Search Results (14)

A challenge for urban ecology is to reduce biotic homogenisation by promoting plant diversity from local to city scales. As ecological and social components constantly interact in cities, an urban landscape characterisation reflecting socio-spatial functioning seems essential. However, spatially explicit description of cities at a relevant scale for urban planning are uncommon in ecological studies. Here, we explored a new approach based on the city-block scale, common in urban geography and planning, to directly link urban uses and patterns of herbaceous plant communities. We characterised all city blocks of a medium-sized French city (Blois). We inventoried grassland and meadows in 129 city blocks (10% of the whole city) for seven public and private urban uses (collective housing, individual housing, industrial, public service, park, land reserve, and road verge). We measured alpha diversity, community composition, regional originality of urban uses, and beta diversity between them. Urban land reserved for future development and parks harbour unique community composition within the city. Collective and individual housings have the same average alpha diversity, but the variability in community composition was higher for individual housing blocks. School and industrial city blocks have important alpha diversity and regional originality. Road verges have the highest alpha diversity but low regional originality and many common urban and regional species. Large green spaces with original communities should be protected during urban densification. The verticalization of residential housing could be an efficient means of internal urban densification if the lowest level of management intensity is promoted to maintain diversified vegetation. Some little-studied uses (schools, industrial city blocks) present opportunities to impede urban homogenisation. Full article

Grass collected as part of roadside maintenance is conventionally subjected to composting, which has the disadvantage of generating significant CO₂ emissions. Thus, it is crucial to find an alternative method for the utilisation of grass waste. The aim of this study was to determine the specific biogas yield (SBY) from the anaerobic mono-digestion of grass from road verges and to assess the content of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) in grass in relation to the time of cutting and the preservation method of the studied material. The biochemical biogas potential (BBP) test and the FAMEs content were performed on fresh and ensiled grass collected in spring, summer, and autumn. The highest biogas production was obtained from fresh grass cut in spring (715.05 ± 26.43 NL kg_VS⁻¹), while the minimum SBY was observed for fresh grass cut in summer (540.19 ± 24.32 NL kg_VS⁻¹). The methane (CH₄) content in the biogas ranged between 55.0 ± 2.0% and 60.0 ± 1.0%. The contents of ammonia (NH₃) and hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) in biogas remained below the threshold values for these inhibitors. The highest level of total FAMEs was determined in fresh grass cut in autumn (98.08 ± 19.25 mg g_DM⁻¹), while the lowest level was detected in fresh grass cut in spring (56.37 ± 7.03 mg g_DM⁻¹). C16:0 and C18:0, which are ideal for biofuel production, were present in the largest amount (66.87 ± 15.56 mg g_DM⁻¹) in fresh grass cut in autumn. The ensiling process significantly impacted the content of total FAMEs in spring grass, leading to a reduction in total saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and an increase in total unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs). We conclude that grass biomass collected during the maintenance of road verges is a valuable feedstock for the production of both liquid and gaseous biofuels; however, generating energy from biogas appears to be more efficient than producing biodiesel. Full article

The objective of this research is to analyze metal elements, such as Na (sodium), Mg (magnesium), Al (aluminum), Si (silicon), Pb (lead), K (potassium), Ca (calcium), and Fe (iron), found in dust particles within two distinct areas from which the samplings were taken. The first sampling was taken from the road verge of a highly trafficked road section, while the second sampling was taken from a residential garden area 90 m away from the road. Several metal elements were detected with a high difference in Si, which presented higher concentrations in the dust samples from the road verge area. Pb has only been detected in the samples taken from the road verge, which could be explained by residual remnants from old lead gasoline and wheel weights. Additionally, during the same investigation, airborne particulate matter (PM) concentrations were measured in comparison between the road verge and the garden area; this presented a substantial difference in the concentration levels, suggesting that dense vegetation is protecting and blocking a majority of airborne PM. A literature highlight of the health effects of different metal elements and PM concentrations is presented. Full article

Chinese Fan Palm, Livistona chinensis, was introduced as an ornamental plant towards the end of the nineteenth century in Pakistan, and since then, it has been used as a popular plant in urban landscaping. It dominates the green belt of parks, recreational gardens and road verges in Lahore, Pakistan. Recent trends in the plantation of fast-growing palm species and other exotics have replaced L. chinensis in urban landscaping. In this study, observations made on the daily routine of foraging of L. chinensis berries by two common urban birds, the red vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) and the house crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), showed that their consumption of berries peaked in December and January, but the duration of foraging was shown to be longer in house crows as compared to red vented bulbuls. This period of consumption corresponds to the time when the pulp of the berries has become soft, and during this period, no other fruits are available in the urban landscape. Nutrient analysis showed that the pulp of the ripened berries is a rich source of nutrients, and these berries are providing an ideal winter food to counter the increased energetic demands experienced by urban birds during the coldest part of the year, thus helping birds avoid the risk of starvation. This dietary intake of berries by birds also provides a rationale to popularize L. chinensis as an essential component of the planting palette of the urban landscape. This research can be considered as starting point for broad public support to improving landscape planning for managing nature in cities. Full article

Maintenance of urban green infrastructure generates a large amount of biomass that can be considered a valuable feedstock for biogas production. This study aims to determine the effect of the cutting time and method of substrate preservation on the specific methane yield (SMY) of urban grass collected from road verges and median strips between roadways in wet (WF) and dry fermentation (DF) technology. The grass was collected three times in a growing season, including in spring, summer, and autumn. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) test was performed on fresh grass, grass ensiled without additives, and grass ensiled with microbiological additives. In addition, the energy potentially produced from biogas and the avoided CO₂ emissions were calculated. The highest SMY (274.18 ± 22.59 NL kg_VS⁻¹) was observed for the fresh grass collected in spring and subjected to WF. At the same time, the lowest CH₄ production (182.63 ± 0.48 NL kg_VS⁻¹) was found in the grass ensiled without additives, collected in summer, and digested in DF technology. A comparison of the SMY obtained from the same grass samples in the WF and DF technologies revealed that higher CH₄ yields were produced in WF. The electricity and heat production were affected by the time of grass cutting, ensilage method, and AD technology. Generally, less electricity but more heat was produced in DF technology. The least electricity (469–548 kWh t_DM⁻¹) was produced from the grass cut in spring and subjected to DF, while the most electricity (621–698 kWh t_DM⁻¹) was obtained from the grass collected in autumn and subjected to WF. In the case of heat production, the situation was reversed. The least heat (1.4–1.9 GJ t_DM⁻¹) was produced by the grass collected in spring and subjected to WF, while the most heat (2.2–2.7 GJ t_DM⁻¹) was produced by the grass collected in autumn and subjected to DF. Ensilage decreased the electricity and heat production in almost all the cuttings. The total reduction in CO₂ emissions may amount to 2400 kg CO₂ per 1 hectare of road verges. This significant reduction demonstrates that the use of grass from roadside verges in biogas plants should be considered a feasible option. Even though urban grass should be considered a co-substrate only, it can be a valuable feedstock that may partially substitute energy crops and reduce the area needed for energy purposes. Our results reveal that biogas production from the grass waste in WF technology is a stable process. The cutting time and preservation method do not affect the AD process. In DF technology, fresh grass, especially from the late growing season used as feedstock, extends the time of biomass decomposition and, therefore, should be avoided in a real-life biogas plant. Full article

Poor waste management and illegal waste shipments adversely affect the environment and public health, resulting in environmental degradation. Indeed, environmental degradation is one of the most visible problems in Hargeisa. Currently, solid waste is disposed of at two dumping sites within the city limits, causing problematic and unsanitary conditions. Moreover, the existing dumpsites are on the verge of closure, highlighting an important need that must be addressed. This research aimed to integrate multicriteria decision analysis and GIS to evaluate the site suitability for landfill in Hargeisa, Somaliland. For this purpose, eleven significant parameters were selected: proximity to built-up areas, surface water, groundwater well points, sensitive sites (airports), land use/land cover, geology, soil type, elevation, slopes, roads, and separation from existing dumpsites. Next, these were combined via an analytical hierarchy technique. Subsequently, restriction buffer analysis was performed on the seven parameters to obtain better and more accurate results, and restricted zones were omitted. Furthermore, the pair-wise comparison used to obtain priorities between the selected criteria showed that the LULC is the most significant criterion in the model, with a relative weight of 0.1829, followed by habitations, with 0.1506. The overall result reveals that approximately 68.96% (21,060.9 ha) of the study area is unsuitable, while 24.36% (7441.53 ha) and 6.68% were considered less and highly appropriate zones, respectively. As a result, this study reveals that despite the vast extent of the study area, the areas ideal for landfill remain severely limited. Therefore, in light of the findings of this study, the municipal council of Hargeisa must reevaluate dumpsite locations and waste management practices to address the issues in the region in a timely manner. Furthermore, this systematic research approach will assist regional and global researchers, policymakers, and municipal governments. Full article

Soil contains a diverse fauna and microflora that are vital for maintaining healthy soils and their various ecosystem services. Oribatid mites are typically highly abundant arthropods in the soil and are used as indicators for environmental monitoring. The aim of this study was to determine oribatid mite community response to natural land cover, anthropogenic disturbance, space, and climate in the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada. Our results found that oribatid mite total abundance was significantly reduced by mining, cultivation, and well sites. Species richness was significantly reduced by mining and cultivation. Shannon’s diversity index was significantly higher for all natural land cover types, seismic lines, and forest harvest. Additionally, species diversity was lower under the relative influence of energy-related soft linear disturbances than for naturally vegetated sites and forest harvesting, and was lowered further by anthropogenic disturbances with more impact on soil integrity (cultivation, mines, urban/industrial, road/trail verges, well sites). Abundance, richness, and diversity also increased with increased frost free period and with eastward longitude. Mite community composition included a notable composition difference between lowland habitats and upland forest types, and between natural land cover and intense anthropogenic disturbance types (e.g., mines, cultivation). Our study highlighted oribatid mite communities’ response to natural land cover, anthropogenic disturbance and spatial–climatic factors assessed over broad spatial scales and the potential utility of oribatid mites as ecosystem health indicators under multiple ecological drivers. Full article

The purpose of our study was to determine the role of flower structure and nectar composition in shaping the reproductive success (RS) of the generalist orchid Epipactis helleborine in natural and anthropogenic populations. We supposed that the distinct character of two groups of habitats creates different conditions for plant–pollinator relationships, thus influencing reproductive success in E. helleborine populations. Both pollinaria removal (PR) and fruiting (FRS) were differentiated between the populations. On average, FRS was almost two times higher in the anthropogenic than in the natural populations. The difference between the two population groups in PR was smaller but still statistically significant. RS parameters were correlated with some floral display and flower traits. Floral display influenced RS only in three anthropogenic populations. Flower traits had a weak influence on RS (10 of the 192 cases analyzed). The more important trait in shaping RS was nectar chemistry. The nectar of E. helleborine is relatively diluted with a lower sugar concentration in the anthropogenic than in the natural populations. In the natural populations, domination of sucrose over hexoses was found, while in the anthropogenic populations, hexoses were more abundant and the participation of sugars was balanced. In some populations, sugars influenced RS. In E. helleborine nectar, 20 proteogenic and 7 non-proteogenic amino acids (AAs) were found with a clear domination of glutamic acid. We noted relationships between some AAs and RS, but distinct AAs shaped RS in different populations, and their impact was independent of their participation. Our results indicate that the flower structure and nectar composition of E. helleborine reflect its generalistic character and meet the requirements of a wide range of pollinators. Simultaneously, the differentiation of flower traits suggests a variation in pollinator assemblages in particular populations. Knowledge about the factors influencing RS in distinct habitats helps to understand the evolutionary potential of species and to understand mechanisms and processes crucial for shaping interactions between plants and pollinators. Full article

The creation of green areas within urban centers was born as a response to profoundly different problems, such as the demographic increase and the progressive urbanization of landscapes. Moreover, up to date, the genetics of plants has not been considered for urban contexts. The purpose of this review is to discuss the state of the art and the advantages in planning genetic improvement for plants for urban destinations, also providing technical information, that may contribute in a concrete way. Firstly, recent genomic sources and their potential contribution to breeding programs are discussed. Then, dividing the urban scenarios into four macro areas (i.e., urban/metropolitan parks, urban gardens, road verges and roofs/terraces/balconies), we described the role of genetics in the adaptability and sustainability of plants in these different contexts. In addition, we analyzed the genetic traits plants need to provide services for a city environment and population (e.g., pollution reduction, biodiversity conservation, soil stability, and food production). Full article

The main priorities of the common agricultural policies of the European Union (EU) are improvement of the quality of life in rural areas for their inhabitants as well as the optimum utilisation of rural resources. The most efficient tools to improve the management conditions and utilise the potential of land are land consolidation works aimed at creating more favourable management conditions in agriculture and forestry through improving the territorial structure of farms, forests and forestland; the reasonable configuration of land, aligning the limits of real properties with the system of irrigation; and drainage facilities, roads and terrain. The development of agriculture in Poland and its production capacity are considerably differentiated in terms of space. At present, Poland has agricultural areas which, in many respects, have a chance of competing with agriculture in the other member states of the European Union. However, in some areas, agricultural production run by private farms owned by individuals is on the verge of falling below the limit of profitability or falls below the limit of profitability. Currently, Poland lacks tools (strategies) allowing identification of land for intensive agricultural production as well as information about agricultural land that should be developed for non-agricultural purposes. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a methodology for identifying similar areas using available tools that can facilitate reliable identification of the areas relating to the indicated factors. Taxonomic methods can be used for clustering purposes. The study materials are data derived from real property register databases referring to one of the districts (poviats) situated in east-central Poland. As a final result, a method of clustering villages according to similar land-use categories was developed. It was created using two independent statistical methods: Ward’s method and the complete-linkage method. The highest consistency was observed in two groups of identified types of areas sharing very similar characteristics. A high index of similarity of both methods—the so-called Rand index—testified to the reliability of the results of calculations. The results of clustering corresponded to a large extent to actual features defining the use of land in the analysed villages as well as the terrain relief. Full article

Urban air quality is considered a major issue in cities worldwide, with particulate matter (PM) recognised as one of the most harmful pollutants regarding human health. The use of plants to act as air filters and immobilise PM has been identified as a potential method to improve the air quality in these areas. The majority of the work has focused on trees, with the application of shrub and herbaceous species largely overlooked. Two contrasting leaf morphologies from a shrub and herbaceous plant species were sampled at four locations across Southampton (UK), from varying traffic conditions. Samples were analysed for the mass of PM captured, particle size, and elemental composition. These analyses were used to characterise the different sites and the plants’ effectiveness at immobilisation of PM. Captured PM mass was shown to be directly related to traffic density, with greater traffic density leading to higher levels of captured PM. PM origins were attributed to emissions from vehicles and the resuspension of particles by vehicle movement. The bulk of the PM mass was shown to originate from natural, crustal sources including large proportions of Al, Si, and/or Ca. Increases in elements from anthropogenic enhancement (such as Fe and Zn) were related to high traffic density. Particle size analysis identified that, despite the use of standard leaf-washing protocols with a final 2.5 µm filter, PM was dominated by fine particles (<2.5 µm physical diameter), with particles >10 µm rare. Bramble leaves were calculated to have a species-specific deposition velocity 0.51 cm s⁻¹ greater than ivy, with deposition velocities calculated at 1.8 and 1.3 cm s⁻¹ for ivy and 2.3 and 1.8 cm s⁻¹ for bramble at Redbridge Road and Brinton’s Road, respectively. These values can allow for the more accurate modelling and estimation of the PM removal abilities of these plants. Full article

Urban soils are at the interface between land and people and provide a wide variety of important ecosystem services to highly populous areas. The aims of this soil survey were (1) to measure the bulk density, carbon (C) storage and pH of surface soils (0–15 cm depth) from public spaces (parks and road verges) in the city of Liverpool, UK, and (2) to determine the likely impact of these master variables on heavy metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn). The bulk densities and organic matter contents varied considerably in the predominantly sandy textured soils within the city boundary, resulting in diverse C densities from 1–10 kg C m². Organic carbon formed the majority of the labile, water-soluble and extractable C pool in these soils, a fact not easily elucidated from their organic matter or C content alone. The copper and lead concentrations in the sampled soils were correlated with organic matter and organic carbon in water-extracts. Cadmium and zinc appeared to be dependent only on soil pH, whilst arsenic was related positively to organic matter, but negatively to pH. Interrelationships, and hence synonymous distributions, of all metal(loid)s existed, but were strongest between Cu and As, and Cu and Pb. These results suggest that the diverse bulk densities, and hence carbon storage, of the urban soils surveyed influenced the dispersal of metals and arsenic. Full article

Accurate mapping is a main challenge for endangered small-sized terrestrial species. Freely available spatio-temporal data at high resolution from multispectral satellite offer excellent opportunities for improving predictive distribution models of such species based on fine-scale habitat features, thus making it easier to achieve comprehensive biodiversity conservation goals. However, there are still few examples showing the utility of remote-sensing-based products in mapping microhabitat suitability for small species of conservation concern. Here, we address this issue using Sentinel-2 sensor-derived habitat variables, used in combination with more commonly used explanatory variables (e.g., topography), to predict the distribution of the endangered Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae) in agrosilvopastorial systems. Based on vole surveys conducted in two different seasons over a ~176,000 ha landscape in Southern Portugal, we assessed the significance of each predictor in explaining Cabrera vole occurrence using the Boruta algorithm, a novel Random forest variant for dealing with high dimensionality of explanatory variables. Overall, results showed a strong contribution of Sentinel-2-derived variables for predicting microhabitat suitability of Cabrera voles. In particular, we found that photosynthetic activity (NDI45), specific spectral signal (SWIR1), and landscape heterogeneity (Rao’s Q) were good proxies of Cabrera voles’ microhabitat, mostly during temporally greener and wetter conditions. In addition to remote-sensing-based variables, the presence of road verges was also an important driver of voles’ distribution, highlighting their potential role as refuges and/or corridors. Overall, our study supports the use of remote-sensing data to predict microhabitat suitability for endangered small-sized species in marginal areas that potentially hold most of the biodiversity found in human-dominated landscapes. We believe our approach can be widely applied to other species, for which detailed habitat mapping over large spatial extents is difficult to obtain using traditional descriptors. This would certainly contribute to improving conservation planning, thereby contributing to global conservation efforts in landscapes that are managed for multiple purposes. Full article

Lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology further enabled the information revolution by powering smartphones and tablets, allowing these devices an unprecedented performance against reasonable cost. Currently, this battery technology is on the verge of carrying the revolution in road transport and energy storage of renewable energy. However, to fully succeed in the latter, a number of hurdles still need to be taken. Battery performance and lifetime constitute a bottleneck for electric vehicles as well as stationary electric energy storage systems to penetrate the market. Electrochemical battery models are one of the engineering tools which could be used to enhance their performance. These models can help us optimize the cell design and the battery management system. In this study, we evaluate the ability of the Porous Electrode Theory (PET) to predict the effect of changing positive electrode density in the overall performance of Li-ion battery cells. It can be concluded that Porous Electrode Theory (PET) is capable of predicting the difference in cell performance due to a changing positive electrode density. Full article