Tree Ecosystem Services, for Everyone? A Compositional Analysis Approach to Assess the Distribution of Urban Trees as an Indicator of Environmental Justice

Complex thinking and social entrepreneurship. An approach from the methodology of compositional data analysis

This article describes a study that sought to identify the correlation between social entrepreneurship and complex thinking competencies in a population of Mexican students. The article uses the novel approach of compositional data analysis. Compositional data analysis focuses on studying data that are part of a whole, whose importance lies in the relative information between its parts and not in absolute values. The analysis allows us to identify an association between the competencies and find statistically significant relationships between sub-competencies. In particular, correlations can be seen between the sub-competencies of scientific thinking and critical thinking with the sub-competency of self-control, leadership, and social awareness and social value. Furthermore, a correlation is observed between systemic thinking with the sub-competency of social awareness and social value, self-control, and leadership sub-competencies. In a practical way, this article introduces the compositional data analysis methodology to the academic educational literature focused on the study and measurement of competencies, opening possibilities for more precise, broad, descriptive analyses not achieved with other methodologies.

Urban Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Development: A Review

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) can alleviate many of the problems that the growing urban population is facing. This study performed a literature review about UGI and sustainable development (SD) using the Web of Science (WoS) and the software VOSviewer. Of 195 papers selected, 89 are qualitative, focusing on theoretical approaches and design; equally, 89 are quantitative, dealing with metrics and spatial analysis and 17 combined both approaches. A high connectivity between “green infrastructure”, “ecosystem services”, “urban planning” and “sustainable development” was observed. Only 39 of the documents embrace environmental, social and economic aspects. Most of the papers are related to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, “to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” and SDG 15, “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems”. Further research integrating the three pillars of sustainability and relating UGI to all the SDGs is recommended.

Assessment of the Diversity of Large Tree Species in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas along the Chao Phraya River Rim, Central Thailand

Urban trees provide numerous ecosystem services in cities such as pollution absorption and reduced urban heat island intensity, energy use, and mental fatigue. Understanding urban tree species diversity can enhance tree planning and management in rapidly urbanizing areas. However, few studies have examined the effects of urbanization on urban tree diversity in Thailand. This study assessed the diversity of large trees in urban landscapes including 11 cities along the 372 km Chao Phraya River Rim in central Thailand. Species diversity, importance value, and distribution were evaluated in each city. Our survey documented 987 large trees belonging to 65 species, 48 genera, and 31 families. The dominant species of Dipterocarpus alatus and Hopea odorata had the highest importance and relative abundance. The highest abundance of large trees was seen in the rural city of Sing Buri, while large urban cities such as Ayutthaya and Bangkok exhibited the highest species diversity. Detrended correspondence analysis indicated that the diversity of unique species was high in large urban cities, while dominant and common species were ubiquitous in rural cities. These findings suggest that large trees are few in number but exhibit high species diversity in large rapidly urbanizing cities. Therefore, preserving good site conditions is critical for the survival of large trees in urban cities. Heritage tree registration may aid preservation efforts and enhance the benefits of these large trees in rapidly urbanizing areas.

Compositional Data Analysis Approach in the Measurement of Social-Spatial Segregation: Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive City

The location and context in which people live influences and conditions their opportunities in life. This becomes relevant in a world subject to rapid urban and demographic growth, in which different economic, social, and political forces generate and accentuate disparities in cities. The foregoing generates an unequal distribution of the different social groups in the territory known as socio-spatial segregation. The study of this phenomenon incorporates a large number of variables belonging to different dimensions. Nonetheless, few studies have addressed socio-spatial segregation with a multivariate analysis approach. In addition, the existing studies may have obtained misleading outcomes by not acknowledging the inherent compositional nature of their variables. The objective of the present study is twofold: (i) To assess whether the phenomenon of socio-spatial segregation in Guadalajara, Mexico exists; and (ii) to introduce and stress the use of compositional techniques for the study of socio-spatial segregation. The study applied principal component analysis and cluster analysis considering the compositional nature of census variables, particularly from economic and educative indicators. In addition, the study used geographical information tools to depict and interpret the results. The results are intended to serve in the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals towards inclusive and sustainable cities.