Ecological Assets Research Articles

Activities and relationships with parents as key ecological assets that encourage personal positive youth development.

Scientific literature has shown contextual factors that predict youth development, and family variables are the most important ones. In this study, we propose a model that explains the relation between family variables (relationship with parents and family activities) and Personal Positive Youth Development (assessed through Life satisfaction, Interiority, and Self-control), across different cultures. We recruited 2867 adolescents aged 12-18 years (52% female) from three countries: Spain, Mexico, and Peru. They completed an anonymous questionnaire. We run exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and structural equation modelling, testing for invariance across countries and sexes. In all subsamples, positive family relationships were associated with adolescents' Life Satisfaction. In addition, time invested on family activities was associated with Interiority and with Self-control. However, some differences across cultures and sex were found in the specific associations. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed regarding how to improve adolescent development through family life.

A stack-based set inversion model for smart water, carbon and ecological assessment in urban agglomerations

Footprint evaluation is an important tool for assessing the appropriation of ecological assets, GHG emissions, freshwater consumption parameters, etc., within a specified region. However, traditional evaluation of footprints for mega cities or urban agglomerations requires overmuch different types of high-quality data. There is a great need of seeking a smart model/approach with declined data requirements for evaluation of footprints where part of data can hardly be accessed. Here we propose a new ensemble inversion model (EIM) based on integrated multitask machine learning (MML) and multi-modeling stacking (MMS) algorithms for smart evaluation and prediction of water, carbon and ecological footprints. The accuracy and generalization capability of the model are illustrated through three largest urban agglomerations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYR). The testing results show that the EIM achieves similar prediction performance compared to traditional footprints calculation methods (R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 0.18, MAE = 0.11), yet greatly reduces the amount of required data by approximately 80%. Moreover, the accuracy of the EIM is improved by more than 20%, compared with other models using a single inversion algorithm. The modeling results also show that 1) water, carbon and ecological footprints are significantly positively correlated, and 2) an annual increase of 4.8% can be found in terms of the urban environmental pressure index (UEPI), and its projection is even less optimistic for the future.

Spatio-temporal estimation of the anthropogenic environmental stress intensity in the Three-River-Source National Park region, China

Through the construction of national parks to optimize the ecological, production and living space structures, ecological assets can be converted into ecological product values under the premise of maximizing the protection of the original natural ecological environment. In this way, multiple regional economic, social and ecological benefits can be realized. Of course, unreasonable and high-intensity production and living (tourism) activities of human beings will cause irreversible negative effects. Therefore, paying attention to the environmental stress process and its spatial effects brought about by human activities under the background of national park construction is of great significance for coordinating the man-land coupling system and improving the sustainability of key eco-function zones. Taking the Three-River-Source National Park (TRSNP) region as a typical case study, based on the spatial identification of anthropogenic pollution and the estimation of water and air pollutant emissions, this study quantitatively evaluates the environmental stress intensity and analyzes its spatial effects from the perspective of “point-line-plane” stress characteristics. The results show that the effect of environmental stress from anthropogenic pollutants on the TRSNP region is relatively low but shows significant spatial differentiation. The stress intensity in central cities (towns) is relatively high, and the four counties where national parks are located account for only 1/2 of the average stress intensity. From 2012 to 2016, urbanization and industrialization showed significant “point-like” environmental stress; agriculture and animal husbandry production increased the “plane-like” stress; and tourism and transportation showed a “line-like” stress, shifting from points to lines. It is recommended to formulate management and control measures to alleviate the environmental stress intensity in important ecological function areas from four aspects: improving the carrying capacity of environmental facilities, establishing a functional zoning control system, implementing environmental regulations for production and living, and standardizing the environmental ethics and moral concepts of the whole society.

Using GIS fuzzy-set modelling to integrate social-ecological data to support overall resilience in marine protected area spatial planning: A case study

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are useful conservation tools for balancing the complex social-ecological interactions and demands within a given marine area. Often designing, reviewing, and assessing existing MPAs can be a complicated task often based on patchy ecological data, biases towards certain stakeholder groups, and static snapshots of current information. Taking a social-ecological resilience approach, this study has developed an innovative way of using fuzzy-set multi-criteria evaluations in GIS modelling to integrate existing ecological data for a marine area with information from a diverse set of stakeholders to gain an understanding of the overlaps between social and ecological assets within an MPA. Adaptive management frameworks were considered by exploring stakeholder feedback in regards to the current spatial plan and using a social-ecological spatially informed Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) analysis to create a current snapshot of the MPA's vulnerability. The BBN was then used to predict how climate change may affect sensitive habitats and demonstrates the increase of vulnerability for both habitats and marine species when allowing fishing pressure to occur across the entire MPA. A series of decision-making maps were created that integrated all of this information. Using this current and predicted social-ecological spatial information about an MPA, can assist decision-makers and the local community by giving them the tools to make informed decisions about how to better design an MPA that meets and supports long-term social-ecological resilience.

Nature as an Ecological Asset for Positive Youth Development: Empirical Evidence From Rural Communities.

Despite increasing emphasis on youth contact with nature and associated benefits, research has not examined the direct relationship between adolescents' nature-based experiences and holistic measures of positive youth development (PYD). This gap may stem from the lack of interdisciplinary work on nature and PYD. Our study integrates multiple disciplinary perspectives to explore direct associations between time in nature, connection to nature, and the five Cs of PYD (competence, connection, confidence, character, and caring) as well as the “sixth” C of contribution. From 2015 to 2016, we collected data from 587 diverse South Carolina middle school students (57% female, 40% BIPOC) between the ages of 11 and 14 (Mage = 12.9) and living in predominantly low-income communities. OLS regression analyses indicated that across all youth, self-reported connection to nature was a consistent positive correlate of overall PYD and each of the individual Cs. Time in nature was associated with overall PYD and competence. Findings demonstrate significant associations between nature-based experiences and PYD and underscore the importance of ensuring that diverse youth can access and enjoy the developmental benefits of nature and nature-based recreation opportunities.

Flood risks to urban development on a coastal barrier landscape of Lekki Peninsula in Lagos, Nigeria

Lekki Peninsula, which is home to the nouveau riche, is one of the barrier islands of the barrier-lagoon system of the Lagos coastline. The peninsula has been undergoing rapid urbanization since 1980 in total disregard of its physical characteristics. This study assessed landscape dynamics in the peninsula from 1984 to 2014 and evaluated risks to development from potential storm surge flooding. The datasets included baseline data on geographical indicators/island characteristics, satellite imageries and ancillary data. Storm surge flooding hazards and areas at risk were assessed in a Planar GIS environment and with two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic simulation using the Cellular Automaton Evolutionary Slope and River (CAESAR) model. Results reveal that the Lekki Peninsula which was a green zone had grown from about 0.5% built-up area in 1984 to about 18% built-up area in 2014. This growth was due to urban expansion and occurred mostly in areas of ecological assets including mangroves, swamps and vegetation. The highest growth in built-up area occurred in Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA). Generally, the peninsula has a low-lying topography with 37% of its area lying between 0.5 m and 3 m while 63% is between 3 m and 5 m above mean sea level. Potential inundation simulation with the CAESAR model for selected storm surge levels reveal that at surge heights of 4 m and 5 m, 25% (mostly in Eti-Osa) and 37% respectively of the peninsula are flooded with the latter choking off Epe Expressway on both ends. Initial ingress of inundation occurred in Eti-Osa LGA. In comparison to Planar GIS water levels, the CAESAR model reflected more realistic flood extents. The base flood elevation (BFE) and design flood elevation (DFE) are recommended to improve the sustainability and resilience of future developments along with the recognition of natural processes in future policy and development of the peninsula.

Impacts of Infrastructure Developments on Ecosystem Services Potential in Istanbul

Istanbul has been subject to drastic spatial changes in the last decade due to major investments in the northern section of the city. The primary purpose of the research was to interpret the ecological outcomes of spatial use changes due to such urban development activities and enhance the environmental impact assessment process by adopting an analytical and holistic approach. The approach used in the analysis is based on a model called “matrix model” developed specifically to estimate ecosystem services (ES) capacity of a given area depending on the spatial use types. With the use of this method, one can estimate how spatial use influences ES capacity in positive or negative ways, which ES type is affected most, and which part of the spatial change causes most impact on ecological assets. The methodology is applied for three different investment projects in Istanbul, respectively: North Marmara Motorway (NMM), Istanbul Airport, and Canal Istanbul. While the first two have been mostly completed, the third is in the planning phase. Corine Land Cover datasets for 2012 and 2018 are used as basis datasets within the methodology, and spatial plans of Canal Istanbul are used for future projections. Based on these datasets, ES capacity analysis is carried out for each year for the area of investment, and estimation results are compared. The analysis results indicate that these investments have caused and will cause severe ES losses as expected. The outputs prove that the “matrix model” can be used to evaluate ecological impacts in a straightforward, efficient, and inclusive way for evaluating spatial changes. The authors suggest that environmental impact assessments for such major investments must represent a comprehensive outlook based on more simplistic but yet informative approaches that highlight the potential losses of not only ecological assets but also their functions and benefits. In this context, it is strongly recommended that there is a paradigm shift in the understanding of the “environmental impact” in a direction where environment is not acted upon as a solid, rigid, and stable “land cover” but instead a living organism that produces benefits and services for the whole components of the ecosystem on earth, including humankind.

Assessing Spatial Variation in Algal Productivity in a Tropical River Floodplain Using Satellite Remote Sensing

Studies of tropical floodplains have shown that algae are the primary source material for higher consumers in freshwater aquatic habitats. Thus, methods that can predict the spatial variation of algal productivity provide an important input to better inform management and conservation of floodplains. In this study, a prediction of the spatial variability in algal productivity was made for the Mitchell River floodplain in northern Australia. The spatial variation of aquatic habitat types and turbidity were estimated using satellite remote sensing and then combined with statistical modelling to map the spatial variation in algal primary productivity. Open water and submerged plants habitats, covering 79% of the freshwater flooded floodplain extent, had higher rates of algal production compared to the 21% cover of emergent and floating aquatic plant habitats. Across the floodplain, the predicted average algal productivity was 150.9 ± 95.47 SD mg C m−2 d−1 and the total daily algal production was estimated to be 85.02 ± 0.07 SD ton C. This study provides a spatially explicit representation of habitat types, turbidity, and algal productivity on a tropical floodplain and presents an approach to map ‘hotspots’ of algal production and provide key insights into the functioning of complex floodplain–river ecosystems. As this approach uses satellite remotely sensed data, it can be applied in different floodplains worldwide to identify areas of high ecological value that may be sensitive to development and be used by decision makers and river managers to protect these important ecological assets.

Changes in vegetation cover and connectivity of private gardens at traditional wooden townhouses in the ancient city of Kyoto

A large number of Kyoto’s traditional wooden townhouses (referred to here as “KWTs”; kyo-machiya in Japanese), characterized by various types of gardens, have been demolished in recent years as lifestyles have changed. Against a background of limited research into the ecological status of such gardens (referred to here as “KWT gardens”), the authors investigated related changes in a school district where numerous KWTs have been removed, although many still remain, based on the aerial photographs of the local area and related distribution data. The results indicated that KWT gardens as a percentage of overall vegetation cover (“VC”) decreased from 39 to 28% between 1987 and 2008, and that separation/miniaturization of green spaces had progressed. However, some KWT gardens still remained at new houses renovated from KWTs. It was found that, although VC and the connectivity of KWT gardens had decreased due to KWT demolition, such areas still represent a significant part of VC in the ancient city of Kyoto. Accordingly, it is necessary to evaluate remaining KWT gardens and promote their preservation as cultural and ecological assets.

지역 생태자산의 훼손 취약성에 대한 거주민의 인식 차이† - 경기도 파주지역을 대상으로 -

This study targets the city of Paju, Gyeonggi-do, where many challenges are facing ecological assets management due to the increase in recent development. Using the survey data provided by the National Institute of Ecology in Korea, the study analysed the differences in the local residents

Modeling alterations in flow regimes under changing climate in a Mediterranean watershed: An analysis of ecologically-relevant hydrological indicators

The potential response of flow regimes to future climate has crucial importance for a variety of practical applications, such as sustainable water management and ecological asset preservation. For this study, multi-site investigations of alterations in flow regimes under projected climate change were performed for one of the largest watersheds in Morocco, the Bouregreg Watershed (BW). Future daily streamflow was simulated using the eco-hydrological model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) forced by climatic data from CMIP5 model outputs. Simulations were carried out for two periods: 2035–2050 (2040s), and 2085–2100 (2090s) under two emissions scenarios: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Future streamflow regimes were examined in accordance with an Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) analysis, while being confronted with baseline flow data. Mean temperature has been predicted to increase by up to 2.79 °C in the 2090s (RCP8.5), and a higher variability in rainfall regime is expected. The results indicate that, under future changes in climate patterns, flow regimes in BW will be altered. However, the extent of alteration will be reflected unevenly among the four streams of the study watershed. The IHA analysis revealed that most of the river network will experience both a decrease in monthly flow magnitude (mostly in November and December), and an increase (dominantly in February and March) when compared to baseline. The frequency of flash pulses, and the number of zero-flow days are also expected to increase. Most of the projected alterations were estimated to become very significant in the 2090s under the RCP8.5 scenario. The potential ecological implications were also analysed, and the most sensitive streams of BW were identified to guide local water planning and ecological preservation strategies.

北京市生态涵养区生态资产时空格局及驱动因素

生态涵养区作为重要的生态屏障和水源保护地，是北京市实现绿色发展和生态保护的重要支撑。基于改进的生态资产估算模型，获得2000年、2005年、2010年和2015年4期北京市生态涵养区生态资产时空分布格局，基于栅格尺度数据进行面板固定效应回归和分位数回归，检验了生态资产时空格局的驱动因素。结果表明：（1）北京市生态涵养区4期生态资产呈先快速增长后缓慢降低的趋势，森林生态系统积累生态资产价值占比长期保持在70%以上，是生态涵养保护的重要支撑，但2015年其占比较2010年下降了3个百分点。（2）气候变化中年均降雨量对生态资产具有显著的促进作用，年均气温的升高对低分位水平下的生态资产具有显著的抑制作用，而对高分位水平的生态资产有正向推动作用；人为干扰度稳定在一定范围内时对生态资产具有显著的正向促进作用；像元单位空间人口的增加对生态资产有阻滞作用；像元单位空间GDP的增加对生态资产有显著的促进作用。（3）陡坡地和斜坡地的生态资产均在每年360亿元以上，远高于其他坡度的生态资产；南坡面积占比最大，其生态资产积累最高，东北坡次之；低山丘陵地带占比高达71.45%，生态资产的年均值远高于其他区域。;As an important ecological barrier and water conservation area for the capital, the ecological conservation area plays a key role for Beijing to achieve green development and ecological protection. In this paper, we used an ecological assets model modified by NPP, precipitation, soil and water conservation data to estimate the ecological assets and analyze the spatio-temporal variations of Beijing's ecological conservation area in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Panel fixed effect regression and quantile regression based on grid scale data were used to test the driving factors of the spatio-temporal pattern of ecological assets. The results showed that: (1) the four periods of ecological assets in Beijing's ecological conservation area showed a trend of rapid growth and then a slow decline. The growth rate of ecological assets reached 133.81% in 2005, dropped to 44.45% in 2010, and changed to -11.02% in 2015. The value of the forest ecosystem accounted for more than 70% of ecological assets in Beijing's ecological conservation area for a long time, which was important for ecological conservation and protection, but its share in 2015 dropped by 3 percentage points compared with that in 2010. From 2000 to 2015, the value of climate regulation, soil conservation and hydrological regulation functions was always higher than that of other ecosystem services. (2) the annual average precipitation had a vital role in promoting ecological assets. The increase of annual average temperature had a significant inhibitory effect on the ecological assets at 10% and 25% quantile levels, while a positive role in promoting the ecological assets at 75% and 90% quantile levels. When the degree of hemeroby was stable within a certain range, it had a significantly positive effect on ecological assets. The increase of population per unit of pixel space had a blocking effect on ecological assets, while the increase of GDP per unit of pixel space had the opposite effect on ecological assets. (3) In terms of the influence of topographic factors on ecological assets, the ecological assets of steep slopes and slopes were above 36 billion yuan per year, which were much higher than those of other slopes. The area of the southern slope was the largest, and its annual ecological assets accumulation was the highest, reaching 18.34 billion yuan, followed by the northeast slope, with an annual ecological value of 14.95 billion yuan. Moreover, the low mountain and hilly areas accounted for up to 71.45%, the annual average value of ecological assets was much higher than other regions.

自然资本价值核算研究综述

目前国内外对自然资本价值核算的理论与方法尚未取得共识，无疑制约了自然资本核算在生态环境保护中积极作用的发挥。基于此，本文分别从自然资本内涵及其价值核算理论基础、国内外自然资本存量与流量核算方法实证研究、自然资本货币化价值核算的合理性等方面对已有文献进行梳理与分析，发现目前自然资本核算研究主要集中在生态产品的功能量与价值量核算而缺少生态资产货币价值量核算的研究；当前采用的生态产品价值量核算的生态系统类型系数表、本地化生态过程模型、能值当量替换三种方法在精度适用性、应用推广性和计算便捷性上各有优劣，尚待进一步的深入研究；最后对自然资本货币核算的一些争论进行了分析。通过上述研究和分析，提出如下新认识：（1）自然资本相关概念尚不统一，已经形成的认识包括：自然资本具有一定的稀缺性和使用价值，资本可分为存量资本（又称生态资产）和流量资本（又称生态系统服务）；（2）自然资本核算技术繁多，研究成果的横向比较性较差，需要通过标准化核算技术方法和建立生态环境资源数据库等措施，进一步提高核算结果的准确性和可比性；（3）相比于基于生态系统类型价值系数方法和基于非市场化货币的当量替代方法，基于本地化参数的生态系统服务过程方法更能够反映本地生态环境特征，评估分析的准确度更高，生态管理抓手更多；（4）尽管自然资本货币核算理论和实践应用仍存在一些争论，但各国政府和各类组织都在推动自然资本核算工作，自然资本的探索性核算成果已在各国生态补偿和生态损害修复等方面发挥积极作用。;At present, the theory and methodology of natural capital valuation have not reached a consensus domestically or internationally. This undoubtedly restricts the positive role of natural capital valuation played in the protection of the ecological environment. To address this issue, this paper analyzed the existing literature, including studies on the theoretical basis of value accounting, empirical accounting methods for stocks and flows, and the rationality of natural capital monetization. We found that natural capital valuation research tended to focus on product quantity, lacking exploration of the monetary value of ecological assets. Currently, three methods, including ecosystem type coefficient table, the localized ecological process model, and emergy-equivalent replacement for ecological product value, have been broadly adopted. They have their advantages and disadvantages in terms of precision applicability, application popularization, and calculation convenience, all of which need further study. In the end, this paper discussed some of the controversies surrounding the monetary accounting of natural capital. Through the above analysis, the paper puts forward the following conclusions:(1) the concepts related to natural capital have not been unified. The natural capital has a certain scarcity and use value, and capital can be divided into stocks (also known as ecological assets) and flows (also known as ecosystem services). (2) The variety of natural capital valuation techniques leads to poor horizontal comparison of research results. It is necessary to improve the accuracy and comparability of accounting results by standardizing techniques and establishing ecological-environmental resource databases. (3) Compared with the value coefficient method based on ecosystem type and the equivalent substitution method based on non-market valuation, the ecosystem service process method based on local parameters can better reflect the characteristics of local ecological and environmental conditions. The accuracy of evaluation and analysis is higher, and there are more ecological management channels. (4) Although there are still some debates about the theory and practical application of the monetary accounting of natural capital, governments and various organizations have promoted the work of natural capital valuation. The results of the exploratory accounting of natural capital have played a positive role in ecological compensation and restoration policies in various countries.

青藏高原地区生态资产核算研究——以西藏自治区山南市为例

生态资产是重要的自然资源资产，也是优质生态产品提供的基础，生态资产的变化趋势可作为衡量生态保护和恢复成效的重要指标。山南市拥有青藏高原地区各种生态资产类型，以山南市为例开展生态资产核算可为青藏高原地区生态资产评估与保护提供参考。以生态资产数量、质量和生态资产指数为主要指标，揭示山南市2000-2015年生态资产的变化趋势及影响因素。结果表明：（1）2015年山南市生态资产以草地和森林为主，分别占生态资产总面积的40.6%和35.8%；但质量不高，优、良等级比例仅占11.8%和12.0%；生态资产综合指数为38.26，草地、森林、灌丛和湿地生态资产指数分别为16.23、14.88、5.37和1.78；（2）2000-2015年，山南市生态资产面积总体变化不大，森林和荒漠生态资产分别增加50.2 km²和43.9 km²，但湿地、农田、草地、灌丛、冰川生态资产面积分别减少97.4、29.8、2.9、2.7、0.3 km²；生态资产质量明显提升，优级和良级生态资产增幅分别为40.5%和108.5%；生态资产指数增加了16.1%；（3）退耕还林还草等生态保护和修复政策、城镇扩张以及气候变化等是山南市生态资产变化的主要因素。;Ecosystem assets are important natural resource assets and the basis of high-quality ecological products provisioning. The change trend of ecosystem assets can be used as an important indicator to measure the effectiveness of ecological protection and restoration. Shannan City has various types of ecosystem assets on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Taking Shannan City as an example to carry out ecosystem assets accounting can provide reference for the evaluation and protection of ecosystem assets in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Based on the area and quality of ecosystem assets and the ecosystem assets index as the main indicators, this study reveals the changing trend and influencing factors of ecosystem assets in Shannan City from 2000 to 2015. The results show that: 1) In 2015, grassland and forest were main ecological assets of Shannan City, accounting for 40.6% and 35.8% of the total ecosystem assets, respectively. The quality of ecosystem assets in Shannan City is low, and the proportions of excellent and good grades are 11.8% and 12.0%, respectively. The index of ecosystem assets in Shannan City is 38.26, and the indexes of grassland, forest, shrub, and wetland are 16.23, 14.88, 5.27, and 1.78, respectively. 2) During 2000 to 2015, the area of ecosystem assets in Shannan City had little change. Forests and desert ecosystem assets increased by 50.2 km² and 43.9 km², respectively, while the area of wetlands, farmland, grassland, shrubs, and glaciers decreased by 97.4 km², 29.8 km², 2.9 km², 2.7 km² and 0.3 km², respectively. The quality of ecosystem assets was significantly improved, with the growth rates of excellent and good grade ecosystem assets being 40.5% and 108.5%, respectively. The ecosystem assets index of Shannan City increased by 16.1%. 3) The changes of ecosystem assets in Shannan City are mainly affected by such factors as sloping land conversion program and other ecological protection and restoration policies, urban expansion and climate change.

国内生态资本文献计量研究

运用知识图谱工具CiteSpace对CNKI数据库中CSSCI及核心期刊收录的生态资本研究的相关文献进行梳理分析，以期为该领域研究提供更客观、科学的参考。研究表明:国内学界多从基本概念、资本属性、构成要素等角度探讨生态资本的内涵；从生态资源资产化、生态资产资本化角度探究生态资本化理论的衍生过程；以生态系统服务、生态危机的解决策略、建设美丽中国的战略构想为着力点研究生态资本的理论价值；基于生态补偿、生态资本运营、相关理论在具体领域的应用等视角进行生态资本的现实运用研究。这些研究热点熔融于该领域研究的各个阶段，呈现出"基本内涵和衍生过程探讨、理论价值探究、现实运用研究"的演进路径。新时代下，专家学者应着重关注宏观生态资本核算标准与体系、微观生态资本化衍生路径以及社会服务实践领域生态资本现实价值的研究，以推动生态资本理论朝着纵深化方向发展，为我国经济高质量发展提供新的研究视角。;This research uses CiteSpace, the software tool for mapping knowledge domain, to sort out the relevant literature of CSSCI and core periodicals on the CNKI database for the aim of providing a more objective and scientific reference for the research in this field. The research shows that domestic scholars mostly discuss the connotation of ecological capital from the perspectives such as fundamental concepts, capital attributes and constitutive elements and etc.; the derivative process of ecological capitalization theory is explored from the perspective of ecological resource capitalization and ecological assets capitalization; the theoretical value of ecological capital is studied with the focus on ecosystem service, the solution of ecological crisis and the strategic concept of building a beautiful China; and the practical application of ecological capital are researched from the perspectives of eco-compensation, ecological capital operation, and relevant theories in specific fields. These research hot spots are integrated into various stages of research in this field, and present an evolutionary path of “discussing basic connotations and derived processes, exploring theoretical values, and studying practical applications”. With the advent of the new era, experts and scholars should strengthen the research on the construction and improvement of the macro ecological capital accounting system and the derivative path of ecological capitalization at the micro level, thus providing a new research perspective for the high-quality development of China's economy.

城市生态系统修复研究进展

城市生态系统是社会-经济-自然复合生态系统。城市生态系统修复的实质是协调好城市复合生态系统的自然过程、经济过程和社会过程之间的关系，促进复合生态系统的各方面协调高效可持续发展。以城市绿地、城市湿地、城市废弃地三类主要的城市生态空间为对象，论述了城市生态系统修复的研究进展，提出当前城市生态系统修复存在以人工修复技术为主、自然修复不足、机理和量化研究缺乏、理论和应用脱节、管理机制不健全、复合生态系统理论体现不足等问题。梳理了当前城市生态系统修复的研究热点，包括城市生态系统修复机理、城市生态资产与生态系统服务、城市生态系统质量和健康、问题导向的生态修复、面向人类福祉的生态修复、生态修复多学科融贯，以及新方法和新技术的应用等几个方面。提出了城市生态修复与管理的相关对策和建议，可为我国城市生态系统修复的研究和实践提供参考。;Urban ecosystem is a kind of complex social-economic-natural ecosystem. The essence of urban ecosystem restoration is to coordinate the relationship among the natural process, economic process and social process of the urban complex ecosystem, and promote the coordinated and efficient development of all aspects of the complex ecosystem. This paper takes urban green space, urban wetland, urban wasteland, three main types of urban ecological space, as the objects, and discusses the research progress of urban ecosystem restoration. Then we point out that the current urban ecosystem restoration has some questions such as too much artificial restoration and lacking of natural restoration, the lack of mechanism and quantitative research, the disconnection between theory and application, the imperfect management mechanism, and the weakness of complex ecosystem theory application, and so on. This article reviews the current research hotspots of urban ecosystem restoration, including restoration mechanism of urban ecosystem, urban ecological asset and ecosystem services, urban ecosystem quality and health, ecological restoration resulted from urban problems, ecological restoration oriented to human welfare, multidisciplinary integration of ecological restoration, and application of new methods and technologies. Finally, the paper puts forward the relevant countermeasures and suggestions of urban ecological restoration and management, which can provide references for the research and practice of urban ecosystem restoration in China.

Multi-Dimensional assessment of beach systems on the Catalan coast from a pragmatic and epistemological perspective

In recent decades, much of the progress observed in the study of beaches to aid policy has focused on producing sound substantive and/or contextual knowledge. However, attention has not usually been paid to the procedural manner in which it has been produced. Guided by an open learning process, this study aims to develop and present an expanded reviewed assessment of the Catalan coast operationalized by means of the Double-Looped Beach Quality Index (DL-BQI). Such openness helps us to understand which narratives of beach management in Catalonia are operating (and which are excluded), the extent to which they are unfolding, and the capacity of the DL-BQI to provide information for policymaking. Data collection enabled assessment of 96 representative beaches on the Catalan coast, that may find correspondence with other geographic locations. Both the instrument used for the assessment – the DL-BQI – and its results were co-evaluated at a multi-stakeholder meeting. In general, beaches have mainly been conditioned to supply elements for tourism and leisure. Different pressures have arisen from the orientation towards such activities, usually according to beach type, most of them negatively impacting the ecological assets and natural heritage of beaches. The economic growth narrative, albeit predominant, was shown to be deficient for tackling complex coastal problems, i.e. intensifying ecological deterioration. Alternatively, the study shows the importance for regional coastal policy of considering the value of beaches as natural systems, as advocated, to a greater or lesser extent, by the narratives of sustainability, environmental protection and integrated coastal zone management. This research innovates on considering substantive, contextual and procedural dimensions of knowledge quality for the governance of beach systems, by relating dimensions, narratives and outcomes.

Ethnobotanical Study of Early Childhood Medicinal Plants Used by the Local People in South Bangka Regency, Indonesia

South Bangka Regency has a long history of using medicinal plants as part of its medical system. However, the potential associated with this aspect of traditional medicine remains understudied and poorly explored. This study aimed to describe the types of medicinal plants and analyze the use of medicinal plants to treat early childhood disease by the local community of South Bangka Regency. The research method used was open interview with local people using the questionnaires. The data was analyzed using Use Value (UV), Fidelity Level (FL), and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC). The analysis identified 55 plant species from 35 families. The most common families were Euphorbiaceae (8.92%), Fabaceae (7.14%), Poaceae (7.14%), Zingiberaceae (5.36%), and Lamiaceae (5.36%). The most widely used plant was shallot plants ( Allium cepa L.) with values of UV, FL, and RFC were 0.67, 66.67, and 0.015, respectively. This study revealed the richness of ethnomedicinal knowledge in the South Bangka Regency. Finally, it is expected that this ethnobotany study can provide a database for further scientific research. The community’s knowledge as a legacy will not be repeated if it is not inherited. Besides, this biodiversity is very important as a socio-economic and ecological asset in South Bangka Regency which must be protected by all means from over exploitation.

Integrating spontaneous urban woodlands into the green infrastructure: Unexploited opportunities for urban regeneration

Urban forests have manifold social, economic, cultural and ecological benefits and are major components of the urban green infrastructure. Among them, spontaneous urban woodlands develop unintentionally on abandoned lands in both growing and shrinking cities and deserve additional attention. We aimed to describe the planning and social processes linked to failures and successes in recognising spontaneous woodlands in Italy. We collected data on the woodland area characteristics, urban settings, and former land use as well as on the planning and property evolution (e.g. land use zone designations) and citizens involvement for 19 sites in 13 representative Italian cities. Our results highlighted that spontaneous woodlands are heterogeneous in size and age, and grow on a variety of previous land uses, with residential and industrial being the most dominant. More than half of the urban plans designated land uses that require new soil sealing and tree plantations instead of maintaining the existing woodlands. Only in four case studies, urban plans recognised the spontaneous woodland, at least partially, as an element of the city’s green infrastructure. We pinpoint an overall deficiency of the planning process in considering spontaneous urban woodlands, although with some exceptions that can represent models for future planning. The role of citizens seemed pivotal, even if not necessarily decisive, in the promotion and maintenance of these woodlands as a real social and ecological asset. A complex and modern array of approaches should capitalise on the potential benefits of spontaneous urban woodlands with the participation of citizens as a strong element of governance.

Putting Parental Supervision Into Context: Taking an Assets-Based Approach in Examining the Role of Parental Supervision During Adolescence

Studies of parental supervision often fail to consider the broader ecology in which youth are developing. In this paper, moderation and mediation analysis were utilized to examine parental supervision along with the ecological asset of supportive relationships, which have been identified as especially powerful assets, in a sample of 289 adolescents from the United States. These factors are considered in relation to positive indicators that have specifically been associated with youth thriving: self-control and future aspiration. Results of a mediation analysis suggest that family support mediates the relationship between parental supervision and both indicators. Therefore, parents should ensure they are demonstrating support during attempts to supervise youth. In addition, supportive relationships with adults at school further promote the development of an important internal characteristic: self-control. Including aspects of the broader ecology in studies of youth development is essential to uncovering the role external assets play in promoting positive outcomes for adolescents.