Ecosystem (Dis)benefits Arising from Formal and Informal Land-Use in Manchester (UK); a Case Study of Urban Soil Characteristics Associated with Local Green Space Management

Abstract

Urban soils are subject to anthropogenic influences and, reciprocally, provide benefits and disbenefits to human wellbeing; for example carbon storage, nutrient cycling and the regulation trace element and contaminant mobility. Collective stewardship of urban green commons provides contemporary examples of the diversity of uses and management of green space in cities and represents a growing movement in user participation in, and awareness of, the importance of urban ecological health. Exploring the range of social-ecological benefits exemplified in the urban environment has generally focused on above-ground processes, with few studies examining the potential for (dis)benefits arising from edaphic characteristics of collectively-managed spaces. An investigation into the influence of formal and informal green space management on carbon fluxes and heavy metal concentrations in urban soils was carried out in Manchester (UK) finding that carbon storage in soils of collectively managed urban green commons (7.15 ± 1.42 kg C m−2) was significantly greater than at formally managed sites (for example city parks: 5.08 ± 0.69 kg C m−2), though the latter exhibited reduced losses through CO2 emission. Variation in heavy metal concentrations and mobility were likewise observed, exemplified by the acidification of surface soils by leaf litter at orchard sites, and the resultant increase in the mobility of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). The results of this study indicate the importance of small-scale contemporary urban green space management on selected ecosystem services provided by the limited soil resource of cities. Thus, a greater consideration of the effects of horticultural and amenity activities with regards to soil quality/functionality is required to ensure available urban green commons retain or increase their ecological quality over time.

Mainstreaming Urban Agriculture: Opportunities and Barriers to Upscaling City Farming

“…This demonstrates the potential of urban farms to add value to the existing food system, particularly in times of need. Evidence shows that other UA spaces acted in a similar manner, with the likes of community gardens, allotments and other spaces adding value through increased production or virtual classes to encourage others to grow [51,52].…”

Exploring the benefits and dis-benefits of climate migration as an adaptive strategy along the rural-peri-urban continuum in Namibia

“…Vinke et al (2020) point out that the adaptive benefits and dis-benefits of migration are highly community specific and contingent, as migration is frequently not an anticipatory process, nor is it a first-choice option in cases where migration involves an entire household, and indeed it may lead to increased deprivation and vulnerability. Here, we define dis-benefits as the negative consequences of human-resource interactions or loss from climate migration that can be managed and mitigated at varying scales and levels (Dennis et al 2020;Mycoo et al 2022;Lázár et al 2020;Rendon et al 2019;United Nations 2021).…”