Integrating knowledge on green infrastructure,health and well-being in ageing populations: Principles for research and practice

Ageing and urbanisation pose significant challenges for public health and urban planning. Ageing populations are at particular risk from hazards arising from urbanisation processes, some of which are in turn exacerbated by climate change. One approach for mitigating the negative effects of urbanisation on ageing populations is the leveraging of the beneficial effects of urban green infrastructure as a public health intervention in the planning process. We assessed the potential of available theoretical frameworks to provide the context for such leverage. This involved active engagement with academics and practitioners specialising in ageing, green infrastructure and health and well-being through a knowledge-brokering approach. We concluded that an integrated and comprehensive framework on the socio-cultural-ecological determinants of health is lacking. To address this, we present a set of principles for overcoming challenges to knowledge integration when working at the intersection of green infrastructure, ageing, health and well-being. Our findings—and the co-production process used to generate them—have wider significance for trans-disciplinary research into the benefits of the natural environment to human health and well-being as well as other complex and interconnected topics associated with global grand challenges.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01765-5.     

Reconnecting Cities to the Biosphere: Stewardship of Green Infrastructure and Urban Ecosystem Services

Within-city green infrastructure can offer opportunities and new contexts for people to become stewards of ecosystem services. We analyze cities as social–ecological systems, synthesize the literature, and provide examples from more than 15 years of research in the Stockholm urban region, Sweden. The social–ecological approach spans from investigating ecosystem properties to the social frameworks and personal values that drive and shape human interactions with nature. Key findings demonstrate that urban ecosystem services are generated by social–ecological systems and that local stewards are critically important. However, land-use planning and management seldom account for their role in the generation of urban ecosystem services. While the small scale patchwork of land uses in cities stimulates intense interactions across borders much focus is still on individual patches. The results highlight the importance and complexity of stewardship of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services and of the planning and governance of urban green infrastructure.     

Typologies of collaborative governance for scaling nature-based solutions in two strategic South African river systems

Scaled up planning and implementation of nature-based solutions requires better understanding of broad characteristics (typologies) of the current governance and financing landscape, collaborative approaches amidst local complexities, and factors of scalability. An inventory was compiled of water-related ecological infrastructure intervention projects in two river systems in South Africa, incorporating actor, environmental, social, and financial dimensions and benefits. Qualitative participatory analysis revealed eight typologies. Post-hoc classification analysis determined similarities and/or unique characteristics of seven quantitative typologies. Key characterising factors included the complexity/size of financial flows, complexity of partnership/governance arrangements, mandates/goals of actors, type of ecological infrastructure, trade-offs in investment in ecological/built infrastructure, and the model used for social benefits. Identified scalable typologies offer structures suited to increased investment, with other typologies offering specialised local value. A range of ecological infrastructure intervention typologies with differing biophysical and socioeconomic outcomes provide choices for investors with specific goals, and benefits to landscape actors.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01531-z.     

湖州大钱港(溇港)河流生态缓冲带的划定与构建

河流生态缓冲带(后称“缓冲带”)对改善河流水环境、控制面源污染和水土流失等具有重要作用。如何确定缓冲带的宽度并对其进行合理构建,已成为学者与管理部门关注的热点之一。以浙江省湖州市平原河网型河流大钱港(溇港)为例,基于VFSMOD模型计算和地形坡度、水体流向、土地利用状况、降水条件、土壤类型等现状条件,确定了农田型河段、村落型河段、林草型河段的缓冲带宽度;针对城镇型河段,结合城市河道蓝线,确定了缓冲带的宽度。结果表明,大钱港干流左右岸缓冲带长度共约16.1 km,面积共约0.408 km²;同时,采用GIS对数据进行处理,并实现了缓冲带的可视化表达。结合农业农村面源污染负荷空间分析,筛选出高污染入河负荷区中的唐家浒自然村汊港段,并提出了缓冲带修复方案,以期为其他缓冲带划定与构建提供参考。     

凤眼莲在城市重污染河道修复中的应用

外港河是秦淮河重要支流,长期以来遭受严重污染。2006年4月份起对外港河进行了综合生态治理。在前期清淤和截污的基础上,7月份开始引种凤眼莲。在上游排污口附近和外港河河口段分别设置的4个生态区以及河面上布设的水面载体内全面放养以凤眼莲为主的浮水植物。经过5个多月的初步治理,外港河水体透明度从40 cm以下提高到120 cm左右,COD下降了70.4％,TSS、TN和NH₃-N分别下降了39.6％、49.7％和21.8％。结果证明,凤眼莲在净化严重污染的河道方面起到了良好的效果,引种凤眼莲治理城市重污染河道是切实可行的;此外,用PVC管设计制作的水面载体来放养浮水植物可以点缀水面环境,美化城市河道景观。     

基于VFSMOD模型的河岸植被缓冲带划定方法

河岸植被缓冲带的划定是河流生态缓冲带建设和管理的基础。从面源污染阻控角度出发,根据河岸的土地利用类型,将各河流所处河段划分为堤防型河段、城镇型河段、农田型河段、村落型河段和林草型河段。采用植被过滤带模型(VFSMOD),并结合现有生态红线、河湖管理范围、城市蓝线等空间管控要求,提出了各类型缓冲带的划定方法,以期为我国河岸植被缓冲带的划定工作提供参考。     

浦阳江干流生态缓冲带的划定与构建

河流生态缓冲带(简称“缓冲带”)的划定是对河流进行生态修复与保护的重要前提。如何确定缓冲带的宽度和空间布局也是管理部门和学者们关注的热点。以浙江省金华市山溪型河流浦阳江干流为例,利用GF-2卫星影像提取河流岸线、解译河岸两侧土地利用状况,通过VFSMOD模型工具和缓冲带自然条件综合确定农田型、村落型、林草型河段的缓冲带宽度;而城镇型河段则结合城市河道蓝线来确定缓冲带宽度;最终划定浦阳江干流左右岸缓冲带总长度109.63 km,总面积2.837 km²。在此基础上,构建了试点区域上仙屋断面的缓冲带修复方案,旨在为缓冲带修复和水环境质量改善提供参考。     

Stable isotope analysis in food web research: Systematic review and a vision for the future for the Baltic Sea macro-region

Food web research provides essential insights into ecosystem functioning, but practical applications in ecosystem-based management are hampered by a current lack of knowledge synthesis. To address this gap, we provide the first systematic review of ecological studies applying stable isotope analysis, a pivotal method in food web research, in the heavily anthropogenically impacted Baltic Sea macro-region. We identified a thriving research field, with 164 publications advancing a broad range of fundamental and applied research topics, but also found structural shortcomings limiting ecosystem-level understanding. We argue that enhanced collaboration and integration, including the systematic submission of Baltic Sea primary datasets to stable isotope databases, would help to overcome many of the current shortcomings, unify the scattered knowledge base, and promote future food web research and science-based resource management. The effort undertaken here demonstrates the value of macro-regional synthesis, in enhancing access to existing data and supporting strategic planning of research agendas.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01785-1.     

基于层次分析法的再生水补给型城市河湖水生态修复技术评价指标体系及其应用

由于城市水资源严重紧缺,再生水作为补给城市河湖景观水体的重要水源,用量逐年加大,随之带来的水环境问题也引起关注,往往需要采用适宜的技术和工程改善水质。然而对于现有的生态修复技术和工程,缺少相应的评价方法和指标体系对其修复效果和工程技术进行综合有效的评估。通过大量的文献及实地调研,结合再生水补给型城市河湖的特点,构建了包含环境效益、技术管理与维护及社会经济功能3个系统、7个准则和19个指标的再生水补给型城市河湖水生态修复技术评价指标体系,采用群组决策的层次分析法（AHP）确定各指标的权重,重要性排序前5位的指标依次是：藻类多样性、水生植物覆盖度、DO、TLI、PI（COD）。以北京市陶然亭湖水生态修复工程为例进行综合评价,研究结果表明,现阶段陶然亭湖水生态修复工程综合评分为3.35分,评价结果属于良。陶然亭湖经过水体生态修复后,水生态系统结构较好恢复;所选工程技术适宜;人员及经济投入适中;对周边环境产生较大正面影响;工程可优后进行推广     

Guiding restoration of riparian ecosystems degraded by plant invasions: Insights from a complex social-ecological system in the Global South

Restoring riparian ecosystems in human-dominated landscapes requires attention to complexity, and consideration of diverse drivers, social actors, and contexts. Addressing a Global North bias, this case study uses a mixed-method approach, integrating historical data, remote sensing techniques and stakeholder perceptions to guide restoration of a river in the Western Cape, South Africa. An analysis of aerial photographs of the riparian zone from 1953 to 2016 revealed that although anthropogenic land conversion happened primarily before the 1950s, several land use and land cover classes showed marked increases in area, including: waterbodies (+ 1074%), urban areas (+ 316%), alien weeds (+ 311%) and terrestrial alien trees (+ 79%). These changes have likely been driven by land fragmentation, disturbance, and agricultural intensification. Stakeholder interviews revealed that despite the clear need for restoration, several barriers exist to successful implementation; these stem from inadequate financial resources, inappropriate funding models, institutional challenges, and a lack of techno-scientific knowledge. We give several recommendations to overcome these barriers.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01691-y.     

From Multifunctionality to Multiple Ecosystem Services? A Conceptual Framework for Multifunctionality in Green Infrastructure Planning for Urban Areas

Green infrastructure (GI) and ecosystem services (ES) are promoted as concepts that have potential to improve environmental planning in urban areas based on a more holistic understanding of the complex interrelations and dynamics of social–ecological systems. However, the scientific discourses around both concepts still lack application-oriented frameworks that consider such a holistic perspective and are suitable to mainstream GI and ES in planning practice. This literature review explores how multifunctionality as one important principle of GI planning can be operationalized by approaches developed and tested in ES research. Specifically, approaches developed in ES research can help to assess the integrity of GI networks, balance ES supply and demand, and consider trade-offs. A conceptual framework for the assessment of multifunctionality from a social–ecological perspective is proposed that can inform the design of planning processes and support stronger exchange between GI and ES research.     

Modeling integrated urban water systems in developing countries: case study of Port Vila,Vanuatu

Developing countries struggle to provide adequate urban water services, failing to match infrastructure with urban expansion. Despite requiring an improved understanding of alternative infrastructure performance when considering future investments, integrated modeling of urban water systems is infrequent in developing contexts. This paper presents an integrated modeling methodology that can assist strategic planning processes, using Port Vila, Vanuatu, as a case study. 49 future model scenarios designed for the year 2050, developed through extensive stakeholder participation, were modeled with UVQ (Urban Volume and Quality). The results were contrasted with a 2015 model based on current infrastructure, climate, and water demand patterns. Analysis demonstrated that alternative water servicing approaches can reduce Port Vila’s water demand by 35 %, stormwater generation by 38 %, and nutrient release by 80 % in comparison to providing no infrastructural development. This paper demonstrates that traditional centralized infrastructure will not solve the wastewater and stormwater challenges facing rapidly growing urban cities in developing countries.     

The Dynamics of Urban Ecosystem Governance in Rotterdam,The Netherlands

We explore whether Rotterdam city has the governance capacity in terms of processes at place, and the attention in terms of vision and strategy to take up an integrated approach toward urban resilience. We adopt an interpretative policy analysis approach to assess the dynamics of urban ecosystem governance considering interviews, gray literature, and facilitated dialogues with policy practitioners. We show the inner workings of local government across strategic, operational, tactical, and reflective governance processes about the way urban ecosystems are regulated. Despite the existing capacity to steer such processes, a number of underlying challenges exist: need for coordination between planning departments; need to ease the integration of new policy objectives into established adaptive policy cycles; and need to assess the lessons learnt from pilots and emerging green initiatives. Regulating and provisioning ecosystem services receive heightened policy attention. Focus on regulating services is maintained by a policy renewal cycle that limits and delays consideration of other ecosystem services in policy and planning.     

感潮平原中心城区河道近自然生态修复技术的应用

针对感潮平原中心城区河道存在往复流现象带来的水质波动、生态岸线差、生态系统稳定性不足等问题,开展以基于生物屏障技术耦合水生动植物生态系统构建为主的全面系统的近自然生态修复集成技术及示范研究。注重源头削减和末端综合治理,通过集成构建河道水质稳定技术、海绵设施生态岸线、优化水生态系统措施等技术体系,并选取上海市中心城区典型河道进行示范应用及效果跟踪。结果表明,修复后河道水质和感官效果得到了极大提升,化学需氧量(COD)、氨氮、总磷、浊度/悬浮物(SS)各均值较未处理河道水质均值分别降低约23%、41%、35%、51%/52%,5大类抗生素除了洁霉素、克林霉素和磺胺吡啶外均未检出,河道水质从在地表水IV类水质上下波动稳定达到IV类(总氮指标除外)。     

Structural Diversity: A Multi-dimensional Approach to Assess Recreational Services in Urban Parks

Urban green spaces provide important recreational services for urban residents. In general, when park visitors enjoy “the green,” they are in actuality appreciating a mix of biotic, abiotic, and man-made park infrastructure elements and qualities. We argue that these three dimensions of structural diversity have an influence on how people use and value urban parks. We present a straightforward approach for assessing urban parks that combines multi-dimensional landscape mapping and questionnaire surveys. We discuss the method as well the results from its application to differently sized parks in Berlin and Salzburg.     

浦阳江干流河流生态缓冲带土地利用类型对水质和底栖动物的影响

为揭示河流生态缓冲带土地利用变化对水质和水生生物多样性的影响,以浦阳江干流为研究对象,通过底栖动物野外采集、水质分析和河岸带土地利用解译,分析其干流河流生态缓冲带土地利用类型与河流水质和底栖动物多样性之间的关系。结果表明,高锰酸盐指数(COD_Mn)、氨氮(NH₃-N)和总磷(TP)与林业用地呈负相关,但与农业用地显著正相关。底栖动物群落多样性与农业用地呈显著正相关,但与城镇用地显著负相关。冗余分析结果显示,浦阳江上游浦江段河流生态缓冲带中农业用地对底栖动物影响最大,中下游的诸暨段建设用地对底栖动物的影响最大。这表明同一条河流的上下游,河流生态缓冲带中农业和建设用地对底栖动物多样性的影响可能不同。河流生态缓冲带修复实践中,增加林地面积和自然岸线比例对河流水生生物多样性恢复与保护有促进作用。     

The gulf of cross-disciplinary research collaborations on global river basins is not narrowed

Using publications in the Web of Science database (WoS), this study investigates the research collaboration on the top 95 most researched global river basins since 1900. The links of both the disciplines involved and the management issues studied between the biophysical, economic, societal, climatic and governance sub-systems of these river basins were examined. We found that research collaborations were dominated within the biophysical sub-system (65.3%) since the knowledge predevelopment period (1900–1983), with continuous increases (by 18.5%) during the rapid development (1984–2000) and the stabilisation (12.9% increase) (2001–2017). However, research collaborations related to the societal sub-system remained marginalised (varied at about 1%), while those related to the governance sub-system expanded in issues studied (32.8%) but were not supported by the core governance disciplines (3.4%). The key findings explained why global river basins are degraded from the perspective of knowledge development and they can assist the strategic planning and management of scientific research for improving governance capacity in modifying the relationship between human and nature on river basins in the Anthropocene. Tackling challenges in the Anthropocene requires transformation of the current pattern of knowledge development, a revolution in the governance of science.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01716-0.     

Access to urban green spaces in Hannover: An exploration considering age groups,recreational nature qualities and potential demand

City dwellers'' accessibility of urban green spaces (UGS) has recently gained immense interest in research and policy. Related scientific studies thus far have focused primarily on spatial distances, largely missing considerations of UGS qualities. We analysed the entire UGS setting of Hannover considering the recreational nature quality and potential demands to identify age-appropriate green spaces by applying a geographic information system analysis of several data sets. Additionally, we assessed the accessibility of UGS for different age groups, varying recreational nature qualities, and potential demands. Results indicate that children and elderly people have poor access to UGS that offers age-related requirements to enable unrestricted nature-based recreation. Nature quality and age-related requirements play a significant role in the assessment of UGS for recreation and accessibility. We conclude that detected vulnerabilities regarding age-related recreation in cities are anchors to mainstream the issue and enhance future planning practices and research.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01808-x.     

生态修复工程对城市内河水体细菌多样性的影响

微生物是城市内河生态系统的重要组成部分,其多样性与水环境密切相关。以16S rRNA基因作为原核细菌分子标记,应用PCR-DGGE、定量PCR、克隆和测序方法,分析经生态修复工程处理后不同污染程度的城市内河水体细菌多样性特征。结果表明:生态修复工程明显提高了污染程度较低水体总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)和化学需氧量(CODMn)的消减能力,影响着城市内河水体中细菌群落的组成和含量,且随时间和空间不同而不同;生态修复工程显著地提高了重度污染水体细菌的含量;冗余分析(RDA)表明,水体中细菌群落组成与CODMn、TP和溶解氧(DO)等指标密切相关。     

淮河流域河南段退化河流生态系统修复模式

针对淮河流域河南段部分河流出现的水资源过度开发利用、水质恶化和生物多样性下降等生态退化问题,根据淮河流域河南段主要河流退化特点,以改善淮河流域河南段退化现状为目标,在河流生态修复技术研究和工程实践的基础上,按照修复技术的功能,筛选出水量调整、水质净化和生物多样性提高等3类共13种适合淮河流域河南段河流生态系统修复技术。为使流域水生态修复更具针对性,根据流域内主要河流断流频率和洪/枯比计算,将流域内的河流分为常年有水型和间歇性断流型,然后以修复模式为修复范式研究的基本单元,分别针对流域内常年有水型河流生态系统的退化特点构建了3种修复模式,针对流域内间歇性断流型河流生态系统的退化特点构建了5种修复模式,以期为流域内退化河流生态系统的修复提供指导。