Little things in the cities: green spaces management shapes species centrality in ant-diaspore network in a vast Tropical City

Abstract. Intelligent management of urban trees is a key issue for Smart Cities, contributing to environmental sustainability and urban well-being. Geospatial technologies and artificial intelligence are increasingly being integrated into smart cites to improve resource management and urban planning. This study provides an in-depth comparison of three deep learning methods: PointNet, DGCNN & RandLA-Net, applied to classification of seven urban trees species (Pine, Spruce, Birch, Maple, Aspen, Rowan, Linden) from the open-source Airborne Multispectral LiDAR dataset (MS-ALS-SPECIES). Each model was trained on a common training set, validated during training and evaluated on a separate test set, allowing a systematic evaluation of their classification performance. The comparison focuses on overall accuracy, F1-score, mean per-class accuracy and recall. The results demonstrate that PointNet achieves the best overall accuracy of test dataset of 82.07% and a mean per-class accuracy of 70.32%, with competitive performance on Pine (94.37%), Spruce (84.25%), and Maple (86.67%). DGCNN improves the capture of local structures, with 79.15% accuracy in validation, and 67.98% in testing, reflecting slight overfitting. RandLA-Net, although less accurate overall (56.03%), achieves the best inter-species homogeneity (62.32%), and high recall on minority species (Aspen: 86.36%, Linden 85.71%). These results demonstrate the potential of 3D deep learning combine with multispectral airborne lidar for automated urban tree species classification and their integration into the geospatial systems of smart cities for intelligent management of green spaces.

This article examines the relationships among the 15 streets in the Dublin footfall dataset. Understanding interdependencies and differences in pedestrian activity patterns across streets in Dublin City Centre is essential for informed urban planning, retail strategies, and effective management of urban spaces, yet such spatial-temporal relationships remain underexplored in available sensor-based footfall data. This study utilised pedestrian footfall data collected via PYRO-BOX Counters sensors provided by Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority (NTA). The analysis began with careful data preprocessing, including cleaning, standardisation of street column names, handling missing values through forward-fill imputation techniques, and deletion of some columns after learning of relationships between them. Hourly pedestrian counts were aggregated to daily totals to better capture long-term movement patterns relevant to street-level comparisons. A Pearson correlation heatmap was created to examine how the streets in Dublin City Centre relate to one another. This visualisation revealed different groups of streets with comparable activity patterns, clearly emphasising the interdependence and differences among them. These groupings highlight shared temporal behaviours alongside distinct variations in pedestrian footfall across locations. The findings provide a basis for better-informed urban planning and policy decisions by shedding light on how various locations interact with one another. This analysis contributes meaningfully to urban informatics by illustrating street-level relationships and inter-dependence in footfall data, thereby supporting more responsive infrastructures, enhanced city services, retail and commercial planning, and sustainable urban growth as business will know where to locate themselves so as to get a high number of customers by choosing streets that have high footfall and urban planners will know how to plan the city in terms of green spaces and street paths depending on the number of people using the different available streets.

Accurate classification of urban tree species is fundamental for urban green space management and ecological assessment. To address the challenges of small and overlapping tree crown detection in high-resolution remote sensing imagery, this study proposes YOLO-CNGD, a novel framework based on YOLOv11n. The key enhancements include the integration of the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) for refined feature representation, the adoption of the Normalized Wasserstein Distance (NWD) loss for robust small-object localization, the incorporation of Deformable Convolution v3 (DCNv3) to adapt to irregular shapes, and the replacement of standard convolutions with GhostConv for a lightweight design. Experiments on a self-built urban tree dataset show that YOLO-CNGD achieves a precision of 94.8%, a recall of 91.1%, and an mAP@0.5 of 93.7%. The model balances accuracy and efficiency, showing great potential for large-scale automated urban tree inventory.

A poor nutrient management strategy leads to an imbalance in the soil nutrient status, which could have a long-term negative influence on crop output. Keeping this in view, a field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Institute, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, Pusa, Samastipur Bihar, to assess performance of early maturing sugarcane genotypes with two row configurations (90 and 120 cm) under two levels of macronutrients (NPK) i.e. N150 + P37.1 + K49.8 and N187.5 + P46.4 + K62.3 kg/ha on soil nutrient equilibrium sugarcane crop during 2018–19. Genotype CoP 13437 recorded a significantly higher tiller population and number of millable canes (169.7 and 114.9 × 103/ha) while genotype CoSe 95422 showed the highest B:C ratio (2.33). Maximum cane yield was observed in 90 cm row spacing with the increased NPK level and the increase in cane yield under N187.5 + P46.4 + K62.3 kg/ha was to the tune of 27.5 %. Genotype CoSe 95422 produces a higher cane yield (102.6 t/ha) of sugarcane, followed by CoP 13437 (101.5 t/ha). The uptake of macronutrients increased when more fertiliser was applied (280, 27.3 and 318.2 NPK kg/ha). With increasing fertility levels (N187.5 + P46.4 + K62.3 kg/ha), a net gain of NPK was observed. Therefore, balanced nutrient management combined with appropriate genotype selection and row spacing significantly enhanced sugarcane productivity and improved soil nutrient status for sustainable cultivation.

Purpose This research examines the relationship between supportive management, the use of wearable technology, and felt stress in public-sector jobs with varying discretion and temporal autonomy. Design/methodology/approach We conducted two complementary studies. Study 1 analyzed survey data from 341 public sector employees using finite mixture modeling and cluster profiling. Study 2 used observational daily data from wearable sensors of 18 employees over 48 days. We also conducted an analytical comparison of the two studies’ findings, accounting for job characteristics. Findings In jobs with enabled discretion and high temporal autonomy, supportive management does not directly impact stress. However, it interacts with wearables, showing a stress-reducing association. Conversely, in jobs with constrained discretion and low temporal autonomy, supportive management directly reduces stress but does not interact with wearables. Practical implications Managers should align the use of well-being technologies with the available action space. When the action space is high, the focus should be on non-core IT processes, including private self-review windows and clear procedures for responding to alerts. When the action space is low, support should target core job operations directly. Originality/value This research integrates Street-Level Bureaucracy with the Technology Enactment Framework to examine enacted wearable use depending on action space and supportive management. Empirically, it combines a finite mixture model with wearable stress indicators to model job context heterogeneity in the public sector.

Advancing heat transfer mechanisms in gravitationally varying environments is crucial for improving engineering applications in aerospace engineering, astrophysics, spacecraft, and satellites. Motivated by these applications, this study examines the influence of periodic variations in gravitational acceleration and externally applied magnetic fields on heat and momentum transfer over an inclined stretching sheet situated in an upper-atmosphere or microgravity regime. The thermophysical properties of glycerine, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), gold (Au), and aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) are incorporated to evaluate their contributions to enhancing thermal conductivity and heat transport performance. The transformed governing equations are numerically solved using the finite element method (FEM), with simulations executed in Wolfram Mathematica to assess the impact of key physical parameters. The results indicate that hybrid and ternary hybrid nanofluids substantially outperform mono nanofluids. Specifically, the ternary hybrid nanofluid yields up to a 31.6% increase in temperature distribution and a 27.4% rise in velocity magnitude relative to the base nanofluid. An increase in the micropolar material parameter enhances fluid motion, producing an 18.2% increase in velocity, while increasing the Hartmann number reduces the velocity by approximately 22.9%, confirming the expected magnetic damping effect. Additionally, both the skin-friction coefficient and the Nusselt number increase with higher gravity modulation amplitudes, showing up to a 24.7% rise in shear stress and a 29.3% improvement in heat transfer rate. Overall, the findings demonstrate the superior heat transport capability of ternary hybrid nanofluids under fluctuating gravity conditions, highlighting their potential for advanced thermal management in space and microgravity engineering applications.

Citizen participation has been fundamental in the design and management of public spaces in Valencia over the last decade, promoting spatial justice. Models such as co-creation through participatory budgeting, self-management and social mobilisation have proven their effectiveness. This article focuses on the study of Valencia’s DecidimVLC digital platform, analysing its influence on participatory budgeting over ten years, since its launch in 2015. The research delves into a participatory project with high media coverage focused on the children’s area of Plaza del Cedro, a neighbourhood park with high community involvement. The results are structured in two sections. On the one hand, a general analysis of the DecidimVLC platform is carried out, examining the types of projects it has promoted. On the other, it provides a specific assessment of the results through the case study of the children’s green area, evaluating the impact of direct interaction with the administration on spatial justice and social cohesion. The study confirms that digital tools such as DecidimVLC are a key vehicle for citizen ‘empowerment’, promoting a more equitable and participatory vision of the city.

Urban forestry enhances urban environments by offering ecological, economic, and social benefits. However, managing urban populations and their environments has become a pressing issue. The current study assesses the current status, challenges, and future prospects of urban forestry in Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Nepal. A mixed-method approach, including a field survey and interviews with 155 local residents, was employed to collect data. The study recorded 54 tree species, with a Shannon–Wiener Diversity Index of 3.26 and an Equitability Index of 0.81. The most frequently planted species were Saraca indica (129/869), Melia azedarach (87/869), and Ficus religiosa (49/869), while Ficus religiosa (18%), Ficus benghalensis (11.5%), and Mangifera indica (8%) were identified as the most hazardous. Urban residents perceived urban forest management as poor and emphasized the need for efficient programs involving thinning, pruning, space management, and hazardous tree removal. Dissatisfaction arose due to inappropriate species selection that did not align with community preferences. Key challenges include inadequate awareness, poor planning, and ineffective implementation. Nonetheless, opportunities such as community engagement, policy reform, and technological advancements offer pathways to improve urban forestry. Strengthening policy frameworks and ensuring their consistent enforcement are vital to addressing rapid urbanization challenges. Future research should focus on long-term monitoring and assessing the impact of urban forestry on residents’ well-being. Cite this article as: Ghimire, P., & Lamichhane, U. (2026). Participatory urban forestry in Bharatpur metropolitan city, Nepal: an analysis of species composition and management practices. Forestist, 76, 0013, doi:10.5152/forestist.2025.25013.

Purpose As a distinctive form of tourism destination, nostalgic consumption spaces have gained increasing popularity among visitors. Despite this growth, many such destinations face persistent challenges, including tourist complaints, operational inefficiencies and difficulties in achieving sustainable long-term development. This study aims to examine the antecedents of tourism advocacy and to investigate how advocacy contributes to the sustainable development of nostalgic consumption spaces. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, this study develops a conceptual model to explain the formation mechanism of tourism destination advocacy. Using survey data collected from visitors to nostalgic consumption spaces, the proposed relationships among nostalgic emotions, perceived value, tourism advocacy and visitor engagement are empirically tested through quantitative analysis. Findings The results demonstrate that nostalgic emotions and perceived value significantly and positively influence tourism advocacy. Furthermore, tourism advocacy plays a critical role in enhancing visitor engagement, which in turn strengthens competitiveness and supports the sustainable development of nostalgic tourism destinations. Practical implications This study provides important managerial and policy implications for the sustainable management of nostalgic consumption spaces. Specifically, destination managers and policymakers can leverage different dimensions of nostalgia to stimulate visitor advocacy, improve service quality and enhance emotional connections with visitors. These strategies can help mitigate tourist complaints, reduce operational inefficiencies and promote long-term sustainable growth of nostalgic tourism destinations. Originality/value This study advances the literature on tourism advocacy by examining it within the context of nostalgic consumption spaces. By deconstructing nostalgia into distinct dimensions and empirically testing their differential effects using the SOR framework, this research extends theoretical understanding of emotional mechanisms in tourism behavior and offers practical guidance for enhancing destination competitiveness and sustainability.

Physical education (PE) is tactile, practical, and participative, making it more challenging to integrate technology than other academic subjects. This study intends to analyse the challenges faced by physical teachers while using digital technology in PE. This research included physical education teachers (PETs) from nine secondary schools in Selangor, Malaysia. Qualitative research design was applied in this study and the data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework is used to analyse PETs technology education practises and issues. Results revealed that there were seven themes emerged for the obstacles: i) lack of infrastructure; ii) lack of financial support; iii) lack of training; iv) time and space management; v) perception and attitude towards PE; vi) student-related constrains; and vii) lack of educational resources. These findings can be useful to support education in the 21st century whereby the teachers should get extensive technology training to improve their digital skills, as well as regular and ongoing technology integration training.

Effect of spacing and phosphorus management on pigeon pea grown on heavy black soil

Forage scarcity and poor nutritional quality of traditional fodders continue to challenge sustainable livestock production, particularly in resource limited and climate vulnerable regions. This study evaluated the interactive effects of planting space (PS) and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the yield and quality of Mombasa grass ( Megathyrsus maximus Jacq.). Two year field experiment was conducted in cropland conditions using a factorial randomized complete block design with three planting spaces (30, 60, 90 cm) and four N levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha −1 ). Results showed that narrower spacing (30–60 cm) combined with 100 kg Nha −1 significantly improved forage yield, crude protein (CP) content, and dry matter accumulation, with the marginal gains seen at higher N level (150 kg ha −1 ). Wider spacing increased individual plant biomass and CP but reduced total forage yield. The 100 kg N ha −1 treatment achieved similar productivity to 150 kg N ha −1 , indicating a potential threshold for economically efficient fertilization. This is the first known attempt to evaluate Mombasa grass in cropland systems under integrated spacing and nutrient management. These findings provide a practical basis for the farmers to improve forage production for their livestock while reducing excessive inputs in tropical and sub‐tropical environment. This study contributes to sustainable agriculture by identifying an efficient combination of N input and planting density that enhances forage yield and nutritional quality in Mombasa grass and supports resource efficient N use, reducing N losses and environmental impacts. The findings also promote the diversified forage sources with livestock feed security in low input regions.

Urban green spaces play a critical role in ecological sustainability, public health, and social well-being, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions. This study examines Taman Hutan Pakal, an urban forest in West Surabaya, to explore its potential as a sustainable edu-ecotourism and family recreation destination from a management and innovation perspective. Data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews with park managers, visitors, local communities, and urban planning experts, as well as document analysis. Thematic analysis identified four key insights. First, Taman Hutan Pakal possesses significant ecological and recreational potential. Second, existing challenges include insufficient family-oriented infrastructure, limited environmental education programs, and low visibility in public engagement. Third, opportunities exist through societal demand and supportive policies to enhance environmental literacy and healthy recreational practices. Fourth, strategic interventions such as branding as an Educational Urban Forest, implementing biodiversity-based environmental education, improving child-friendly facilities, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration enable value transformation, innovation in urban park management, and long-term sustainability. The findings highlight the importance of integrating ecological, social, and educational dimensions in urban green space management to generate community well-being and strategic value for regional development.

Plants on residential urban properties can provide valuable ecosystem services or produce harmful disservices depending on fine-scale characteristics tied to plant species identity, such as growth habit or native status. The composition of plant identities on a given block is often influenced by socioeconomic factors, leading to variable green space function across a city. We surveyed residential plants on Baltimore, MD, and Washington, D.C. blocks, documenting differences in structure, richness, and community composition along an income gradient and between abandoned and neighboring occupied properties. Both canopy and ground vegetation on low-income residential properties covered less area and were more likely to contain non-native species than their higher-income counterparts, with different tree, vine, and non-native communities present. Abandoned properties had more canopy cover and higher tree richness than occupied neighbors but similar community composition including five common vines, four of which were non-native. These differences have important implications for ecosystem services, and such fine-scale knowledge could better inform the management of green space to benefit urban residents.

The precise identification of territorial space conflicts (TSCs) and their driving mechanisms is key to enhancing spatial security governance. Taking Jinan City as a case study, this research evaluates territorial space suitability across production, living, and ecological dimensions, proposes an empirical TSC identification model, and employs GeoDetector to analyze spatiotemporal evolution patterns and driving mechanisms. The results indicated that (1) from 2000 to 2020, significant spatial heterogeneity characterized the suitability of production–living–ecological spaces in Jinan City. High suitability zones of production and living space expanded in the northern plain along the Yellow River and central piedmont plain, respectively, while those of ecological space contracted in the southern mountainous and hilly areas. (2) Significant spatiotemporal variations in territorial space conflicts (TSCs) were observed in Jinan City over the past two decades. Intense conflicts dominated production–living and production–ecological space interactions, while moderate conflicts were prevalent in living–ecological and production–living–ecological space interactions. Production–living space conflict zones expanded, living–ecological space conflict zones contracted, and production–ecological and production–living–ecological space conflict zones showed consistent expansion trends. (3) The spatiotemporal evolution of territorial space conflicts is jointly driven by the natural environment, geographical location, social economy, and regional policies. The interaction of driving factors exhibited significant dual-factor and nonlineal enhancement effects. Finally, this study provides some scientific references for the comprehensive management and pattern optimization of territorial space in Jinan City.

Background: Agenesis is one of the most common anomalies frequently affecting permanent dentition. The most common congenital missing teeth are reported to be the permanent maxillary lateral incisors and permanent maxillary and mandibular second premolars. Case: An eleven-year-old female child reported with clinically missing permanent mandibular canines bilaterally and inadequate arch space for accommodating the permanent dentition. Radiographic evaluation confirmed their congenital absence and rules out any associated pathologies. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of missing or unerupted teeth should be assessed once the child reaches chronological age. One congenital agenesis is confirmed radiographically; diligent space management should be carried out till the child reaches the late teenage to optimize transition into adult dentition.

This article presents a critical analysis of the Minha Casa Minha Vida (PMCMV) Program and justifies a proposal for revising its operational guidelines. The study contrasts the persistent significant housing deficit in Brazil, according to data from Fundação João Pinheiro, with the alarming number of vacant urban properties identified in the 2022 IBGE Census, highlighting a profound disconnect between housing demand and the availability of built stock. It is argued that the program’s current model, predominantly focused on constructing new housing units in urban expansion areas, contributes to the underutilization of existing infrastructure, the exacerbation of socio-spatial segregation, and inefficiency in urban space management. The analysis explores the causes and implications of this urban anomaly, including real estate speculation and the insufficient application of urban planning instruments. The central strategy proposed for improving housing policy and public governance is the prioritization of utilizing existing vacant properties through public acquisition, rehabilitation, and requalification for social housing purposes. This approach aims to optimize resources, revitalize consolidated urban areas, promote social inclusion in well-located areas, and ensure the effectiveness of the social function of property, resulting in more just, efficient, and resilient cities.

Premature loss of deciduous teeth is a prevalent concern in pediatric dentistry and can disrupt normal occlusal development, often increasing the need for complex orthodontic and prosthodontic interventions. This retrospective observational study assessed the association between early primary tooth loss, malocclusion patterns, and subsequent treatment requirements among children attending dental clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Records of 467 patients aged 6–18 years were analyzed. Early loss of deciduous teeth was observed in 39% of patients, most commonly due to dental caries and frequently involving primary molars. Children with premature tooth loss exhibited significantly higher rates of crowding, midline deviation, crossbite, and altered overjet or overbite. These occlusal disturbances often necessitated space management using fixed or removable space maintainers, pediatric partial dentures, or functional appliances to preserve arch length and guide the eruption of permanent successors. Patients with early tooth loss demonstrated a greater need for orthodontic treatment, increased treatment complexity, and prolonged treatment duration. Multivariable analyses identified early deciduous tooth loss as an independent predictor of severe treatment complexity, while timely space maintenance and prosthodontic rehabilitation showed a mitigating effect. These findings emphasize the importance of preserving primary teeth and integrating preventive, orthodontic, and prosthodontic strategies to optimize occlusal development and reduce long-term treatment burden in children.

In Ukraine, the digital transformation of public transport is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in the context of the implementation of the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine for the period until 2030. However, its implementation requires a comprehensive approach and coordinated decisions between the state, carriers, and the public. This study analyzes the main economic and infrastructure aspects of the digitalization of passenger transport, identifies key challenges and suggests possible ways to overcome them. The article examines the concept of Smart City as a new paradigm for the development of urban space in the context of the digital transformation of society. The essence and key components of the “smart city” model are analyzed, its impact on modern urbanism is determined, and examples of Smart City implementation in global and Ukrainian practice are given. The main challenges and prospects for the introduction of digital technologies into the urban environment are outlined. It is concluded that digitalization is an important factor in the sustainable development of cities and the formation of a comfortable living space for citizens. Modern urban development is characterized by global processes of urbanization and digital transformation. Traditional approaches to urban space management are becoming insufficient to solve complex socio-economic and environmental problems. In this context, the Smart City concept takes on the significance of a new urban paradigm that combines spatial, social, and technological aspects of urban development. The aim of the article is to study the concept of Smart City as an innovative model of urban space development and determine its role in the formation of a new urban paradigm. Among the main challenges of Smart City, we can highlight: cybersecurity and personal data protection, inequality in access to digital technologies, the high cost of implementing innovative infrastructure, the need to adapt technologies to the historically formed urban environment. The prospects for the digitalization of urban space are related to: the implementation of integrated city management platforms, the use of artificial intelligence to predict urban processes, the development of “green urbanism” in combination with digital solutions, and the active involvement of citizens in decision-making processes. The Smart City concept forms a new paradigm of urban planning, changing approaches to city management and the organization of urban space. Its implementation ensures increased management efficiency, an increase in the quality of life of residents, and creates conditions for sustainable development. Incorporating digital technologies into urban development strategies is becoming a key condition for the competitiveness of modern cities.