Urban Systems: A Socio-Ecological System Perspective

Abstract

Urban areas are hot spots of complex and dynamic interactions between society and ecosystems. Studies on such areas, however, have partially captured the coupled socio-ecological nature of urban environments. To address this gap, we examine the ways natural and social scientists have defined, developed and implemented research on urban environments. We discuss how these literatures set the foundation and explicitly advance urban studies through the lens of urban socio-ecological systems. By bringing these literatures together we forge a common ground between scholarly communities and foster cross-fertilization between researchers working on cities. A better understanding of the commonalities and differences of these disciplines in approaching urban environments is the first step toward opening corridors for new lines of discussions that better encompass the role played by urban socio-ecological systems in shaping changes and long-term sustainability.

Urban Greenways: A Systematic Review and Typology

“…In urban settings that are built by and for people [28], this is appropriate. Indeed, cities are, in many ways, a classic socio-ecological system where bio-geo-physical elements and processes interact with people and institutions [75,76]. Thus, the results of this review can be seen as heartening evidence that scholarship is responding to the practical realities in which urban greenways are embedded.…”

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“…For example, the positive effects of urban green spaces on the human population (i.e., health, physical activity, psychological well-being) and social cohesion have been explored. [30][31][32][33] Others have examined "ecological gentrification", the process by which the creation of green spaces causes property values to increase forcing low-income residents to relocate. 33 Some researchers have also explored the effects that humans have on the natural environment with the creation of vacant and abandoned lots, how past land use and vacancy affects urban areas, and what aspects of human well-being should be considered for the management of vacant urban lands.…”

“…73 A recent study proposes urban greening, or the creation of a green network that permeates a city, as a solution to alleviate disasters and urban impact on the environment. 74 The provisioning, regulating, and supporting components of urban ecosystem services have become key topics in discourses about the transition toward global sustainability. This has not been the case for the last dimension of ecosystem services: cultural services.…”

“…Nevertheless, a vast literature on the impact that the urban natural environment has on citizens exists in social science. [30][31][32][33][34] Limitations in using findings generated by other disciplines may jeopardize the ability to:…”

El espacio público como red. Una aproximación entre la Psicología Ambiental y el Análisis de Redes Sociales

“…Esta afirmación, difícilmente contestable, se resume en una simple sentencia: el espacio público puede entenderse como una red. En realidad, la literatura ha dado cuenta de este hecho a lo largo de los años (Frank, Delano & Caniglia, 2017;Gehl, 2009). Quizás una de las primeras aportaciones relevantes en este sentido fue la realizada por Jane Jacobs, quien consideraba el espacio público como el contexto donde se da cita un orden complejo compuesto por movimientos y cambios y donde las personas y grupos sociales, actuando conjuntamente en un aparente caos, pueden sin embargo ser considerados como bailarines de un complicado ballet donde cada uno, reforzándose con los demás, crean un todo ordenado.…”