Green infrastructure practices for improvement of urban air quality

Green Infrastructure (GI) practices have shown to be promising in mitigating the air pollution in urban areas of several cities across the world. GI practices such as trees, green roofs and green walls are widely used in United States and Europe to mitigate the air pollution. However, there is yet limited knowledge available in identifying the most suitable GI strategy for an urban area in improving the air quality. Furthermore, it is evident that Australia is still lagging behind in adapting GI to mitigate air pollution, compared with US and Europe. Therefore, this study analyzed the air quality improvement through several GI scenarios consisting of trees, green roofs and green walls considering a case study area in Melbourne, Australia by using the i-Tree Eco software. The results were compared with case studies in different cities across the world. The results showed that the i-Tree Eco software can be successfully applied to an Australian case study area to quantify the air quality improvement benefits of GI. The results were further assessed with several environmental, economic and social indicators to identify the most suitable GI scenarios for the study area. These indicators were quantified using different methods, to assess the effectiveness of different GI scenarios. The results showed that, trees provided the highest air pollution removal capability among the different GI considered for the study area. Combination of different GI such as green roofs and green walls with trees did not provide a significant increment of air quality improvement however, has provided more local benefits such as building energy savings. The results obtained from this study were also beneficial in developing policies related to future GI applications in major cities of Australia for the air quality improvement.     

The role of urban green spaces in care facilities for elderly people across European cities

Urban green spaces (UGS) are increasingly acknowledged for their importance for the well-being of urban populations. However, studies are lacking the consideration of the demand and use of UGS by different population groups and connecting UGS with social infrastructure. In an era of worldwide urbanization and ageing, this European study sheds light on the role of UGS for care facilities for elderly. 126 care facilities from 17 cities in Austria, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania and Slovenia took part in an online survey. Administrations of care facilities gave insights on the (1) importance of gardens related to care facilities for the quality of life for the seniors, (2) importance of UGS outside of care facilities for the quality of life for the seniors and (3) the consideration of natural and age-friendly designs and management of ecosystem disservices of UGS. The results emphasize not only the importance of UGS for the quality of life of seniors residing in care facilities, but also for the staff and visitors. UGS contribute to physical activities, recreation, and social interactions. The study found that in particular facilities with an own garden are highly aware of the benefits UGS provide. The study holds important lessons for UGS planning, management and design not only to focus on the quantitative supply of UGS, but also to consider age-sensitive amenities in and access to UGS of high quality for seniors.     

小城镇基础设施融资策略之管见

小城镇基础设施建设是改善投资环境和拉动乡镇经济增长的重要因素,建设资金的不足已经极大地制约小城镇发展。为此,探讨了国外城镇设施建设融资的成功做法,提供了几点可供借鉴的地方。     

Absorption of color additives and settling volume in water of blue-green alga,ishikurage (Nostoc commune)

The properties of ishikurage (Nostoc commune) and other algae were compared. Ishikurage and suizenji nori (Aphanothece sacrum) absorbed much more amaranth than others. They have a high settling volume (SV) in water. The high SV of ishikurage is attributable to its neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The acid detergent fiber (ADF) from the alga had a high amaranth absorption. However the absorption by the ADF did not explain the absorption by ishikurage.The results suggest that ishikurage may have a nutritional significance as a source of dietary fiber.     

Correlations among species distributions, human density and human infrastructure across the high biodiversity tropical mountains of Africa

This paper explores whether spatial variation in the biodiversity values of vertebrates and plants (species richness, range-size rarity and number or proportion of IUCN Red Listed threatened species) of three African tropical mountain ranges (Eastern Arc, Albertine Rift and Cameroon-Nigeria mountains within the Biafran Forests and Highlands) co-vary with proxy measures of threat (human population density and human infrastructure). We find that species richness, range-size rarity, and threatened species scores are all significantly higher in these three tropical African mountain ranges than across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. When compared with the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, human population density is only significantly higher in the Albertine Rift mountains, whereas human infrastructure is only significantly higher in the Albertine Rift and the Cameroon-Nigeria mountains. Statistically there are strong positive correlations between human density and species richness, endemism and density or proportion of threatened species across the three tropical African mountain ranges, and all of sub-Saharan Africa. Kendall partial rank-order correlation shows that across the African tropical mountains human population density, but not human infrastructure, best correlates with biodiversity values. This is not the case across all of sub-Saharan Africa where human density and human infrastructure both correlate almost equally well with biodiversity values. The primary conservation challenge in the African tropical mountains is a fairly dense and poor rural population that is reliant on farming for their livelihood. Conservation strategies have to address agricultural production and expansion, in some cases across the boundaries and into existing reserves. Strategies also have to maintain, or finalise, an adequate protected area network. Such strategies cannot be implemented in conflict with the local population, but have to find ways to provide benefits to the people living adjacent to the remaining forested areas, in return for their assistance in conserving the forest habitats, their biodiversity, and their ecosystem functions.     

Exploring public preferences and preference heterogeneity for green and blue infrastructure in urban green spaces

Green and blue urban infrastructure (GBI) has many positive functions often not recognised by residents (e.g., microclimate regulation, water retention, etc.). The question for urban planners who are aware of these functions when planning new GBI elements or revitalising existing GBI is how much they need to account for the preference heterogeneity of locals, who typically consider only aesthetic and recreational value. This study uses data from a discrete choice experiment among residents of the medium-sized Czech city of Liberec to reveal which combinations of nature-based or semi-natural GBI and recreational facilities respondents prefer and how strong their preferences are in terms of their willingness to pay. Overall, study respondents preferred nature-based GBI to semi-natural ones. A mixed-latent class model identified two groups of respondents who differ in preferences, trade-offs, and socio-demographic characteristics: (i) mostly older educated women who prefer nature-based elements and enjoy park infrastructure; (ii) mostly less educated men who dislike urban gardens and semi-natural streams and do not value park infrastructure. Based on the results, we recommend that spatial planners and green space managers design and implement more nature-based elements in Liberec, which are in line with the respondents’ preferences.     

“美丽乡村”建设所面临的生态景观问题及对策——对全国乡村生态景观问卷调研结果的思考

“美丽乡村”创建活动正在全国范围内开展,了解不同地域乡村生态景观存在的问题,有利于针对性地促进“美丽乡村”的建设.通过对全国范围内1 107个村庄进行的生态景观问卷调研,评价了不同地域乡村村庄生态景观建设方面存在的问题.结果显示,(1)调研乡村对自身发展各方面的评价均不理想,仅“民生和谐”达到满意程度,乡村旅游发展不满意程度最高;乡村特色缺失严重,产业发展、经济建设和生态环境方面有待改善;(2)乡村居民点空心化已成为普遍现象,可作为乡村景观建设的潜在资源;(3)村庄污水排放、垃圾处理和村庄绿化方面均有待改善;(4)农田沟路林渠生态景观基础设施存在绿化不足、过度硬化、沟渠废弃、林网不完善、缺乏管理等问题;(5)各地区间比较,华东地区在乡村生态景观建设方面情况最好.针对这些问题,应从开展乡村景观特征评价、治理居民点空心化、加强村庄人居环境和景观建设、创新农田基础设施管护制度、加快乡村生态景观和生态修复工程技术研发和应用几个方面来综合解决.     

上海市主要粮食作物的比较优势分析

在对传统的仅考虑效率比较优势和规模比较优势的农作物综合比较优势理论分析研究的基础上,引入地区劳动力优势指数、农业机械化优势指数和市场设施优势指数,将传统理论予以扩展使其可更为全面、客观地反映地区某农作物的比较优势。在此基础上,本文应用近6年来国家和上海市农业统计年鉴数据和《第二次农业普查主要数据公报》,分别计算了传统及改进后的上海市主要粮食作物综合比较优势均值,并进一步对上海郊区主要粮食作物种植的结构调整和规模效益优化工作给出了一些建议。     

风景园林学科中生态系统服务领域研究动态

风景园林学动态研究是为明确风景园林学某一阶段的专业研究动向及重点关注领域所进行的分析研究。通过SCI、Science Direct及中国知网3个数据库检索2004~2014年与风景园林学相关的文章,利用NE软件对文章进行期刊统计、关键词统计,分析文章,归纳当今国内外风景园林学十大研究热点。其中,生态系统服务作为当前风景园林学重要研究领域之一,其研究内容主要集中在以下3个方面:生态系统服务的调节功能,如生物防治、授粉服务、碳汇调节;生态系统服务的景观评估研究;生态系统服务在土地利用、城市规划、景观管理方面的运用。笔者着重于通过研究相关文章,归纳国内外生态系统服务研究的异同,以期为今后的研究提供参考。     

烟草行业高质量发展场景下新基建对数字化转型的赋能效应与实施路径——基于SWOT-SoS的两阶段研究框架

数字化转型是烟草行业实现高质量发展的一种最优和必然选择。随着5G、人工智能、大数据等新技术的应用,以数字信息技术为动力的新基建是引领烟草行业谋求数字化转型的重要举措。本文基于这一背景,首先结合烟草行业阐述了新基建的内涵及其关键领域,其次对烟草行业高质量发展场景下数字化转型的必要性和可行性进行了探索,紧接着通过SWOT分析法分析了烟草行业高质量发展场景下新基建对数字化转型的赋能效应,进一步引入SoS理论解构新基建作用于烟草行业数字化的实施路径,最后,针对烟草行业高质量发展场景下新基建对数字化转型过程中的挑战提出了建议和展望。