Spatial and temporal variability of air temperature across urban neighborhoods with varying amounts of tree canopy

Recent studies have emphasized the presence of microclimates in urban settings, but most do not have the high resolution observations necessary to understand the interactions taking place at a neighborhood scale. This study used a network of 10 identical weather stations and high resolution land cover data in Knoxville, Tennessee, to analyze the microclimates of a medium-sized city with a temperate climate. Two stations were installed in each of four urban neighborhoods in locations with varying localized tree cover, and two additional stations were installed in the center of downtown and in a nearby urban nature center. The intra-neighborhood results suggested that there is significant temperature variability within a single neighborhood based on the tree canopy density immediately surrounding a given weather station. However, the inter-neighborhood variability (differences between neighborhoods) was similar in magnitude, which suggests that the overall differences in neighborhood characteristics also have an effect on climate. Land cover at the neighborhood scale (in particular tree canopy percentages at the 500-m radii) had the highest correlation with the minimum daily temperature (Tmin) during the summer season. Maximum daily temperature (Tmax) relied most on the distance of each station from Downtown and the amount of impervious area in the 50 m surrounding each station. Tmax was also most influenced by surrounding land cover during dry conditions (a Dry Moderate air mass). Overall, highly localized impervious land cover percentages and larger-scale forested canopy were important in explaining temperature fluctuation, pointing to the importance of scale in microclimate assessments. Dry air masses enhanced the relationship between land cover and temperature during the day, while moist air masses did the same overnight. These data can be used to better inform planning strategies to build resiliency to extreme heat into urban environments by considering the influence of tree canopy.     

Exploring the impact of green space health on runoff reduction using NDVI

This study examines the impact of green space health on local flooding based on the analysis of eighty-two watersheds in four Texas metropolitan statistical areas: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. The runoff records in October 2007 and October 2012 were selected for the assessment. The study met the methodological challenge posed by comparison by using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) datasets produced based on the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery of the 250-m resolution as a proxy to represent the health of green space. Two linear regression models were employed to explain the variation in mean daily runoff depth in 2007 and 2012, while controlling multiple contextual variables.Results indicate that watersheds containing healthier green spaces were likely to generate lower amounts of runoff in both periods. Standardized coefficients of green space health also show that the NDVI is a powerful and significant predictor to explain variation in runoff. These findings illustrate the important role of urban green spaces in attenuating local flooding and may provide planners and decision-makers with a method to consider, using this kind of objective greenery index in further developing local and regional green infrastructure and land-use plans.     

园林空间构成及其文化内涵--以昆山花桥公园为例

以昆山花桥公园规划设计方案为例,阐明园林中如何营造环境优美、尺度适宜的物质空间来构筑深层次的公园精神空间,并强调文化在园林设计中的重要性。该案以“三垣二十八宿”为全园主题思想,三垣对应公园三大主景区,二十八宿环园一周。即以“天文知识”为主线构筑花桥公园的精神空间,展开全园文脉。     

年轻群体在公共绿地中的活动参与度调查——以上海浦东新区部分公园为例

公共绿地作为开放空间,公众可以共享自然环境及社会资源。而当下公共绿地中不同群体的参与度存在较大差异,尤其是年轻群体参与度低。笔者以上海浦东新区部分公共绿地中年轻群体活动参与度为研究对象,从年轻群体的低参与度、活动意愿及管理者角度等方面,分析了年轻群体低参与度的原因,认为原因主要是年轻群体缺乏业余时间、绿地可达距离较远、活动内容缺乏等。在调查基础上,从活动载体、信息渠道、服务方式等方面提出建议,主张公共绿地管理者转变服务理念、开拓有益活动、建立信息平台、优化空间资源,以提高社会服务效能。     

佛山岭南天地旧改项目中开放空间的特色分析

近年来,国内出现了不少基于城市老街区改造为商业街区的项目。通过对佛山岭南天地项目中有代表性的广场、街道、建筑等节点进行调研,选取开放空间的3个特色要素——空间形态和尺度,传统装饰元素,植物和水景布置,探析"新天地"模式中开放空间营造的特色手法,包括保持街巷形态和宜人尺度,增强街区公共属性;保护传统建筑构件,利用传统材料、技术;保留古树,并结合植物和水景布置,形成多层次的景观系统等。     

南京市绿地规划发展方向初探--以南京市绿地系统规划（2013-2020）为例

对最新版本的《南京市绿地系统规划》(2013-2020)进行分析与研究，综合相关规划文件，对南京市近几年绿地规划、建设内容进行回顾与评价，总结南京市在绿地规划方面的可取与不足之处。对南京城市的历史沿革、山水格局、绿地现状、自身定位、发展趋势进行思考，结合国内政策、国外理念等因素统筹地对南京未来的绿地发展方向进行展望与研究，包括绿地宏观布局层面、中观联系层面、微观建设层面3方面。     

Soil aggregation: Influence on microbial biomass and implications for biological processes

Our 1988 paper, describing the effects of cultivation on microbial biomass and activity in different aggregate size classes, brought together the ‘aggregate hierarchy theory’ and the ‘microbial biomass concept’. This enabled us to identify the relationships between microbial and microhabitat (aggregate) properties and organic matter distribution and explain some of their responses to disturbance. By combining biochemical and direct microscopy based quantification of microbial abundance with enzyme activities and process measurements, this study provided evidence for the role of microbial biomass (especially fungi) in macroaggregate dynamics and carbon and nutrient flush following cultivation. In the last ten years environmental genomic techniques have provided much new knowledge on bacterial composition in aggregate size fractions yet detailed information about other microbial groups (e.g. fungi, archaea and protozoa) is lacking.We now know that soil aggregates are dynamic entities – constantly changing with regard to their biological, chemical and physical properties and, in particular, their influences on plant nutrition and health. As a consequence, elucidation of the many mechanisms regulating soil C and nutrient dynamics demands a better understanding of the role of specific members of microbial communities and their metabolic capabilities as well as their location within the soil matrix (e.g. aggregates, pore spaces) and their reciprocal relationship with plant roots. In addition, the impacts of environment and soil type needs to be quantified at the microscale using, wherever possible, non-destructive ‘in situ’ techniques to predict and quantify the impacts of anthropogenic activities on soil microbial diversity and ecosystem level functions.     

明代园记中的层进台空间深析

台是中国传统建筑类型中非常有代表性的一种。台能够使人产生独特的感觉,主要因为高起、容纳人、上部开敞、可赏景的特征,并由这些特征导致了人在台上空间与在其它园林空间类型感觉不同。这些特征导致人置身台面上会两有种独特的感觉,其一,更接近天,更远离人世;其二,获得了极不同的视高体验。台这种建筑形式在现代已经极少出现了,但是其能形成良好的空间感所具备的特征对我们空间营造的工作仍然有极大的借鉴意义。     

湛江市园林水景的水生植物配置现状及分析

通过对湛江市几个滨水绿地的实地调查,详细研究了湛江市主要园林水景中水生植物的主要形态特性及其在园林中的应用,并讨论了其应用现状及存在的不足。     

绿道在城镇密集区的应用

在分析绿道理论作为线性廊道重组自然空间的基础上,以金堂公园东区为例,提出3种类型绿道的设计途径和方法,包括边缘区绿道、自行车骑游道及游步道,使金堂公园东区形成完善的绿道网络系统.绿道的交通组织、生态、文化、科普、健身、游憩等功能均得到相应体现.