Urbanisation process generates more independently-acting stressors and ecosystem functioning impairment in tropical Andean streams

Iñiguez–Armijos, Carlos; Tapia-Armijos, María Fernanda; Wilhelm, Frank M.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114211

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 69 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…(a) Ecuador's biodiversity is among its greatest riches [49]. Unfortunately, it is affected by deforestation [50] due to the expansion of the agricultural frontier [13], other extractive processes [51], urbanisation processes and other human interventions [52]. Another issue Ecuador's biodiversity is among its greatest riches [49].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking Agricultural Policy in Ecuador (1960–2020): Analysis Based on the Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus

Toledo,

Salmoral,

Viteri-Salazar

2023

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Agriculture is the principal source for satisfying the growing global demand for food. However, current production patterns and socioeconomic and demographic pressures could lead to an unsustainable, inequitable food supply. Government interventions support technical advances designed to meet future needs following international trends while overcoming biophysical constraints. Those most often used are focused on augmenting land productivity through mechanisation and increased dependence on external inputs. To that end, public policies have emerged as engines of development in agriculture and the agri-food system. This article provides a chronological analysis of the relevant milestones in the agri-food sector in Ecuador (1960–2020). At first, agrarian reform focused on land distribution and tenure. Subsequently, the focus moved to the implementation of research, technological innovation and technology transfer programmes promoted by the state with support and financing from international organisations. For this article, we chose for our approach the water–energy–food nexus. Until now, insufficient study based on this approach regarding agricultural programmes has been conducted in Ecuador. It is essential to concentrate on this sector because it represents about 10% of the gross domestic product and is a principal source of employment for more than two-thirds of the economically active population in rural areas. However, land fractioning, the lack of project continuity and the focus on the application of technological packages identified in this analysis suggest the need to rethink public policies for a sustainable agri-food system.

show abstract

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking Agricultural Policy in Ecuador (1960–2020): Analysis Based on the Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus

Toledo,

Salmoral,

Viteri-Salazar

2023

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Since the urbanization process in the study area has been defined by the transformation of native forest vegetation into cleared forest, pasture, and then to urban areas, we have defined four levels of disturbance based on the landscape pattern (see Iñiguez-Armijos et al, 2022). We selected 12 watersheds, hereafter sampling sites, arranged in watersheds that are characterized by different levels of entry within the city and that include different levels of urbanization.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These watersheds are part of the city, despite that they are not entirely covered by urban areas. Our experimental set up is similar to others that studies have previously used to assess the effects of this urbanization gradient on terrestrial (Gaona et al, 2021) and aquatic (Zúñiga-Sarango et al, 2020) insects, as well as on riparian vegetation (Chuquimarca et al, 2019) and stream ecosystems (Iñiguez-Armijos et al, 2022).…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Urbanization: Response of a Bird Community in the Neotropical Andes

et al. 2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Urbanization constitutes one of the most aggressive drivers of habitat and biodiversity loss worldwide. However, studies focused on determining the response of local biodiversity to urbanization are still scarce, especially in tropical ecosystems. Urban ecosystems are characterized by low biological productivity which in turn leads to a reduction in biodiversity. However, the responses to urbanization should be species dependent. For instance, changes in the availability of resources can favor certain species with specific characteristics. We assessed the effects of the urbanization process on a bird community in a city located in the Tropical Andes of southern Ecuador, a region widely recognized for its diversity and endemism of birds. We selected three independent localities in each of the four levels of the urbanization gradient in the study area (forest, forest-pasture, pasture, and urban). In each locality, we sampled the bird community by visual and auditory surveys along 1 km transects between 2016 and 2017. We recorded a total of 1,257 individuals belonging to 74 bird species. We evaluated if the responses of richness and abundance of birds are dependent on trophic guild and foraging strata. We found a significant decrease in bird species richness and abundance from forest to urban sites. However, the response of birds was dependent on the trophic guild and foraging strata. Granivorous birds showed a positive response associated with the urbanization gradient while insectivorous birds showed a negative response. Insectivorous birds were more abundant in forest sites and decreased in abundance across the urbanization gradient. We found that the proportion of birds using different foraging strata drastically changed along urban gradient. Forest sites exhibited a bird community using a variety of habitats, but the bird community became simpler toward the most urbanized sites. Our findings showed different effects of urbanization on bird communities. The ugly: urbanization leads to a dramatic reduction in the diversity of birds, which is consistent in cities with different characteristics and ecological contexts. On the other hand, the responses of bird guilds to urbanization are species dependent. Some guilds are positively impacted by urbanization and show increases in species richness and abundance while other guilds are negatively impacted.

show abstract

“…The ongoing urbanization has allowed an increase in the exploitation intensity of the land surface and a growing complexity in the functional use of the land surface (Foley et al, 2005;Sun et al, 2020;Manisha &Artem, 2022). The con ict between human production and living functions and natural ecosystem functions has been faced within the limited territory space (Long et al, 2014;Carlos et al, 2022), resulting in aggravated pollution, ecological degradation, and resource shortages (Salhi et al, 2021). The territory space, as the vehicle of the coupled human-earth system, embodies land-use production, living, and ecological functions (Pagliarin, 2018;Fan et al, 2019), making it a core element in sustainability science and urban development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing production–living–ecological spaces and its urban–rural gradients in Xiangyang City, China: insights from land-use function symbiosis

Liu,

Yang,

Zhou

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the formation process and urban-rural landscape pattern of production-living-ecological spaces (PLES) is crucial for sustainable land-use management and adaptive city governance. However, previous studies have neglected the symbiotic relationships between land-use functions (LUFs) in identifying and optimizing PLES. To address this gap, this study proposes a technical framework for assessing PLES from a LUFs symbiosis perspective. A case study was conducted in Xiangyang City, China, to identify PLES and analyze its urban-rural differentiation using the symbiosis degree model and landscape pattern indices. Our ndings revealed that the symbiotic relationships between LUFs varied, and there were 25 combination types of PLES in Xiangyang City, with signi cantly varied area proportions and spatial distribution. The landscape types of PLES increased, and landscape fragmentation strengthened along with the gradient change from the outer urban area (OUA) to the rural area (RA). Furthermore, we proposed a PLES optimization strategy involving LUFs symbiosis and the urban-rural gradient. Our study enriches the dimensions of PLES assessment and supports better-coordinated management, planning, and protection of PLES.

show abstract

Urbanisation process generates more independently-acting stressors and ecosystem functioning impairment in tropical Andean streams

Cited by 12 publications

References 69 publications

Rethinking Agricultural Policy in Ecuador (1960–2020): Analysis Based on the Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus

Rethinking Agricultural Policy in Ecuador (1960–2020): Analysis Based on the Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Urbanization: Response of a Bird Community in the Neotropical Andes

Assessing production–living–ecological spaces and its urban–rural gradients in Xiangyang City, China: insights from land-use function symbiosis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About