Soils: A Neglected Resource in Urban Areas

Bullock, P.; Gregory, P. J.

doi:10.1002/9781444310603.ch1

Cited by 26 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…However, Kissling et al (2009) suggested that microbial activity is difficult to predict from a long-term perspective. The typical bulk density of intact mineral soils (Bullock and Gregory 1991) is similar to that noted in the studied park forest stands, which ranges between 0.96 and 1.22 g·cm −3 (Table 2). Critical values exceeding 1.3 g·cm −3 and accompanying declines of plant cover were noted in soils of forest trails (Chappell et al 1971; Bhuju and Ohsawa 1998; McDonald 2008).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Effects of visitor pressure on understory vegetation in Warsaw forested parks (Poland)

Sikorski

Szumacher

Sikorska

et al. 2012

Environ Monit Assess

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Visitor’s access to understorey vegetation in park forest stands results in the impoverishment of plant species composition and a reduction in habitat quality. The phenomenon of biotic homogenisation is typical in urban landscapes, but it can proceed differently depending on the scale, a detail that has not been observed in previous studies. This research was carried out in seven Warsaw parks (both public and restricted access). Thirty-four forested areas were randomly selected, some subjected to strong visitors’ pressure and some within restricted access areas, free of such impacts. The latter category included woodlands growing in old forest and secondary habitats. Public access to the study areas contributed to the disappearance of some forest species and their replacement by cosmopolitan non-forest species, leading to loss of floristic biodiversity in areas of high ecological importance at the city scale. Some human-induced factors, including soil compaction and changes in soil pH, moisture and capillary volume, were found to cause habitat changes that favoured native non-forest plants. Despite changes in species composition, the taxonomic similarity of understorey vegetation in both categories—public access and restricted access—was comparable. In a distance gradient of measurements taken around selected individual trees, there was found to be significant variation (in light, soil pH and compaction) affecting the quality and quantity of understorey vegetation (including rare species). In conclusion, the protection of rare forest species could be achieved by limiting access to forested areas, particularly in old forest fragments, and we highly recommend its consideration in the proposal of future park restoration plans.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Effects of visitor pressure on understory vegetation in Warsaw forested parks (Poland)

Sikorski

Szumacher

Sikorska

et al. 2012

Environ Monit Assess

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although many soils in urban and urbanizing landscapes are modified by human activity, they serve, like unmodified soils, as both sources and sinks for nutrients and contaminants (Bullock and Gregory, 1991;De Kimpe and Morel, 2000;Pouyat et al, 2007a) and are a critical mediator of feedback mechanisms (Effland and Pouyat, 1997). As such, soils function in the urban landscape by retaining and supplying nutrients, serving as a growth medium and substrate for soil fauna and flora, and contributing to the hydrologic cycle through absorption, storage, and supply of water (Bullock and Gregory, 1991). In providing these services, soil plays a key role as the "brown infrastructure" of urban ecological systems, much in the same way urban vegetation, or green infrastructure, does (Benedict and McMahon, 2002).…”

Section: Substrate: Urban Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban ecological systems: Scientific foundations and a decade of progress

Pickett

Cadenasso

Grove

et al. 2011

Journal of Environmental Management

895

549

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Globally urban soils are still a neglected resource and are poorly integrated in management policies (Bullock & Gregory, 2009;Lehmann & Stahr, 2007). This issue is crucial one for Technosols, which are by definition made of technogenic materials and should be designed with consideration for soil macrofauna.…”

Section: Implications For Management Of Soil In Urban Parksmentioning

confidence: 99%