City and Environment Interactions最新文献

Most of the published studies on pharmaceutical products (PhPs) focus on their occurrence in the influent/effluent at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in urban areas with high population density. In peri-urban/rural areas not collected to any WWTP, despite the lack of sewage collection, and often (poor) on-site treatment, data on PhPs occurrence in surface water bodies is scarce. In this study, we investigated the impact of onsite wastewater treatment systems on the occurrence of six PhPs, along with hydrological and hydrochemical data, in the drainage network of a peri-urban/rural area in Italy.

Our results, along with data from other studies, show onsite treatment systems are a major source of PhPs. In the drainage water 76% of the analyses positively quantified the presence of PhPs, with carbamazepine and clarithromycin always quantifiable, even in scarcely inhabited areas, at generally higher concentrations of PhPs than those reported in previous studies. As a result, onsite treatment systems may cause ubiquitous, even if at low concentrations, PhPs occurrence in the aquatic systems.

In order to allow data comparison, studies reporting PhPs environmental concentration values should clearly detail the urban /environmental setting (population density, presence of WWTPs) and the hydrological/hydrochemical conditions. Furthermore, the joint use of hydrochemical parameters and PhPs data may provide useful proxies for the occurrence of PhPs or to identify nitrate sources of urban origin. Discharge, T, EC and ORP values may help understanding relevance of mixing and, then, the importance of dilution processes in reducing PhPs concentration.

The occurrence of PhPs in surface water has to be duly considered in order to protect the aquatic ecosystems and groundwater, and the use of such water for safe irrigation purposes. Further treatment trains based on the concept of nature-based solutions (i.e, vegetated channels, artificial wetlands) could constitute a valuable solution exploiting the soil–water-plant continuum around main residential areas in order to enhance degradation processes.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) play a crucial role in architectural education, as buildings contribute 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions and 40% of extracted materials are used in construction. This research investigates the current status of SDG integration in architecture education, its challenges, and potential future advancements. A qualitative survey was conducted among architecture educators from 22 institutions across nine countries, focusing on four key aspects: (i) general knowledge and understanding of the SDGs; (ii) qualification and experience regarding the SDGs; (iii) integration of the SDGs in architecture education; and (iv) implementation of the SDGs in architectural practises. The findings revealed that most educators did not receive formal education focused on the SDGs, relying on self-exposure and self-learning. SDG 11 was the most adopted, focusing on improving slum areas, providing safe housing, and promoting sustainable urban settlements while preserving cultural heritage.

Integrated and systematic studies on heat-related illness risk from urban heatwaves are lacking. The effects and predictions of risk reduction policies for heat-related illness risk should not be limited to a particular area of study but should be calculated in a feedback process considering the budget. In this study, we performed dynamic modeling and policy simulation aimed at reducing the risk of heat-related illnesses caused by urban heatwaves in Seoul, Korea. A causal map of the urban heatwave system was created using data from 2010 to 2021, and simulations were performed up to 2040. In analyzing the effect of reducing the incidence of patients with heat-related illnesses compared to the budget invested, the number of patients with heat-related illnesses to be reduced in support policies for the vulnerable group, high-efficiency air conditioners, heatwave shelters, green areas, and eco-friendly cars would be reduced by 0.44, 0.09, 0.0046, 0.0045, and 0.0005 people/billion won in 2035, respectively. The number of heat-related illnesses decreased by 78.0% when policy simulation, which produced the maximum effect with the lowest budget, was performed. The current urban heatwave system in Seoul would not reduce the incidence of patients with heat-related illnesses in the future but, rather, would increase it. Urban heatwave policies did not contribute considerably to the reduction of patients with heat-related illnesses because the intensity of heatwaves owing to climate change outweighed the impact of heatwave policies. We suggest additional budget increases in the order of higher return on investment (ROI).

Urban areas are particularly affected by heatwaves through the intensification of heat stress by the urban heat island effect. For effective climate change adaptation, information about microscale surface cover, structures, and human activity in cities is needed to depict the underlying causes of urban heat stress. The framework of “Local Climate Zones” (LCZs) classifies and standardizes urban areas based on such characteristics. To date, most LCZ mapping workflows use satellite imagery as input. The resulting maps may lack some important details, and thus benefit from the use of additional geodata. We introduce a novel approach that combines the geodata of urban canopy parameters with the remote sensing-based LCZ map of Bern, Switzerland. City-specific urban canopy parameters are calculated and used to adjust established value ranges, if necessary. The most common misclassification patterns are identified and misclassified pixels are corrected using a decision tree and k-nearest-neighbor algorithm. Results show that the conformity with the urban canopy parameter values markedly increased, especially in the distinction of water surfaces, non-built areas, and building height. However, for high-resolution LCZ maps, this also leads to unnecessary heterogeneity, which may require further postprocessing. Given sufficiently available urban canopy parameter data, the proposed workflow is simple and easily adaptable for other cities. It could prove useful in urban climate studies and city planning to enhance an existing LCZ map in a contextualized manner quickly.

Since the 1950s, African cities in a quest for modernity and prosperity have been urgently playing catch up to deal with the increasing demand for adequate urban systems and infrastructure. At the turn of the 21st century, many spatial planning models, technological trends, environmental challenges, and socio-economic realities are influencing African cities’ dynamics largely causing confusion and a lack of consistent planning policies. To efficiently guide a coherent and coordinated vision, frame an integrated long-term spatial logic, and give a precise direction for sustainable urban development, this paper aims to develop a localized and contextualised analysis of urban planning challenges and development strategies shaping African cities. The study provides a broad perspective looking at the potentiality of spatial planning practices to envision and transform urban life by prospecting integrated urban planning and development strategies to face increasing urban challenges in Africa. Through Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and machine-learning tools, the study brings, for the first time, consolidated and updated knowledge of urban planning practices in Africa. We analysed 243 urban studies, published between 2000 and 2023, in 107 African cities. We identified and scrutinised 17 most pressing urban challenges and 16 most applied urban strategies to address those challenges. Accordingly, the study’s findings suggest shifting the spatial planning paradigm towards urban resilience as an interoperable system of different spatial planning policies and their relevant urban development strategies. Furthermore, the study’s key arguments are to improve urban infrastructure and optimize existing cities to reverse environmental degradation and guide urban fast transformation to adapt and mitigate growing climate change catastrophes.

Cloud and rainfall distributions in urban spaces have implications for planning, hydrological response, reservoir management, renewable energy generation, transportation, and agricultural productivity. Studies have confirmed that large urban areas can initiate or modify precipitation, but there are still questions about the role of city size and atmospheric interactions. The majority of case study approaches have focused on large cities or urban clusters and have largely ignored small to moderate sized cities. Herein, an analysis of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan statistical area is conducted. Using a gridded, daily multi-sensor precipitation dataset and satellite-based cloud cover climatology, the warm seasons (June, July, and August) covering the period from 2002 to 2019 were analyzed using spatial comparisons within an upwind-downwind framework and z-score statistics. Such methodologies have been published for larger urban areas. We confirmed that a moderate-sized city like Augusta, Georgia and neighboring Aiken, South Carolina is associated with spatial patterns consistent with the “urban rainfall effect” (URE) and possibly an “urban cloud effect” (UCE). Contextual analysis of other local mesoscale signatures related to nearby water bodies are also provided as a sanity check on process identification.

The study of the relationship between biotic elements and communities within the literature of urban identity in the context of urban planning and design is presently constrained. This research aimed to elucidate the role of biotic elements in community identity through an investigation into the case of bats in the city center. Various data collection methods were employed, encompassing documentation (including the scrutiny of texts and images), observation, and interviews. The research concentrated on the city of Watansoppeng, Indonesia, conducting semi-informal interviews with purposively selected residents, such as cultural leaders, academics, and officials from pertinent institutions. The research variables comprised history, collective memory, and culture, and the analysis adopted a biocultural approach. Digital qualitative analysis was conducted using Atlas.ti 23 software. The findings underscored the significant role played by bats in shaping community identity in Watansoppeng. These nocturnal creatures contribute substantially to the development of the community's historical narrative across generations, including the emergence of myths associating them with signaling impending disasters in the city. Moreover, bats function as custodians of the collective memory of the community, serving as reminders of the glory of the Soppeng Kingdom and the greatness of their First King. The interaction between bats and the community is also reflected in various cultural expressions, spanning language and linguistics, literature, cultural materials, science and technology, economic relations, social interactions, and belief systems.

The United States government sponsored the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s to assess and grade neighborhoods based on perceived financial risk. The grades were influenced by the presence of minority racial groups, immigrants, and residents with lower socioeconomic statuses and, even though the practice was eventually outlawed, the impact on low income and underrepresented minorities is still prevalent today. This study was designed to assess spatial patterns and intensity of flood risk to (a) HOLC grade, (b) proximity to coastal zones, (c) intensity of vegetative cover, and (d) relationship to buried (ghost) streams and wetlands to determine which variable has the most impact on flood risk. Flood risk data, acquired from First Street Foundation’s Flood Factor dataset, was summarized by HOLC grade, and ghost streams and wetlands were digitized from historical maps and aggregated by HOLC grade. The results show flood risk is higher in C and D graded neighborhoods, compared to A and B. Regardless of HOLC grade, neighborhoods near the Detroit River and Lake St. Claire have 10 times higher flood risk than inland neighborhoods. Interestingly, B-graded neighborhoods exhibit minimal impact from buried rivers and wetlands, but that risk increases substantially if there is a history of stream or wetland burial within a D graded neighborhood. Flood risk is disproportionately distributed, caused in part by outlawed, racist housing policies. Understanding where risk is highest can help identify optimum locations for adaptation measures to minimize flood damage in these neighborhoods.

Green spaces such as forests, grasslands, and croplands (including gardens) can be found in urban environments. Although they benefit human and animal well-being, they have become threatened due to rapid urban growth and unplanned development. Yet, little attention has been given to studying the dynamics of urban green spaces in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we examined the dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) change and fragmentation (especially, green spaces) within the second fastest urbanising city in Ghana, Tamale. In particular, we focused our analyses on its urban core (∼5 km radius around the city centre) due to its relevance to urban economy and society. Landsat data was used to estimate fragmentation metrics of past and future LULC changes in the study area from 1990 to 2052. We found clear patterns of green space decline and fragmentation within the urban core: i.e., green spaces became patchy over time and the pattern was expected to continue in the future. Additionally, we found the built-up class benefited from the decline of green spaces with the latter being significantly negatively correlated with human population size. Our investigation reveals that protected forests and tree plantations contributed to a significant proportion of available green spaces in the urban core. However, these areas were becoming increasingly threatened by forest reserve downsizing, indiscriminate activities (e.g., logging and encroachment), and sale of public lands to private developers, practices commonly associated with population growth. Hence, the enforcement of relevant local legislations (e.g., the 2016 Land Use and Spatial Planning Act [Act 925]) coupled with the integration of urban initiatives and policies that encourage green spaces are needed to ensure the sustainability of urban ecosystems for the well-being of humans and the environment.

Plant biotechnology methods can be used in urban environments. Cell selection, genetic engineering, and micropropagation hold great promise among biotechnological methods. Two main applications for the use of cell selection for urban plants are possible in future. The first is the use of this technology in urban greening to improve plant resistance. The second is phytoremediation of contaminated urban soils. Micropropagation can be used for urban plant reproduction. The use of genetic engineering is promising for obtaining new varieties of urban plants with high ornamental qualities. When using genetic engineering techniques, environmental risks should be taken into account. The use of biotechnology for the urban environment will contribute to the development of applied biotechnology, urban biology, urban natural sciences and urban technical sciences. Future ornamental urban plants will change, but they will always play an important role in people's lives.