Search results for "urban forest"
showing 7 items of 7 documents
Spatial distribution of saplings in heavily worn urban forests: Implications for regeneration and management
2012
Abstract We studied the spatial distribution of saplings in the vicinity of other saplings and mature trees in heavily worn urban forests. Our aim was to identify favorable microsites for saplings to regenerate under different levels of wear. We hypothesized that these safe microsites were situated close to tree trunks that might offer shelter from trampling caused by humans and their pet dogs. The distribution of saplings was explored at 0.1–0.6 m to the nearest sapling and 0.1–2 m to the nearest mature tree. Sorbus aucuparia was the most abundant sapling species, followed by Populus tremula , Betula pubescens and Picea abies . These species all tended to cluster with their conspecific sap…
The relevance of urban agroforestry and urban remnant forest for avian diversity in a densely-populated developing country: the case of Port-au-Princ…
2021
9 pages; International audience; Urban green spaces can contribute to conserve some of the original avian diversity in urbanized landscapes. However, the relative contribution of urban agriculture vs. urban forest remnants to the preservation of the avifauna in large cities, particularly in developing countries in the tropics, remains poorly documented. We assessed bird assemblages in the densely-populated capital city of Port-au-Prince in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. From early January to late April 2018, 10 censuses per site were conducted in 16 urban green sites, consisting of 8 unexploited, private forest patches and 8 agroforestry plantations, embedded within the u…
Chlorophyll content mapping of urban vegetation in the city of Valencia based on the hyperspectral NAOC index
2014
Abstract: Spatially distributed chlorophyll content of urban vegetation provides an important indicator of a plant's health status, which might depend on the habitat quality of the specific urban environment. Recent advances in optical remote sensing led to improved methodologies to monitor vegetation properties. The hyperspectral index NAOC (Normalized Area Over reflectance Curve) is one of these new tools that can be used for mapping chlorophyll content. In this paper we present the work done to quantify vegetation chlorophyll content over the city of Valencia (Spain) based on chlorophyll measurements of four representative tree species: the London plane tree (Platanus x. acerifolia), the…
Ecology and Diversity of Urban Pine Forest Soil Invertebrates in Rīga, Latvia / Augsnes Bezmugurkaulnieku Bioloģiskā Daudzveidība Urbānajos Priežu Me…
2015
Abstract A study on ecology and diversity of soil invertebrates of urban pine and mixed pine forests was carried out in seven different sampling plots in Rīga during 2014. Ninety eight soil samples were processed and in total, 40 426 specimens were extracted (of them, 25 237 specimens were identified to species level and 15 189 to order level). Indices (abundance, community similarity etc.) characterising faunal diversity and species communities of Rīga city soil fauna were estimated. The most numerous soil invertebrate groups were Collembola, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, accounting for 95% of all collected animals. There was rather high diversity of soil invertebrates in the disturbed urban…
IoT monitoring of urban tree ecosystem services: Possibilities and challenges
2020
Urban green infrastructure plays an increasingly significant role in sustainable urban development planning as it provides important regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Monitoring of such dynamic and complex systems requires technological solutions which provide easy data collection, processing, and utilization at affordable costs. To meet these challenges a pilot study was conducted using a network of wireless, low cost, and multiparameter monitoring devices, which operate using Internet of Things (IoT) technology, to provide real-time monitoring of regulatory ecosystem services in the form of meaningful indicators for both human health and environmental policies. The pilot study w…
FUNGAL DIVERSITY IN URBAN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
2014
In past and recent times the anthropic pressure strongly influenced the dynamic of forest ecosystems in Europe and led to a drastic decrease of forest cover and distribution mainly in unmanaged areas. The term “urban and community forests” refers to the trees and forests found in urbanized settings, in the center of cities and towns, in suburbs and rural ommunities, and at the edge of wild lands. Trees in the urban environment are subjected to a number of stresses which are very different from those suffered by trees in typical rural conditions. Biodiversity has been reduced in urban areas through ecosystem destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of remaining ecosystems. Recent investig…
Benefits of Urban Green Space for Improving Urban Climate
2007
Urban settlements transform the natural environment so greatly that people tend to see the city only as an employment site, and economic and cultural center. Thus a growing number of people prefer to reside in greener suburbs or rural areas. This results in increased automobile commuter traffic, accompanied by traffic jams, accidents, stress, and ever more damage to the environment. Concepts of sustainable development or the ecological city represent strategies for changing these negative trends. The purpose for doing so is principally the well-being of a city’s residents. Often this entails bringing more of the natural environment back into the city, because urban green space fulfills seve…