Applied Urban Ecology

Matthias Richter, Environmental Scientist, Publicist and University Lecturer, Germany.Ulrike Weiland is Professor of Urban Ecology at the Institute for Geography, University of Leipzig, Germany.

• List of contributors xi Foreword xiiiPART I: INTRODUCTION 11. Urban ecology – brief history and present challenges 3Ulrike Weiland andMatthias Richter1.1 Introduction 31.2 Brief history 31.2.1 Initials in urban natural history 31.2.2 Socioecological tradition 41.2.3 Complex bioecological tradition 41.2.4 Ecosystem-related tradition 41.3 Recent and present challenges 51.4 Purpose and structure of the book 71.4.1 Purpose of the book 71.4.2 Structure of the book 8References 9PART II: URBAN ECOLOGY: RELATED DISCIPLINES AND METHODS 132. Thematic–methodical approaches to applied urban ecology 15Matthias Richter and UlrikeWeiland3. Monitoring urban land use changes with remote sensing techniques 18Ellen Banzhaf andMaik Netzband3.1 Land use changes and their consequences for urban ecology 183.2 Urban remote sensing (URS) and geographical information systems (GIS) for research in urban ecology 193.3 Measuring physical characteristics of urban areas with remote sensing technology 213.3.1 Effects of urban form on natural and man-made hazards 213.3.2 Urban dynamics and ecosystem function 233.4 Global initiatives to measure urban expansion and land use change 243.4.1 Global Urban Observatory of UN-HABITAT 243.4.2 "The Dynamics of Global Urban Expansion" – a contribution by theWorld Bank 243.4.3 Socioeconomic data and applications Center (SEDAC) at the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University, New York, USA 253.4.4 The "100 Cities Project", Arizona State University, USA 263.5 Regional urban monitoring activities 263.5.1 Europe: ESPON, MOLAND and the Urban Atlas 263.5.2 Governmental research projects on urban growth in the United States 293.6 Synthesis and outlook 29References 30PART III: SELECTED FIELDS OF URBAN ECOLOGY 33A. PATHWAYS OF THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH.4. Quantifying spatiotemporal patterns and ecological effects of urbanization: a multiscale landscape approach 35Jianguo Wu, Alexander Buyantuyev, G. Darrel Jenerette, Jennifer Litteral, Kaesha Neil and Weijun Shen4.1 Introduction 354.2 Characterizing the spatiotemporal pattern of urbanization 364.2.1 Quantifying urbanization patterns with landscape metrics 364.2.2 Other methods for quantifying urban landscape pattern 394.2.3 Effects of scale on the analysis of urban landscape patterns 394.2.4 Examples from CAP-LTER 404.3 Simulating spatiotemporal dynamics of urbanization 414.3.1 Importance of simulation models in urban studies 414.3.2 Approaches to simulating urban dynamics 414.3.3 Examples from CAP-LTER 424.4 Effects of urbanization on biodiversity and ecosystem processes: examples from CAP-LTER 434.4.1 Effects of urbanization on biodiversity 434.4.2 Effects of urbanization on soil biogeochemical patterns 444.4.3 Effects of urbanization on net primary production 454.4.4 Effects of urbanization on vegetation phenology 454.4.5 Urban heat islands and ecological effects 464.4.6 Ecosystem responses to urbanization-induced environmental changes 464.5 Concluding remarks 47Acknowledgments 49References 495. Designing urban systems: ecological strategies with stocks and flows of energy and material 54Peter Baccini5.1 The challenge of a new urbanity 545.2 Urban systems and their resource management 565.2.1 Methodology applied investigating resource management of complex systems 565.2.2 Relevant differences between agrarian and urban systems on a regional scale 565.2.3 The resource management perspectives on a global scale 585.2.4 The essential mass resources in the development of urban regions 595.3 Strategies of reconstruction 605.3.1 The 2000 watt society 605.3.2 Transformation of urban regions in a "time of safe practice" 615.3.3 The exploration of urban stocks 615.4 Developing strategies for the design of urban systems 63References 65B. SOCIOENVIRONMENTAL THREATS.6. Environmental and ecological threats in Indian mega-cities 66Surinder Aggarwal and Carsten Butsch6.1 Urbanization dynamics and emergence of mega-cities 666.2 Environmental threats 686.2.1 Environmental threats from waste water and sewerage disposal 686.2.2 Deteriorating air quality 696.2.3 Urban wastemismanagement and environmental degradation 716.2.4 Ecosystem damages and ecological footprints 726.2.5 Threats from natural hazards, disasters, and climate change 736.3 Mega-social challenges 746.3.1 Poverty and fragmentation 756.3.2 Rising vulnerabilities and insecurities 766.3.3 Inequities and inequalities in urban services 776.4 Concluding remarks 78Acknowledgments 80References 807. From wasteland to wilderness – aspects of a new form of urban nature 82Dieter Rink and Harriet Herbst7.1 Introduction 827.2 Urban wilderness – some attempts at defining the term 837.3 Wastelands as a source of urban wilderness 837.4 Urban wilderness in planning 857.5 On the ecology of urban wilderness 867.6 Urban wilderness in a social context 877.7 Educational value of urban wilderness 897.8 Conclusions 90References 91C. FLOODING AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION.8. Multiscale flood risk assessment in urban areas – a geoinformatics approach 93Norman Kerle and Dinand Alkema8.1 Introduction 938.2 Flood risk in the context of urban ecology 948.3 Comprehensive flood risk assessment – Naga City, the Philippines 968.3.1 Floods in Naga 968.3.2 Naga's flood management practices 978.3.3 Model-based flood scenario studies 978.3.4 Linking flood modeling with disaster management 988.3.5 Naga as example for other flood-prone cities 998.4 The role of remote sensing in flood risk assessment and management 998.4.1 Quasistatic hazard data 1008.4.2 Dynamic hazard data 1018.4.3 Mapping elements at risk 1028.5 Disaster risk in the context of urban ecology – an outlook 104References 1049. Urban open spaces and adaptation to climate change 106Marialena Nikolopoulou9.1 Cities, climate change and the role of open spaces 1069.2 Outdoor comfort 1079.3 Use of space 1089.3.1 Seasonal profile 1089.3.2 Diurnal profile 1089.4 Thermal perception 1119.5 Adaptation 1139.5.1 Physical adaptation 1139.5.2 Psychological adaptation, 1139.6 Design interventions 1169.6.1 Materials 1179.6.2 Vegetation 1189.6.3 Shading 1189.6.4 Water 1199.6.5 Other measures 1199.7 Conclusions 120References 121D. URBAN BIODIVERSITY.10. Social aspects of urban ecology in developing countries, with an emphasis on urban domestic gardens 123Sarel Cilliers, Stefan Siebert, Elandrie Davoren and Rina Lubbe10.1 Introduction 12310.2 Social benefits and human perceptions of urban green areas 12410.3 Consequences of socioeconomic aspects on the urban green infrastructure 12510.4 Urban domestic gardens 12610.4.1 Literature review 12610.4.2 Case studies from the North-West Province, South Africa 12810.5 Conclusions 133References 13511. Plant material for urban landscapes in the era of globalization: roots, challenges and innovative solutions 139Maria Ignatieva11.1 Introduction 13911.2 The beginning of plant material globalization 13911.3 Victorian Gardenesque (1820–1880) 14011.4 Influence of the Victorian garden on the global planting pattern 14211.5 Victorian tropical and subtropical paradise 14311.6 Modern nurseries’ direction: global pool of plants 14511.7 Innovative solutions: searching for new ecological planting design 14811.7.1 Europe: United Kingdom 14811.7.2 Europe: The Netherlands 14811.7.3 Europe: Germany 14811.7.4 United States 14911.7.5 New Zealand: modern approach to planting design 14911.8 Discussion and conclusion 150Acknowledgments 150References 150E. ENVIRONMENTAL URBAN DESIGN.12. Ecological infrastructure leads the way: the negative approach and landscape urbanism for smart preservation and smart growth 152Kongjian Yu12.1 Introduction 15212.1.1 Urbanization in China challenges survival 15212.1.2 The failure of the conventional approach in urban development planning 15312.1.3 Green infrastructure leads the way: the negative approach and landscape urbanism 15412.2 The negative approach: methodology 15812.2.1 Process analysis 15812.2.2 Defining landscape security patterns 15912.2.3 Defining ecological infrastructure 15912.2.4 Defining urban form at the large scale: urban growth alternatives based on regional EI 15912.2.5 Defining urban form at the intermediate scale: urban open spaces system based on EI 15912.2.6 Defining urban form at the small scale: site-specific urban development alternatives based on EI 15912.3 Urban growth based on EI: a case of negative planning for Taizhou City 15912.3.1 Critical landscape processes 16112.3.2 Defining landscape security patterns for the targeted processes 16212.3.3 Defining ecological infrastructure 16412.3.4 Scenarios of urban growth pattern based on the regional ecological infrastructure 16412.3.5 Shaping urban form at the intermediate scale 16512.3.6 Shaping urban land development at the small scale 16512.4 Conclusion 165References 16613. Integrating science and creativity for landscape planning and design of urban areas 170Antje Stokman and Christina von Haaren13.1 Introduction 17013.2 Landscape planning as a legally based contribution to sustainable development in Germany 17113.2.1 Tasks of landscape planning 17113.2.2 Methodologies of landscape planning 17213.3 Landscape design as a creative cultural action 17313.3.1 Tasks of landscape design 17313.3.2 Methodologies of landscape design 17413.4 Linking landscape planning and design: differences, interfaces and potential synergies 17513.4.1 A matter of timeline and scale: linking multidimensional perspectives on strategic landscape development 17513.4.2 A matter of perception and meaning: linking environmental goals and cultural concepts 17613.4.3 A matter of process and learning: linking management and experimentation to achieve adaptive landscape development 17813.4.4 A matter of involvement and experience: linking information and participation 18113.5 Conclusion 182Acknowledgment 183References 18314. Landscape as a living system: Shanghai 2010 Expo Houtan Park 186Kongjian Yu14.1 Introduction 18614.2 Objective 18614.3 Challenges 18614.3.1 Pollution 18614.3.2 Flooding 18614.3.3 Circulation 18714.3.4 Transformation 18714.3.5 Identity 18714.3.6 Form 18814.4 Design concept and strategy: a living system 18814.4.1 Ecological landscape 18914.4.2 Three dimensions of meanings 19014.4.3 Experience network 19114.5 Conclusions 192F. ENVIRONMENTAL URBAN POLITICS.15. Geographical perspectives on a radical political ecology of water 193Alex Loftus15.1 Introduction 19315.2 The urbanization of nature 19415.3 Urban political ecologies of water 19515.4 Privatization questions 19615.5 Taking the debates forward 19915.6 Infrastructures of power: democratizing water technologies 19915.7 The everyday 20115.8 Conclusions 202References 202PART IV: SYNTHESIS 20516. Synthesizing urban ecology research and topics for urban environmental management 207Matthias Richter and UlrikeWeilandIndex 213

“In return it broadens our perspective on the pathways we might follow in aiming to understand the complexities of urban environments, and ultimately learn how to shape their future and that of the majority of humanity.”  (Austral Ecology, 1 October 2013)“This book provides a wealth of information . . . It is a book for the specialist rather than the generalist and is thus most relevant for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates of ecology, geography, environmental science and urban planning.”  (Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, 1 June 2012)"I am sure that anyone teaching in this area at undergraduate or postgraduate levels will want it on their bookshelf." (Elsevier's Biological Conservation, 1 January 2012) "I highly recommend the very hands on and engaging book Applied Urban Ecology: A Global Framework edited by Matthias Richter and Ulrike Weiland, to any field researchers, scientists, practitioners, urban planners, policy makers in government, business leaders, educators, and students at all levels who are seeking a clear and understandable guide to urban ecology, its challenges, and its potential solutions. This book will transform the way decision makers approach urban ecological issues, and provide students with a firm foundation in applied urban ecology." (Blog Business World, 4 January 2012)"Nevertheless, each chapter is worth reading and I am sure this book will become a primer for studies in urban ecology. I am sure that anyone teaching in this area at undergraduate or postgraduate levels will want it on their bookshelf." (Biological Conservation, 12 December 2011)