Urban Ecological Infrastructure Research Articles

May a highly touristic tropical island sustain water resources? Navigating troubled waters to berth on a safe shore.

While being a major economic development force for tropical islands, tourism may aggravate disturbances on local water resources (scarcity, pollution) and the surrounding ecosystem. In this work, we used a discrete events modelling approach to characterize trajectories of Cat Ba Island (Vietnam) and its ability to reach specific trajectories. We wanted to assess if a healthy social ecosystem could be compatible with tourism. We found that co-existence between water resources and tourism may be reached; moreover, a systemic state where ecosystem and sociosystem can sustainably coexist may be reached. The implementation of urban ecological infrastructure is a key process to shift from the present state towards more favourable states. Another significant result is that the departure from the present state to reach more favourable ones may lead to a transitory degraded situation; only by keeping in mind the systemic objective significant transformations can be carried out.

Dynamic Change Characteristics of Wetlands in Hefei and their Driving Factors Along the Urban–Rural Gradient

Wetlands, as vital components of urban ecological infrastructure, provide essential ecosystem services. However, they face increasing risks of degradation and loss due to their vulnerability, environmental changes, and human activities. Therefore, effective restoration efforts are urgently needed. This study adopts a novel approach by considering the urban–rural gradient and integrates land use data, ecological parameters, and anthropogenic factors in Hefei City. Through morphological spatial pattern analysis, principal component analysis, and affinity propagation, this study identifies and analyzes urban–rural gradients. Using the optimal parameter geographic detector, the drivers of wetland changes from 1990 to 2020 are quantitatively assessed across different urban–rural gradients in Hefei. The findings indicate the following. (1) A persistent reduction in wetland expanse throughout the study duration, diminishing from 1274.56 km2 in 1990 to 1119.37 km2 in 2020, constituting a decrement of 12.17%. (2) Based on geographic detector outcomes, disparate driving forces underpin wetland dynamics across urban–rural gradients, with urban locales predominantly influenced by organic carbon and the proportion of impervious surface factors. Meanwhile, in agricultural and semi-ecological villages, silt is the primary factor, while ecological villages are primarily modulated by both silt and gross domestic product factors. Additionally, synergistic interactions manifest heightened explanatory power. This study elucidates the mechanistic underpinnings of wetland dynamics along urban–rural gradients, providing pivotal insights for developing targeted wetland restoration and conservation policies pertinent to the urban–rural developmental trajectory in Hefei City. Concurrently, it offers relevant recommendations for the multifaceted stewardship and sustainable development of wetlands in Hefei City in the foreseeable future.

Research on the Optimization of Urban Ecological Infrastructure Based on Ecosystem Service Supply, Demand, and Flow

Ecological infrastructure plays a crucial role in strengthening the relationship between humans and the environment by optimizing ecological space and resource allocation in urban environments. However, there are few studies on the functional assessment and spatial and temporal evolution of ecological infrastructure and its layout optimization. In this study, we developed an ecological infrastructure optimization method based on ecosystem service supply, demand, and flow in Yantai City as the study area; identified the spatial extent of urban ecological infrastructure and its spatial and temporal changes based on the spatial quantification of multiple ecosystem services; assessed whether the existing ecological infrastructure could satisfy the needs of the urban residents by calculating the ecosystem service supply and demand indexes; and used the spatial quantification of ecosystem service flows to optimize the spatial layout of urban ecological infrastructure. This study shows that, from 2010 to 2018, ecological infrastructure in Longkou, Zhaoyuan, and Laiyang decreased, contrasting with the growth in the existing peripheral areas. The study found a clear spatial mismatch between the supply and demand of ecosystem services, especially in the central urban areas, suggesting that the existing infrastructure was unable to satisfy the needs of high-demand areas. This study assessed the peripheral areas of the city using comparative ecological radiation force (CERF), including 314.64 km2 of environmentally beautiful village units as key components of ecological infrastructure in Yantai City. These findings are crucial for sustainable environmental management and urban development strategies.

Ecological thinking in regenerative architecture: Relevance of abduction in ecoLogic Studio’s Deep Green research project

This article explores the connotations of regenerative architecture in the context of the Anthropocene, emphasizing the role of abduction on human cognition and its potential impact on innovation, especially when applied to a bio-cybernetic design method. The DeepGreen research project, developed by ecoLogicStudio in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck and the Bartlett UCL, serves as an exemplification of this method. The project combines biological and artificial intelligence to create an urban ecological infrastructure that integrates architectural and ecological systems. Centering on the DeepGreen project, this study discusses the creative potential and ecological embodiment of bio-cybernetic design protocols. It focuses on the mechanism of abduction in triggering innovative design solutions from a logical perspective, aligning with the principles of mind ecology at a cognitive level. The analysis suggests an innovative and ecological design thinking mode, asserting that regenerative architecture can encompass not only material aspects but also informational and spiritual dimensions. This approach ultimately promotes a holistic and harmonious urban environment. Furthermore, this research posits that the bio-cybernetic stance and the morphogenetic approach share commonalities with the holistic conception of nature and the ecological view in ancient Chinese Daoist philosophy. This contribution can potentially offer a contemporary interpretation of the Daoist principles of “Nature and Humans in One Unity (天人合一)” and “The Dao Imitates the Laws of Nature (道法自然).” Such an interpretation is deemed beneficial for addressing today’s concerns related to holistic, balanced, and harmonious urbanism. Henceforth, the study endeavors to facilitate discourse between Eastern and Western trends of thought, culminating in a cohesive yet heterogeneous regenerative approach.

Linking G2SFCA method and circuit theory to promote spatial equity and landscape connectivity in urban ecological infrastructure

Protecting and constructing urban ecological infrastructure (UEI) is an important spatial means of improving the quality of life of urban residents, enhancing the benefits of the urban environment, and improving urban habitats. Landscape connectivity is the basis for UEI to play an ecological role. Spatial equity is an important goal for UEI to enhance urban resident happiness and sense of access and achieve environmental justice. Taking Yantai city as an example, this study analyzed the UEI morphological spatial pattern based on morphological spatial pattern analysis and calculated the spatial accessibility of UEI based on the gravity -based two-step-floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method. In addition, the study proposed the concept of accessible UEI and reflected the spatial differences in the equity of accessible UEI in urban residential areas through equity modeling that was oriented to connectivity enhancement and equity improvement. Moreover, the study integrated the location-allocation model and circuit theory to optimize the spatial layout of the existing UEI and construct an urban ecological corridor that considered landscape connectivity and leisure and recreational convenience. The results of this study showed that the proportion of bridge and island areas with connecting functions in the existing UEI in Yantai was only 10%, and they had not yet formed a complete network structure; hence, connectivity improvements were needed. In addition, the equity of accessible UEI in the residential areas of Yantai was generally good, and more than two-thirds of residents had sufficient access to UEI. However, approximately 32.7% of the residents in the four old city areas lacked a UEI distribution within their effective commuting time. Moreover, UEI layout optimization could improve the equity of accessible UEI in residential areas; however, the method of adding a new UEI was not applicable to areas with high concentrations of urban populations and stable urban spatial layouts. Furthermore, urban ecological corridors could effectively improve the connectivity and equity of UEI; however, 70% relied on existing road systems and needed to enhance their ecological attributes. The UEI equity of residential areas was highly correlated with house prices, indicating an obvious spatial injustice in the UEI layout in Yantai. Planners and governments should promote urban environmental justice through effective conservation and construction measures by incorporating established ecological and artificial infrastructures into UEI planning to achieve equitable access to UEI services for urban residents. This study provides a spatial reference and methodological support to enhance the equity and connectivity of UEI.

Association of urban green spaces with urban ecological zones

Today urban development lacks ecological foundations in many cities of Turkey. The purpose of this study is to reveal the relationship between urban green spaces and ecological zones in the sample of Aksaray/Turkey. In this study, a study design has been created to improve the urban ecological infrastructure and to associate the green space network with the ecological zones. This design is divided into four parts as data processing, landscape pattern of urban green spaces, analysis of the spatial boundaries of urban natural ecological zones, and determination of the importance of spatial regions by overlaying two different stratified analyses. This study proposes a methodological framework that can be integrated into efforts to identify ecological zones to increase the sustainability of urban ecology and green space quality. One potential limitation of the proposed methodology can be the lack of consensus and enthusiasm among the administrative actors regarding the issue. Therefore, it is recommended that the administrative bodies should be correctly informed by the relevant scholars and practitioners who are working on the subject.

Does a scaling exist in urban ecological infrastructure? A case for sustainability trade-off in China.

So far, urban scaling theory has proven that urban area, infrastructure, and economic output have a scaling relation with population. But if we consider ecological space as a part of urban infrastructure, would the same scaling characteristics exist? What is the scaling relationship between ecological spaces and economic social development in different stages of urbanization? This paper is based on this question and explores the trade-off between social economic system and ecosystem in 370 cities of China. The results show that the relationship between population and urban ecological space generally follows the scaling theory in terms of different types of ecological spaces and ecosystem services. For every 10-fold increase in population size, the total area of ecological space and ecosystem services increase by approximately 4 times. The manifestation of ecological space following the scaling laws is the aggregation behavior of better network connectivity. There is a trade-off between urban ecological space and socioeconomic development, with flow equilibrium reached at a population of 2 million and efficiency equilibrium reached at a population of 1 million. Starting from type I and type II megapolis, urban development gradually tends to stabilize, and there may even be a trend of slow decline in urban development potential. In the absence of ecological space, virtual network space can serve as a substitute for ecological space. The driving factors affect scaling behavior of ecological space, including connectivity of ecological space, spatial heterogeneity of natural conditions, and disturbance of economic and social activities. This research can help city to expand ecological space, promoting the added value of urban ecological assets and keeping the urban development potential within the optimal threshold range continuously.

Framework of ecological infrastructure construction based on landsenses ecology: meeting natural and human needs

ABSTRACT Ecological infrastructure (EI) is an essential urban infrastructure that is not only related to ecological resilience but the human needed ecosystem services. However, most studies overlook EI’s multi-functional benefits, especially the importance of residents’ satisfaction. As a typical nature-based solutions (NbS) through ecological engineering, EI construction should abide by the laws of nature and consider the requirements of human well-being. Based on the theory of landsenses ecology (LE), this study proposes a framework, including construction ideas, approaches, principles, and construction flow, to guide the whole process of EI construction, meeting natural and human needs. Moreover, a practice including EI facilities and an Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring system construction has been taken in Sangdong, Huizhou, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), China. The practice study indicates that the proposed framework of EI construction can successfully restore the regional ecological environment quality and play a significant role in restoring the black-odorous waterbodies to their original ecological vitality. Secondly, using social surveys to thoroughly analyze residents’ physical, psychological, and cultural perceptions and integrating their visions into the EI design scheme can improve residents’ satisfaction and support human well-being. Besides, IoT technology is helpful for digital EI supervision, dealing with real-time, online, and quantitative benefit evaluation and management. This paper focuses on practical exploration and experience sharing of how EI construction meets natural and human needs, aiming at providing experience and ideas for adequate urban ecological infrastructure (UEI) construction to support human and nature development hand in hand.

Influences of Environmental and Social Factors on Perceived Bio-Cultural Services and Disservices

Although the value of urban ecological infrastructure (UEI) is widely recognized, insufficient research has investigated how people perceive the wide variety of UEI. To address this gap, we investigated residents' perceptions of the coupled value of aesthetic and biological qualities as related to diverse UEI and other environmental and social factors (including personal beliefs and demographics), collectively referred to as bio-cultural services and disservices. We evaluated whether people positively view their neighborhood environments as natural-looking while providing diverse plants and wildlife habitat (services), in contrast to negatively perceived disservices that we evaluated as messy-looking with weeds and pests (disservices). We analyzed survey data from residents (n = 495) in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, United States, coupled with environmental variables (UEI and vegetative cover) compiled from diverse sources. We ran three regression models to compare the relative influence of social and environmental factors independently and combined on the perception of biocultural services and disservices. Our results demonstrate the influence of social factors, particularly place identity, neighborhood cohesion, and income, on both biocultural services and disservices. Additionally, environmental factors such as vegetation cover increased perceptions of bio-cultural services while decreasing perceived disservices. The effects of proximity to UEI were more varied. While proximity to cropland increased perceived bio-cultural disservices, proximity to desert parks reduced disservices. Although UEI can promote biodiversity and human well-being, all UEI are not perceived the same. Our results underscore the added value of considering both the form of UEI and perceptions among people who live nearby when designing and implementing infrastructure to promote bio-cultural services that are both ecologically and socially valued.

A Decade of Ecosystem-Scale Research at an Aridland Constructed Treatment Wetland

Cities are increasingly pursuing more resilient and sustainable futures. One way to do so is by the increased use of Urban Ecological Infrastructure (UEI), including constructed treatment wetlands (CTW). This strategy is particularly important for aridland cities with scarce water resources. In this paper I synthesize nearly ten years of systems-level research at the Tres Rios CTW in Phoenix, AZ USA. Since July 2011, a research team that includes dozens of student volunteers has been sampling monthly for herbaceous biomass and productivity, water quality, transpiration rates, and aquatic metabolism. We also quantify belowground biomass and plant tissue nutrient content annually, and measured greenhouse gas fluxes from 2012 - 2014. Our peak summer biomass values are among the highest reported in the literature, and high rates of transpiration are associated with this biomass. Using our whole-system water budgets and tracer studies we have documented a slow movement of surface water into the marsh from adjacent open water areas that is driven by transpirational losses and that we refer to as the “biological tide”. With our nitrogen (N) budgets for the whole system and the vegetated marsh we showed that roughly 50% of the annual N uptake by the vegetated marsh is driven by new water entering via this biological tide. Our aquatic metabolism sampling suggested that the N uptake associated with the autotrophic water column was roughly 27% of the average annual N uptake by the vegetated marsh. The marsh is a source of CH4 and N2O across the air-water interface and the plants are a net source of CH4 but a net sink for N2O. Our combined flux estimates suggest that the Tres Rios marshes are a net sink for greenhouse gas equivalents because of this plant-mediated net uptake of N2O. Finally, over the years our Tres Rios CTW project has provided a platform for dozens of students and young people to experience ecological research, both in the field and in the lab.

Long-Term Trends in Nitrogen Removal by an Aridland Constructed Treatment Wetland

Cities are increasingly pursuing more sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The increased use of Urban Ecological Infrastructure (UEI), including constructed treatment wetlands (CTW), may be particularly important for aridland cities with scarce water resources. In this paper we document eight years of nitrogen (N) dynamics in an aridland CTW in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, where N removal must be balanced by the trade-off of atmospheric water losses. We have documented a “biological tide”, wherein transpiration-driven water loss is actively replaced by a slow movement of surface water into the marsh from adjacent open water areas. Our analysis combined long-term water budget data with nitrogen budgets for the vegetated marsh and the entire CTW system. The objective was to demonstrate how the biological tide enhanced N uptake in this aridland CTW. We attributed roughly 50% of the annual N uptake by the vegetated marsh to new water entering via the biological tide. Thus, while it seems counter-intuitive to design aridland CTWs to optimize transpirational water losses, our data suggested that careful design of the plant community and spatial configuration of vegetated marsh versus open water may enhance both the biological tide and N removal efficiency.

Comprehensive evaluation of urban resilience based on the perspective of landscape pattern: A case study of Shenyang city

Urban resilience is a new path for the sustainable development of cities in the future. However, recognizing and quantifying urban resilience is still in the conceptual and exploratory stage. In this study, we present a “scale-density-morphology” resilience framework as well as an index model to investigate the evolution of urban resilience based on theories of landscape ecology and evolutionary resilience. We find that spatial development is a major factor affecting scale resilience; population distribution is significantly related to density resilience; urban growth boundaries and ecological infrastructure are factors for optimizing morphology resilience; and an excellent balance of “scale-density-morphology” fosters the development of resilient urban areas. We give large cities recommendations for developing resilience, including—preventing urban sprawl and controlling the scale of construction land, reducing population and building density to promote low-carbon green production and lifestyles, strengthening ecological networks, and controlling urban growth boundaries, etc. This study hopes to provide a scientifically based spatial guide that could implement resilient urban planning and could serve as a case study for quantitative research on urban resilience.

Water governance and the colonial urban project: the Dharmambudhi lake in Bengaluru, India

ABSTRACT This paper uses the example of a lost urban lake – the Dharmambudhi within the south Indian city of Bengaluru to illustrate the profound and long-standing effects of historical socio-technical infrastructural change. We demonstrate processes by which capitalist urban development and notions of the sanitary city in the nineteenth century led to the collapse of the lake system and its conversion into a bus station. We also show how by removing the use of the water body, it became possible to destroy a critical urban ecological infrastructure, thus making it unusable to people who depended upon it to sustain their lives and livelihoods. This coupled with technocratic narratives of efficiency and scarcity led to the co-opting of the resource rendering them separate from urban life.

ОБҐРУНТУВАННЯ ДОЦІЛЬНОСТІ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ГЕОІНФОРМАЦІЙНИХ СИСТЕМ У ЛАНДШАФТНО-ЕКОЛОГІЧНОМУ МОНІТОРИНГУ

Modern cities are characterized by such negative effects of civilization as urban densification, the pollution of air, water, soil, increasing noise and vibration pollution level, heat islands, the impact of magnetic, electric, ionization fields, etc. There is an unprecedented speed and scale of using various natural resources and contaminating the environment with production and consumption wastes. One of the efficient mechanisms of counteracting these negative effects is landscape-ecological monitoring (LEM) of the present urban ecological infrastructure (constructions and objects designed for protection, restoration and improvement of the natural environment) which is meant to provide the compensating resistance to the consequences of anthropogenic impact. LEM is significant when developing the evidence-based urban environmental policy and optimizing the environmental management system. Taking effective managerial decisions on the improvement of urban environmental situation requires complete and accurate information about basic natural conditions. The research focused on systematic gathering of data on an area mostly belongs to the field of landscape-ecological mapping. The authors have substantiated the necessity of using geographic information systems (GIS) in LEM and presented a model of assessing information gain which can be obtained when applying GIS in LEM. This model enables to assess the reduction of entropy (enhance information content) of LEM system by applying GIS. According to the authors' estimation, the introduction of GIS to LEM will enable to reduce entropy (uncertainty) of a system almost by half, that indicates the need of applying GIS in LEM.

Mini-hydro power plant for the improvement of urban water-energy nexus toward sustainability - A case study

This practical paper presents a required reflection on paradigm shift toward an aware water management in urban context for the provision of renewable energy and for the enhancement of pre-industrial heritage. It investigates the transition toward systemic and ecological approach to face the complexity of urban environment and infrastructures for energy supply. The study investigates the sustainable energy framework in Piedmont Region and in the Municipality of Turin. Especially, it analyses opportunities provided by urban rivers and streams for installing mini-hydro power plants using historical unused infrastructures. The real case study presents the conversion of an historical check dam of Regio Parco canal in a mini-hydro power plant in the city of Turin (Piedmont Region, Italy), and it investigates the “land use-water-energy nexus” from an ecological perspective. The paper considers the 12 principles of infrastructure ecology in the urban water management to provide innovative solutions for blue-urban infrastructures that increase sustainability in cities. According to the urban ecological infrastructure, the project of mini-hydro power plant presents multi-functional features and this method can be replied in other similar contexts. Concerning technical solutions adopted for the mini-hydro power plant, it examines the potential of the green/blue infrastructure approach to integrate the flood risk management and the production of renewable energy. It analyses opportunities provided by low impact development to preserve freshwater ecosystems and to maintain biodiversity using inflatable dam, Kaplan turbine and fish ladder. The “Regio Parco” mini-hydro power plant is designed to provide energy for almost 600 households improving the environmental value and the usability of the area. The paper discusses the adoption of an ecological approach to design multiple functions blue infrastructure that can be implemented on other networks improving the urban landscape.

Urban ecological infrastructure: The importance of vegetation cover in the control of floods and landslides in Salvador / Bahia, Brazil

The city of Salvador has undergone a hasty population growth over the last five decades, from a mere 250,000 inhabitants in 1950 to ca. 2.9 million in 2017. This surge in population has resulted in a series of environmental issues directly connected with the reduction of the vegetation cover. Landslides and floods are among the most striking of such issues because they have put at risk, successively over the years, the lives and assets of hundreds of people, very in particular of those in less privileged circumstances. In view of this vulnerability framework and recognising the role that green areas play in the urban fabric, this work sought to determine the correlation between remnant vegetation cover and recorded occurrences of mass movements and floods. Particular consideration was given to the socioeconomic profile of the population segments most affected by these occurrences, assessed in terms of Municipal Human Development Index (M-HDI). We conclude that municipal government negligence in the control of the occupation and use of the land has been responsible for the emergence of hundreds of areas at risk, those where most mass movement and flood occurrences have taken place, which largely correspond with the neighbourhoods with the lowest rates of human development. In contrast, both the number of occurrences and their impact are smaller or non-existent in the northern part of the municipal territory, where the largest forest remnants are located, as well as in the most affluent neighbourhoods, where the ecological infrastructure has been replaced with costly public works.

Quantifying the Effects of Urban Form on Land Surface Temperature in Subtropical High-Density Urban Areas Using Machine Learning

It is widely acknowledged that urban form significantly affects urban thermal environment, which is a key element to adapt and mitigate extreme high temperature weather in high-density urban areas. However, few studies have discussed the impact of physical urban form features on the land surface temperature (LST) from a perspective of comprehensive urban spatial structures. This study used the ordinary least-squares regression (OLS) and random forest regression (RF) to distinguish the relative contributions of urban form metrics on LST at three observation scales. Results of this study indicate that more than 90% of the LST variations were explained by selected urban form metrics using RF. Effects of the magnitude and direction of urban form metrics on LST varied with the changes of seasons and observation scales. Overall, building morphology and urban ecological infrastructure had dominant effects on LST variations in high-density urban centers. Urban green space and water bodies demonstrated stronger cooling effects, especially in summer. Building density (BD) exhibited significant positive effects on LST, whereas the floor area ratio (FAR) showed a negative influence on LST. The results can be applied to investigate and implement urban thermal environment mitigation planning for city managers and planners.

Urban Ecological Infrastructure: An inclusive concept for the non-built urban environment

It is likely that half of the urban areas that will exist in 2050 have not yet been designed and built. This provides tremendous opportunities for enhancing urban sustainability, and using “nature in cities” is critical to more resilient solutions to urban challenges. Terms for “urban nature” include Green Infrastructure (GI), Green-Blue Infrastructure (GBI), Urban Green Space (UGS), and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). These terms, and the concepts they represent, are incomplete because they tend to reduce the importance of non-terrestrial ecological features in cities. We argue that the concept of Urban Ecological Infrastructure (UEI), which came from a 2013 forum held in Beijing and from several subsequent 2017 publications, is a more inclusive alternative. In this paper we refine the 2013 definition of UEI and link the concept more directly to urban ecosystem services. In our refined definition, UEI comprises all parts of a city that support ecological structures and functions, as well as the ecosystem services provided by UEI that directly affect human outcomes and wellbeing. UEI often includes aspects of the built environment, and we discuss examples of this “hybrid infrastructure”. We distinguish terrestrial, aquatic, and wetland UEI because each type provides different ecosystem services. We present several examples of both “accidental” UEI and UEI that was explicitly designed and managed, with an emphasis on wetland UEI because these ecotonal ecosystems are uniquely both terrestrial and aquatic. We show how both accidental and planned UEI produces unexpected ecosystem services, which justifies recognizing and maintaining both purposeful and serendipitous types of UEI in cities. Finally, we posit that by incorporating both “ecological” and “infrastructure”, UEI also helps to bridge urban scientists and urban practitioners in a more transdisciplinary partnership to build more resilient and sustainable cities.

Research on the Construction of Zhaoqing City Infrastructure under the Guidance of Ecological Security

In the context of urbanization, the Earth’s ecosystem and ecological services are severely affected. Rapid urbanization and disorderly expansion have caused the destruction of regional ecological environment and waste of resources, and also brought potential risks to regional ecosystems. From the perspective of landscape ecological security pattern, based on the current situation of Zhaoqing city development, the safety pattern of urban geological disasters, hydrological system, local culture and biological protection in Zhaoqing was analyzed. With the assistance of RS and GIS technology, the Zhaoqing urban ecological infrastructure with high, medium and low levels of safety was constructed, and the ecological conflict space between ecological infrastructure and construction land was identified.

Associations of multiple ecosystem services and disservices of urban park ecological infrastructure and the linkages with socioeconomic factors

Urban ecological infrastructures (UEIs; e.g., parks, beaches, rivers, forests, and woodlands) provide important ecosystem services (ESes) to urban ecosystems. Understanding the covariance of multiple ESes and disservices and their associations with social economic factors is a precondition of ecosystem management. Previous studies have mainly focused on ESes and tradeoffs among multiple ESes, whereas disservices and their associations with ESes have seldom been addressed. In this study, we took public urban parks, an important component of UEIs as well as the basic unit for management, as a case study and explored the ESes and disservices of different types of parks and the delivery of ESes to different social economic strata based on 187 plot inventory data. The results showed that the actual dominant ESes of four types of parks differed from both the expectations of planners and the demands of residents. Positive correlations existed among ESes and disservices (e.g. bio-emissions and air pollution reduction). Population density was positively related with several ESes; Distance to urban center was negatively associated with C storage, bio-emissions, and aggregative ES indicators; Wealthy areas had better performance in terms of C storage and aggregative ES indicators. Major challenges for the four types of parks and measures to coordinate ESes and disservices are discussed. Multiple stakeholder involvement, ES provision for low income populations, and the protection of parks in peri-urban and central urban areas are suggested.