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Qi T, Ren Q, He C, Zhang X. Dual effects on vegetation from urban expansion in the drylands of northern China: A multiscale investigation using the vegetation disturbance index. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172481. [PMID: 38626825 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Drylands contribute roughly 40 % of the global net primary productivity and are essential for achieving sustainable development. Investigating the effects on vegetation from urban expansion in drylands within the context of rapid urbanization could help enhance the sustainability of dryland cities. With the use of the drylands of northern China (DNC) as an example, we applied the vegetation disturbance index to investigate the negative and positive effects on vegetation from urban expansion in drylands. The results revealed that the DNC experienced massive and rapid urban expansion from 2000 to 2020. Urban land in the entire DNC increased by 19,646 km2 from 8141 to 27,787 km2, with an annual growth rate of 6.3 %. Urban expansion in the DNC imposed both negative and positive effects on regional vegetation. The area with negative effects reached 7736 km2 and was mainly concentrated in the dry subhumid zones. The area with positive effects amounted to 5011 km2 and was comparable among the dry subhumid, semiarid, and arid zones. Land use/cover change induced by population growth significantly contributed to these negative effects, while the positive effects were largely caused by economic growth. Therefore, it is recommended to strike a balance between urban growth and vegetation conservation to mitigate the adverse effects on vegetation from urban expansion in drylands. Simultaneously, it is imperative to expand urban green spaces and build sustainable and livable ecological cities to facilitate sustainable urban development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Qi
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters of Chinese Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China; Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qiang Ren
- School of International Affairs and Public Administration, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Chunyang He
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters of Chinese Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China; Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, People's Government of Qinghai Province and Beijing Normal University, Xining, China.
| | - Xiwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters of Chinese Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China; Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Moldoveanu OC, Maggioni M, Dani FR. Environmental ameliorations and politics in support of pollinators. Experiences from Europe: A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 362:121219. [PMID: 38838532 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
At least 87% of angiosperm species require animal vectors for their reproduction, while more than two-thirds of major global food crops depend on zoogamous pollination. Pollinator insects are a wide variety of organisms that require diverse biotic and abiotic resources. Many factors have contributed to a serious decrease in the abundance of populations and diversity of pollinator species over the years. This decline is alarming, and the European Union has taken several actions aimed at counteracting it by issuing new conservation policies and standardizing the actions of member countries. In 2019, the European Green Deal was presented, aiming to restore 100% of Europe's degraded land by 2050 through financial and legislative instruments. Moreover, the Common Agricultural Policies have entailed greening measures for the conservation of habitats and beneficial species for more than 10 years. The new CAP (CAP 23-27) reinforces conservation objectives through strategic plans based on eco-schemes defined at the national level by the member countries, and some states have specifically defined eco-schemes for pollinator conservation. Here, we review the framework of EU policies, directives, and regulations, which include measures aimed at protecting pollinators in agricultural, urban, and peri-urban environments. Moreover, we reviewed the literature reporting experimental works on the environmental amelioration for pollinators, particularly those where CAP measures were implemented and evaluated, as well as studies conducted in urban areas. Among CAP measures, several experimental works have considered the sowing and management of entomophilous plants and reported results important for environmental ameliorations. Some urban, peri-urban and wasteland areas have been reported to host a considerable number of pollinators, especially wild bees, and despite the lack of specific directives, their potential to contribute to pollinator conservation could be enhanced through targeted actions, as highlighted by some studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martino Maggioni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Romana Dani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo, Italy.
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Kalantari Z, Ferreira CSS, Pan H, Pereira P. Nature-based solutions to global environmental challenges. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 880:163227. [PMID: 37011683 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Nature-based solutions (NBS) supply many ecosystem services key to wellbeing. There is evidence that several ecosystems that serve as NBS (e.g., forests) are being threatened by land use and climate change. Urban expansion and agriculture intensification is imposing an extensive degradation in several ecosystems, increasing human vulnerability to climate change-related events. Therefore, it is key to rethink how to develop strategies that minimize these effects. Halt ecosystem degradation and establishing NBS in areas of high human pressure (e.g., urban and agriculture) is essential to reduce environmental impacts. Numerous NBS can be helpful in agriculture (e.g., retention of crop residues/mulching) to reduce erosion or diffuse pollution or in urban areas (e.g., urban green spaces) to mitigate urban heat island effects or floods. Although these measures are important, it is crucial to raise awareness among the stakeholders, assess case by case and minimize the tradeoffs associated with the NBS application (e.g., area needed). Overall, NBS are vital in addressing present and future global environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Kalantari
- Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering (SEED), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Agrarian School of Coimbra, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Haozhi Pan
- School of International and Public Affairs & China Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Center, Mykolas Romeris University, Ateities g. 20, 08303 Vilnius, Lithuania.
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Yin C, Zhao W, Ye J, Muroki M, Pereira P. Ecosystem carbon sequestration service supports the Sustainable Development Goals progress. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 330:117155. [PMID: 36603272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem carbon sequestration service (ECSS) is the benefits humans derive from the ecosystem carbon sequestration process, which is key to regulating climate, stabilising the natural foundation for development, and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. However, how ECSS contributes to the SDGs still needs to be discovered. Here, based on downscaling localisation SDG indicators, regression methods, and mechanism analysis, we identified the contribution of ECSS to the SDGs, taking China's Loess Plateau (LP) region as an example. The results showed that the LP made higher progress on resource and environmental SDGs, such as SDGs 13, 12, 6, and 7 (climate, consumption and production, water, and energy) in the last two decades. As for the relationships between ECSS and SDGs, the progress of SDGs 6, 7, 13 and 15 (water, energy, climate, and ecosystems) showed positive linear responses to ECSS. The response of SDGs 1, 4, 8, and 12 (poverty reduction, education, economic growth, and consumption and production) to ECSS showed a threshold when the standardised ECSS value was 0.11. To improve ECSS for a more sustainable ecological foundation underpinning the SDGs, ECSS management should be improved to protect the ecosystem carbon pool and improve carbon sequestration function, as well as to promote the social-ecological co-benefits. This work links carbon sequestration service to sustainable development and can help in leveraging nature's contributions towards carbon neutrality and the 2030 Agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caichun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Wenwu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Jingqiao Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Monica Muroki
- Kenya Forestry Research Institute - Muguga, Department of Socio-Economic Policy and Governance, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Center, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius 08303, Lithuania
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Pal S, Singha A, Mondal S, Debanshi S. Ecological consequences of urban blue space transformation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:34115-34134. [PMID: 36508102 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24575-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the ecological consequences of the blue space conversion and its qualitative degradation in the English Bazar Municipality (EBM) and its surrounding area. The primary blue spaces of the area, the marshy wetland called Chatra and Mohananda river, are the most affected due to urban activities like built-up expansion and sewage and wastewater discharge. Built-up development encroached more than 300 m within wetland territory and caused a 0.57 km2 conversion of wetland area. It is also evident within the bed of the Mohananda river. Agriculture also caused the conversion of the blue space. As a result, the wetland's ecosystem service value (ESV) was reduced by 12.7%, along with a reduction of cultural services by 27.86%. The massive pouring of sewage and wastewater caused hyper-eutrophication in almost the entire wetland area. The trophic state index (TSI) value increased significantly in the last 10 years, causing high growth and areal expansion of water hyacinth. The expanding settlements and agricultural land that captured the river channel face inundation vulnerability during peak discharge. Extreme danger level discharge causes floods in the extensive municipality area. The areal encroachment, water extraction, sewage and wastewater discharge, and water quality deterioration caused severe hydro-ecological degradation of the river. Since blue space is critically essential for urban environmental health, these ecological consequences can cause a crisis for urban wellbeing. Therefore, the anthropogenic adversities towards the urban blue space must be restricted, and the blue space's ecological sustenance must be paid enough attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swades Pal
- Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, Malda, India
| | - Adrish Singha
- Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, Malda, India
| | - Sumona Mondal
- Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, Malda, India
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Tsaligopoulos A, Kyvelou SS, Chiotinis M, Karapostoli A, Klontza EE, Lekkas DF, Matsinos YG. The Sound of a Circular City: Towards a Circularity-Driven Quietness. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12290. [PMID: 36231592 PMCID: PMC9566453 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and pollution, by circulating products and materials and by regenerating nature. Furthermore, under an urban circular development scheme, environmental noise can be designed out. The current noise control policies and actions, undertaken at a source-medium-receiver level, present a linearity with minimum sustainability co-benefits. A circular approach in noise control strategies and in soundscape design could offer numerous ecologically related co-benefits. The global literature documenting the advantages of the implementation of circular economy in cities has highlighted noise mitigation as a given benefit. Research involving circular economy actions such as urban green infrastructure, green walls, sustainable mobility systems and electro-mobility has acknowledged reduced noise levels as a major circularity outcome. In this research paper, we highlight the necessity of a circularity and bioeconomy approach in noise control. To this end, a preliminary experimental noise modeling study was conducted to showcase the acoustic benefits of green walls and electric vehicles in a medium-sized urban area of a Mediterranean island. The results indicate a noise level reduction at 4 dB(A) when simulating the introduction of urban circular development actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aggelos Tsaligopoulos
- Acoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Stella Sofia Kyvelou
- Department of Economic and Regional Development, School of Science of Economics and Public Administration, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, 17671 Athens, Greece
| | - Michalis Chiotinis
- Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 15780 Zographou, Greece
| | - Aimilia Karapostoli
- School of Architectural Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleftheria E. Klontza
- Waste Management Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Demetris F. Lekkas
- Waste Management Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Yiannis G. Matsinos
- Acoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
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