| 1. |
- Aronson, M.F.J., et al.
(författare)
-
A global analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird and plant diversity reveals key anthropogenic drivers
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 281:1780, s. 20133330-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urbanization contributes to the loss of the world's biodiversity and the homogenization of its biota. However, comparative studies of urban biodiversity leading to robust generalities of the status and drivers of biodiversity in cities at the global scale are lacking. Here, we compiled the largest global dataset to date of two diverse taxa in cities: birds (54 cities) and plants (110 cities). We found that the majority of urban bird and plant species are native in the world's cities. Few plants and birds are cosmopolitan, the most common being Columba livia and Poa annua. The density of bird and plant species (the number of species per km2) has declined substantially: only 8% of native bird and 25% of native plant species are currently present compared with estimates of non-urban density of species. The current density of species in cities and the loss in density of species was best explained by anthropogenic features (landcover, city age) rather than by non-anthropogenic factors (geography, climate, topography). As urbanization continues to expand, efforts directed towards the conservation of intact vegetation within urban landscapes could support higher concentrations of both bird and plant species. Despite declines in the density of species, cities still retain endemic native species, thus providing opportunities for regional and global biodiversity conservation, restoration and education.
|
|
| 2. |
- Aronsson, Per, et al.
(författare)
-
An operational decision support tool for stump harvest
- 2011
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A multi-criteria decision support tool was developed to optimise stump harvesting for energy in Sweden. The decision tool takes account of multiple, sometimes conflicting, criteria relating to stump harvest; energy and climate, economics, biodiversity, and soil and water. Data on harvested stems are used as primary input data in the tool. Such data are routinely collected in harvester computers. The tool effectively deals with mixed sets of data; quantitative harvest data are re-calculated to metric (e.g. stump biomass), and qualitative data (e.g. biodiversity implications) are incorporated. A digital terrain map derived from air-borne laser scanning provides basic data for estimating soil wetness, while digital maps of water courses, key habitats and protected areas, or other sensitive habitats, are used to identify potentially and practically harvestable stumps.In four sub-models, an index from 0 to 10 is calculated for each stump, with 0 representing ‘Not at all suitable’ and 10 ‘Highly suitable for extraction’. Through this, a stump of high value for wood-living species is assigned a low index in the biodiversity sub-model and a large, easily accessible stump is assigned a high index in the economic sub-model. When calculating the net index, the sub-indices can be weighted according to the preferences of the end-user.An energy and climate sub-model incorporates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forest operations and the effect of advancing GHG emissions when stump biomass is incinerated instead of being left to decompose. In the economic sub-model the potential monetary return from each stump is calculated based on estimated revenue from harvested stump biomass and the costs of stump harvesting and forwarding operations (based on cost functions and GIS calculations of transport distances).The biodiversity sub-model considers four types of wood-dependent organisms (lichens, mosses, insects and fungi) in terms of their habitat requirements, vulnerability, sun exposure preferences, locality, etc. A panel of external experts has drawn up a grading scale of stump values for the different taxonomic groups. The proximity to key habitats and exposure to sunlight are derived from a spatial model.Soil and water issues are handled within a sub-model estimating the consequences for long-term soil fertility (nutrient cycling and soil compaction) and water (leaching of plant nutrients and mercury, and particle transport due to soil damage by heavy machinery).The tool offers the end-user possibilities to prioritise and plan for cost-effective stump harvesting, while minimising negative environmental impacts.
|
|
| 3. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Green qualities in transport efficient cities
- 2013
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A main stream postulation in urban planning is that denser cities enhance energy efficiency and city attractiveness by offering shorter travel distances and a variety of functions that reduce car traffic and facilitate walking, biking and public transit. However, the complex links that exist between city density and its implications for energy efficiency and city attractiveness call for a better understanding of the factors that influence an integrated planning of regional cities. In this context, one factor that could be of interest to study is that of green urban open spaces such as green wedges, parks, wetland areas, shore lines, gardens, cemeteries, golf courses and treed boulevards that provide protection for biodiversity as well as many other valuable ecosystem services. However, discussions on developing compact, energy efficient and attractive regional cities are raising conflicts with policies that aim at conserving green urban open spaces. The aim of this paper is to increase knowledge on and contribute to the development of strategies and measures to best manage the conflicts that are emerging between developing dense, low traffic cities and planning for good quality, valuable and accessible green urban open spaces. To achieve this aim, a conflict mapping exercise is being carried out by identifying, reviewing and assessing literature on the subject. In parallel, relevant examples are being analyzed and seminars, workshops and interviews are taking place with actors of the Stockholm city region. Obtained results are conflicting perceptions on the role that green urban open spaces should play in city development, conflicts of governance and collaboration, conflicts between different objectives at varying decision making scales, and significant limitations to integrated and systemic socio-ecological understandings of the city region and its changing values. The conflict mapping exercise is a valuable starting point to identify the proposal of alternative land use practices, discuss how these can be assessed, and define measures that can enhance compactness, energy efficiency and green qualities in city region planning and development.
|
|
| 4. |
- Balfors, Berit, et al.
(författare)
-
Landscape ecology for SEA : lessons learned
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Proceedings of the 30th Annual Meeting of the International Association for Impact Assessment, Geneva, 6-11 April 2010.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) calls for analysis of processes and patterns atlandscape scale, which gives the opportunity to include ecosystem services in decision‐making. In order to understand how planning decisions affect ecosystem services such asbiodiversity, it is necessary to analyse ecological processes on landscape and regionalscales. Landscape ecology provides methods and tools for addressing effects on landscapescale, such as effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, which are caused by a wide arrayof human‐induced changes and pose critical threats to biodiversity and other ecosystemservices. Thus, in order to be able to assess impacts on biodiversity, spatial methods andtools based on landscape ecological principles need to be developed. This paper addressesthe use of spatial methods and tools, scale problems, visualization and communication forincorporating landscape ecological methods in SEA. The study is based on lessons learnedfrom experiences in Sweden and Italy that refer to SEA for different levels of planning,from local to regional. This will lead to increased understanding and a discussion on keyissues on how planning processes can be improved through the use of effective tools foranalyzing landscape and its ecosystem services.
|
|
| 5. |
- Balfors, Berit, et al.
(författare)
-
Strategic Environmental Assessment of Energy Plans in Sweden
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Proceeding of the 32nd Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment. Energy Future The Role of Impact Assessment, Porto, Portugal, 27 May - 1 June 2012.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Balfors, Berit, et al.
(författare)
-
Towards a climate resilient society : tools for impact assessment of infrastructure and urban development
- 2010
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- During recent years, climate change aspects have received increased attention in urban planning and infrastructure development. In order to effectively address impacts on climate change and measures towards energy efficiency, a strategic approach in the planning process is required. To enable an early appraisal of alternative climate change adaptation scenarios, SEA could provide a suitable framework. The application of SEA in urban planning and infrastructure development entail various challenges so as to address, e.g., cumulative impacts, transboundary and multi-scalar issues. The incorporation of strategic issues related to climate change, call for analytical tools and methodological approaches that facilitate the planning and decision-making process. In this study we focus on the development of prediction tools and decision support systems in order to assist a comprehensive comparison of alternative strategies and identify innovative energy efficient solutions for a climate resilient society.
|
|
| 8. |
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
- Gontier, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
-
Comparing GIS-based habitat models for applications in EIA and SEA
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Environmental impact assessment review. - : Elsevier BV. - 0195-9255 .- 1873-6432. ; 30:1, s. 8-18
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Land use changes. urbanisation and infrastructure developments in particular. cause fragmentation of natural habitats and threaten biodiversity. Tools and measures must be adapted to assess and remedy the potential effects on biodiversity caused by human activities and developments. Within physical planning, environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) play important roles in the prediction and assessment of biodiversity-related impacts from planned developments. However, adapted prediction tools to forecast and quantify potential impacts on biodiversity components are lacking. This study tested and compared four different CIS-based habitat models and assessed their relevance for applications in environmental assessment. The models were implemented in the Stockholm region in central Sweden and applied to data on the crested tit (Parus cristatus), a sedentary bird species of coniferous forest. All four models performed well and allowed the distribution of suitable habitats for the crested tit in the Stockholm region to be predicted. The models were also used to predict and quantify habitat loss for two regional development scenarios. The study highlighted the importance of model selection in impact prediction. Criteria that are relevant for the choice of model for predicting impacts on biodiversity were identified and discussed. Finally, the importance of environmental assessment for the preservation of biodiversity within the general frame of biodiversity conservation is emphasised.
|
|
