Urban Home Gardens Research Articles

Plant diversity and its use in Javanese urban home garden: An ethnobotanical study in Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Darmastuti SA, Nazar IA, Setyawan AD. 2024. Plant diversity and its use in Javanese urban home garden: An ethnobotanical study in Central Java, Indonesia. Asian J Ethnobiol 7: 32-42. Urbanization makes the spread of botanical knowledge increasingly widespread. Ethnobotanical knowledge brought by village communities can be applied in urban areas. The implementation of Proklim (Climate Village Program) by the Indonesian Government strengthens the development of environmentally friendly cities that are able to adapt and overcome climate change and are sustainable by paying attention to the balance of social, economic, and environmental aspects. Currently, communities and home gardens have responded to various driving factors, such as the environmental movement and urban sustainability, and are more focused on providing healthy local food and community development. The objectives of this study were to find out the medicinal and food plants found in the home gardens and community gardens of ProKlim RW 16 Banjarsari Village, Banjarsari Sub-district, Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia and the influence felt by the community and knowing the existence of ProKlim RW 16 to support the 13th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate action. The method used is descriptive quantitative, which is conducted through observation, interviews, and questionnaires. Data from observations and interviews were calculated using the formula of Use Value, Relative Frequency of Citation, Informant Consensus Factor, and Fidelity Level. Meanwhile, questionnaire data is calculated using the Likert Scale calculations. The research results show 56 species that residents often use for medicinal and food plants. The most widely used medicinal plant is lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), and the most widely used food plant is chili (Capsicum frutescens L.). Based on Likert Scale calculations, the adaptation indicator states that 90.25% of respondents agree that food plants grown by themselves are fresher and healthier. Meanwhile, on the mitigation indicator, 93.39% of respondents agreed that the more plants planted could reduce air pollution and lower the earth's temperature.

Hazard estimation in urban home garden soils in an industrial area using microarthropods, soil properties and GIS modelling: an integrated approach.

The use of soil microarthropods as indicators of soil pollution in home gardens of an industrial area has been covered in this study. Soil samples were collected from 25 home gardens in three zones in Eloor during summer and North East monsoon from 2014 to 2018, for the study of soil microarthropods, soil properties, soil nutrients, and trace elements. The relationships among QBS-ar, microarthropod abundance, soil properties, and soil nutrients, were used to estimate the pollution hazard of the industrial area. The microarthropods present in the study area were Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diplopoda, and Araneae. A prominent study area feature was the absence of Collembola and Acari. The QBS-ar index score in these regions showed that the home gardens located adjacent to the industrial area showed low soil quality, with soil quality class values ranging from 1 to 2 throughout the study period. Discriminant analysis of soil nutrients with soil properties and microarthropod abundance showed that in Zone 1 and Zone 2, the data in 2018 was very well discriminated compared to other years. The hazard assessment in the Eloor region showed various levels of hazard zonation: Zone 1 with high-hazard and medium-hazard areas, Zone 2 with medium-hazard areas, and Zone 3 with low- and medium-hazard areas. The study is one of the first kinds that have used QBS-ar scores and soil properties along with soil nutrients and trace elements for estimating the level of hazard in home garden agroecosystems and thus points to an easy, simple, and practical approach in the monitoring and management of soil ecosystems.

The Impact of Urban Home Gardens on The Mental Well-Being of Women in The Greater Jakarta Area

Promoting positive mental health is of utmost importance, especially in today's urban context, as recognized by the World Health Organization. However, the scarcity of green spaces in urban areas presents challenges for fostering a connection with nature. To address this gap, this study investigates the distinctive contribution of urban home gardens to the mental well-being of women in the Greater Jakarta Area. Through an online survey, participant backgrounds and mental well-being were assessed using the WEMWBS scale. Validity and reliability were established using Pearson's product-moment correlation and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. The study unravels several influential factors, including garden interaction (visit frequency and duration) and size. Crucially, it advances the literature by shedding light on the original contribution of urban home gardens to mental well-being. Notably, women who visit their urban home garden more than seven times a week and spend over two hours per day in their garden report the highest levels of mental well-being. These findings highlight the unique role of urban home gardens in promoting mental well-being among urban women. Consequently, they hold implications for policymakers and practitioners aiming to enhance mental well-being and foster access to green spaces in urban areas.

Contributions of urban green spaces for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation in Dessie city, Northeastern Ethiopia

Scientific studies about the role of urban green spaces (UGSs) in biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation are limited in developing countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the role of UGSs in biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Using a systematic sampling method a total of 137 sample plots of various sizes were laid per cluster. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was undertaken among clusters using the Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test at a 5% level of significance. A total of 127 woody species belonging to 58 families and 99 genera were recorded. Of the total species, 7 (5.51%), 34 species (26.77%), and 86 (67.72%) were endemic, exotic, and indigenous to Ethiopia, respectively. The presence of threatened or endangered trees in Ethiopia, such as Hagenia abyssinica and Juniperus procera in the UGSs of Dessie, indicates that UGSs could be another potential site for biodiversity conservation. The overall mean carbon stock (ton ha−1) and its total CO2 equivalent of UGSs of Dessie are 745.17 ± 170.86 and 2734.79 ± 627.06, respectively. This indicated a significant potential of UGSs to mitigate a changing climate. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was revealed for the carbon stock and diversity. The highest mean biomass carbon was recorded in the urban forests (1448.14 ± 736.32 tons C ha−1) and the lowest in urban Homegarden (61.28 ± 0.231 ton C ha−1). Correlation analysis revealed a weak positive relationship (r = 0.26) between biomass carbon stock and Shannon's index. It is concluded that UGSs have an important role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. Therefore, urban plans should consider the roles of urban green space at every stage of planning.

Влияние различных препаратов на всхожесть семян рододендрона кавказского (Rhododendron caucasicum Pall) и рододендрона желтого (Rhododendron luteum Sweet)

The genus Rhododendron L. includes the most common species of the Ericaceae family and has more than 800 species. Rhododendrons are mostly evergreen, but some taxa are deciduous shrubs or trees. Caucasian rhododendron (Rhododendron caucasicum Pall) and yellow rhododendron (Rhododendron luteum Sweet) are ornamental and medicinal shrubs that are widely used in urban landscaping and home gardens. Due to its high frost resistance, Rhododendron yellow is suitable for growing in temperate climates, which makes it a popular crop in the domestic nursery. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of Formulex, Nitrozyme, Great White, Fitofert Start, Mix Trix Pseudomonas preparations on the germination of rhododendron seeds in comparison with the control. The experiment was carried out on the territory of GBS them. N.V. Tsitsina RAS for two years. As a substrate, a mixture of coconut fiber and soil for coniferous crops was used in a ratio of 1:1. On a container 31x16 cm, 1 g of seeds were sown in three repetitions. Doses of drugs were calculated in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturers. A significant positive effect on the germination of seeds of Caucasian rhododendron and yellow rhododendron was provided by Nitrozyme and Mix Trix Pseudomonas. The increase in the germination of yellow rhododendron seeds when using Nitrozyme is 32%, when using Mix Trix Pseudomonas - 84%. Keywords: SEED REPRODUCTION, RHODODENDRON CAUCASICUM, RHODODENDRON LUTEUM, SUBSTRATE, BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS, SEED GERMINATION, SEA ALGAE EXTRACT, PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS

Medicinal plants cultivated in urban home gardens in Heredia, Costa Rica

BackgroundUrban ethnobotanical research in Costa Rica is rather rare and home gardens are poorly studied so far. Investigating their biodiversity is crucial in gathering knowledge on the uses of this particular flora, especially related to the owners’ health. This study therefore explores the diversity and knowledge of medicinal plants of private garden owners from three different urban neighborhoods in Heredia, Costa Rica, an thus far understudied area.MethodsSemi-structured interviews (n = 61) were conducted with garden owners in three socioeconomically different urban neighborhoods (Central Heredia, Maria Auxiliadora and Bernardo Benavides). Information was collected about medicinal plants cultivated in the garden, treatments, plant part used and mode of administration. All species were identified and their geographical origin was determined. This information was then compared with the available regional and local (ethno)pharmacopoeias to detect possible newly documented uses.ResultsThe majority or 90% of garden owners who also held knowledge on medicinal plants species were women (n = 30) of all ages (between 26 and 85 years old). A list of 27 species of medicinal plants was obtained from the participants of three urban neighborhoods. In Central Heredia, 74% (n = 20) of the total species were present, in Maria Auxiliadora 33% (n = 9) and in Bernardo Benavides 56% (n = 15). Most plant species were used by the participants to treat respiratory problems (11 spp.), hair and skin problems (9 spp.) and digestive disorders (8 spp.). Some plants were used to treat multiple ailments (10 spp.). About a third of all species (n = 8) were used by the participants to treat disorders that were not indicated in the regional and local pharmacopoeias. More specifically, Aloe saponaria, Blechum pyramidatum, Costus scaber, Impatiens walleriana, Lippia alba, Tradescantia zebrina, Psidium friedrichsthalianum and Solenostemon scutellarioides used for medicinal purposes by the participants were not found in the above-mentioned resources.ConclusionsThe present study provides new information about the use of medicinal plants in a thus far understudied urban area in Costa Rica. We documented new medicinal uses for several plants listed in the regional and local pharmacopoeias as well as for plants not previously reported in an urban environment. In general, there is little information about the types of plants used for medicinal purposes in urban ecosystems in Costa Rica. Although the country has a high endemic diversity of plants, many exotic medicinal plant species were introduced by the Spaniards during the colonization and by Afro-Costa Rican descendants. The present results thus show how the diversity of the medicinal plants used by these garden owners' confirms a socioeconomic gradient and reflects both Costa Rica’s colonial history as well as the current epidemiological profile of the country. These findings underline the need for more ethnobotanical research in urban areas in Costa Rica.

Etnobotânica nos quintais urbanos em Mossoró-RN

Abstract Plant species grown in urban home gardens improve environmental quality, bring aesthetic benefits, can be used for the production of food and medicinal plants, among other purposes. This work aims to carry out an ethnobotanical survey in urban home gardens in the Vingt Rosado neighborhood in Mossoró-RN. The methodological procedures consist of an application of a semi-structured questionnaire and identification of plant species present in the gardens of residential units. Plants were found in all the sampled residences, and 18 species with different purposes were cataloged. The studied urban home gardens have great potential for botanical cultivation, and the expansion of this possibility could bring many benefits regarding food and environmental security and even expand the possibilities for generation of family income.

Shaping the urban home garden: Socio-ecological forces in the management of private green spaces

Home gardens represent critical spaces in the configuration of socio-ecological landscapes and an increasing number of local and regional governments have begun including them within their resilience strategies, local biodiversity action plans, and food or health agendas. This paper contributes to the limited literature on contemporary home gardening in the Global North with a pilot study of Czech home gardens. This study aims to: (i) reveal what is the current role of the home garden and how the gardeners themselves perceive the care of their gardens; (ii) asses what is the potential of “scaling up” home gardens to address problems on a larger scale and how the gardeners understand the potential of their contribution to urban environment. This pilot study uses data collected during a questionnaire survey of 464 home gardens in different settlement types in Czechia. The results show that home gardens may provide important amenities for individual gardeners and their families, while at the same time contributing to both intended and unintended environmental consequences at the level of whole neighbourhoods or green space in general. The scaling up of home gardens in making cities more sustainable is possible and desirable, but a strategy for communication must involve both the top-down and bottom-up approaches and tools sensitive to a variety of diverse populations who tend home gardens.

Modeling the Potential Productivity of Urban Agriculture and Its Impacts on Soil Quality Through Experimental Research on Scale-Appropriate Systems

Urban agriculture could play a central role in local and regional food sovereignty in developed countries, but in many cities, a lack of space and competition with other land uses limit production. Options for meaningfully advancing food sovereignty goals include sustainable intensification of existing urban farms and gardens; 2) expansion of production into interstitial and other underutilized spaces undevelopable for other purposes; and 3) expansion of production in protected environments. Observational studies suggest that--like smallholder agriculture in the Global South--urban home, community, and market gardens in the developed world can be highly productive--but often are not. Scale-appropriate, agroecosystems-based research and outreach to urban agriculturalists are needed to help them grow more food, more sustainably. This replicated, long-term trial is addressing this need—and a dearth of experimental, normative research on urban agriculture—by evaluating the yield performance and impact on soil quality of four different systems of small-scale food production in Rhode Island, the second most densely populated state in the United States and a potential model for the development of sustainable urban food systems. Systems are modeled on vernacular systems in Providence, RI and Chicago, IL and on the scholarly and grey literature on sustainable intensification. They differ in soil management practices and nutrient sources. Results from the first three years of data collection indicate all four systems can be highly productive, with varying tradeoffs in terms of their sustainability and impacts on soil quality. While total marketable food yields were relatively modest compared to those reported in the grey literature for biointensive agriculture—2.22 to 2.96 kg m-2 averaged over three summer growing seasons compared to 4.64 kg m-2 for the “low end” of biointensive production—yields for individual crops exceeded—and often far exceeded—regional averages and, for most crops and systems, national averages, without a loss in soil quality. In addition to demonstrating the high productivity of small-scale systems compared to commercial farms, the study establishes a framework for conducting normative, experimental research that can help to guide practice. It also offers more reliable yield estimates for modeling the production potential of cities than do observational studies and agronomic experiments on monocultures.

Urban home garden design in Ga-Rankuwa, City of Tshwane, South Africa

Urban home garden design in Ga-Rankuwa, City of Tshwane, South Africa

COVID-19 Outbreak and Urban Green Space, Food Security, and Quality of Life: Case of Urban Home Gardens in Kandy, Sri Lanka

The study was conceptualized to distinguish contribution of urban home gardening towards household food security and quality of life while making greener environment in urban area in the context of country wise curfew during COVID-19 pandemic and challenges arisen with it. Kandy municipal area was selected as study site and questionnaire surveys over prepared grid map and field observations were the principal data collection methods used in this study. Social and physical inputs for gardening as well as material and immaterial outcomes received through the gardening were considered as major parameters in data collection. It is notable that data collected concerning situation before and during the curfew period. Data feeding and analysis were supported through IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software. Social well-being and mental health was highlighted in all three satisfaction levels of high, moderate, and low and is more than that of 50% from the total recorded responses. Stress release, collective work, family harmonization, exercise, sharing and social cohesion, knowledge and experience, and healthy foods are the outcomes received in the aspect of social well-being and mental health. As they perceive, environmental quality has amended with the outcomes through greening, aesthetic beauty, land management and erosion control, waste management and clean environment. Also, urban dwellers have assured their economic status during the pandemic situation at least fulfilling one or two diets with homemade vegetable products. Still, social well-being and mental health could be prioritized among the benefits received through home gardening; especially during the pandemic situation. Because, awareness and promotion to achieve desired harvest in the urban home gardening is challengeable in the current context. Thus, those aspects should be address in the agricultural policy preparation without compromising livelihood of large scale farmers. So the crop specification for healthy diet can promote by continuation of this home gardening trend with the experience of COVID-19 pandemic. Then only we can fear off during this kind of disastrous situation.

As plantas e seus usos nos quintais de Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso

As plantas dos quintais urbanos são utilizadas para múltiplas finalidades, com destaque para as espécies alimentícias e medicinais. O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar o levantamento das espécies vegetais e seus respectivos usos nos quintais de dois bairros em Alta Floresta, estado de Mato Grosso e estabelecer o perfil dos informantes. Na seleção dos entrevistados aplicou-se a amostragem bola de neve, onde foram utilizadas as técnicas de observação direta e participante, sendo os principais envolvidos na manutenção dos quintais indagados sobre o manejo das plantas e as partes utilizadas para cada uso. Foram observados 99 táxons pertencentes a 49 famílias botânicas. As famílias mais frequentes foram Lamiaceae, Fabaceae e Myrtaceae. As espécies Cocos nucifera L., Myrciaria cauliflora (Mart.) O.Berg e Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex P. Wilson estavam presentes em 50% dos quintais. As categorias de uso citadas pelos informantes foram: a) arborização; b) condimentar; c) cultivo; d) frutífera; e) medicinal e f) paisagismo. Mais de 50% das espécies destina-se ao uso alimentício, destacando a função de segurança alimentar dos quintais. A segunda categoria com maior número de espécies foi a de uso medicinal com 29 táxons, pertencentes à 17 famílias e, Lamiaceae foi a família com maior número de espécies usadas. O uso medicinal mais citado foi na forma de decocção (chá) para gripes e resfriados.

Nutrition and Health Improvements After Participation in an Urban Home Garden Program

ObjectiveTo elucidate the perceived health benefits of an urban home gardening and nutritional education program in a population at high cardiometabolic risk. DesignQualitative data collected via in-depth, semistructured interviews in Spanish or English. SettingCommunity-based program offering supported urban home gardening together with nutrition education in Santa Clara County, CA. ParticipantsA total of 32 purposively sampled low-income participants in an urban home gardening program. Participants were primarily female (n = 24) and Latino/a (n = 22). Phenomenon of InterestPerceptions of the nutrition and health benefits of education-enhanced urban home gardening. AnalysisBilingual researchers coded transcripts using a hybrid inductive and deductive approach. Two coders double coded at intervals, independently reviewed coding reports, organized content into key themes, and selected exemplary quotations. ResultsThe most salient perceived impacts were greater food access, increased consumption of fresh produce, a shift toward home cooking, and decreased fast food consumption. Participants attributed these changes to greater affordability, freshness, flavor, and convenience of their garden produce; increased health motivation owing to pride in their gardens; and improved nutritional knowledge. Participants also reported improved physical activity, mental health, and stress management; some reported improved weight and adherence to diabetes-healthy diets. Conclusions and ImplicationsEducation-enhanced urban home gardening may facilitate multidimensional nutrition and health improvements in marginalized populations at high cardiometabolic risk.

Urban Homegarden for Woody Species Conservation and Carbon Sequestration: The Case of Jimma City, Southwest Ethiopia

Homegardens in urban are found to be an important refuge for native biodiversity and provide huge contribution for climate change mitigation. The study was undertaken to investigate potential of homegarden in conservation of woody species and carbon sequestration in Jimma City. A complete listing of woody species within 138 homegardens and 39 sample plot size 10m×10m (100m 2 ) were surveyed. Diameter at breast) height and the height of the tree were measured. Shannon diversity and Jaccard coefficient of similarity index were used to determine the species composition. Allometric equation was used to estimate aboveground carbon stocks of woody species. A total of 40 woody species (36 in homegarden and 22 in government institution) belonging to 24 families were recorded. Very significantly higher (P&lt;0.001) species richness and diversity were observed in homegardens. But no significant difference was observed (p&gt;0.5) among homegardens in three kebeles. Jaccard coefficient of similarity index (47.5%) showed low similarity in woody composition between two systems. About 2,877.13Mgha -1 (884.2 Mgha -1 in homegarden &amp;1,992.95Mgha -1 in government institution) carbon of about 319.57Mg of CO 2 equivalents were measured. Very highly significant (p&lt;0.001) and non-significant difference (p&gt;0.05) in carbon storage were observed between systems and among homegardens respectively. The result reveled homegardens in Jimma city have good potential for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Hence, responsible bodies need to consider the role of homegarden in maintaining native biodiversity and climate change mitigation in urban development planning. Keywords : Biodiversity conservation, government institution compound, carbon stock, climate change mitigation. DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-13-02 Publication date :July 31 st 2019

Collection ofJaltomata darcyana(Solanaceae), previously unrecorded in cultivation, from a home garden in Chicago, IL

AbstractEvidence has been slowly accumulating that the urban home gardens of immigrants or transnational migrants in the USA conserve food plant diversity with roots in the developing world. Published species lists for home gardens indicate that, at least at the species level, this diversity is not novel but consists of widely grown, culturally important plant species that are also available through the horticultural trade. In 2018, we returned to the home garden of a Mexican-origin household in Chicago and confirmed the identity of a plant provisionally identified asJaltomata darcyanaduring an earlier inventory of the garden. A recently named species of Central America,J. darcyanahas not been previously recorded in cultivation. Collection of this species from a Chicago garden suggests that urban gardens may harbor other novel species awaiting documentation by urban ecologists and botanists.

Agronomic and Environmental Assessment of a Polyculture Rooftop Soilless Urban Home Garden in a Mediterranean City.

Urban planning has been focusing its attention on urban rooftop agriculture as an innovative way to produce local and reliable food in unused spaces in cities. However, there is a lack of quantitative data on soilless urban home gardens and their contribution to self-sufficiency. The aim of the present study is to provide quantitative agronomic and environmental data on an actual soilless urban garden to estimate its degree of self-sufficiency and sustainability. For this purpose, an 18 m2 soilless polyculture rooftop urban home garden in the city center of Barcelona was analyzed. From 2015 to 2017, 22 different crops were grown to feed 2 people in an open-air soilless system, and a life cycle assessment was performed. A total productivity of 10.6 kg/m2/year was achieved, meaning that 5.3 m2 would be needed to fulfill the yearly vegetable requirements of an average citizen (in terms of weight). Considering the vegetable market basket of Catalonia, an 8.2 m2 soilless garden would be needed to cover 62% of the market basket for one person. The top 5 most productive crops were tomato, chard, lettuce, pepper and eggplant, accounting for 85.5% of the total production. The water consumption was 3.7 L/m2/day, and 3.3 kg/year/m2 of waste was generated. A high degree of self-sufficiency was achieved, although adjustments could be made to adapt the production to the market basket. The environmental assessment showed that the fertilizers and their associated leachates accounted for the highest environmental impacts in all the studied impact categories. Overall, 0.6 kg CO2 eq. was generated per kg of vegetables produced. The quantitative data provided by the present study offer a reference from which urban planners and researchers can project future implementations of rooftop urban agriculture (UA) on a large scale.

Ethnobotanical knowledge as heritage: the urban homegardens in the small cities of the Historical Valley of São Paulo

Nas cidades de São José do Barreiro e Areias, no Vale Histórico Paulista, encontram-se ainda, em pleno centro urbano, espaços onde se veem o cultivo de hortaliças e frutas. São quintais urbanos que abrigam plantas e também pessoas que têm muita familiaridade com seu cultivo, o que nos permite considerar esses espaços detentores de conhecimento botânico sobre plantas alimentícias. Mudanças culturais e socioeconômicas têm alertado que os quintais e os saberes botânicos detidos por parte dessa população estão vulneráveis. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir esses saberes e a relevância da manutenção dos quintais cultivados para a permanência e transmissão desses saberes, aqui considerados patrimônio. Com o propósito de compreender a riqueza e a vulnerabilidade desse conjunto, foram entrevistados moradores que possuem quintais urbanos com cultivo de plantas alimentícias, de forma a caracterizar os quintais e entender as motivações para seu cultivo de alimentos. As entrevistas, associadas a procedimentos recomendados para o entendimento da etnobotânica urbana, permitiram compreender as ações necessárias para que esse patrimônio continue a existir, o que implica em medidas de contenção das vulnerabilidades.

Predation risk shaped by habitat and landscape complexity in urban environments

Abstract Habitat loss and modification are hallmarks of anthropogenic ecosystems, but the consequences for ecosystem functioning and service provisioning often remain unclear. Understanding these links in cities is complicated by strong but fine‐scale differences in habitat structure among green space patches, and a high variance in habitat amount across urban landscapes. We used airborne laser scanning data to disentangle the effects of 3D woody habitat heterogeneity of urban home gardens, and woody habitat amount at four landscape spatial scales (50, 100, 250, and 500 m), on the predation risk of artificial sentinel prey by birds and arthropods. In both predator groups, and at all the investigated spatial scales, cross‐scale interactive effects between garden habitat heterogeneity and habitat amount in the urban landscape were the main drivers of predation. Risk of predation by birds was highest in heterogeneous garden habitats, but only in densely built urban landscapes where habitat amount was low to intermediate (10%–20%) at large spatial scales (250–500 m). It dropped independently of garden habitat heterogeneity when habitat amount became too low (&lt;10%) at small (50–100 m) spatial scales. In contrast, risk of predation by arthropods mostly peaked in homogeneous garden habitats when habitat amount was intermediate (20%) at large spatial scales. Our findings show that the ability of urban green space patches, such as gardens, to sustain ecosystem functions in cities mainly depends on cross‐scale interactive effects with larger scale habitat amount. In birds, predation activity can increase when high patch‐scale habitat heterogeneity contrasts with reduced larger scale habitat amount, suggesting concentration effects. Yet, thresholds exist under which ecosystem functioning drops independently of habitat structure. Synthesis and applications. The potential of small‐scale interventions to enhance habitat heterogeneity (e.g., by planting native trees with understorey shrubs) for restoring ecosystem functions, such as bird predation, in urban areas is dependent on wider landscape habitat structure. Urban planning should therefore adopt a multiscale approach to sustain and restore ecosystem functions and services; a simple but still not broadly recognized finding. Airborne laser scanning is a useful tool to infer habitat structure across a hierarchy of scales in spatially heterogeneous anthropogenic ecosystems.

Soil quality and its relationship with weeds in urban homegardens of Alta Floresta, Southern Amazonia

Understanding the possible causes of differences in weed composition of homegardens is important to manage such environments and, thus, to control the propagation of weeds. One of the factors that could influence the differences in weed composition of homegardens is soil quality. Soil is a complex and dynamic component subject to change; adequate management is therefore indispensable. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between soil quality and weed species in 30 urban homegardens in Southern Amazonia. We collected samples of the soil seed bank of weeds, calculated quantitative indices of these weed species, and performed an analysis of soil variables (pH, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, hydrogen, organic matter, sum basis, cation exchange capacity, base saturation, and soil texture). We conducted a principal components analysis to condense the information contained in the soil variables in a small group of new dimensional compositions, a detrended correspondence analysis to investigate the floristic gradients, and a redundancy analysis to model the influence of soil variables on variation in weed spectrum. The soils under the studied urban homegardens showed a chemical quality mostly above the desired minimum of macronutrients, pH, and base saturation. Based on the correlation between the presence of weeds and the physico-chemical quality of the soil, we must recognize that we are still far from obtaining a satisfactory model that can explain the composition of weeds and their relation with soil fertility in urban homegardens.

Productive Urban Landscape In Developing Home Garden In Yogyakarta City

Home garden is one type of agroecosystem that supports ecosystem services even in the urban settlement. The studies involved literature references and field survey along with a framework of the productive urban landscape that support ecosystem services in home garden. Productive urban landscape provided environmentally, socially and economically benefits that contained in ecosystem services. Problems on limited space in the urban settlement have to be managed by modified home garden system in order to work for ecosystem service in developing productive landscape. This study aimed to assess home garden (Pekarangan) system in a cluster of high density settlement in Yogyakarta City. Structured interview and vegetation identification of home garden have been conducted on 80 samples in Rejowinangun Kotagede District, Yogyakarta City. People showed enthusiasm in ecosystem services provided by home garden “Pekarangan Produktif” through developing productive urban landscape. Some benefits on ecosystem services of home garden were revealed on this study consisted of food production for sale (4.7%), home industry (7.69%), aesthetics (22.65%), food (14.10%), biodiversity (10.68%), ecosystem (12.82%), education (2.56), social interaction (11.54%), recreation (4.70%), and others (8.55%). Nevertheless, vegetation and other elements of home gardens have been managed irregularly and in particularly, the planned home gardens were only 17.07%. Actually, home gardens provided a large set of ecosystem services including being cultural services those are the category most valued. The urban people almost hided the understanding of the cultural benefit of ecosystem services of home garden, even though Yogyakarta has known the cultural city. Thus, urban home garden, as way as “Pekarangan Produktif” in the limited space that managed and planned sustainably, provide many benefits of ecosystem services in a productive urban landscape.