Applied Urban Ecology - a Global Framework

Applied Urban Ecology: A Global Framework explores ways in which the environmental quality of urban areas can be improved starting with existing environmental conditions and their dynamics. Written by an internationally renowned selection of scientists and practitioners, the book covers a broad range of established and novel approaches to applied urban ecology. Approaches chosen for the book are placed in the context of issues such as climate change, green- and open-space development, flood-risk assessment, threats to urban biodiversity, and increasing environmental pollution (especially in the megacities of newly industrialized countries). All topics covered were chosen because they are socially and socio-politically relevant today. Further topics covered include sustainable energy and budget management, urban water resource management, urban land management, and urban landscape planning and design. Throughout the book, concepts and methods are illustrated using case studies from around the world. A closing synopsis draws conclusions on how the findings of urban ecological research can be used in strategic urban management in the future. Applied Urban Ecology: A Global Framework is an advanced textbook for students, researchers and experienced practitioners in urban ecology and urban environmental research, planning, and practice.

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, xiii PART I: INTRODUCTION, 1 1. Urban ecology - brief history and present challenges, 3 Ulrike Weiland andMatthias Richter 1.1 Introduction, 3 1.2 Brief history, 3 1.3 Recent and present challenges, 5 1.4 Purpose and structure of the book, 7 References, 9 PART II: URBAN ECOLOGY: RELATED DISCIPLINES AND METHODS, 13 2. Thematic-methodical approaches to applied urban ecology, 15 Matthias Richter and UlrikeWeiland 3. Monitoring urban land use changes with remote sensing techniques, 18 Ellen Banzhaf andMaik Netzband 3.1 Land use changes and their consequences for urban ecology, 18 3.2 Urban remote sensing (URS) and geographical information systems (GIS) for research in urban ecology, 19 3.3 Measuring physical characteristics of urban areas with remote sensing technology, 21 3.4 Global initiatives to measure urban expansion and land use change, 24 3.5 Regional urban monitoring activities, 26 3.6 Synthesis and outlook, 29 References, 30 PART III: SELECTED FIELDS OF URBAN ECOLOGY, 33 A. PATHWAYS OF THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH. 4. Quantifying spatiotemporal patterns and ecological effects of urbanization: a multiscale landscape approach, 35 Jianguo Wu, Alexander Buyantuyev, G. Darrel Jenerette, Jennifer Litteral, Kaesha Neil and Weijun Shen 4.1 Introduction, 35 4.2 Characterizing the spatiotemporal pattern of urbanization, 36 4.3 Simulating spatiotemporal dynamics of urbanization, 41 4.4 Effects of urbanization on biodiversity and ecosystem processes: examples from CAP-LTER, 43 4.5 Concluding remarks, 47 Acknowledgments, 49 References, 49 5. Designing urban systems: ecological strategies with stocks and flows of energy and material, 54 Peter Baccini 5.1 The challenge of a new urbanity, 54 5.2 Urban systems and their resource management, 56 5.3 Strategies of reconstruction, 60 5.4 Developing strategies for the design of urban systems, 63 References, 65 B. SOCIOENVIRONMENTAL THREATS. 6. Environmental and ecological threats in Indian mega-cities, 66 Surinder Aggarwal and Carsten Butsch 6.1 Urbanization dynamics and emergence of mega-cities, 66 6.2 Environmental threats, 68 6.3 Mega-social challenges, 74 6.4 Concluding remarks, 78 Acknowledgments, 80 References, 80 7. From wasteland to wilderness - aspects of a new form of urban nature, 82 Dieter Rink and Harriet Herbst 7.1 Introduction, 82 7.2 Urban wilderness - some attempts at defining the term, 83 7.3 Wastelands as a source of urban wilderness, 83 7.4 Urban wilderness in planning, 85 7.5 On the ecology of urban wilderness, 86 7.6 Urban wilderness in a social context, 87 7.7 Educational value of urban wilderness, 89 7.8 Conclusions, 90 References, 91 C. FLOODING AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION. 8. Multiscale flood risk assessment in urban areas - a geoinformatics approach, 93 Norman Kerle and Dinand Alkema 8.1 Introduction, 93 8.2 Flood risk in the context of urban ecology, 94 8.3 Comprehensive flood risk assessment - Naga City, the Philippines, 96 8.4 The role of remote sensing in flood risk assessment and management, 99 8.5 Disaster risk in the context of urban ecology - an outlook, 104 References, 104 9. Urban open spaces and adaptation to climate change, 106 Marialena Nikolopoulou 9.1 Cities, climate change and the role of open spaces, 106 9.2 Outdoor comfort, 107 9.3 Use of space, 108 9.4 Thermal perception, 111 9.5 Adaptation, 113 9.6 Design interventions, 116 9.7 Conclusions, 120 References, 121 D. URBAN BIODIVERSITY. 10. Social aspects of urban ecology in developing countries, with an emphasis on urban domestic gardens, 123 Sarel Cilliers, Stefan Siebert, Elandrie Davoren and Rina Lubbe 10.1 Introduction, 123 10.2 Social benefits and human perceptions of urban green areas, 124 10.3 Consequences of socioeconomic aspects on the urban green infrastructure, 125 10.4 Urban domestic gardens, 126 10.5 Conclusions, 133 References, 135 11. Plant material for urban landscapes in the era of globalization: roots, challenges and innovative solutions, 139 Maria Ignatieva 11.1 Introduction, 139 11.2 The beginning of plant material globalization, 139 11.3 Victorian Gardenesque (1820-1880), 140 11.4 Influence of the Victorian garden on the global planting pattern, 142 11.5 Victorian tropical and subtropical paradise, 143 11.6 Modern nurseries' direction: global pool of plants, 145 11.7 Innovative solutions: searching for new ecological planting design, 148 11.8 Discussion and conclusion, 150 Acknowledgments, 150 References, 150 E. ENVIRONMENTAL URBAN DESIGN. 12. Ecological infrastructure leads the way: the negative approach and landscape urbanism for smart preservation and smart growth, 152 Kongjian Yu 12.1 Introduction, 152 12.2 The negative approach: methodology, 158 12.3 Urban growth based on EI: a case of negative planning for Taizhou City, 159 12.4 Conclusion, 165 References, 166 13. Integrating science and creativity for landscape planning and design of urban areas, 170 Antje Stokman and Christina von Haaren 13.1 Introduction, 170 13.2 Landscape planning as a legally based contribution to sustainable development in Germany, 171 13.3 Landscape design as a creative cultural action, 173 13.4 Linking landscape planning and design: differences, interfaces and potential synergies, 175 13.5 Conclusion, 182 Acknowledgment, 183 References, 183 14. Landscape as a living system: Shanghai 2010 Expo Houtan Park, 186 Kongjian Yu 14.1 Introduction, 186 14.2 Objective, 186 14.3 Challenges, 186 14.4 Design concept and strategy: a living system, 188 14.5 Conclusions, 192 F. ENVIRONMENTAL URBAN POLITICS. 15. Geographical perspectives on a radical political ecology of water, 193 Alex Loftus 15.1 Introduction, 193 15.2 The urbanization of nature, 194 15.3 Urban political ecologies of water, 195 15.4 Privatization questions, 196 15.5 Taking the debates forward, 199 15.6 Infrastructures of power: democratizing water technologies, 199 15.7 The everyday, 201 15.8 Conclusions, 202 References, 202 PART IV: SYNTHESIS, 205 16. Synthesizing urban ecology research and topics for urban environmental management, 207 Matthias Richter and UlrikeWeiland Index, 213

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