Key insights for the future of urban ecosystem services research

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Understanding the dynamics of urban ecosystem services is a necessary requirement for adequate planning, management, and governance of urban green infrastructure. Through the three-year Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (URBES) research project, we conducted case study and comparative research on urban biodiversity and ecosystem services across seven cities in Europe and the United States. Reviewing > 50 peer-reviewed publications from the project, we present and discuss seven key insights that reflect cumulative findings from the project as well as the state-of-the-art knowledge in urban ecosystem services research. The insights from our review indicate that cross-sectoral, multiscale, interdisciplinary research is beginning to provide a solid scientific foundation for applying the ecosystem services framework in urban areas and land management. Our review offers a foundation for seeking novel, nature-based solutions to emerging urban challenges such as wicked environmental change issues.

Mapping and Assessment of PM10 and O3 Removal by Woody Vegetation at Urban and Regional Level

“…In order to contribute to enhancing the quality of the framework, as requested by the EnRoute project, we extend the spatial characterization of pollutant removal to understudied areas as well as rural and secondary urban levels (i.e., districts) in the Latium region [71]. Even if administrative boundaries are not often satisfactory units for ES mapping because they …”

“…In order to contribute to enhancing the quality of the framework, as requested by the EnRoute project, we extend the spatial characterization of pollutant removal to understudied areas as well as rural and secondary urban levels (i.e., districts) in the Latium region [71]. Even if administrative boundaries are not often satisfactory units for ES mapping because they do not coincide with ES dynamics [10], we promote this approach to enhance the science-policy exchange and to promote better the potential of nature-based solutions in the field of air quality improvement.…”

Combining the Conservation of Biodiversity with the Provision of Ecosystem Services in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning: Critical Features Arising from a Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Rome

“…Future research efforts will be made to fill the aforementioned existing gaps in knowledge, such as the need for a better definition of potential synergies and trade-offs between alternative urban forestry choices, a more comprehensive assessment of the complex cultural value of urban trees and forests, and a more in-depth investigation of the issue of ecological connectivity in urban contexts. Furthermore, a concerted effort to harmonize the proposed framework and the other findings that have emerged from numerous projects on GI planning and nature-based solution in Italian and European cities (e.g., [15,16,107,108]) will also be made in the near future. Author Contributions: Giulia Capotorti conceived and designed the work and wrote the paper; Eva Del Vico and Ilaria Anzellotti processed the data; and Laura Celesti-Grapow coordinated the work and contributed to writing the paper.…”

“…They are drawing the attention of researchers, practitioners and decision-makers to structural and functional connectivity [12], to the quality of the surrounding urban matrix [13], to native biodiversity [14], and to species, habitats and ecosystems of conservation importance [15]. The need remains, however, to build the evidence base required to ensure that GI projects are effectively biodiversity-oriented and aptly fitted to local environments [16].…”

From Cascade to Bottom-Up Ecosystem Services Model: How Does Social Cohesion Emerge from Urban Agriculture?

“…To date, social cohesion concepts have not been captured in life cycle research and are only briefly mentioned in ES studies [36][37][38]. In the context of S-LCA, social cohesion could be seen as a midpoint/endpoint indicator related to local community stakeholders [39].…”