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Urban Science
Special Issues
Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection
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Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection

A special issue of Urban Science (ISSN 2413-8851).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 9826

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Biao Zeng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui S Rd., Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: ecosystem monitoring and assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban green spaces and wetlands are vital components of urban ecological environment. Urban green space and wetland ecosystems serve important functions such as carbon sequestration, regional climate regulation, recreation, etc. These ecosystems have changed markedly due to rapid urban development (e.g., urban expansions and urban agglomeration) and global warming. However, the impacts of these two factors on the urban green space and wetland ecosystems are uncertain due to limits of the evaluated indices, methods and spatiotemporal scales. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of these ecosystem changes remain poorly constrained in urban ecological science. These problems are urgent in improving the understandings of urban ecosystem dynamics and its driving mechanisms, and then optimizing the urban ecological restorations and constructions in a sustainable way.

This Special Issue aims to offer a platform for seeking new data, methods and theories to assess the impacts of rapid urban development and climate change on the urban green space and wetland ecosystems, and to reveal the underlying mechanisms of these ecosystem changes. These findings will expand the theories of urban ecological science and support optimizing functions of the urban green space and wetland ecosystems as well as urban planning to realize high-quality urban development.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome which focus on assessing the impacts of rapid urban development and climate change on the urban green space and wetland ecosystems, and which clarify the processes and mechanisms of these ecosystem changes. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • New data or methods or theories for assessing and understanding the impacts of rapid urban development and climate change on the urban green space ecosystem or wetland ecosystem at multiple spatiotemporal scales (e.g., years and seasons, neighborhoods and regions).
  • Contribution analysis of rapid urban development and climate change to dynamics in the urban green space ecosystem or wetland ecosystem.
  • Driving processes and mechanism explorations for changes in the urban green space ecosystem or wetland ecosystem.
  • Methodologies and strategies for optimizing functions of the urban green space ecosystem or wetland ecosystem, e.g., through cost and benefit analysis and scenario analysis.
  • Viewpoints and reviews on the impacts of rapid urban development and climate change on urban green space ecosystem or wetland ecosystem.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Biao Zeng
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Urban Science is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban green space
  • wetlands
  • ecosystem services
  • urban development

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 6451 KiB  
Article
Social Network Analysis Reveals Spatiotemporal Patterns of Green Space Recreational Walking Between Workdays and Rest Days
by Jiali Zhang and Zhaocheng Bai
Urban Sci. 2025, 9(4), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9040111 - 4 Apr 2025
Viewed by 86
Abstract
Growing concerns about the negative impacts of high-density built environments on residents’ physical and mental health have made optimizing recreational walking networks in green spaces a crucial issue for improving urban public health service efficiency. While previous studies have largely focused on static [...] Read more.
Growing concerns about the negative impacts of high-density built environments on residents’ physical and mental health have made optimizing recreational walking networks in green spaces a crucial issue for improving urban public health service efficiency. While previous studies have largely focused on static accessibility measures, these methods cannot capture actual human recreational behaviors and temporal variations in green space usage. Our research introduces a novel social network analysis methodology using GPS trajectory data from Shanghai’s Inner Ring Area to construct and compare recreational walking networks during workdays and rest days, revealing dynamic spatiotemporal patterns that traditional methods miss. Key findings include: (1) At the node level, green spaces of different sizes play differentiated roles in the network, with large-scale spaces serving as destination hubs while pocket green spaces function as critical connecting points; (2) At the regional level, workday networks show more dispersed spatial distribution patterns with higher modularity, while rest day networks form high-density clusters in the central urban area; (3) At the overall network level, rest day networks demonstrate higher density and diversity, reflecting residents’ expanded spatial activity range and diverse recreational preferences. Green space management should focus on the social value of urban green networks. These findings provide theoretical and methodological support for transitioning from “static equity” to “dynamic justice” in green space system planning, contributing to the development of more inclusive and resilient urban green space networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection)
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19 pages, 796 KiB  
Article
Development Projects’ Assessment in the Danube–Tisza Interfluve—A Climate Change Perspective
by György Orosz, Botond Kőhalmi, Csaba Centeri, Viktor Péter Grónás and Eszter Tormáné Kovács
Urban Sci. 2025, 9(4), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9040092 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 191
Abstract
The area of the Danube–Tisza Interfluve is of particular concern in terms of climate change, not only today, but it has also been in the past. In our research, we investigated the development projects of the Danube–Tisza Interfluve implemented in the last two [...] Read more.
The area of the Danube–Tisza Interfluve is of particular concern in terms of climate change, not only today, but it has also been in the past. In our research, we investigated the development projects of the Danube–Tisza Interfluve implemented in the last two financial cycles (2007–2013 and 2014–2020) of the European Union, regarding their climate-related impacts. Data about the development projects were retrieved from the official national project database. Development areas with positive and negative impacts regarding climate change were identified, and projects were assigned to these categories or a neutral category based on the content analysis of project titles and descriptions as well as the eligible activities included in the calls for proposals. Positive projects were also scored based on the approach they contribute to tackling climate change (mitigation: 3 points, adaptation: 2 points and indirect impact: 1 point). The number of these projects and the financial support they received were calculated for every development area category and also weighted by the impact scores. Our results show that from the 39,232 development projects completed over two EU financial cycles (2007–2020), only 11% were considered positive, less than 3% were considered negative and the rest were neutral regarding their climate-change-related impacts. Projects with negative impacts received more funding than projects with positive funding. Nevertheless, a positive trend can be seen, while more projects with positive impacts were implemented in the second cycle (2014–2020), receiving larger financial support. Our analysis also shows that development projects based on nature restoration and coupled with awareness raising can have the best impact score while they serve both mitigation and adaptation purposes and also have indirect impacts by fostering attitude change. We can conclude that much more emphasis should be laid on supporting projects for climate change mitigation and adaptations to reach our goal of climate neutrality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection)
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20 pages, 4669 KiB  
Article
Developing a Calculation Workflow for Designing and Monitoring Urban Ecological Corridors: A Case Study
by Carmine Massarelli
Urban Sci. 2024, 8(4), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040169 - 11 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1573
Abstract
Urban ecological corridors play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, connecting fragmented habitats in highly anthropized areas and generating benefits in terms of the sustainability of urban environments. These corridors mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation, such as reduced genetic diversity and limited [...] Read more.
Urban ecological corridors play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, connecting fragmented habitats in highly anthropized areas and generating benefits in terms of the sustainability of urban environments. These corridors mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation, such as reduced genetic diversity and limited species dispersal, while improving the ecological health of urban environments and the well-being of citizens. This study proposes a calculation workflow for the identification of the necessary and most suitable ecological corridors to be planned in the urban-environmental planning phase and identifies some of the existing innovative technologies to evaluate and improve their functionality, enabling the real-time monitoring of habitat conditions and providing valuable information to optimize the design and management of these peri-urban natural areas. Urban ecological corridors also improve human well-being by contributing to cleaner air, better water quality and recreational opportunities to the point that the costs incurred for their construction are much lower than the economic and social benefits for the area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection)
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17 pages, 14405 KiB  
Article
Geographic Information System in the Optimization of Tourist Routes in the City of Faro (Algarve, Portugal)
by Fernando Miguel Granja-Martins and Helena Maria Fernandez
Urban Sci. 2024, 8(3), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030123 - 26 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1216
Abstract
This work aims to map the optimal routes based on time and distance, via e-scooters and walking, to visit 54 historical heritage sites in Faro. Implementing these routes promotes environmental sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions and encouraging healthier, greener tourism. The route [...] Read more.
This work aims to map the optimal routes based on time and distance, via e-scooters and walking, to visit 54 historical heritage sites in Faro. Implementing these routes promotes environmental sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions and encouraging healthier, greener tourism. The route optimization was conducted in ArcGIS, utilizing the Network Analyst extension and vector data obtained from OpenStreetMap. The results showed that there are routes that can be completed in one or more days, depending on visitors’ availability, physical capacity, or their chosen method of transportation. The optimal route to visit the 54 historical heritage sites forms a closed circuit spanning 17.35 km. If visits are split into two routes, one covering 31 monuments in the old city and the other 24 monuments in the exterior area of the urban center, the optimal closed-circuit routes measure 6.16 km and 11.31 km, respectively. This study is expected to enhance tourism promoted by the Faro municipality and make it more environmentally friendly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection)
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17 pages, 4226 KiB  
Article
Developing a Qualitative Urban Green Spaces Index Applied to a Mediterranean City
by Rania Ajmi, Faiza Khebour Allouche, Aude Nuscia Taîbi and Safa Bel Fekih Boussema
Urban Sci. 2023, 7(4), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040115 - 31 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3010
Abstract
As a primary goal, urban green spaces (UGSs) have been linked to several aspects of inhabitants’ wellbeing. Quality could be a way to intervene in the UGS–human health interaction. For that purpose, we developed an urban green space quality index (UGS QIndex) applied [...] Read more.
As a primary goal, urban green spaces (UGSs) have been linked to several aspects of inhabitants’ wellbeing. Quality could be a way to intervene in the UGS–human health interaction. For that purpose, we developed an urban green space quality index (UGS QIndex) applied to a Mediterranean region, Sousse City. This index was based on a set of criteria, indicators, and elements chosen after bibliographical research related to UGS quality assessment tools and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. Then, we evaluated the quality of the Sousse Ramparts Gardens using the UGS QIndex. In fact, this index includes 41 elements grouped into 23 indicators covering seven thematic criteria: environmental regulating capacity, functional amenities, aesthetic amenities, landscape features, integration in its surroundings, development policy objectives, and space issues. According to the UGS QIndex, Bab El Gharbi garden exceeds Bab El Finga garden in terms of its scenery, aesthetics, and functionality. This index could be used by city planners to improve their UGS’s capacity to satisfy the inhabitants’ requirements. Otherwise, it needs to be enhanced and tailored to various types of UGSs and then applied to other Mediterranean cities, as well as cities suffering from UGS degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection)
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15 pages, 1924 KiB  
Article
Urban Flora Structure and Carbon Storage Potential of Woody Trees in Different Land Use Units of Cotonou (West Africa)
by Assouhan Jonas Atchadé, Madjouma Kanda, Fousseni Folega, Abdoul Aziz Diouf, Symphorien Agbahoungba, Marra Dourma, Kperkouma Wala and Koffi Akpagana
Urban Sci. 2023, 7(4), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040106 - 9 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2296
Abstract
Urbanization is a current concern, particularly in Africa, where it is expected to continue and increasingly threaten the effectiveness of plant biodiversity, natural carbon sinks, and the sustainability of cities. This paper investigates the structural parameters and carbon storage potential of trees in [...] Read more.
Urbanization is a current concern, particularly in Africa, where it is expected to continue and increasingly threaten the effectiveness of plant biodiversity, natural carbon sinks, and the sustainability of cities. This paper investigates the structural parameters and carbon storage potential of trees in the land use units of the city of Cotonou in southern Benin. A total of 149 plots at 2500 m2 each were randomly generated, and trees with a diameter ≥ 10 cm were inventoried. ANOVA revealed that the means of structural parameters (diameter and height classes) and carbon stock rate varied significantly (p < 0.001) across land use units in the city. Tree basal area is estimated at 4.52 ± 5.24 m2 ha−1, with an average of 12.72 (13) feet ha−1. The average diameter of the trees is estimated at 57.94 ± 29.71 cm. Approximately 1000 kg ha−1 (0.94 × 103 kg ha−1) of carbon is stored in the city of Cotonou. Green spaces (1.21 × 103 kg ha−1) and roads (1.19 × 103 kg ha−1) are the units that recorded the highest carbon stocks. Khaya senegalensis, Mangifera indica, and Terminalia mentally lead the top ten species with high stock potential. This study demonstrates the contribution of urban trees to global atmospheric carbon reduction, which varies by species, land use units, and tree density. Future research could investigate an i-Tree Landscape approach for urban carbon estimation. This could reinforce urban carbon data availability for urban ecological planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing Urban Ecological Environment Protection)
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