Types Of Green Space Research Articles

Multi-Objective Urban Green Space Optimization of Wetland Cities Based on the Carbon Balance: A Case Study in Wuhan

Urban areas are significant centers of human activity and are recognized as major contributors to global carbon emissions. The establishment of urban green spaces plays a crucial role in enhancing carbon sinks and mitigating carbon emissions, thereby fostering a low-carbon cycle within cities. However, the existing literature on the carbon sequestration of green spaces in Chinese cities often overlooks the role of water bodies, which are a significant characteristic of wetland cities. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the carbon sequestration potential of green spaces in wetland cities, taking into account the contribution of water bodies to carbon sinks. This study aims to analyze the quantitative structure of urban green spaces through the lens of carbon balance, which can effectively enhance a city’s overall carbon sequestration capacity. Utilizing carbon balance theory, this research first assesses the carbon offsetting capability (COC) of urban green spaces in Wuhan for the year 2019. It then forecasts future carbon emissions, sets improvement targets for COC, and calculates the required area of standard green space to achieve these targets by 2030. A multi-objective programming (MOP) model is developed to identify the optimal solution that aligns with urban development planning constraints while maximizing carbon sinks. Lastly, we analyzed the contribution rates of different types of urban green spaces to the total carbon sequestration capacity of green spaces to clarify the characteristics of carbon absorption in green spaces of Wuhan, a wetland city. The findings indicate the following: (1) In 2019, Wuhan’s carbon emissions from human activities reached approximately 38.20 Mt, with urban green spaces absorbing around 5.62 Mt of carbon, and a COC of about 14.71%. (2) Projections for 2030 suggest that carbon emissions in Wuhan will rise to approximately 42.64 Mt. Depending on the targeted COC improvement rates of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%, the required values of carbon sequestration will be 6.59 Mt, 6.90 Mt, 7.21 Mt, 7.53 Mt and 7.84 Mt, respectively. (3) The results of the MOP model indicate that the optimal COC for 2030 is projected to be 16.33%, which necessitates a carbon sequestration of 6.97 Mt. (4) Water bodies accounted for 56.23% of the total carbon absorption in green spaces in 2019 and are projected to represent 45.37% in 2030, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of Wuhan as a wetland city in terms of its green space carbon sequestrations. The management and enhancement of water body carbon sequestration capacity is crucial for the carbon sequestration potential of urban green space in Wuhan. The results of this study can provide evidence and recommendations for the low-carbon development patterns of wetland cities across China.

Effect of spatial differentiation of plant communities on PM2.5 and O3 in urban green spaces in Beijing, China

Urban green space can improve the air quality of urban human settlements. This study aimed to investigate the spatial differences of air quality among the different plant community structures and types of urban park green spaces. We select 17 sample sites in Beijing Olympic Forest Park, and they are located in different areas of plant community structures and types. The study entailed an analysis of the interrelationships between the plant community structures, types, and PM2.5, O3, and PM2.5–O3 compound data. The results showed that PM2.5 was lower in tree-shrub-grass, tree-shrub, and tree-grass than in shrub-grass and grass plant community areas; PM2.5 was lower in evergreen coniferous, mixed coniferous and broadleaved, and deciduous broadleaved plant communities than that in grass or shrub ones. In different plant community structures, types areas, O3 was higher than 100 μg·m–3, and there were no significant differences among the plant community areas. The air quality index with PM2.5–O3 composite pollution value as the main parameter reached the level of “moderate pollution”, and the result that deserves further attention. The research results provide a basic scientific basis for the planning, design, and updating optimization of functional urban green spaces based on evidence-based design.

Unveiling the cultural ecosystem services of urban green spaces: A case study of Ljubljana, Slovenia

This paper analyses the value of cultural ecosystem services in urban green spaces. A field survey of 900 respondents in Ljubljana, Slovenia, examined cultural ecosystem services in seven types of urban green spaces and compared the results with two types of non-green public spaces (old town, shopping mall). Differences between the types were assessed using one-way variance analysis (ANOVA). Results showed statistically significant differences between the types, with sports facilities standing out as valuable for recreation and education. The old town's cultural heritage and aesthetics were highly valued, while shopping malls ranked lowest. The study emphasises the importance of urban green spaces for quality of life of residents and informs land use planning decision-making.

Exploring the Complex Association Between Urban Built Environment, Sociodemographic Characteristics and Crime: Evidence from Washington, D.C.

The urban built environment and sociodemographic characteristics have complex relationships with urban crime. However, previous studies have had limitations such as generalizing urban green space types, urban functionality, and sociodemographic characteristics. Given these, this study aimed to explore the relationship between them using more detailed indicators. The study utilized Google Street View and points of interest to depict the built environment. Building on previous work that segmented natural and artificial elements in streetscape images, this study further distinguished trees, bush, and grass. Additionally, it incorporated data from the Data Analysis and Visualization Unit of the DC Office of Planning to reflect a broader range of individual characteristics. Weighted least squares regression and Pearson correlation analysis were used to test the relationship between the built environment, sociodemographic, and crime, respectively. Some of the key findings are as follows. (1) Trees, bushes, and grass all reduce crime. (2) Urban functionality is hard to curb crime by enhancing informal public surveillance. (3) Among the sociodemographic variables, the walking commute rate is the variable most strongly positively correlated with crime. (4) Family relationships play an important role in suppressing crime. This study examined a more comprehensive range of indicators affecting urban crime in favor of safer cities.

A qualitative study evaluating a health evidence intervention with local government for influencing healthier urban development

BackgroundUrban development impacts on population health and wellbeing through multiple mechanisms. Many issues are considered in urban development decision-making, including amount and type of housing, greenspaces, transport, neighbourhood amenity, safety and community infrastructure. Costs and financial viability are important and public health may not be prioritised. This study seeks to understand how sharing locally-relevant health evidence at key decision points can influence creation of healthier environments. MethodsThe local government of a UK city was developing a spatial regeneration framework for a 15 ha area, changing from predominantly industrial to residential use, alongside community and employment spaces and parks. An embedded researcher worked with the framework's practitioner team (October, 2020 to February, 2024) to iteratively provide locally-relevant health evidence in different formats. Sources included routine and local data, and a new health economic model developed by academics to quantify health impacts of possible development scenarios. The embedded researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of practitioners involved in framework development (N=5, July, 2023 to September, 2023; average 46 min) to explore the evidence's influence on design decisions. Observational fieldnotes and meeting notes were also collected. Data were analysed using a framework approach and inductive thematic analysis. FindingsPractitioners used health evidence in three key ways: highlighting problems, e.g. noise and air pollution risks to future residents from busy roads; supporting good or aspirational designs, e.g. providing additional greenspaces; or considering competing issues, e.g. balancing housing, employment and climate resilience needs. The iterative and locally-relevant nature of the health evidence increased its value for practitioners, although health was not the main decision-making priority. InterpretationTailoring health evidence to fit local contexts, and working collaboratively to meet practitioners’ requirements for information at key decision points, can influence urban development plans to support health. This approach could be transferred to other local authorities. FundingThis work was funded as part of a multi-disciplinary research project called TRUUD (‘Tackling Root causes Upstream for Unhealthy Urban Development’). It was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (award reference: MR/S037586/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome.

Evaluating Policy Shifts on Perceived Greenspace Quality: Applying Regression Discontinuity During the COVID-19 Reopening Period

Abstract: Urban greenspaces have been essential in supporting residents’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly under strict lockdown measures. However, the impact of changing containment policies on residents’ perceived greenspace quality remains insufficiently explored. This study utilized online survey data collected between 11 October and 29 December 2022, in Shanghai, coinciding with the major policy shift on 5 December 2022. A probability proportionate to size sampling was adopted to survey residents aged 18 and above who had lived in the city for at least six months, yielding a total of 577 valid responses. We assessed residents’ perceived greenspace quality using 20 park- and community-level variables, focusing on both overall quality and specific features of greenspaces. A regression discontinuity design (RDD) was applied to evaluate how the lifting of the COVID-19 policies influenced residents’ perceptions of parks and community greenspaces. Our RDD estimation indicates no statistically significant change in residents’ overall perceived quality of parks after the policy shift, except for increased satisfaction with specific features such as plant diversity, maintenance, seating areas, trails, and large open spaces. In contrast, residents who responded after the policy shift reported a significantly higher perceived quality of community greenspaces compared to those who completed the survey before the shift (0.609 score difference, p < 0.01), with notable increases in satisfaction regarding plant diversity, maintenance, and seating areas. Perception of plant quantity remained unchanged in both types of greenspaces. Residents expressed greater satisfaction with sports facilities in parks, while community greenspaces were preferred for their water features and esthetic qualities. By adopting an RDD with a unique dataset, this study contributes empirical evidence to the current ongoing debate on the role of urban greenspace during the later stages of COVID-19. Specifically, it examines how changes in public health policy and the resulting increase in mobility might affect residents’ perceived greenspace quality. The findings can assist decision-makers and urban planners in developing more adaptive strategies to address the diverse needs of residents for greenspaces during the transitional period of a public health crisis.

Greenspace and mental health research – the question of scale

Abstract Background Greenspaces have been proven to promote mental health and wellbeing. Research is conducted in diverse fields with various methods. However, studies and theoretical concepts frequently fail to address or define the scale of the environment in question. Furthermore, the different types of greenspace at the same scale are often inconsistently or inaccurately defined. Such limitations may impede the comparability of results and interdisciplinary understanding. The aims were therefore: 1. To provide a quantitative overview of the combinations of greenspace and mental health measures used at the ecological scales; 2. To embed the results in the existing theoretical background. Methods A systematic search and a scoping review were conducted, applying an PEO framework. The data was charted with an extraction table and analysed with regard to the ecological scales which are: landscapes, ecosystems/land-use types, and species/natural elements. Preliminary Results Generally, distinct greenspace measures are used at different scales, while the mental health measures do not show such a clear pattern. The “landscape” scale is most often assessed via GIS approaches. The scales “ecosystems” and “species” are mostly investigated via interventions. Overall, the “ecosystems” scale is the most frequent in both research and theory. Qualitative mental health measures often focus on ecosystems. However, the qualitative theoretical concepts are based on landscapes, e.g. Therapeutic Landscapes. Species and natural elements are rarely directly addressed by both studies and theories. Conclusions We propose increased attention to the types and scales of green and nature at both the theoretical and the practical research level. Established ecological scales can provide a common basis for interdisciplinary research and improve the comparability of studies. This can elucidate the potential differences in the impact of the diverse forms and dimensions of nature on human health. Key messages • The methods employed to assess the relation between greenspace and mental health vary according to the ecological scale. Ecosystems are the main focus in research and theory, species the least. • The type and scale of nature should be considered in environmental health research and theory. Established ecological scales can provide a basis for interdisciplinary comparability and understanding.

Is compensation a myth? Modelling the use of public and private urban green spaces in relation to the geographical context

The compensation hypothesis postulates that the absence of green spaces in residential areas leads to a greater use of public green spaces and nature in general. This paper tests this hypothesis by focusing on the use of public and private urban green spaces. A holistic approach is adopted that considers the complexity of residential context and the use of urban, peripheral and private green spaces. A survey was conducted in two medium-sized French cities (Dijon and Besançon) to identify how their green spaces were used and perceived. The residential context was described through multiple spatial and environmental metrics (physical and visual access to nature, noise level, private green space area) that were GIS-referenced to postal addresses. On the basis of that data, the compensation hypothesis was explored using a PLS path model. The results show the absence of compensatory behaviour when considering just the overall relationships between the use of different types of green spaces. However, conditional compensatory behaviours can be detected when allowance is made for other variables (physical and visual accessibility to nature, type of housing, dwelling floor area, noise level). These results remain dependent on the geographical context of the city, with a higher compensation effect where natural areas are less accessible.

Variation in species-specific responses to habitat fragmentation and land cover structure in urban small mammal communities

Abstract Urbanization is a key driver of habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide, yet many urban ecosystems contain vegetated habitat patches that support diverse wildlife communities. Managing urban systems to support robust wildlife communities requires us to understand the mechanisms that drive the response of species to the urban environment. Small mammals are key components of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., seed predators, prey) and likely also carry out these roles in urban ecosystems; however, the effects of urbanization on small mammal communities are understudied. To identify how species-specific responses to urban environments shape community composition, we quantified both overall community and species-specific changes in small mammal abundance across an urbanization gradient in a Midwestern US metropolitan area. We combined small mammal trapping and land cover data to generate a hierarchical community abundance model. Species diversity increased with increasing proportional cover of human-modified land cover (i.e., impervious surfaces and turfgrass). This finding is driven by high species diversity on sites bordering streams in mowed parks and low diversity on sites with high tree canopy closure. Additionally, modeling results indicated that species responded differently to landscape attributes, leading to variation in small mammal community composition across the urbanization gradient: prairie-associated species tended to be more abundant in tall vegetation bordering mowed parks while habitat generalists tended to be more abundant on sites with greater canopy closure and shrub cover. Our results suggest that studies that focus on community-level responses (e.g., species richness) to urbanization may miss important species-specific responses. It may be particularly important to assess both species-specific and community-level responses in cities at ecotones (e.g., between forest and grassland) where species with different habitat requirements may replace one another in different types of green spaces, thereby changing community composition without affecting species diversity or richness. Our findings also indicate that vegetated urban patches, especially patches with tall vegetation cover and low canopy cover, are important habitat for prairie-associated small mammal communities, providing conservation options in heavily altered landscapes.

Sacred sites provide urban green spaces that maintain bird diversity in the megacity of Tokyo, Japan

Green spaces in cities are thought to play an important role in maintaining urban biodiversity. However, it is difficult to create large new areas of green space in big cities. Therefore, existing green spaces need to be conserved and properly managed to conserve urban biodiversity. In big Japanese cities, sacred sites such as shrines, temples, and historic parks are some of the common types of green space. In addition to their role as religious spaces, they may also play an important role in urban biodiversity conservation because of their function as long-term reserves of natural vegetation. In this study, we examined the function of shrines, temples, and historic parks in Bunkyo ward, Tokyo, in maintaining bird diversity by comparing them with urban parks. In addition, a vegetation survey was conducted to identify environmental factors that affect bird diversity, and differences in the bird species observed in each type of green space are discussed. The heterogeneity of bird species composition between study sites was higher among shrines and temples than among urban parks. Forest bird abundance was higher during the breeding season and bird species richness was higher in winter at shrines and temples and historic parks than in urban parks. Bird diversity was positively affected by the abundance of shrubs and evergreen trees. We found that sacred sites were more important than urban parks for maintaining bird diversity. The results also suggested that differences in vegetation structure are a cause of this pattern, and small green spaces in the grounds of sacred sites are managed in a way that is more suitable for maintaining bird diversity. However, shrines and temples, despite their strong historical and cultural value, are threatened by recent urbanization. It is necessary to maintain and properly manage these green spaces as part of urban ecosystems.

Mapping wild nature areas to identify priority areas for urban rewilding in cities: A process-oriented approach

Urban rewilding initiatives are gaining traction in cities, yet little remains known about the spatial opportunities for transitioning greenspaces into rewilding sites. This paper advances a process-oriented framing of urban wild nature areas (WNAs) and proposes a novel methodological approach for mapping existing WNAs at the city-scale, thereby shedding light on the potentials for urban rewilding across greenspace types and urban environments. Using Vienna as a case study, we identify WNAs as greenspaces predominantly shaped by natural succession processes and devoid of vegetation management. NDVI timeseries derived from Sentinel-2-satellite data for the period 2017–2022 are processed using a Random Forest algorithm to distinguish between unmanaged and managed vegetation annually and integrated into a multi-year composite map of ‘urban vegetation management intensity’. Based on this map and a set of objective cut-off values, 1298 WNAs are identified, representing 29.5 % of the city’s total urban greenspace and 14.9 % of the city’s total area. WNAs are distributed across diverse urban settings and greenspace types, with the majority being found in formal greenspaces such as forests, meadows and parks, and low-density built-up areas. The key strength of the process-oriented approach lies in its ability to detect WNAs dominated by natural succession, regardless of historic origin, greenspace type, and governance structure, thereby providing a baseline against which the full potential for urban rewilding can be evaluated. We demonstrate the methods’ utility in identifying potentials for urban rewilding, emphasising the importance of directing rewilding efforts towards residential greenspaces, urban parks, and street greenery, especially in densely built inner-city districts.

Crumb bums? Context dependence in ecosystem services supplied by common urban animals

AbstractBolstering the supply of animal‐mediated ecosystem services is an emerging priority in human‐altered landscapes. Such services are driven not only by environmental factors that shape communities of species that provide the service but also by the ecological context that affects the behavior of these species. In this study, we used a field experiment to investigate an ecosystem service that depends on resource use behavior—the removal of littered food waste by birds and squirrels in urban green spaces. We first explore how landscape‐scale urbanization affects the composition of the litter‐removing species community. We then examine two facets of waste removal provisioning—the amount of food removed and the speed of removal—and how they vary across ecological contexts represented by green space type (picnic areas, urban parks, and forest preserves), bird and squirrel abundance, number of people, amount of existing litter, and weather conditions. We found that although landscape‐scale urbanization affected the composition of species within green spaces, service provisioning was context‐dependent. Littered food removal services were provided at higher rates in park and picnic sites than in forest preserves and the abundance of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) was a main driver of littered food removal services. Where squirrels were abundant, more food was removed, and food removal began and was completed more quickly. When squirrel abundance is accounted for, removal from picnic areas is higher than park sites, indicating context dependence in this service is likely driven by squirrel behavioral responses to ambient food waste levels in these habitats. This study highlights the role of common urban species in providing a valuable ecosystem service and the importance of ecological context in its supply. Efforts to account for animal‐mediated ecosystem services in human‐altered landscapes should address the potential for services to be driven by a single species and context‐dependent factors that influence behavior.

Thinking beyond general greenness: The nuanced associations between a variety of greenspaces and cardiovascular diseases across urbanicity

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death globally. Exposure to greenspaces has been proposed to be beneficial for CVDs. However, past studies have often overlooked how varying levels of urbanicity may differently impact the relationships between greenspaces and cardiovascular health. Moreover, different types of greenspaces uniquely affect people’s behaviors and psychological wellbeing, potentially yielding distinct effects on CVDs.This study investigates the associations between population-weighted exposure to various types of greenspaces and prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in the US at tract level, and whether these associations are modified by urbanicity.We identified a contrasting difference in health effects between greenspaces inside and outside park. Neighbourhoods with more forest (CHD β = −2.99, 95 % CI: −4.25, −1.73; stroke β = −1.85, 95 % CI: −2.56, −1.13) and open space (CHD β = −4.31, 95 % CI: −5.49, −3.14; stroke β = −2.33, 95 % CI: −3.00, −1.66) inside park were associated with a lower prevalence of CVDs, whereas more forest (CHD β = 7.67, 95 % CI: 5.81, 9.54; stroke β = 3.01, 95 % CI: 1.95, 4.07) and open space (CHD β = 11.52, 95 % CI: 9.99, 13.05; stroke β = 5.77, 95 % CI:4.90, 6.64) outside park were associated with a higher prevalence of CVDs. We observed a reversal pattern across urbanicity: the significant beneficial associations only held in highly urbanized tracts but attenuated or reversed in the three less urbanized tracts.These findings highlight a need to prioritize investment in parks within walking distance to urban residents and improve the accessibility and design of rural greenspaces. We propose the Landscape Compensation Effect, which may serve as a new theoretical framework to guide future research and design practices of greenspaces to promote the cardiovascular health of both urban and rural residents.

Different types of greenspace within urban parks and depressive symptoms among older U.S. adults living in urban areas

Access to greenspace in the form of urban parks is frequently used to study the mental health benefits of nature and may alleviate depression. However, there is a lack of research that considers the different types of vegetated and non-vegetated spaces that parks can provide. Our aim was to investigate whether different types of accessible park area, grassy; tree covered; and non-vegetated, were associated with depressive symptoms among older (≥50 years) urban US adults. We used interviews from the Health and Retirement Study spanning 2010 through 2016 as our primary data source. We calculated total grassy, tree covered, and non-vegetated park space accessible to participants using a comprehensive national database of US parks and a high resolution (10 m) landcover dataset. To measure depressive symptoms, we used the CESD-8 analyzed as a continuous scale. We used Poisson regression to estimate the percent difference in CESD-8 scores comparing quartiles of accessible park space. To control for confounding, we adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, geography, and climate. Aggregated accessible park area was not substantively associated with depressive symptoms. However, having grassy park area near the home was associated with as much as 27 % fewer depressive symptoms. In contrast, non-vegetated park area was associated with up to 54 % more depressive symptoms. Our findings were robust to adjustment for air pollution, environmental noise, and artificial light at night. Different types of accessible park space may have disparate effects on mental health among older urban US adults.

User experience of neighbourhood greenspace and perceived impact on health and wellbeing: the case of an urban extension to a ‘Healthy New Town’ in England

ABSTRACT Recognising the provision of public greenspace in urban areas as a key tool to supporting health and wellbeing, the UK government has committed to ensuring that, by 2043, all citizens can reach greenspace within 15 minutes from their homes. However, it is increasingly acknowledged that simply providing access to greenspace may not be enough to ensure that positive benefits are realised. Characteristics including their accessibility, size, aesthetics, features, condition and safety can all distinguish between greenspaces that encourage visitation and those that are uninviting. This paper reports a neighbourhood-level study of the residential development of Kingsmere, which forms a significant urban extension to Bicester, England, and was developed as part of the government-funded ‘Healthy New Town’ programme. A cross-sectional survey, including follow-up interviews, was conducted to investigate residents’ use of different types of greenspace, satisfaction, and the perceived impact on personal health and wellbeing. Findings reveal that the provision of a variety of greenspaces within a 15-20-minute walk of homes has been effective in terms of use and satisfaction but that attention to access within sites, perceived safety, cleanliness and maintenance are important factors that could encourage greater use and enhance user satisfaction.

Research on Type, Function and Utility of Protective Green Space for Public Safety and Risk Response

Research on Type, Function and Utility of Protective Green Space for Public Safety and Risk Response

Identifikasi Fungsi dan Kriteria Estetika Taman Kota Pasif di Kota Semarang

As population and human activity surge, Green Open Space (RTH) in cities is increasingly being pushed, changing its function to housing and infrastructure. In fact, green open space and city governance play an important role in creating comfortable housing. Urbanparks, as a type of green open space, come in two types: active and passive. In Semarang, the construction of passive urban parks is being promoted. This research identifies the functions and aesthetic criteria of passive urban parks in Semarang. A qualitative descriptive method with triangulation of theory, sources and methods is used to analyze the data. The research results show that passive urban parks in Semarang have aesthetic functions, specifically: beautifying the visual environment and supporting city planning; Increase productivity, creativity and architectural beauty; and displaying regional characteristics through monuments or directional signs. Meanwhile, the aesthetic criteria for passive urban parks in Semarang include: unity and consistency of design elements; balance between garden elements; variations in plant height and color; selection of contrasting plant colors; repetition of elements or patterns; beautiful garden shape; strategic location in the middle of the city, main roads or road islands. It is hoped that these findings can be a guide in developing passive urban parks in Semarang so that they suit their intended purpose and maximize their benefits for the community.

How do species richness and colour diversity of plants affect public perception, preference and sense of restoration in urban green spaces?

Urban development has led to an overlap between natural and artificial environments, affecting individuals’ experiences with nature. To create high-quality urban natural environments, it is crucial to understand the residents’ perceptions, preferences and psychophysical health benefits concerning biodiversity. This study, employing various experimental designs, investigated the perceptions, preferences and restorative experiences of 695 participants concerning different levels of plant species richness and colour diversity in four typical urban green space types (lawn, forest, square and streetscape). The following discoveries were made: (i) The colour diversity carried by vegetation in lawns was an important basis for the public to identify plant diversity. Lawns with high richness achieved by different grass species (that have green colour) were not preferred by the public, and increased colour diversity that can be achieved by adding flowering plants (forbs) was preferred by people more than a single green lawn. The species richness of forests was positively correlated with public perception, preference and perceived restoration, with single green forests being preferred by the public. Additionally, people preferred vegetated environments over unvegetated squares or streetscapes. (ii) Participants’ perceptions, preferences and perceived restoration were positively correlated. Their preference for and perceived restoration from plant diversity depended more on their perception of it than on the actual species richness. (iii) Participants’ gender, expertise, physical condition, ecological knowledge, childhood living environment, frequency of use and accessibility of green spaces, natural orientation (connectedness), gardening, sense of security and well-being all influenced their perceptions, preferences and perceived restoration from plant diversity to varying extents. Significant distinctions were found between different forms of experimental design. Combining between-subject and within-subject designs could both control individual errors to some extent and avoid long-term effects on the participants compared to using either design alone. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical approach for future biodiversity-oriented urban green space planning and management to better maximise the ecological and social service benefits of urban green spaces.

High-resolution greenspace dynamic data cube from Sentinel-2 satellites over 1028 global major cities

Greenspace, offering multifaceted ecological and socioeconomic benefits to the nature system and human society, is integral to the 11th Sustainable Development Goal pertaining to cities and communities. Spatially and temporally explicit information on greenspace is a premise to gauge the balance between its supply and demand. However, existing efforts on urban greenspace mapping primarily focus on specific time points or baseline years without well considering seasonal fluctuations, which obscures our knowledge of greenspace’s spatiotemporal dynamics in urban settings. Here, we combined spectral unmixing approach, time-series phenology modeling, and Sentinel-2 satellite images with a 10-m resolution and nearly 5-day revisit cycle to generate a four-year (2019–2022) 10-m and 10-day resolution greenspace dynamic data cube over 1028 global major cities (with an urbanized area >100 km2). This data cube can effectively capture greenspace seasonal dynamics across greenspace types, cities, and climate zones. It also can reflect the spatiotemporal dynamics of the cooling effect of greenspace with Landsat land surface temperature data. The developed data cube provides informative data support to investigate the spatiotemporal interactions between greenspace and human society.

Exposure to green and blue spaces and depression among older adults from the EPIPorto cohort: examining environmental, social, and behavioral mediators and varied space types

ABSTRACT This study investigated the associations between exposure to different types of natural spaces and depression among urban older adults and explored the potential mediators. We used data on 631 participants aged ≥60 from the EPIPorto cohort (Porto, Portugal). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale. We assessed greenness in residential surroundings using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and evaluated accessibility to green and blue spaces. Metrics were calculated separately for agricultural, natural, and urban green spaces. We used logistic regression to estimate associations and mediation analysis to examine the mediating effects of air pollution, temperature, physical exercise, social support, and social activities. Living near urban green spaces was associated with lower odds of depression (OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.03–0.74). Contrastingly, natural and agricultural green spaces were associated with higher odds of depression (OR = 1.69, 1.02–2.79 and OR = 1.80, 1.23–2.64, respectively). No associations were found for NDVI, accessibility to blue spaces, or green space size. Social support explained a significant proportion (33.9%, p = 0.044) of the total effect between the type of nearest green space and depression. These findings suggest that enhancing the accessibility of urban green spaces holds promise as a strategy for mitigating depression among older adults.