Improving city life: options for ecological restoration in urban landscapes and how these might influence interactions between people and nature

The role of humans in the restoration of ecosystems has been emphasised since its inception. The human dimension of restoration is particularly well established in urban ecosystems because this is where people and nature co-exist. At the same time, the altered biophysical conditions that characterise cities place constraints on restoration in its strictest sense—assisting the recovery of historic ecosystems. Rather than viewing this as a shortcoming, in this paper, we discuss the ways in which such constraints can be viewed as opportunities. There is the chance to broaden traditional conservation and restoration goals for urban settings reflecting peoples’ preferences for nature in their backyards, and in doing so, offer people multiple ways in which to engage with nature. In this paper, we consider four main restoration options—conserve and restore nature at the fringes, restore remnant patches of urban nature, manage novel ecosystems and garden with iconic species—in terms of their potential to contribute to promoting human-nature interactions in urban landscapes. We explore how these options are affected by environmental, economic, social and cultural factors, drawing on examples from cities around the world. Ecological restoration can contribute to the sustainability of urban landscapes, not just in terms of nature conservation, but also by providing opportunities for people to interact with nature and so increase our understanding of how people perceive and value landscapes.     

Assessing levels,trade-offs and synergies of landscape services in the Iranian province of Qazvin: towards sustainable landscapes

Landscape Ecology - Evidence-based knowledge is crucial for place-based knowledge production and learning towards sustainable landscapes through stewardship and integrated spatial planning. We...     

Designing for conservation outcomes: the value of remnant habitat for reptiles on ski runs in subalpine landscapes

Subalpine ecosystems are centres of endemism that are important for biodiversity. However, these areas are under threat from the creation, expansion and continued modification of ski runs, activities that have largely negative effects on wildlife. Despite this threat, research on the impacts of ski runs is limited for reptiles—particularly regarding the value of remnant vegetation retained on ski runs. Here we quantify the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation (i.e., patch size, patch isolation and edge effects) on the abundance of a common subalpine lizard and on thermal regimes (a key determinant of lizard distribution) in an Australian ski resort. The number of lizards observed differed significantly with habitat type (ski runs vs. forested areas) and patch isolation, but not patch size. In addition, the edges of patches supported more lizards than any other habitat type. These patterns of lizard distribution can be explained, in part, by the differing thermal regimes in each habitat. Ski runs had significantly higher ground surface temperatures than any other habitat type, precluding their use for a considerable proportion of the activity period of a lizard. In comparison, edges were characterised by lower temperatures than ski runs, but higher temperatures than the core of forested areas, potentially providing a favourable environment for thermoregulation. Based on our results, we conclude that although modified ski runs have a negative effect on lizards, patches of remnant vegetation retained on ski runs are of value for reptiles and their conservation could help mitigate the negative effects of habitat loss caused by ski run creation.     

Evaluating the quality of street trees in Washington,D.C.: Implications for environmental justice

Urban street trees are part of the bundle of environmental amenities that support healthy social, economic, and environmental functions. In this study, we systematically evaluate the quality of 196,825 street trees at the US. Census tract level in Washington D.C., as well as related impacts from socioeconomic, landscape patterns and environmental factors using Ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression, geographically weighted regression (GWR) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Our results reveal that environmental and socioeconomic factors can explain most of the spatial variation of street tree quality in Washington, D.C. There is a substantial statistical negative relationship between median household income and the percent of street trees under stress, which provided the evidence of the inequities of street tree quality in Washington D.C. Higher-income neighborhoods exhibited a lower proportion of street trees under stress. In addition, the extreme summer temperature is positively associated with the proportion of street trees under stress. The quality of street trees is directly impacted by environmental and landscape pattern factors. There is also an indirect impact from socioeconomic factor toward quality of street trees. Our findings suggest that multiple variables, related to income, age, education, landscape pattern, and environment contribute to the quality of street trees in D.C. Based upon our findings, we identify strategies and insights for urban street tree management in DC to not only address environmental inequity and injustice, but also promote a more inclusive and resilient urban greenery system.     

Exploring the relevance of a landscape ecological paradigm for sustainable landscapes and livelihoods: A case-application from the Northern Territory Australia

Global change is exacerbating the need for more effective mechanisms and approaches for working towards economic, social/cultural and environmental sustainability. It is now well recognised that science for sustainability will require integrated problem-focussed research that is by nature trans-disciplinary. Resolutions to both global and regional scale issues must involve participation of a diverse number of stakeholders. One region that would benefit greatly from such an integrated approach is the Northern Territory of Australia. This area is home to some of the most pristine savanna landscapes in the world and it is also occupied by one of the oldest living human cultures which are still in existence today. However, in recent years there has been increasing pressure to develop this region. The Northern Territory is also facing problems associated with having a growing Aboriginal population with deepening health and social problems. So as well as needing to facilitate adaptation in response to global change and development for economic prosperity of the region, there is an obligation to alter management practices to reduce social disadvantage. In light of this, it will be important that future landscapes are multifunctional and designed to ensure the preservation of biological and cultural diversity, as well as having provision for the livelihoods of the people that live within them. This article recommends the adoption of a landscape ecological approach for strategic development and sustainable planning, which captures and incorporates the values and identities of the different stakeholders, as well as engaging them in a continuous, adaptive process of planning and management, and in doing so discusses the importance of human ecological holism as part of the conceptual framework for landscape ecology.     

Designing agricultural landscapes for natural pest control: a transdisciplinary approach in the Hoeksche Waard (The Netherlands)

The green–blue network of semi-natural non-crop landscape elements in agricultural landscapes has the potential to enhance natural pest control by providing various resources for the survival of beneficial insects that suppress crop pests. A study was done in the Hoeksche Waard to explore how generic scientific knowledge about the relationship between the spatial structure of the green–blue network and enhancement of natural pest control can be applied by stakeholders. The Hoeksche Waard is an agricultural area in the Netherlands, characterized by arable fields and an extensive network of dikes, creeks, ditches and field margins. Together with stakeholders from the area the research team developed spatial norms and design rules for the design of a green–blue network that supports natural pest control. The stakeholders represented different interests in the area: farmers, nature and landscape conservationists, water managers, and local and regional politicians. Knowledge about the spatial relationship among beneficial insects, pests and landscape structure is incomplete. We conclude that to apply scientific knowledge about natural pest control and the role of green–blue networks to stakeholders so that they can apply it in landscape change, knowledge transfer has to be transparent, area specific, understandable, practical and incorporate local knowledge.     

The impact and future of edible landscapes on sustainable urban development: A systematic review of the literature

Edible landscapes provide a series of benefits for the sustainable development of a city, and therefore, in recent years, their development has become a fashion which has stimulated research. However, there is a need for a comprehensive, integrated, literature review, to increase people's knowledge of edible landscapes for a sustainable future. Therefore, this paper conducts a systematic review through the Preferred Reporting Initiative for Systematic Evaluation and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). This study was conducted using Web of Science and Google Scholar, and 41 eligible articles were selected from the 2004 articles originally identified from the years 1975–2022. These articles were related to the topics of (1) ecology, (2) food safety, (3) social, economic and healing benefits, (4) construction, and (5) understanding, motivation, and evaluation. The findings suggest that, first, the creation of edible landscapes in different urban areas of the world can have different effects, with most studies showing that the creation of edible landscapes in urban areas can increase ecological diversity. Despite this, some individual studies draw different conclusions. Secondly, most studies show that the development of edible landscapes in urban areas is beneficial for increasing food production and thus improving urban food security, provided that the land is not contaminated. Again, some studies have found that developing edible landscapes in urban areas has social and economic benefits. However, without a reasonable management mechanism, this process is prone to contradictions and thus unproductive. Therefore, urban land policies, land contamination, and management issues in different countries have limited the further development of urban edible landscapes. This study suggests that future research on edible landscapes can be conducted in the areas of land policy, land pollution control, and management mechanisms to solve these problems and promote further development.     

Tree canopy change and neighborhood stability: A comparative analysis of Washington,D.C. and Baltimore,MD

Trees provide important health, ecosystem, and aesthetic services in urban areas, but they are unevenly distributed. Some neighborhoods have abundant tree canopy and others nearly none. We analyzed how neighborhood characteristics and changes in income over time related to the distribution of urban tree canopy in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD. We used stepwise multiple regression analysis to identify strong predictors of UTC, from variables found in neighborhoods with different patterns of wealth-stability over time. We then built spatial lag models to predict variation in UTC cover, using the results of a Principal Component Analysis of the socioeconomic, demographic, and housing characteristics of the two cities. We found that: (1) stable-wealthy neighborhoods were more likely to have more, and more consistent, tree canopy cover than other neighborhood types; (2) decreases and increases in income were negatively associated with UTC in Washington, D.C. but not Baltimore, where income stability in both wealthy and impoverished neighborhoods was a significant predictor of UTC; and (3) the association of high socioeconomic status with UTC coverage varied between the two cities.     

无籽刺梨组培苗练苗及扦插基质的筛选

以组织培养所得的无籽刺梨生根幼苗为试材,在不同的基质中进行练苗,并将半年生组培苗的枝条按不同等级在不同基质中分段扦插,研究其成活率及生长情况,以期为生产中无籽刺梨的种苗生产提供理论及实践指导。结果表明:红土∶腐殖土=3∶1组成的基质为无籽刺梨组培生根苗的最佳移栽练苗基质;无籽刺梨半年生组培苗插穗在红土∶腐殖土=3∶1的基质中平均生根率最高,为78.89%,而生根数量基本不受基质差异的影响。     

Karst landscapes of China: patterns,ecosystem processes and services

Landscape Ecology - The karst region of southwestern China, one of the largest continuous karsts in the world, is known for its unique landscapes and rich biodiversity. This region has suffered...