Global Change and the Ecology of Cities

Grimm, Nancy B.; Faeth, Stanley H.; Golubiewski, Nancy E.; Redman, Charles L.; Wu, Jianguo; Bai, Xuemei; Briggs, John M.

doi:10.1126/science.1150195

Cited by 5,603 publications

(3,556 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Typically, urban green spaces have important ecological effects, contribute to public health, and increase the life quality of urban citizens by offering esthetic enjoyment, recreational opportunities and improvements in physical and psychological well-being (Jo, 2002;Chen and Jim, 2008). Recent reports also found that carbon density in urban areas (23-42 kg C m −2 in sample cities of the United States, Churkina et al, 2010;3.16 kg C m −2 in Leicester, UK, Davies et al, 2011) is comparable to that of some natural forests, and the dynamics of urban vegetation may leave footprints in global biogeochemical cycles (Grimm et al, 2008). The enhancement of green areas has the potential to mitigate the adverse effects of urbanization in a sustainable way (Ridder et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Temporal trend of green space coverage in China and its relationship with urbanization over the last two decades

Zhao

Chen

Jiang

et al. 2013

Science of The Total Environment

192

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► The green space coverage in Chinese cities increased steadily from 1991 to 2009. ► Cities in the same region exhibited long-term similar trends of development. ► Population, land area and GDP significantly affected green space coverage. ► Per capita GDP had the highest independent contribution to green space coverage. ► A linear model to predict variance in green space was constructed. a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Irrespective of which side is taken in the densification-sprawl debate, insights into the relationship between urban green space coverage and urbanization have been recognized as essential for guiding sustainable urban development. However, knowledge of the relationships between socio-economic variables of urbanization and long-term green space change is still limited. In this paper, using simple regression, hierarchical partitioning and multi-regression, the temporal trend in green space coverage and its relationship with urbanization were investigated using data from 286 cities between 1989 and 2009, covering all provinces in mainland China with the exception of Tibet. We found that: [1] average green space coverage of cities investigated increased steadily from 17.0% in 1989 to 37.3% in 2009; [2] cities with higher recent green space coverage also had relatively higher green space coverage historically; [3] cities in the same region exhibited similar long-term trends in green space coverage; [4] eight of the nine variables characterizing urbanization showed a significant positive linear relationship with green space coverage, with 'per capita GDP' having the highest independent contribution (24.2%);[5] among the climatic and geographic factors investigated, only mean elevation showed a significant effect; and [6] using the seven largest contributing individual factors, a linear model to predict variance in green space coverage was constructed. Here, we demonstrated that green space coverage in built-up areas tended to reflect the effects of urbanization rather than those of climatic or geographic factors. Quantification of the urbanization effects and the characteristics of green space development in China may provide a valuable reference for research into the processes of urban sprawl and its relationship with green space change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Temporal trend of green space coverage in China and its relationship with urbanization over the last two decades

Zhao

Chen

Jiang

et al. 2013

Science of The Total Environment

192

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“…Urban areas are difficult to plan, manage and govern, and have a rapacious appetite for energy and materials, with global environmental impact 7 . Urban challenges ask complex and interrelated questions about equity, justice, resilience, economic opportunity, infrastructure development, ecological restoration and more.…”

Section: Urban Accelerationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientists must have a say in the future of cities

McPhearson

Parnell

Simon

et al. 2016

Nature

Self Cite

174

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“…Numerous similar interactions play out in all corners of the world. The urbanized global society, which accounts for [50% of the world population, depends on the capacity of ecosystems of all kinds worldwide to support urban life with essential ecosystem services (Folke et al 1997;Grimm et al 2008), even though people may not perceive this support or have preferences for it.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconnecting to the Biosphere

Folke

Jansson

Rockström

et al. 2011

AMBIO

508

320

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Humanity has emerged as a major force in the operation of the biosphere, with a significant imprint on the Earth System, challenging social-ecological resilience. This new situation calls for a fundamental shift in perspectives, world views, and institutions. Human development and progress must be reconnected to the capacity of the biosphere and essential ecosystem services to be sustained. Governance challenges include a highly interconnected and faster world, cascading social-ecological interactions and planetary boundaries that create vulnerabilities but also opportunities for social-ecological change and transformation. Tipping points and thresholds highlight the importance of understanding and managing resilience. New modes of flexible governance are emerging. A central challenge is to reconnect these efforts to the changing preconditions for societal development as active stewards of the Earth System. We suggest that the Millennium Development Goals need to be reframed in such a planetary stewardship context combined with a call for a new social contract on global sustainability. The ongoing mind shift in human relations with Earth and its boundaries provides exciting opportunities for societal development in collaboration with the biosphere-a global sustainability agenda for humanity.

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Global Change and the Ecology of Cities

Cited by 5,603 publications

References 56 publications

Temporal trend of green space coverage in China and its relationship with urbanization over the last two decades

Temporal trend of green space coverage in China and its relationship with urbanization over the last two decades

Scientists must have a say in the future of cities

Reconnecting to the Biosphere

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