Pros and cons of transdisciplinary research: A case study of Swedish lawns and their sustainable alternatives

Ignatieva, Maria; Eriksson, Fredrik; Eriksson, Tuula; Kätterer, Thomas; Tidåker, Pernilla; Wissman, Jörgen; Ahrné, Karin; Bengtsson, Janne; Hedblom, Marcus

doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126799

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Qualitative research has been the dominant research method since it investigates real-life contexts to address a wide range of research questions [53] and has been applied across a number of disciplines, including business, education, health, law, and other social sciences [51]. Focus groups and stakeholder engagement methods are also wellknown qualitative research methods used for studying behavioral systems across people or units of power [54,55]. However, qualitative methods such as case studies, interviews and questionnaires lack scientific objectivity [50].…”

Section: Major Research Methods In Ess Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa: Current and Emerging Trends—A Bibliometric Review

et al. 2022

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The assessment of ecosystem services (ESs) is important for Africa’s sustainability and progress. Healthy ecosystems benefit humans in various forms; however, continuous anthropogenic activities have led to rapid alterations in their compositions, structures and functions worldwide. Due to the lack of understanding on the role of ES assessment in southern Africa, many ES assessment practices and methodologies have been widely debated Thus, a bibliometric analysis of ESs in southern Africa was conducted for the period of 1996–2021, to present the key features of ES assessment practices and methodologies and reveal evolutionary trends in this field. The results showed that in southern Africa, not many ES assessment studies have been published; however, South Africa was the most productive country in terms of author collaboration and publication output. Other leading countries in this field include the UK, USA, Germany and Australia. The most productive institutions in southern Africa are located in South Africa, and are the University of Cape Town, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Rhodes University, the University of KwaZulu Natal, and the University of Stellenbosch. The five funding institutions that are most active in supporting ES assessment in southern Africa are European. The main publishers of the research are either American or European and include the highly influential publishers Elsevier, Wiley, MDPI, Springer Nature and Resilience Alliance. VOS Viewer was employed as a visual analysis tool and CiteSpace as a graphic analysis tool to conduct the bibliometric analysis. A key conclusion is that most authors use qualitative methods to assess people’s livelihoods and wellbeing as they relate to provisional and cultural services, while remotely sensed imagery is used as a key tool to assess the spatial extent of provisional and regulating services. Research recommendations include promoting a transdisciplinary approach in ES assessment in southern Africa.

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Section: Major Research Methods In Ess Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa: Current and Emerging Trends—A Bibliometric Review

et al. 2022

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“…The interview is focused on how scythe mowed meadows can contribute to biodiversity due to the specific way in which the scythe cuts the grass, and how the removal of the grass results in a meagre soil in which a rich variety of plants can thrive and attract pollinating insects. The environmental impact of lawns has been subject to both research [2] and public discussion in recent years, and in a related university news item it is mentioned that the city of Linköping, where the campus is located, has created 17 meadows as more sustainable alternatives to lawns [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revitalizing Traditional Agricultural Practices: Conscious Efforts to Create a More Satisfying Culture

Dahlin

Svensson

2021

Sustainability

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This paper investigates how non-industrial agrarian traditions and practices are reworked and recontextualized in a contemporary context. Explorative in its nature, the paper uses in depth interviews with practitioners in eastern Sweden, several of whom are engaged in work to keep practices of the past alive, to discuss how the concept of revitalization can bear on sustainability. Traditional practices are revived as an alternative to industrialized agriculture, and as having a bearing on resilient cultivation systems as well as social relations. They are seen as means of increasing food security and reversing the negative biodiversity development caused by increased monoculture. We understand tradition as a process of negotiation and adaptation to the present, where revivals to some extent necessarily change the traditions that they attempt to revive. Tradition is thus a dynamic concept, always made in the present, never fixed but constantly evolving. In the challenges created by climate change and environmental degradation, it is increasingly voiced that true sustainability requires a transformation of the cultural system. In many cases, people are turning to tradition for sustainable alternatives to industrialized ways of life and to protect a diversity threatened by a dominant and unsustainable lifestyle.

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“…Urban green spaces provide critical access to nature for residents and, within these spaces, natural turfgrass comprises a significant portion of urban vegetation globally (Ignatieva et al 2020). Natural turfgrass provides a variety of ecosystem services directly and by their role as a multifunctional groundcover that facilitates beneficial activities related to health and well-being (Barnes et al 2020a;Francoeur et al 2021;Monteiro 2017), including spaces for rest, relaxation, recreation, and accommodating a variety of social interactions (Barnes and Watkins 2022a; Barnes et al 2020a).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, natural turfgrass can assist in mitigating urban heat island effects, which can be critical with more frequent heat events (Francoeur et al 2021;Wu et al 2007). However, natural turfgrass green spaces are often criticized by multiple stakeholders (e.g., homeowners, land managers, decision makers) because of their high use of inputs (e.g., water, fertilizer) and labor (Barnes et al 2020b;Ignatieva et al 2020;Monteiro 2017). With these critiques in mind, municipalities have increasingly turned to artificial turf to fulfill the dual mandates of turf-like spaces and sustainability goals.…”

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confidence: 99%

“Nothing Beats Nature”: Park Visitor Preferences for Natural Turfgrass and Artificial Turf: A Case Study

Barnes

Watkins

2023

horts

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Green spaces comprising natural turfgrass are ubiquitous in urban areas globally and allow for a variety of ecosystem services that benefit nature and people. However, traditional natural turfgrass is often critiqued for the number of inputs (e.g., fertilizer, water) required to maintain it. With those critiques in mind, some cities have turned to artificial turf as an alternative groundcover despite environmental and human health concerns (e.g., heavy metal leaching, volatile organic compounds). Research of artificial turf has been minimal compared with that of the growth of installations, especially related to social aspects of the surface. The current research used an in-person experiential case study of park visitors in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area of Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN, USA, to investigate how individuals perceived artificial turf compared with natural turfgrass as it relates to potential uses (e.g., resting/relaxing) and beliefs about sustainability (e.g., environmental impacts). Overall, participants preferred natural turfgrass across all uses but two (recreational and organized sports). The largest differences were observed for the use for picnic areas and the use for play areas for pets. Participants also perceived natural turfgrass as more sustainable than artificial turf, corresponding to the contribution to human health and well-being. In contrast, participants equally perceived the use of these surfaces in terms of natural resources. These findings have implications for public land managers, urban planners, city councils, and other stakeholders because they consider the adoption of artificial turf or other possible alternatives (e.g., low-input turfgrasses, bee lawns) to traditional turfgrass in the communities and their sustainability, maintenance, and cost-savings.

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Pros and cons of transdisciplinary research: A case study of Swedish lawns and their sustainable alternatives

Cited by 8 publications

References 16 publications

Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa: Current and Emerging Trends—A Bibliometric Review

Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa: Current and Emerging Trends—A Bibliometric Review

Revitalizing Traditional Agricultural Practices: Conscious Efforts to Create a More Satisfying Culture

“Nothing Beats Nature”: Park Visitor Preferences for Natural Turfgrass and Artificial Turf: A Case Study

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