A multiple scale,function, and type approach to determine and improve Green Infrastructure of urban watersheds

Green Infrastructure (GI) connects different types of green features via various scales, thereby supporting urban biodiversity and service provision. This study presents a methodology capable of identifying multiple functions to assess GI in less-developed countries, where such methodologies are lacking. GI was assessed based on a high-resolution land use classification using both landscape metrics and spatial data within an urbanized region of San José, Costa Rica, at different scales (watershed, neighbourhood, object). Results showed highly fragmented green spaces (often <10 ha), typically unable to support high levels of biodiversity, along with a low amount of green space per inhabitant (<7.4 m²) within the watershed. Substantially higher tree cover (x6) and tree density (x5) were found in the greenest neighbourhood in comparison to the least green neighbourhood. Potential areas for new GI in the form of green roofs (4.03 ha), permeable pavement (27.3), and potential retention areas (85.3) were determined. Several green spaces (n = 11) were identified as promising GI sites with the potential to increase provision (18.6 m²/inhabitant). The adopted methodology demonstrates the potential of GI for increasing recreational green space access, runoff reduction, and flood retentions while supporting biodiversity, validating its utility in guiding decision-making and policy generation.     

Interspecific hybridization between three closely related ornamental Eucalyptus species: E. macrocarpa,E. youngiana and E. pyriformis

Summary

Interspecific hybridization between thre Eucalyptus species with horticultural merit, E. macrocarpa, E. pyriformis and E. youngiana, was undertaken to investigate the likelihood of success of such crosses. All combinations produced fertile seed, with interspecific crosses as successful as intraspecific. There were no differences between male species in fertility but there were differences between female trees within a species. Discriminant analysis of each cross indicated a high degree of interspecific hybridization for hybrid 166 seedlings, with all except two seedlings clustering separately from a mixture of selfed and outcrossed seedlings of either parent, when measured for a range of leaf and stem characters at three different nodes. The success of this programme in producing both large numbers of seed and large numbers of hybrids indicated that it is possible that these species could hybridize naturally if they were growing in the same location. It also demonstrated the potential of controlled pollination, between closely related species of similar floral morphology, and seedling-based hybrid recognition as a method to produce eucalypt hybrids for further evaluation for commercial horticulture.     

Linking knowledge among spatial and temporal scales: Vegetation,atmosphere, climate and remote sensing

Global scale modeling is reviewed with respect to global circulation models, biosphere-atmosphere models, and climate-biosphere models. These different models focus on short to long time scale interactions between atmospheric and surface systems. Remote sensing is shown to play a central role in acquisition of data for these models, and an experiment, termed FIFE, is described, which is the first attempt to take simultaneous land surface observations of meteorological and biophysical parameters at sufficient resolution to test hypotheses linking the vegetated surface and circulation within the lower atmosphere.