Urban Ecology Research Articles

Exploring the Symbiotic Growth of Urban Sports Facilities and Ecology Within the Framework of “Internet+” Strategy

This study investigates how sports facility construction affects pollution levels, specifically nitrogen concentrations in venue waters and sunny day frequencies. The authors find a clear link between the proliferation of facilities and ecological changes. Increasing technological equipment types from three to six raises water nitrogen levels from 10.3 mg/L to 24.7 mg/L, highlighting the correlation between tech intensity and pollution. Additionally, sunny days decrease by roughly 20% comparing low to high-tech sports zones, emphasizing the significant environmental impact. They propose actionable strategies based on empirical data to promote harmonious growth between sports facilities and their ecological surroundings. Limiting tech gadget deployment to 150 or fewer can reduce nitrogen levels by up to 15%, enhancing ecological health. Leveraging official websites and video promotions can boost facility visibility and utilization by 20%, encouraging community involvement and environmental responsibility. This study fosters the harmonious advancement of sports facility construction and ecology.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of LULC change and implications for sustainable urban growth in Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) change in Saudi cities between 2013 and 2023. Using Landsat satellite imagery and a Maximum Likelihood Classifier, LULC changes are analyzed in nine cities to understand the impact of Saudi Arabia’s rapid urbanization following the oil crisis. The objectives are: (1) to evaluate the LULC changes in nine cities between 2013 and 2023; (2) to explore the spatiotemporal patterns of LULC changes in this period; and (3) to interpret the urban expansion that occurs in Saudi Arabia in the light of the kingdom sustainable development plan. The results identifiy four primary LULC change models: Urbanization, Vegetation Recovery, Land Degradation, and Ecological Transition Models. The Urbanization and Land Degradation Models determine Saudi Arabia’s urban growth trend, posing significant challenges to sustainable development. Most cities experienced substantial increases in impermeable surfaces and developed lands, while concurrently losing high terrain and barren areas. However, the small cities showed lower urbanization and land degradation rates than major cities, showing an opportunity to sustainably grow by adopting sustainable planning approaches. The study’s findings show that more targeted and comprehensive policies are needed to address the challenges of urbanization and land degradation, mitigate environmental impacts, and ensure long-term resilience. It underscores the importance of considering Ecological Urbanism in urban development plans.

Does every public open space (POS) contribute to sustainable city development? An assessment of inefficient POS in Beijing

Public open space (POS) plays a crucial role in influencing the urban environment, ecology, public health, and economic vitality. However, not every POS is being efficiently utilized, while the inefficient POSs occupy large areas and can negatively affect socio-economic development, thus posing a threat to sustainable city development. Existing studies evaluate POSs solely based on benefit outcomes, but ignore POS functional types and contextual environments. To address this issue, a categorized, integrated, and relative evaluation method, i.e., utilization efficiency (UE), is proposed to identify inefficient POSs, where essentially measures the ratio from benefit outcome to resource occupation of each POS. We firstly classify POSs into five types by considering their core functions, then measure their UEs to extract efficient and inefficient POS, and finally visualize key causes of different types of POS. Our results reveal 3,138 inefficient out of 10,943 POSs in Beijing, and show the inefficient POSs that are concentrated in the southern Beijing and northern regions between the 5th and 6th ring roads, mainly affected by local population density and environmental resource. Drawing on the features of inefficient POSs, it is suggested to increase small green spaces and sky gardens in the downtown areas, improve service facilities and basic tourism infrastructure in the suburbs. Accordingly, this study firstly incorporates POS functional types and resource occupation into the utilization efficiency evaluation, providing spatial optimization recommendations of POSs to facilitate sustainable city development.

A Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach for Urban Water Features: Ecological Landscape Architecture Evaluation

In recent decades, the issues of ecology and environmental sustainability have become a global concern in contemporary urban design. Among various urban elements, water features play a significant role in improving the ecological characteristics of their surrounding environment, especially in hot and arid areas. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ecological characteristics of urban water features comprehensively and quantitatively, which has been overlooked in previous studies, taking their physical characteristics into account. To this end, a multicriteria decision-making method, an analytic network process, was proposed to quantitatively evaluate the ecological characteristics of water features. In this approach, four ecological criteria—microclimate, biodiversity, greenery, and human wellbeing—and ten physical characteristics of water features were considered. Twenty-one experts were asked to complete a questionnaire for pairwise comparisons of all ecological criteria and the influence of physical characteristics. The results showed that vegetation and scale, with the relative influencing values of 0.255 and 0.188, respectively, were identified as the most decisive features influencing ecological criteria. Conversely, texture, with a value 0.023, had the least impact. Moreover, it was shown that water features have the greatest impact on the microclimate compared with other ecological criteria. The results were used to compare water features at the Koohsangi Transregional Park, located in a hot and arid city of Iran. The results of this study lead to a framework that can help urban designers integrate ecological criteria into water feature planning to enhance urban ecology and sustainability.

National Forest City Policy and Urban Ecological Resilience: Evidence from 292 Cities in China

The process of sustainable urban development faces complex and severe environmental problems. Therefore, enhancing urban ecological resilience (UER) has become an urgent and critical goal. In this study, the establishment of national forest cities (NFCs) in China is regarded as an exogenous shock event, and the impact of NFCs on UER and its mechanisms are investigated based on data from 292 cities spanning 2003 to 2021 using a difference-in-difference method. It is found that NFCs can significantly enhance UER, and this conclusion holds after a series of robustness tests. Mechanism analysis shows that NFCs can effectively strengthen environmental regulations, upgrade industrial structures, promote green innovation, and thus enhance UER. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the effect of NFC on UER is more significant in low-carbon non-pilot cities, cities with higher levels of industrial development, and cities in central and western China. Spatial spillover analysis shows that NFCs can effectively improve the ecological resilience of neighboring cities. Therefore, NFCs should be continuously implemented and optimized to establish a long-term mechanism for urban forests to enhance ecological resilience.

INTEGRATING SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS INTO URBAN PLANNING

Urban ecology increasingly recognizes urban vacant lots as spaces with untapped aesthetic, social, and environmental potentials. This study focuses on strategies for converting these lots into green areas in Mossoró, a semi-arid city in Brazil, by analyzing urban connectivity patterns. Using a Geographic Information System, the study identifies priority areas for green space conversion based on factors like urban planning, density, land cover, and vacant lots. The analysis revealed 429 hectares of highly suitable land for conversion. A resistance surface was also created, factoring in public amenities and urban infrastructure, which showed varying levels of resistance to human movement. Areas with well-developed infrastructure had lower resistance, encouraging human and ecological movement. Connectivity modeling highlighted a need for more green infrastructure, especially in peripheral regions, to address socio-spatial fragmentation and enhance urban resilience in Mossoró. Keywords: Connectivity, Green Infrastructure, Urban Vacant Lots.

An analysis of the potential for military zones to be used as green spaces in the Ankara metropolitan area (Türkiye)

Urban periphery belts play a crucial role in preserving the morphological characteristics of cities. These belts often encompass various zones, including designated Military Zones, each of which contributes to structural integrity of urban spaces. Due to the vast expanse of military areas and associated security concerns, the relocation of these zones to the city’s outskirts is a recurring topic of discussion in Türkiye. Presuming the occurrence of such a possibility, how these zones will transform into functional urban spaces in terms of urban morphology is going to be vital. This study focuses on the potential of converting military zones in the urban periphery of Ankara into green spaces, highlighting the importance of such transformations for urban ecology and the preservation of green areas. To identify the existing green spaces within the military zones of the study area, vegetation indices such as Sentinel-2’s NDVI, NDMI, GCI, RVI, NDBI, and NISI were utilized, and comprehensive green space analyses were conducted. The findings indicate that the current green space allocation per capita in the region is 5 m2. However, when military zones are incorporated as regional parks alongside existing urban green spaces, this figure increases significantly to 14.4 m² per person. Additionally, to determine the accessibility of military zones converted into regional parks in terms of walking distance and their serviceable radius, several analyses have also been conducted. The conversion of military zones into regional parks and the development of related projects in Ankara would provide substantial benefits from a public policy perspective.

Integration of Circular Economy and Urban Metabolism for a Resilient Waste-Based Sustainable Urban Environment

An unsustainable rate of resource production and consumption is evident in urban environments. The absence of innovative approaches in conjunction with the exponential urbanization and expansion of the global population will inevitably result in substantial environmental consequences. There are two emerging alternatives: circular economy (CE) and urban metabolism (UM). The integration of these principles into novel methodology casts doubt on the linear model of contemporary economic and urban systems, which includes extraction, production, utilization, and disposal. In the development of a distinctive urban framework known as circular urban metabolism, the current study has illustrated the application of these principles. We design this study to motivate urban planners and decision-makers to investigate, develop, and supervise ecologically sustainable cities. Scholars from a variety of academic disciplines, intrigued by the intricacies of urban planning, design, and administration, can foster interdisciplinary collaboration in the circular urban metabolism (CUM) region. To address the research question, we implemented a bibliometric analysis, which involved the examination of 627 pertinent research papers, utilizing the R (R 3.6.0+) statistical programming language. The results emphasize the fundamental characteristics and significance of CUM in the management of refuse. In addition, the findings underscore the importance of creating a novel framework that incorporates the principles of urban political ecology, CUM, sustainability, and the novel dimension of waste metabolism. It is the goal of this framework to emphasize the significance of recycling in the informal sector as a waste management strategy in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs).

A functional trait-based assessment of urban street tree selection for Ethiopia

Urbanization in Ethiopia is rapidly reducing green space and biodiversity, and placing ecological stress on trees. Urban street trees (UST) can provide multiple ecosystem services, but need to cope with challenging street ecology and future climate risks. However, UST selection in Ethiopia is poor, and conventional trials and modern breeding are costly and time consuming to apply in Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to identify potential UST species for two Ethiopian cities; Addis Ababa, and Arba Minch, by studying interspecific differences in functional traits. For the purpose, we created a database with list of 120 candidate UST gathered from multi-stakeholder workshop, literature review, and senior experts survey, and their ecological with their phenological and morphological features. Then we filtered 25 potential UST through framework analysis considering eco-morphological features of the trees. For the 25 species, we measured three types of plant functional traits: conservative traits (leaf mass per area and leaf dry matter content), acquisitive traits (leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf water content) and drought tolerance traits (leaf turgor pressure loss point, and leaf succulence index). Our results showed a strong trade-off between conservative and acquisitive traits, particularly between leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA) (r = −0.71), consistent with plant economic spectrum theory. Using PCA analysis, we identified three groups of potential USTs (Type I, II and III) that exhibit different adaptation strategies, consistent with Grime’s trait-based classification of universal plant adaptation strategies (CSR). Compared to species with high acquisitive traits (Type II and Type III), Type I species have high conservative and drought-tolerant traits shows better adaptation to harsh road environments, whereas Type II and Type III species may be more advantageous for urban parks and other resource-rich components of urban ecology. We also found significant variation in conservative, acquisitive and drought-tolerant traits among different species, indicating their different adaptation strategies. Our research advances the knowledge of plant adaptation in urban environments and provides a useful method for UST selection.

Compensation landscapes

In this contribution, I explore compensation landscapes as a concept through which we can question the nature of ecological urbanism today, as an alliance of environmental degradation, urban development and landscape design. In urbanism and landscape studies, there is currently almost no debate on the spatial dynamics created by the compensation of environmental harm. This is remarkable, as green urban landscapes are increasingly developed through biodiversity offsetting, i.e. the process where open space assets that have been destroyed through urban development are replaced elsewhere. While the literature on these topics is booming in critical geography and political ecology, I explore three scopes in which biodiversity offsetting can be studied as part of urbanism and landscape studies. Through the spatialization of compensation, the linking of offsetting to planning research, and by giving attention to landscape design, this paper frames compensation as a socio-spatial urbanisation project.

Developing a Calculation Workflow for Designing and Monitoring Urban Ecological Corridors: A Case Study

Urban ecological corridors play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, connecting fragmented habitats in highly anthropized areas and generating benefits in terms of the sustainability of urban environments. These corridors mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation, such as reduced genetic diversity and limited species dispersal, while improving the ecological health of urban environments and the well-being of citizens. This study proposes a calculation workflow for the identification of the necessary and most suitable ecological corridors to be planned in the urban-environmental planning phase and identifies some of the existing innovative technologies to evaluate and improve their functionality, enabling the real-time monitoring of habitat conditions and providing valuable information to optimize the design and management of these peri-urban natural areas. Urban ecological corridors also improve human well-being by contributing to cleaner air, better water quality and recreational opportunities to the point that the costs incurred for their construction are much lower than the economic and social benefits for the area.

From Imbalance to Synergy: The Coupling Coordination of Digital Inclusive Finance and Urban Ecological Resilience in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

In the context of rapid urbanization and digitalization, scientifically assessing the spatio-temporal interaction between digital inclusive finance (DIF) and urban ecological resilience (UER) is crucial for promoting the coordinated development of the regional ecology and economy. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of the coupled coordination degree (CCD), the decoupling phenomenon, and its hindering factors in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) by utilizing the kernel density analysis, standard deviation ellipse, decoupling model, and obstacle degree analysis. Through systematic analyses, this paper aims to elucidate the development disparities among regions within the YREB, identify problematic areas, and propose targeted improvement measures. The results show that (1) The CCD between DIF and UER in the YREB has increased annually from 2011 to 2020. However, there are persistent imbalances, with an overall low level of coordination and uneven spatial development, and a trend of “higher coordination in the east and lower coordination in the west”. (2) The overall CCD of the YREB has reached at least the primary coordination level, with the coupling enhancement speed ranked as “downstream > midstream > upstream”, and regional differences decreasing. (3) The decoupling analysis reveals a predominant decoupling trend between DIF and UER, indicating that the digitization of financial services has not concurrently increased ecological pressures. (4) The obstacle degree analysis identifies resilience and digitalization as major barriers hindering CCD. This study provides a scientific basis and analytical framework for understanding the current spatiotemporal interaction between DIF and UER in the YREB, offering an important reference for formulating more effective policies.

Exploring Bark‐Water Interaction Effects on Stemflow Nutrient Concentrations in Urban Trees

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the influence of bark properties on nutrient fluxes in urban environments, focusing on the relationship between bark wettability, chemical composition, and the concentrations of nutrients in stemflow and adjacent soil across eight urban tree species. Through a comprehensive analysis involving chemical assays and ecohydrological measurements, we explored how variations in bark characteristics affect water interaction and subsequent chemical dynamics within urban landscapes. Contrary to the initial hypothesis that bark properties would significantly influence nutrient flux, results revealed a complex scenario where environmental and anthropogenic factors in urban settings seemingly overshadow the direct impact of bark characteristics on nutrient dynamics. Our findings indicate that while bark properties such as wettability and chemical composition do vary among tree species, these variations do not directly correlate with significant differences in stemflow or soil nutrient concentrations. This suggests a homogenising effect of urban environments on ecohydrological processes, highlighting the need for a broader understanding of urban forest ecology that incorporates both biological traits and urban‐specific environmental influences. This research contributes to the field of urban ecohydrology by underscoring the complexity of nutrient fluxes in urban forests and suggesting that effective urban tree management requires an integrated approach that considers the interplay between tree physiological traits and urban environmental conditions. Our study calls for further research to unravel the intricate dynamics of urban ecosystems, aiming to enhance the sustainability and ecological benefits of urban forests.

How does urbanization affect natural selection?

Abstract Urbanization is one of the most significant contributors to the Anthropocene, and urban evolutionary ecology has become an important field of research. While it is commonly assumed that cities impose new and stronger selection, the contradictory assertion that selection may be relaxed in cities is also frequently mentioned, and overall, our understanding of the effects of urbanization on natural selection is incomplete. In this review, we first conduct a literature search to find evidence for patterns of natural selection on phenotypic traits including morphology, physiology, behaviour and life history, in urban and non‐urban populations of animals and plants. This search reveals that coefficients of natural selection in the context of urbanization are scarce (n = 8 studies providing selection gradients/differentials that include a total of n = 200 coefficients) and a lack of standardized methods hinders quantitative comparisons across studies (e.g. with meta‐analysis). These studies, however, provide interesting insight on the agents shaping natural selection in cities and improve our mechanistic understanding of selection processes at different spatial scales. We then perform a second literature search to review genomic studies assessing selection intensity in cities, on the genome of non‐human natural populations. While this search returns 383 articles, only 34 of these truly investigate footprints of selection associated with urbanization, and only one study provides urban genetic selection coefficients. Here again, we find highly heterogeneous approaches, yet some studies provide strong evidence of genomic footprints of urban adaptation. In neither the phenotypic nor genomic literature review were we able to quantitatively assess natural selection across urban versus non‐urban habitats. Thus, we propose a roadmap of how future studies should provide standardized metrics to facilitate mega‐ or meta‐analyses and explore generalized effects of urbanization on selection. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Keystone species in an urban environment: Do raptors control the Mexican gray squirrel in Mexico City?

Urbanization has forced animals to respond to novel environments. One of the basic questions in urban ecology is if ecological processes that occur in natural conditions also occur in urban environments. In natural ecosystems, key predators can limit prey abundance and have a widespread effect on trophic levels. Here, we examine a predator-prey interaction in Mexico City, an urban ecosystem where prey can be evaluated in the presence or absence of apex predators. Nearly all original ecosystems in Mexico City have been transformed for human purposes. Many of the green spaces in the city contain populations of the Mexican gray squirrel, a species native to this area. These green spaces are also inhabited by different species of raptors, the most frequent being Harris's hawk, Cooper's hawk, and sharp-shinned hawk. Little is known about the interactions between raptors and squirrels, particularly how different environmental factors influence this ecological relationship. We do know, however, that raptors prey on squirrels. We predicted that in parks where raptors were present, there would be fewer squirrels than in parks where there were no raptors. We studied the relationship between raptors and squirrels using occupancy models, which also allowed us to evaluate environmental factors that affect the presence of both squirrels and raptors. We also tested if the presence of raptors influenced the occupancy probability of squirrels, and vice versa. Lastly, we estimated the abundance of squirrels in parks, both where raptors were present and where they were absent. Contrary to our predictions, in our first two sampling periods we found a positive relationship between the presence of raptors and squirrel abundance, but this relationship was absent during our second two survey periods, which was due to a decline in squirrel abundance in parks where raptors were present. These results suggest that predator-prey interactions occur in urban settings much as they do under natural conditions, but that other factors unique to urbanization can also impact the abundance of raptors and squirrels. Our findings also suggest that raptors might be an effective means of controlling squirrel populations under some conditions.

Strangler fig–host tree associations: Insights into the ecology and management of tropical urban green spaces

Societal Impact StatementThe strangler fig is known for its hemiepiphytic growth form and conspicuous strangling behavior in the tropics worldwide. It also plays an important role in providing ecological functions in tropical urban ecosystems. This study reveals strangler figs tend to colonize large trees with suitable microsites in a large tropical botanical garden and cause some negative effects on their hosts. We advocate balanced management strategies considering ecological functions, potential risks, and overall values of stranglers and their hosts. These results provide a scientific basis for us to develop better practices for plant management in urban green spaces (especially botanical gardens with high plant biodiversity) in tropical urban ecosystems.Summary Strangler figs colonize trees in tropical cities, which contribute to a unique urban ecology and enrich local ecological functions. Understanding ecological associations between strangler figs and their host trees can improve green space management in tropical urban ecosystems. We investigated 9282 trees growing in the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and then analyzed the diversity, characteristics, and network of strangler figs and their host trees. We found 13 strangler fig species (319 individuals) widely colonized 67 host species, with palm hosts bearing 52% of all strangler individuals. Strangler figs had a high colonization rate in large trees with appropriate microsites (e.g., persistent palm petioles and the fork of mature trees with rough trunks). Leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content of hosts decreased significantly after strangler figs' aerial roots had entered the ground. The strangler–host network was characterized by relatively high specialization and low nestedness, and simulated management of strangler figs on large hosts and palm hosts could simplify the strangler–host network. Strangler fig colonization can be managed. Planting trees with large diameters at breast height and rough bark can increase the colonization of stranglers, while cutting off aerial roots can inhibit their establishment. The epiphytic stage is the best time to manage strangler figs. We recommend taking into consideration the trade‐offs among ecological functioning, human safety, and the multifaceted value of strangler figs and their host trees and thereby implementing comprehensive management strategies tailored to different contexts for improving green space management in the tropics.

Impact of Urbanization on Canine Health in Germany

Purpose: To aim of the study was to analyze the impact of urbanization on canine health in Germany. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Urbanization in Germany has significantly impacted canine health, with findings indicating both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, urban areas provide access to veterinary services, pet-friendly facilities, and socialization opportunities, which can enhance dogs' overall well-being. However, the challenges of urban living, such as increased pollution, noise, and reduced green spaces, contribute to health issues like respiratory problems, anxiety, and obesity in dogs. Additionally, urbanization often leads to a higher incidence of canine diseases due to close contact with other animals and people. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Environmental stress theory, one health approach & urban ecology theory may be used to anchor future studies on the impact of urbanization on canine health in Germany. Integrate canine health considerations into urban planning and design. Advocate for stricter environmental regulations to control air and noise pollution in urban areas. Policy measures could include implementing and enforcing air quality standards, promoting the use of low-emission vehicles, and regulating industrial activities that contribute to pollution.

Buscando Luciérnagas: findings on Mexican fireflies from an 8-year virtual citizen science project.

Fireflies are charismatic and conspicuous animals that often evoke childhood memories, which make firefly watching an emotional and even transformative experience. Citizen science projects have the potential to enhance transformative interactions with nature. Like many insects, firefly populations are declining due to land-use change, urbanization and watershed pollution, but ecological data for this group is scarce, particularly in Mexico. Virtual Citizen Science (VCS) initiatives can serve as a scientific instrument, yield reliable and relevant scientific data, and may also offer a platform to promote broader educational outcomes. We established a VCS project to document fireflies through a Facebook page named Buscando Luciernagas with the following hashtag in every post #veobrillar in 2015. After seven years we complied the gathered data and analyzed the results. We had 647 reports in total, with strong fluctuations from year to year that were correlated with the number of posts and publicity we made each year. The largest number of sightings (319) occurred in 2021, coinciding with a change in our reporting format. Most of the reports came from central Mexico (91.5%), but we had reports from eight states and also received some international reports from nine different countries. Fireflies were most frequently seen in habitats characterized as grasslands (35%) or forests (27%), followed by gardens (17%), vacant lots (9%) and parks (5%) but also paved areas and agricultural lands were reported (3% each). Most citizen scientists reported few fireflies, 1-5 individuals (31%) while only 11% reported more than 50 fireflies per sighting. Our study can serve as a preliminary approach to explore more focused research areas in the future. For example, in areas with no sightings, we could reach out to specific local people to corroborate that there are no fireflies in the region, or in areas with high sightings we could promote conservation measures. Notably, we found it intriguing to discover numerous sightings of fireflies in urban areas, which could offer a potential avenue for further research in urban ecology.

River and drain: Ambiguity in the waterways of Accra

This article analyses a range of diverse and often conflicting practices in and around a waterway in Accra, Ghana, emphasising the ambiguity of their politics. Urban political ecology approaches have demonstrated how flows of (waste)water reveal power dynamics across scales. I extend such insights by developing an understanding of practices that are more ambiguous, complexifying otherwise linear dynamics of power. I do this by centring the narratives of those living and working in the waterway. Through providing needed attention to the everyday and micro-level interactions, this approach makes room for situated ambiguities within wider power dynamics. The argument is based on qualitative research along one primary waterway in Accra, along which people live, farm, dump waste and manage flood risk. These diverse practices suggest that, in addition to distributing risks in an often uneven fashion, the waterway also affords connection, solidarity and adaptability across urban divides. I argue that accounting for these practices does not deny the inequalities of the waterway's geography; rather, it encourages the development of a vocabulary to understand situated processes, even where they appear ambiguous. Embracing the ambiguities of the waterway allows us to fully consider the complex forms that power takes in different settings.

Treating the Symptoms as Well as the Root Causes: How the Digital Economy Can Mitigate the Negative Impacts of Land Resource Mismatches on Urban Ecological Resilience

In the era of the digital economy (DE), the traditional economic growth paradigm is no longer applicable. To explore whether the DE can improve the urban ecological problems left behind by rough economic growth, this study examines the effects of land resource mismatch (LRM) on urban ecological resilience (UER) and evaluates the mitigating influence of the DE. This analysis utilizes data from 280 prefectural-level cities in China over the period from 2007 to 2021 and reveals that LRM significantly undermines UER, with this conclusion remaining robust across a series of tests. Additionally, the detrimental impact of LRM on UER is more pronounced in megacities, cities with high levels of economic development, and those with a lower degree of advanced industrial structure. In further analysis, this study finds that the digital economy can optimize the allocation of land resources, thereby enhancing urban ecological resilience, which has the effect of “treating the root causes”. In addition, digital government and digital infrastructure, as key elements of the digital economy, also mitigate the negative impacts of land resource misallocation on urban ecological resilience, having the effect of “treating the symptoms”. Finally, this study proposes policy suggestions such as optimizing ecological layout, deepening land reform, and promoting digital government and infrastructure construction to provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for local governments to enhance UER and help build a new model of greener, more resilient, and sustainable urban development.