Landscape ecology and urban spatial configuration: Exploring a methodological relationship. Application in Pelotas, Brazil

Abstract

Urbanization has been expanding rapidly in Brazil, negatively impacting the natural environment. Achieving sustainable development requires understanding the interdependencies between the social and natural worlds and finding a balance between them. Resilient urban planning considering green infrastructure can generate socio-environmental benefits through ecological connections. To achieve this, an integrated study between the social and environmental spheres is required, which are often developed separately. Thus, this investigation aims to develop a socio-environmental analysis by adopting urban configuration and landscape ecology models and subsequently comparing their respective outcomes. To this end, two models of spatial networks were examined in a sector of Pelotas, Brazil, based on graph theory and centrality measures. The urban configuration model was used to analyze human mobility in urban networks, while the landscape ecology model was used to study the butterfly species Heliconius erato phyllis in ecological networks. Our findings show no significant correlation between the outcomes generated by the two models, indicating a lack of cohesion in the location and connection of green infrastructure in the study area. This methodology represents a valuable tool for urban planners and researchers seeking to gain new insights into the performance of urban green areas while considering both human and species-related factors.