GIS Modeling of Green Infrastructure of Mediterranean Cities for the Management of Urbanized Ecosystems

Abstract

The article discusses methodological approaches to the assessment of the spatial configuration and structure of green spaces and fragments of the natural landscape (for Malaga, Spain). Modern modeling techniques using geographic information systems (GIS) are used to assess Malaga’s green infrastructure in terms of the configuration, fragmentation, and spatial structure of green spaces (with GuidosToolBox software). Morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) focuses on the geometry and connectivity of components based on a raster image of the study area, can automatically identify ecological corridors of different sizes, and can further rank them within the network, thereby making it possible to assess the connectivity of the natural framework of the city. With MSPA, it is possible to identify the configuration and structure of green spaces, the main basic reserves (cores) and islands of green infrastructure, and the ecological corridors and to assess the connectivity and fragmentation of green spaces, which is critical for the determination of the unity of the ecological framework of the parameters. The scientific novelty of the research consists of the developed methodological approaches for the determination of high-priority areas of the green infrastructure network, which are simultaneously important for both the conservation of biodiversity and for the development of the recreational and aesthetic qualities of green spaces.