Search results for "Urban ecology"

Influence of SiO2 nanoparticles on relative fluorescence of plant cells

2015

Nanoparticles (nano-scale particles (NSPs)) are defined as particles with dimensions less than 100 nm. SiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles are one of the most widely common nanoparticles in the environment, particularly in urban areas. The sources of SiO<sub>2 </sub>nanoparticles are very different, including natural nanoparticles, anthropogenic and engineered nanoparticles. The SiO<sub>2 </sub>nanoparticles could be considered a source of different pollution effects on leaving organisms. Nevertheless, knowledge of the mechanisms, through which the SiO<sub>2 </sub>nanoparticles affect cells, is incomplete. The aim of the research was to elaborate a …

Mother knows best: dominant females determine offspring dispersal in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

2011

Background: Relatedness between group members is central to understanding the causes of animal dispersal. In many group-living mammals this can be complicated as extra-pair copulations result in offspring having varying levels of relatedness to the dominant animals, leading to a potential conflict between male and female dominants over offspring dispersal strategies. To avoid resource competition and inbreeding, dominant males might be expected to evict unrelated males and related females, whereas the reverse strategy would be expected for dominant females. Methodology/Principal Findings: We used microsatellites and long-term data from an urban fox (Vulpes vulpes) population to compare disp…

Comparative study of the environmental footprints of marinas on European Islands

2021

AbstractPorts have been key elements in Europe's economic development. This situation is even more relevant on islands, which are highly dependent on the maritime sector. Consequently, over the years, ports with diverse functionalities have been established both in mainland Europe and on its outlying islands. This article discusses the environmental impact of leisure marinas on European islands, especially as they are closely linked to economic development through tourism. The aim is to study the environmental impact of these infrastructures by determining the carbon and water footprints of marinas on European islands in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The results obtained enable the au…

The town as a concentrated source of reclaimable water and materials. Opportunities for an engineered conservation strategy.

2015

A fierce theoretical debate is ongoing about the human species’ existence itself being sustainable for Earth and for living world. In the meanwhile cities, which are considered to concentrate the mankind’s ecological footprints, are steadily growing and gathering huge populations worldwide. This paper assumes that margins do exist to relieve the man’s burden on Nature to some extent, and that – regardless of our general concept of the matter – these margins should be exploited. The focus of this note is on beneficial use of waste water and waste to spare new resources and to create filter areas close to towns or belts around them. A brief reference is made to some official declarations and …

Smart Sustainable Cities of the New Millennium: Towards Design for Nature

2021

AbstractUrban environments consist of a mosaic of natural fragments, planned and unintentional habitats hosting both introduced and spontaneous species. The latter group exploits abandoned and degraded urban niches which, in the case of plants, form what is called thethird landscape. In the Anthropocene, cities, open spaces and buildings must be planned and designed considering not only human needs but also those of other living organisms. The scientific approach of habitat sharing is defined asreconciliation ecology, whilst the action of implementing the ecosystem services and functioning of such anthropogenic habitats is calledUrban Rehabilitation. However, urban development still represe…

The impractical supremacy of the local identity on the worthless soils of Mappano

2016

Introduction Soil is under pressure worldwide. In Italy, in the last two decades, land consumption has reached an average rate of 8 m2, demonstrating the failure of urban planning in controlling these phenomena. Despite the renewed recognition of the central role of soil resources, which has triggered numerous initiatives and actions, soil resources are still seen as a second-tier priority. No governance body exists to coordinate initiatives to ensure that soils are appropriately represented in decision-making processes. Global Soil Partnership draws our attention to the need for coordination to avoid fragmentation of efforts and wastage of resources. Both at a global and at a local level, …

GReen roofs and façades agriculture (GRF) for supporting building energy efficiency

2011

Urban Services to Ecosystems: An Introduction

2021

Green infrastructure is a structural system of naturally developed human societies, capable of preserving and ensuring as much space as possible to the local biodiversity. For this reason, green infrastructure shall be planned and designed so that the urban built environment is in harmony with the surrounding biotic communities. The challenge is to sustain nature-based solutions in order to improve citizens’ awareness towards natural and semi-natural ecosystems while providing our society with a more liveable, healthier, safer and fairer environment. This book puts an emphasis on the services the city can offer to nature, thanks to a multidisciplinary approach involving scientists and pract…

A casual alien plant new to Mediterranean Europe: Ceiba speciosa (Malvaceae) in the suburban area of Palermo (NW Sicily, Italy)

2014

The abiotic and biotic characteristics of the first sites where floss silk tree behaves as a casual alien plant in the Mediterranean Europe are described. The species was probably first planted in botanical gardens of southern France few decades before mid XIX century. It was introduced in Palermo in 1896, a city which appears to match very well its climatic requirements. According to the available information on its biology and ecology in both its original and secondary range, the floss silk tree should not become an invasive alien plant in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless, several gaps need to be filled in order to increase our understanding of future trends of Ceiba speciosa in southern E…

Structural Composition of Protozooplankton Communities in Relation to Environmental Factors in Shallow Lakes and Reservoirs of Rīga, Latvia

2015

Abstract Protozooplankton are dominant grazers of phytoplankton and an important component of the microbial food web, as a link between pico and nanoplankton to higher trophic levels. Their fast growing rate, relative abundance, biomass and diversity are used as indicators of organic and toxic pollution. The impact of urbanisation on ecosystems and their sustainability and biodiversity have recently been much studied. We studied the protozooplankton ciliate communities during the vegetation period from April to October in two small lakes (Bābelītis, Gaiļezers) and two reservoirs (Bolderāja, Saurieši). The largest peak of biomass (15.7 × 102 mg/l) was found in Gaiļezers Lake in August and of…