Abstract
Urban forests provide multiple benefits in improving people’s lives and can be an important tool for achieving the goal of carbon neutral cities. In this study, we analyzed the diversity of plant species from urban forests in cities in the Brazilian Amazonia, based on data from scientific articles, through a systematic literature review. Our analysis revealed that 530 taxa, of which 479 were identified at the species level and 51 at the genus level, covering 38,882 individuals were distributed in 29 cities. The three most frequent species were Ficus benjamina, Mangifera indica, and Licania tomentosa. Exotic species were more frequent than native. The three most frequent species had almost 42% of the inventoried individuals. The choice of species has been made mainly by the local population, without monitoring by the public authorities. Recommendations for sustainable management of urban forests in Amazonia include investing in training of management bodies, periodic inventories, and awareness actions about the benefits of urban green infrastructure and on the advantages of native species. Policies for the sustainable management of urban green areas are necessary. The municipal governments must continuously monitor indicators of urban ecosystem services and provide financial resources for maintaining and increasing those area rates per person.
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6
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Rydén O, Zizka A, Jagers SC, Lindberg SI, Antonelli A. Linking democracy and biodiversity conservation: Empirical evidence and research gaps. AMBIO 2020; 49:419-433. [PMID: 31236785 PMCID: PMC6965076 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01210-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Increasing human pressure threatens plant and animal species with extinction worldwide. National political institutions constitute an important arena for biodiversity conservation. Yet, the relationship between how democratic these national institutions are and a country's efforts towards and track-record for biodiversity conservation remains poorly understood. In this review, we outline the theoretical links between democracy and biodiversity conservation and review the empirical literature testing them. While more studies reported a positive than a negative relation between democracy and biodiversity conservation (15 vs. 11), the most common result was a mixed relationship (28), often conditioned on economic factors. The use of different proxies to measure biodiversity, including deforestation, protected areas, threatened species, and fishery statistics emerged as a primary obstacle for synthesis. We suggest overcoming this caveat together with a consistent definition of democratic institutions and a standardized statistical framework as research priorities to improve policies against the global biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oskar Rydén
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 711, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Collective Action Research, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alexander Zizka
- Varieties of Democracy Institute, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sverker C. Jagers
- Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 711, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Collective Action Research, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Staffan I. Lindberg
- Varieties of Democracy Institute, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 711, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE UK
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7
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Cârlan I, Mihai BA, Nistor C, Große-Stoltenberg A. Identifying urban vegetation stress factors based on open access remote sensing imagery and field observations. ECOL INFORM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2019.101032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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8
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Global Variation in Climate, Human Development, and Population Density Has Implications for Urban Ecosystem Services. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11226200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
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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9
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Richards DR, Thompson BS. Urban ecosystems: A new frontier for payments for ecosystem services. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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10
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Temperature Variability Differs in Urban Agroecosystems across Two Metropolitan Regions. CLIMATE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/cli7040050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Climatically similar regions may experience different temperature extremes and weather patterns that warrant global comparisons of local microclimates. Urban agroecosystems are interesting sites to examine the multidimensional impacts of climate changes because they rely heavily on human intervention to maintain crop production under different and changing climate conditions. Here, we used urban community gardens across the California Central Coast metropolitan region, USA, and the Melbourne metropolitan region, Australia, to investigate how habitat-scale temperatures differ across climatically similar regions, and how people may be adapting their gardening behaviors to not only regional temperatures, but also to the local weather patterns around them. We show that, while annual means are very similar, there are strong interregional differences in temperature variability likely due to differences in the scale and scope of the temperature measurements, and regional topography. However, the plants growing within these systems are largely the same. The similarities may be due to gardeners’ capacities to adapt their gardening behaviors to reduce the adverse effects of local temperature variability on the productivity of their plot. Thus, gardens can serve as sites where people build their knowledge of local weather patterns and adaptive capacity to climate change and urban heat. Climate-focused studies in urban landscapes should consider how habitat-scale temperature variability is a background for interesting and meaningful social-ecological interactions.
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11
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Lambert KA, Bowatte G, Tham R, Lodge CJ, Prendergast LA, Heinrich J, Abramson MJ, Dharmage SC, Erbas B. Greenspace and Atopic Sensitization in Children and Adolescents-A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15112539. [PMID: 30428525 PMCID: PMC6265981 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15112539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, studies investigating greenspace have highlighted several benefits to human health. However, the effect of greenspace on allergies and atopic sensitization in children was not clear. While several studies have investigated this link, the evidence has not been systematically synthesized. We conducted a systematic search of eight databases. Study characteristics and findings were extracted from five articles covering 11 cohorts published between 2012 and 2016, and study quality assessments were performed. Due to significant heterogeneity, meta-analysis was not conducted. Findings were not consistent, possibly due to variations in exposure measurements, study populations and location, the specific allergens tested, and inclusion of confounders. Protective effects from greenspace were reported in four cohorts, while two cohorts showed an increase in sensitization related to greenspace. The other five cohorts found no significant effect of greenspace on atopic sensitization. There is limited understanding of the contributions of greenspace to specific allergens. Future research should consider amount and type of greenspace, as well as the specific allergens tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina A Lambert
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, 3086 Bundoora, Australia.
| | - Gayan Bowatte
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 3000 Melbourne, Australia.
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka.
| | - Rachel Tham
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 3000 Melbourne, Australia.
- Behaviour, Environment and Cognition Research Program, Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, 3065 Fitzroy, Australia.
| | - Caroline J Lodge
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 3000 Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Luke A Prendergast
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, La Trobe University, 3086 Bundoora, Australia.
| | - Joachim Heinrich
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 3000 Melbourne, Australia.
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Clinical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University, Comprehensive Pneumology Centre Munich, German Centre for Lung Research, Ziemssenstrasse, 80336 Munich, Germany.
| | - Michael J Abramson
- School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 3004 Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Shyamali C Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 3000 Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, 3086 Bundoora, Australia.
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12
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Du P, Arndt SK, Farrell C. Relationships between plant drought response, traits, and climate of origin for green roof plant selection. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:1752-1761. [PMID: 30039552 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The ideal species for green or vegetated roofs should have high water use after rainfall to maximize stormwater retention but also survive periods with low water availability in dry substrates. Shrubs have great potential for green roofs because they have higher rates of water use, and many species are also drought tolerant. However, not all shrub species will be suitable and there may be a trade-off between water use and drought tolerance. We conducted a glasshouse experiment to determine the possible trade-offs between shrub water use for stormwater management and their response to drought conditions. We selected 20 shrubs from a wide range of climates of origin, represented by heat moisture index (HMI) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). Under well-watered (WW) and water-deficit (WD) conditions, we assessed morphological responses to water availability; evapotranspiration rate (ET) and midday water potential (ΨMD ) were used to evaluate species water use and drought response. In response to WD, all 20 shrubs adjusted their morphology and physiology. However, there were no species that simultaneously achieved high rates of water use (high ET) under WW and high drought tolerance (low ΨMD ) under WD conditions. Although some species which had high water use under WW conditions could avoid drought stress (high ΨMD ). Water use was strongly related to plant biomass, total leaf area, and leaf traits (specific leaf area [SLA] and leaf area ratio [LAR]). Conversely, drought response (ΨMD ) was not related to morphological traits. Species' climate of origin was not related to drought response or water use. Drought-avoiding shrubs (high ΨMD ) could optimize rainfall reduction on green roofs. Water use was related to biomass, leaf area, and leaf traits; thus, these traits could be used to assist the selection of shrubs for stormwater mitigation on green roofs. The natural distribution of species was not related to their water use or drought response, which suggests that shrubs from less arid climates may be suitable for use on green roofs. Selecting species based on traits and not climate of origin could both improve green roof performance and biodiversity outcomes by expanding the current plant palette.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhen Du
- Department of Ecosystem and Forestry Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- Department of Ecosystem and Forestry Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia
| | - Claire Farrell
- Department of Ecosystem and Forestry Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia
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13
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Ecological Structure of a Tropical Urban Forest in the Bang Kachao Peninsula, Bangkok. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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14
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Richards DR, Friess DA. Characterizing Coastal Ecosystem Service Trade-offs with Future Urban Development in a Tropical City. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2017; 60:961-973. [PMID: 28835991 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-017-0924-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
With rapid urbanization in the coastal zone and increasing habitat losses, it is imperative to understand how urban development affects coastal biodiversity and ecosystem service provision. Furthermore, it is important to understand how habitat fragments can best be incorporated into broader land use planning and coastal management, in order to maximize the environmental benefits they provide. In this study, we characterized the trade-offs between (a) urban development and individual mangrove environmental indicators (habitat quality and ecosystem services), and (b) between different environmental indicators in the tropical nation of Singapore. A range of biological, biophysical, and cultural indicators, including carbon, charcoal production, support for offshore fisheries, recreation, and habitat quality for a threatened species were quantified using field-based, remote sensing, and expert survey methods. The shape of the trade-off Pareto frontiers was analyzed to assess the sensitivity of environmental indicators for development. When traded off individually with urban development, four out of five environmental indicators were insensitive to development, meaning that relatively minor degradation of the indicator occurred while development was below a certain threshold, although indicator loss accelerated once this threshold was reached. Most of the pairwise relationships between the five environmental indicators were synergistic; only carbon storage and charcoal production, and charcoal production and recreational accessibility showed trade-offs. Trade-off analysis and land use optimization using Pareto frontiers could be a useful decision-support tool for understanding how changes in land use and coastal management will impact the ability of ecosystems to provide environmental benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Richards
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, 1 Arts Link, Singapore, 117570, Singapore.
- ETH Zurich, Future Cities Laboratory, Singapore-ETH Centre, 1 Create Way, #06-01 Create Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
| | - Daniel A Friess
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, 1 Arts Link, Singapore, 117570, Singapore
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15
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Markevych I, Schoierer J, Hartig T, Chudnovsky A, Hystad P, Dzhambov AM, de Vries S, Triguero-Mas M, Brauer M, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Lupp G, Richardson EA, Astell-Burt T, Dimitrova D, Feng X, Sadeh M, Standl M, Heinrich J, Fuertes E. Exploring pathways linking greenspace to health: Theoretical and methodological guidance. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 158:301-317. [PMID: 28672128 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 941] [Impact Index Per Article: 134.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a rapidly urbanizing world, many people have little contact with natural environments, which may affect health and well-being. Existing reviews generally conclude that residential greenspace is beneficial to health. However, the processes generating these benefits and how they can be best promoted remain unclear. OBJECTIVES During an Expert Workshop held in September 2016, the evidence linking greenspace and health was reviewed from a transdisciplinary standpoint, with a particular focus on potential underlying biopsychosocial pathways and how these can be explored and organized to support policy-relevant population health research. DISCUSSIONS Potential pathways linking greenspace to health are here presented in three domains, which emphasize three general functions of greenspace: reducing harm (e.g. reducing exposure to air pollution, noise and heat), restoring capacities (e.g. attention restoration and physiological stress recovery) and building capacities (e.g. encouraging physical activity and facilitating social cohesion). Interrelations between among the three domains are also noted. Among several recommendations, future studies should: use greenspace and behavioural measures that are relevant to hypothesized pathways; include assessment of presence, access and use of greenspace; use longitudinal, interventional and (quasi)experimental study designs to assess causation; and include low and middle income countries given their absence in the existing literature. Cultural, climatic, geographic and other contextual factors also need further consideration. CONCLUSIONS While the existing evidence affirms beneficial impacts of greenspace on health, much remains to be learned about the specific pathways and functional form of such relationships, and how these may vary by context, population groups and health outcomes. This Report provides guidance for further epidemiological research with the goal of creating new evidence upon which to develop policy recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iana Markevych
- Institute for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Julia Schoierer
- Institute for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Terry Hartig
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Chudnovsky
- AIRO Lab, Department of Geography and Human Environment, School of Geosciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Perry Hystad
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene and Ecomedicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Sjerp de Vries
- Wageningen University & Research, Environmental Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Margarita Triguero-Mas
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerd Lupp
- Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Elizabeth A Richardson
- Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health (CRESH), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Thomas Astell-Burt
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia; Early Start, University of Wollongong, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Donka Dimitrova
- Department of Health Management and Healthcare Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia; Early Start, University of Wollongong, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Maya Sadeh
- School of Public Health, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Marie Standl
- Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Heinrich
- Institute for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Elaine Fuertes
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
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Dobbs C, Nitschke C, Kendal D. Assessing the drivers shaping global patterns of urban vegetation landscape structure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 592:171-177. [PMID: 28319704 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Vegetation is one of the main resources involve in ecosystem functioning and providing ecosystem services in urban areas. Little is known on the landscape structure patterns of vegetation existing in urban areas at the global scale and the drivers of these patterns. We studied the landscape structure of one hundred cities around the globe, and their relation to demography (population), socioeconomic factors (GDP, Gini Index), climate factors (temperature and rain) and topographic characteristics (altitude, variation in altitude). The data revealed that the best descriptors of landscape structure were amount, fragmentation and spatial distribution of vegetation. Populated cities tend to have less, more fragmented, less connected vegetation with a centre of the city with low vegetation cover. Results also provided insights on the influence of socioeconomics at a global scale, as landscape structure was more fragmented in areas that are economically unequal and coming from emergent economies. This study shows the effects of the social system and climate on urban landscape patterns that gives useful insights for the distribution in the provision of ecosystem services in urban areas and therefore the maintenance of human well-being. This information can support local and global policy and planning which is committing our cities to provide accessible and inclusive green space for all urban inhabitants.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Dobbs
- Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Ecosistemas, Facultad de Agronomia e Ingenieria Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile.
| | - C Nitschke
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - D Kendal
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
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17
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What Causal Drivers Influence Carbon Storage in Shanghai, China’s Urban and Peri-Urban Forests? SUSTAINABILITY 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/su9040577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Norton BA, Evans KL, Warren PH. Urban Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology: Patterns, Processes and Planning. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s40823-016-0018-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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20
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Li J, Zhou ZX. Natural and human impacts on ecosystem services in Guanzhong - Tianshui economic region of China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:6803-15. [PMID: 26662791 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5867-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Due to the accelerated growth of society, the gaps between the capacity of ecosystems to provide services and human needs are steadily widening. Natural, semi-natural, or managed ecosystems had been able to provide ecosystem services to meet the needs of social development. Four agricultural ecosystem services (net primary production (NPP), carbon sequestration and oxygen production (CSOP), water interception, soil conservation and agriculture production) were quantified in Guanzhong-Tianshui economic region. Estimates of ecosystem services were obtained from the analysis of satellite imagery and the use of well-known models. Based on the ecological services in Guanzhong-Tianshui economic region, this study mainly analysed the driving mechanism of the changes from the two aspects of natural drivers and human drivers. Natural drivers (climate, soil, elevation, land cover) had incentive to the ecological services. Human activity was quantified by an integrated human activity index (HAI) based on population density, farmland ratio, and the influence of road networks and residential areas. We found relationships between ecosystem services, human activities and many natural factors, however these varied according to the service studied. Human activities were mostly negatively related to each ecosystem services, while population and residential land ware positively related to agricultural production. Land use change had made a contribution to ecosystem services. Based on the selected ecosystem services and HAI, we provided sustainable ecosystem management suggestions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- College of Tourism and Environment, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China.
| | - Z X Zhou
- Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid regions of China, College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yang ling, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A & F University, Yang ling, People's Republic of China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Water Efficient Use, Yang ling, People's Republic of China
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21
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Mangrove forests store high densities of carbon across the tropical urban landscape of Singapore. Urban Ecosyst 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-015-0511-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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22
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Logan AC. Dysbiotic drift: mental health, environmental grey space, and microbiota. J Physiol Anthropol 2015; 34:23. [PMID: 25947328 PMCID: PMC4438628 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-015-0061-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in research concerning the mental health implications of dietary patterns and select nutrients have been remarkable. At the same time, there have been rapid increases in the understanding of the ways in which non-pathogenic microbes can potentially influence many aspects of human health, including those in the mental realm. Discussions of nutrition and microbiota are often overlapping. A separate, yet equally connected, avenue of research is that related to natural (for example, green space) and built environments, and in particular, how they are connected to human cognition and behaviors. It is argued here that in Western industrial nations a ‘disparity of microbiota’ might be expected among the socioeconomically disadvantaged, those whom face more profound environmental forces. Many of the environmental forces pushing against the vulnerable are at the neighborhood level. Matching the developing microbiome research with existing environmental justice research suggests that grey space may promote dysbiosis by default. In addition, the influence of Westernized lifestyle patterns, and the marketing forces that drive unhealthy behaviors in deprived communities, might allow dysbiosis to be the norm rather than the exception in those already at high risk of depression, subthreshold (subsyndromal) conditions, and subpar mental health. If microbiota are indeed at the intersection of nutrition, environmental health, and lifestyle medicine (as these avenues pertain to mental health), then perhaps the rapidly evolving gut-brain-microbiota conversation needs to operate through a wider lens. In contrast to the more narrowly defined psychobiotic, the term eco-psychotropic is introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan C Logan
- CAMNR, 23679 Calabasas Road Suite 542, Calabasas, CA, 91302, USA.
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24
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Natural environments, ancestral diets, and microbial ecology: is there a modern "paleo-deficit disorder"? Part II. J Physiol Anthropol 2015; 34:9. [PMID: 25889196 PMCID: PMC4353476 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-014-0040-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Famed microbiologist René J. Dubos (1901–1982) was an early pioneer in the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) construct. In the 1960s, he conducted groundbreaking research concerning the ways in which early-life experience with nutrition, microbiota, stress, and other environmental variables could influence later-life health outcomes. He recognized the co-evolutionary relationship between microbiota and the human host. Almost 2 decades before the hygiene hypothesis, he suggested that children in developed nations were becoming too sanitized (vs. our ancestral past) and that scientists should determine whether the childhood environment should be “dirtied up in a controlled manner.” He also argued that oft-celebrated growth chart increases via changes in the global food supply and dietary patterns should not be equated to quality of life and mental health. Here in the second part of our review, we reflect the words of Dubos off contemporary research findings in the areas of diet, the gut-brain-axis (microbiota and anxiety and depression) and microbial ecology. Finally, we argue, as Dubos did 40 years ago, that researchers should more closely examine the relevancy of silo-sequestered, reductionist findings in the larger picture of human quality of life. In the context of global climate change and the epidemiological transition, an allergy epidemic and psychosocial stress, our review suggests that discussions of natural environments, urbanization, biodiversity, microbiota, nutrition, and mental health, are often one in the same.
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