Search Results (4,489)

Urban green spaces provide measurable cooling that can mitigate urban heat islands, yet few studies have quantified these effects over multiple decades. This study analyzed Landsat imagery from four epochs (1990, 2000, 2013, 2018) to derive land surface temperature (LST) and vegetation indices—NDVI for greenness and NDMI for moisture content—for four large urban parks in Krakow. Late spring/summer LST in parks was compared with that of urban areas within 0–150 m and 150–300 m of park boundaries. Statistical significance was evaluated using bootstrapped confidence intervals, long-term trends were assessed via the Mann–Kendall test, and correlation analysis was used to examine relationships between LST and each vegetation index. Results show a persistent park cooling effect, with park interiors ~2–3 °C cooler than adjacent urban areas in all years. Despite an overall city-wide LST rise of ~5–6 °C from 1990 to 2018, the park cool island intensity (temperature difference between park and city) remained stable (no significant long-term trend, p > 0.7). Bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals confirmed that each park’s cooling effect was statistically significant in each year analyzed. NDMI (vegetation moisture content) correlated more strongly with LST (r ~ −0.90) than NDVI (r ~ −0.7 to −0.9), highlighting the importance of vegetation moisture in park cooling. These findings demonstrate that well-watered urban parks can sustain substantial cooling benefits over decades of urban development. The persistent ~2–3 °C daytime cooling observed underscores the value of water-sensitive green space planning as a long-term urban heat mitigation strategy. Full article

This paper assesses the correlates of perceived well-being among young women aged 18 to 30 in five Balkan cities: Athens, Greece; Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Bucharest, Romania; Nis, Serbia; and Shtip, North Macedonia, by integrating urban, travel behavioural, and socio-economic features. A cross-sectional survey was employed using standard questionnaires including the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the adapted ALPHA environmental questionnaire. To answer research questions, linear regression models were developed to analyse predictors of well-being at both regional and national levels. Results show that neighbourhood and mobility features play a significant role in shaping mental well-being. Access to walkable sidewalks, green spaces, mixed land-use structure, and attractive local facilities (e.g., shops, recreational centres in the neighbourhood) were consistently associated with higher levels of well-being. Conversely, perceived insecurity, especially at night or regarding bicycle theft, significantly reduced well-being. Physical activity levels, particularly days of walking and vigorous activity, showed strong positive associations, underscoring the role of active lifestyles in promoting mental health. Socio-economic variables, including financial status, relationship status, and work status, were also found to be linked to perceived well-being. Cycling-related variables may affect Greek well-being up to 16.5 times. Perception of crime during the night may negatively affect both Bulgarian and Serbian well-being (up to 10 times), while Romanian well-being is mostly affected by the existence of shopping facilities. Finally, the most impactful factors for well-being in North Macedonia refer to cycling safety and scooter accessibility. Full article

Within the current administrative boundaries of the city of Lublin, fragments of roadside tree avenues of various historical origins and periods of establishment have been preserved, including former tree-lined roads leading to rural and suburban residences from the 18th and 19th centuries. This avenue once led to the manor in Konstantynów and now serves as the main road through the campus of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski—KUL). As one of the last surviving elements of the former rural landscape, the Konstantynów avenue represents a symbolic link between past and future. The research combines acoustic tomography and chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, providing a precise and non-invasive evaluation of the internal structure and physiological performance of 34 small-leaved linden trees (Tilia cordata Mill.). This methodological approach allows for early detection of stress symptoms and structural degradation, offering a significant advancement over traditional visual assessments. The study area is an intensively used urban campus, where extensive surface sealing beneath tree canopies restricts rooting space. The degree of surface sealing (paving) directly beneath the tree canopies was also measured. Based on the statistical analysis, a weak a non-significant weak negative correlation (r = −0.117) was found between the proportion of sealed surfaces within the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) and the Fv/Fm vitality index, indicating that higher levels of surface sealing may reduce tree vitality; however, this relationship was not statistically significant (p = 0.518). The study provides an evidence-based framework for conserving historic trees by integrating advanced diagnostic tools and quantifying environmental stress factors. It emphasizes the importance of improving rooting conditions, integrating heritage trees into urban planning strategies, and developing adaptive management practices to increase their resilience. The findings offer a model for developing innovative conservation strategies, applicable to historic green infrastructure across Europe and beyond. Full article

This study aims to improve the accuracy and efficiency of apple defect detection under complex lighting conditions. A novel approach is proposed that integrates filtered imaging with color space reconstruction, utilizing YOLOv12 as the detection framework. “Red Fuji” apples were selected, and an imaging platform featuring adjustable illumination and RGB filters was established. Following pre-experimental optimization of imaging conditions, a dataset comprising 1600 images was constructed. Conversions to RGB, HSI, and LAB color spaces were performed, and YOLOv12 served as the baseline model for ablation experiments. Detection performance was assessed using Precision, Recall, mAP, and FPS metrics. Results indicate that the green filter under 4500 K illumination combined with RGB color space conversion yields optimal performance, achieving an mAP50–95 of 83.1% and a processing speed of 15.15 FPS. This study highlights the impact of filter–color space combinations on detection outcomes, offering an effective solution for apple defect identification and serving as a reference for industrial inspection applications. Full article

Background: College students face significant stress from academic demands and high pressures, which can contribute to long-term physical and mental health issues. Existing stress-relief strategies are not always immediately available to this population, highlighting the need for accessible, low-cost solutions. Methods: This randomised controlled trial examined the effects of nature exposure on stress and well-being in a sample of 29 healthy college students compared to a healthy control group (n = 28). The intervention group engaged in 30 min walks in a natural environment four times per week over a four-week period. Stress levels and general well-being were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires administered before and after the intervention period, allowing for a comparison of changes in mental health outcomes between an intervention and control group. Eye-tracking analysis during a battery of cognitive tests assessed cognitive functioning. Findings: The intervention was associated with a greater reduction in psychological distress over time (β = −2.98, p = 0.007) and showed a trend toward reduced burnout symptoms (β = −0.12, p = 0.08) compared to the control group. These associations are independent of sex, age, BMI, smoking status, COVID-19 history, and previous diagnosis of mental illness. An increase in the number of saccades during the visual working memory task was observed in the intervention group compared to controls (β = 5.01, p = 0.046), while saccadic activity in other tasks remained unchanged. No significant effects were found for the neurocognitive performance measures. Conclusions: These findings suggest that short-term nature exposure may support psychological well-being and mental engagement in young adults. Our research highlights the use of walking in nature as a realistic and accessible strategy to promote mental health and neurocognitive functioning among students. Full article

Currently, many industrial cities in Northeast China are grappling with a surge in brownfields, population loss, and environmental degradation, largely driven by industrial decline. Consequently, brownfield regeneration has emerged as a critical pathway for exploring sustainable development in shrinking cities. This study investigates the regeneration potential of urban brownfields against the backdrop of population shrinkage and aging. Under the framework of Ecosystem Service Theory, this study adopts the Fulaerji District of Qiqihar City as a representative case, integrating its four key categories of ecosystem services into a three-dimensional “economic–social–environmental” evaluation framework. This approach facilitates the transformation of Ecosystem Service Theory from a conventional post-regeneration evaluation tool into a pre-regeneration framework for assessing potential and determining site prioritization. A tripartite evaluation system was constructed, integrating economic vitality (e.g., the population shrinkage index, the proportion of the elderly population, and transportation accessibility), social culture (e.g., the industrial heritage proximity index), and ecological regulation functions (e.g., proximity of green spaces and importance of ecosystem services). Leveraging multi-source geospatial data, land surveys, and field inspections, 12 candidate brownfield sites were identified. GIS spatial analysis and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) were employed to decipher their spatial distribution patterns and comprehensive potential grades. The findings reveal the following: (1) The evaluation results exhibit distinct spatial characteristics: high-potential sites, clustered near transport hubs and policy-supported zones, demonstrate multi-dimensional advantages, while low-potential sites, constrained by aging demographics, poor accessibility, and ecological vulnerability, are predominantly located on the urban periphery. (2) Correlation analysis between potential grades and various evaluation indicators, combined with a cross-comparison of population shrinkage levels and average values of other evaluation indicators across different potential grades, reveals that neither the population shrinkage index nor the elderly population proportion exerts a systematic negative impact on industrial brownfield regeneration potential. This finding indicates that within specific urban development contexts, brownfield regeneration potential is influenced more by structural factors such as locational conditions, policy support, and ecological service functions than by singular demographic trends. This research provides both theoretical foundation and decision-making support for differentiated brownfield regeneration and spatial governance in population-shrinking cities. Full article

Urban streets serve as essential spaces for commercial activities and social interaction, yet the mechanisms through which their landscape elements influence consumption vitality remain insufficiently explored. Focusing on Lixia District, Jinan, China, this study integrates street-view image semantic segmentation with machine learning techniques to capture the nonlinear interactions between streetscape features and consumption vitality, thereby establishing an analytical framework for examining their associations. The results show that: (1) pedestrian-friendly facilities are significantly associated with higher street-level consumption vitality, with benches and streetlights showing marked effects once their visual proportions exceed 10% and 12%, respectively; (2) the visual proportion of parking space becomes positively associated with consumption vitality when exceeding 0.15, whereas carriageway proportion shows an overall negative association; (3) the marginal effect of advertising density gradually diminishes, with billboard visibility ratios above 25% exhibiting saturated impacts; (4) when green-view visibility exceeds 30%, consumption vitality increases substantially, peaking within the 35–40% range; (5) potential synergies or trade-offs exist among streetscape elements—compared with individual factors, the combinations of benches and parking spaces, benches and billboards, as well as parking spaces and billboards, are associated with higher street-level consumption vitality. In contrast, combinations involving a larger sky view ratio are often linked to lower consumption vitality, suggesting that overly open spaces may weaken consumer attractiveness. This study not only extends the methodological toolkit for analyzing consumption vitality but also provides theoretical and practical guidance for the refined design and experiential construction of urban street environments. Full article

As urbanization accelerates, the growing needs of children have led to a significant imbalance between supply and demand in urban spaces. Creating child-friendly environments is crucial for enhancing urban resilience and promoting sustainable development. However, there is currently a lack of sufficient quantitative methods to assess child-friendliness and analyze the complex interactions between children’s perceptions and spatial factors. This study uses the central area of Xiamen as a case study to explore how different street environment characteristics influence perceptions of child-friendliness. This study integrates empathy-based stories (MEBS), street scene image analysis, XGBoost machine learning, and GeoSHapley spatial analysis to explore children’s perceptions of urban spaces. The study reveals that: (1) The child-friendly resources in the central urban area of Xiamen are concentrated in the northeastern and Huli districts, while a supply–demand mismatch exists in Siming District, which has a higher population density; (2) Greenness and pavement coverage are critical in shaping child-friendliness, with greenness having the greatest positive impact; (3) Some areas with child-friendly renovations have a lower child-friendliness index, whereas regions like Guanyinshan, which did not undergo renovations, scored higher; (4) The interaction between greenness and openness positively influences perceptions, while enclosure and visual complexity have a negative effect. Building on the need for child-friendly environments, this study develops a spatial analysis framework to quantify the alignment of child-friendly supply and demand in Xiamen’s central urban area, identify regions with mismatched supply and demand, and offer spatial decision support to improve urban environmental quality and promote sustainable development. Full article

As an important part of the urban ecological environment, urban green space plays a crucial and irreplaceable role in improving air quality, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing residents’ quality of life. This study takes Beijing’s urban green space as the research object. Based on Landsat series satellite remote sensing images, the land use distribution of Beijing is obtained through supervised classification. Combined with data such as PM_2.5 concentration and wind speed, the dry deposition efficiency of PM_2.5 is quantitatively analyzed. The results show that: (1) Beijing’s urban green space has significant advantages in PM_2.5 dry deposition. In terms of dry deposition flux, the order of annual average deposition of different land types is: forest land > farm land > grassland > impervious surface > water body = unutilized land. Among them, forest land has the best dry deposition effect, with an annual average dry deposition of 1.13 g/m², which is 188.41 times that of impervious surface; cultivated land and grassland are 0.22 g/m² and 0.19 g/m² respectively, which are 37.13 times and 32.34 times that of impervious surface. (2) From 2000 to 2020, the PM_2.5 removal rate of green space continued to rise, but the reduction amount showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. There are significant seasonal differences. The reduction amount is the highest in autumn (reaching 449.90 tons in October), followed by summer, spring, and winter (the lowest in August, at 190.27 tons). (3) In terms of spatial distribution, the high-value areas of dry deposition are concentrated in the suburbs, showing a “southwest-northeast” axial distribution, while the low-value areas are mainly located in the outer suburbs, reflecting the imbalance of green space layout and the regional differences in PM_2.5 reduction. Combined with the current situation of green space in Beijing, the study puts forward targeted optimization suggestions, providing theoretical support and scientific basis for the construction of Beijing as a “garden city”. Full article

Under the national “dual-carbon goal” and the pressing demand for sustainable development, eco-city construction and carbon reduction have become critical issues on China’s urban development agenda, closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, most studies focus on regional assessments, lacking national-scale evaluations and spatial heterogeneity analysis of obstacles. This study analyzes 280 Chinese cities using a multi-level evaluation system. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight methods determine index weights, while the comprehensive evaluation method assesses ecological levels. The obstacle diagnosis model identifies key obstacle factors, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) analyzes spatial heterogeneity, computing carbon intensity to explore relationships with eco-cities development. The findings reveal that (1) the ecological level of Chinese cities exhibits a regional pattern of “high in the east, low in the west”; (2) the primary index-level obstacle factors include total per capita water resources, per capita green space area, college full-time faculty per 10,000 people, the proportion of tertiary industries in gross domestic product (GDP), and college students per 10,000 people; at the element level, the main obstacles are environmental bases, social services, economic potential, and innovative capacity; (3) the GWR model reveals that eastern regions should increase water resources, central regions expand green space, and western and northeastern regions enhance innovative capacity and social services to foster balanced development; and (4) carbon intensity follows a “low in the east, high in the west” pattern, with eco-cities scores significantly negatively correlated with carbon intensity (r = −0.235, p < 0.01). This study provides the first comprehensive national-scale evaluation of eco-cities development, providing reference for the construction of eco-cities. Full article

Green spaces in subtropical cities are important for providing ecological services that support human well-being and serve as reservoirs for diverse microbial communities, which in turn support ecosystem functions. However, studies on the characteristics of the phyllosphere microbial community and public health risks associated with putative pathogens in various urban green spaces exposed to anthropogenic stress remain limited. To address this gap, we collected leaf samples from forests, greenbelts, parklands, and wetlands across Wuhan, China, and analyzed the bacterial and fungal communities via next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. For bacterial and fungal communities, alpha diversity was significantly greater in low-traffic zones than in high-traffic zones. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinct clustering of bacterial and fungal communities according to the urban green space type. Anthropogenic factors (foot traffic) influence green space type to shape microbial community structure, function, and stability, with shifts significantly associated with soil physicochemical properties via Mantel tests and redundancy analysis. The relative abundance of Enterobacter and Enterococcus was significantly greater in high-intensity parklands (HIPS) and high-intensity greenbelts (HIGS) (41.84, 38.32%), respectively. Our findings provide important information for the sustainable management of urban green spaces by regulating microbial communities, offering new insights into ecosystem health and human well-being. Full article

Climate change and livestock expansion have affected forage supply in the dry tropics. Therefore, optimizing planting methods adapted to adverse tropical environments is essential for establishment and yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different planting methods on the establishment rate, morphology, yield, and nutritional composition of Cuba OM-22 under the soil and climate conditions of the dry tropics of Peru, using a block design with four replicates and five methods for propagation by cuttings. The S4 (two-node cuttings, 25 cm in length; horizontal position 180°, parallel to the soil surface; fully buried at 8 cm depth; no spacing between cuttings along the furrow) method offered the best balance between yield and quality, with higher establishment rate (55.93%), height (182.15 cm; higher than S1 and S5), and more tillers (surpassing S1 and S2 by 16.97% and 18.86%). In addition, it obtained good green forage yields (137.43 t ha⁻¹) and was better than all planting methods in dry matter yield (37.45 t ha⁻¹). In nutritional composition, S4 ranked among the highest averages for nitrogen-free extract (NFE) (43.22%) and ash (11.06%). However, protein, crude fiber, and fat content did not differ between methods. On the other hand, planting methods showed negative correlations between the number of tillers and ash content (p = 0.006; r = −0.79), ash and NFE (p = 0.000; r = −0.92), and protein with crude fiber (p = 0.029; r = −0.68). These findings highlight S4 as a key strategy for optimizing establishment, yield, and quality in Cuba OM-22 in the dry tropics. Full article

We study an integral transform—here called the Master Integral Transform—in which the kernel is an arbitrary entire function of finite order. When the nonzero Taylor coefficients of the kernel have positive Beurling–Malliavin density, we prove completeness and global injectivity in a Cauchy-weighted Hilbert space, and we furnish explicit Mellin–Fourier inversion formulae with exponentially decaying integrands. Classical Fourier, Laplace, and Mellin transforms appear only as strict special cases. Beyond these, we establish structural properties (multiplier/composition law, dilation covariance, parameter regularity) and present applications not captured by fixed-kernel frameworks, including inverse-kernel identification and hybrid boundary value models, e.g., the Poisson–Airy pair produces a closed-form transformed Green’s function and a solvable variable-coefficient PDE, illustrating capabilities unavailable to fixed-kernel frameworks. Full article

Urban green spaces (UGS) are pivotal to urban sustainability, yet their morphology—patch size, shape, and configuration—remains insufficiently linked to institutional drivers. We investigate how land tenure strength shapes UGS morphology across 36 cities in nine countries. Using OpenStreetMap data, we delineate UGS and compute landscape metrics (AREA, PARA, SHAPE, FRAC, PAFRAC) via FRAGSTATS; we develop a composite index of land tenure strength capturing ownership, use-right duration, expropriation compensation, and government land governance capacity. Spearman’s rank correlations indicate a scale-dependent coupling: stronger tenure is significantly associated with micro-scale patterns—smaller patch areas and more complex, irregular boundaries—consistent with fragmented ownership and higher transaction costs, whereas macro-scale indicators (e.g., overall green coverage/connectivity) show weaker sensitivity. These findings clarify an institutional pathway through which property rights intensity influences the physical fabric of urban nature. Policy implications are twofold: in high-intensity contexts, flexible instruments (e.g., transferable development rights, negotiated acquisition, ecological compensation) can maintain network connectivity via embedded, fine-grain interventions; in low-intensity contexts, one-off land assembly can efficiently deliver larger, regular green cores. The results provide evidence-based guidance for aligning green infrastructure design with diverse governance regimes and advancing context-sensitive sustainability planning. Full article

As global urbanization accelerates and the challenges of an aging population and climate change intensify, the need for sustainable and inclusive urban design has never been more pressing. This study examines the intersection of low-carbon strategies and age-friendly walking environments, focusing on how collaborative approaches can optimize community spaces for elderly mobility while meeting sustainability goals. A comprehensive literature review, systematically conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines, examines the role of walking networks, green spaces, and public facilities in creating low-carbon, accessible, and health-enhancing environments. The research reveals a gap in integrating low-carbon goals with elderly mobility needs, stressing the importance of collaborative governance in urban planning. This collaborative synergy—combining community input, urban policy, and low-carbon design solutions—can create environments that not only reduce emissions but also enhance elderly well-being. By exploring the synergies between these elements, the study proposes a framework for collaborative urban planning that ensures both environmental sustainability and the well-being of elderly populations. The results suggest that integrating low-carbon principles with age-friendly design can simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life for elderly residents. Future research should focus on refining this framework and addressing the barriers to effective collaboration in urban planning. Full article