Urban Landscaping Research Articles

RYGORYSTYCZNIE CZY ELASTYCZNIE? STOPIEŃ SZCZEGÓŁOWOŚCI ZAPISÓW AKTÓW PRAWA MIEJSCOWEGO I JEJ WPŁYW NA JAKOŚĆ PRZESTRZENI MIEJSKIEJ – WYBRANE PRZYKŁADY Z POZNANIA

Local spatial development plans, are one of the most important urban landscaping tools. Their goal is, on the one hand, to protect urban space including, inter alia, prevention of creation of illconsidered developments, that are bad to the urban landscape, the environment or the local communities. For this purpose, there is a number of restrictions introduced into local spatial development plans. On the other hand, the role of local plans is also creating the space, so they should be conducive to projects with high-quality architecture, that are often unconventional and innovative, adding new value to the architectural landscape of the city, which could be blocked by too strict regulations. The trick is to create regulations in a way that can help reconcile that two goals.

Between approval and disapproval: Citizens’ views on the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima and its management

While cities are invasion hotspots, the view of urban residents on non-native species is critically understudied – an important knowledge gap since strategies on biological invasions could gain power by integrating human values, attitudes and perceptions. How citizens perceive the non-native tree Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) is unknown despite its abundance in many cities globally and its classification as invasive in many countries. In a quantitative survey with closed questions, we analysed (i) whether residents of Berlin, Germany knew the widespread species, (ii) how they perceived it in different urban situations, (iii) how they accepted different management strategies of it, and (iv) how the sociodemographic background of respondents predicted their preference and acceptability ratings. In total, we surveyed 196 respondents. Most respondents recognized the tree in a photograph, but few provided its correct name. Citizens’ preferences differed significantly among four urban contexts in which the species was shown, with prevailing approval for trees as a component of designed green spaces and less pronounced preferences for wild-grown trees in other urban spaces. When respondents were asked to indicate how the tree should be managed (three options), we found the most support for removal in problematic cases (‘adaptive on-site’ strategy); some support was found for the ‘leave alone’ strategy and least support for the ‘complete removal’ management strategy. Practitioners with expertise in urban landscaping were more critical of Ailanthus than laypeople. Ordinal logistic regression analyses showed that respondents with a ‘close to nature’ behaviour and attitude had a more positive view on Ailanthus and expressed more support for ‘leave alone’ management. Results demonstrate the importance of citizens’ context dependent views about a widespread invasive species, spanning from approval to disapproval in different situations. We conclude that urban management strategies concerning Ailanthus would gain support from citizens when combining multiple approaches: (i) to control the species in case of realized negative impacts; (ii) to prevent the invasion of the species in areas of conservation concern; and (iii) to develop novel approaches of integrating wild Ailanthus trees into urban green spaces. These insights could support management measures that need to be established due to the EU-Regulation on Invasive Alien Species.

Macrofungi of urban Tilia avenues and gardens in Hungary

Macrofungal investigations were performed in gardens and avenues planted with Tilia spp. between 2009 and 2020 in Hungary, focusing on the Budapest area. Lime tree (Tilia) is recently one of the most favorable commonly used ectomycorrhizal tree in urban landscaping in Budapest, similarly to other European cities. As a result of 71 sampling occasions in total 60 epigeous and hypogeous macrofungal species belonging to 22 families and 33 genera were documented. The nrDNA ITS barcoding region of 56 specimens was sequenced. Fifty-nine species were identified, while one interesting Inocybe sp. could not be determined. Phylogenetic analyses of the most frequently collected family, Inocybaceae, including three genera and 17 species were performed. The genera Russula and Tomentella, two preferred ectomycorrhizal symbionts of Tilia in urban environments were also analyzed. Inocybe alluvionis, I. amelandica, Mallocybe siciliana and Pseudosperma aureocitrinum were reported for the first time from Hungary. The taxonomic status of other species is also discussed.

Application of soil mulches on establishment and growth of native and commercial tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in an arid environment

Creating sustainable landscapes especially in arid climates is a significant challenge. To achieve sustainable landscapes, some strategies such as using native plants and soil mulches have been suggested. This study aimed to examine the quality and growth response of the native tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) compared with the corresponding commercial cultivar (Festuca arundinacea ‘Jaguar’) under different planting mulches in their planting and early growth stage in arid climate Mashhad city located in the northeast of Iran. Seeds of commercial cultivar and native species of Festuca arundinacea were sown in a sandy loam texture soil and four mulch treatments including vermicompost, leaf compost, cow manure and sand as control, were applied to cover the seeds. The result showed that the native species had greener color and narrower leaves compared to the commercial cultivar but its other NTEP (National Turfgrass Evaluation Program) traits including density, uniformity, establishment, softness of grass surface, quality after clipping, and total quality was lower than that in the commercial cultivar. Using vermicompost as the planting mulch (top dressing or cover mulch at the time of planting of the turfgrass) significantly improved all of the traits in the native species. Vermicompost increased the percentage of grass coverage, clipping dry weight, and the plant height and decreased the leaf width of plants and number and percentage of weeds. Utilizing native species of tall fescue with vermicompost as the planting mulch can promise as quality lawn as their commercial cultivar for native urban landscaping in Iran.

Characterization of Aiphanes aculeata fruit pulp and application in ice cream formulations

The characteristic color of the palm fruits Aiphanes aculeata, also known as Cariota-de-Espinho, suggests the presence of pigments such as carotenoids and anthocyanins, in addition these fruits present other compounds with health benefits such as minerals, vitamins and phenolics. However, there are no studies on the application of these fruits in food formulations since this palm tree is used only for urban landscaping. The present study aimed to characterize the Aiphanes aculeata pulp for proximate composition, physicochemical parameters, mineral contents, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity. Three ice cream formulations with the addition of different pulp concentrations were also produced, aimed to contribute to the technological and nutritional use of Aiphanes aculeata fruits. The choice of ice cream as the main investigation occurs due to the importance of functional ice creams to the balance of the physiological functions of the human organism that occurs through the ingestion of active and nutritional ingredients. Ice creams were characterized for overrun, melting behavior, color, and texture profile. The pulp presented representative minerals levels such as iron (49.82 ± 43.85 mg/100g) and zinc (96.07 ± 81.65 mg/100g). The total carotenoids level was significant, corresponding to 92.64 ± 0.83 μg/100g, with an emphasis on the beta-carotene levels (56.94 ± 2.11 μg/100g). The different pulp concentrations used in the formulations influenced the characteristics of the ice cream, as it interacted positively with the ingredients until the concentration of 30% pulp. Therefore, the Aiphanes aculeata fruits showed potential for application in the food industry, in the manufacture of ice cream with high nutritional value.

Energy balance and temperature regime of different materials used in urban landscaping

In an effort to conserve water, conversion of irrigated lawns to “water-saving” landscape designs are being promoted in urban areas. Different materials, with different radiative and thermal properties, are used to accomplish this. We conducted a field study where we measured reflected spectral irradiance, albedo, energy balance, and soil and surface temperatures of grass (GR), artificial turf (AT), decomposed granite (DG), and hardwood mulch (MU) to better understand how surface temperature is controlled in landscapes composed of these materials. DG had the highest albedo and a large fraction of the reflected solar energy was in the visible band. AT had the lowest albedo and highest net radiation of the materials we tested. DG was the most efficient material in conducting energy into the subsurface, whereas MU was the least. Both AT and MU concentrated most of their thermal energy in the surface, indicating poor ability to diffuse thermal energy into the subsurface. Latent heat flux was the major component of the energy balance of GR, as expected. After GR, DG maintained the lowest surface temperature due to a combination of high albedo and high heat flux into the subsurface.

Study on the Problems and Countermeasures in Urban Landscaping

Study on the Problems and Countermeasures in Urban Landscaping

Biodiversity of urban street trees in Italian cities: a comparative analysis

Street trees are key elements in urban ecosystems from several points of view, and different species can have different functions (i.e., ecological, socio-economic). As such, a careful biodiversity assessment is pivotal. We evaluated urban street trees in 15 Italian cities along a geographical and bioclimatic gradient. The data was obtained from scientific literature and Garden Service Offices of the cities. The distribution patterns of the species were analyzed in terms of taxonomy, chorology, and tree size. We registered 277 tree species belonging to 48 families. The species richness is very variable in analyzed cities, and it is not directly correlated with the city’s size. Only three species (Platanus × hispanica, Celtis australis and Quercus ilex) are common to almost all cities, while 41.52% of the species are present only in one city. The comparative analysis of species, considering the floristic and city distribution, showed different results, highlighting Pinaceae as the most common family. The chorological analysis shows a predominance of exotic species and a good relationship with the bioclimatic conditions of cities. A selection of the species, as street trees to maximize their ecological and socio-economic functions, is pivotal in urban landscaping and green management.

Urban Garden Greening and Ecological Environment Construction

Under the guidance of sustainable development and other concepts, urban construction pays more attention to the creation of a green and livable environment. The construction of urban landscaping and ecological environment is closely related to the happiness and health of urban residents, and it is also related to the overall ecology of our country. Based on the concept of green and environmental protection, this article first analyzes the significance of the city's landscaping and ecological environment construction, and then explores the construction strategy based on the construction status of this aspect.

Лиановые растения естественной флоры Азербайджана, их ботанико-географическое распространение и использование

Abstract. Liane-type plants of natural flora of Azerbaijan were studied, their distribution areas were partially identified, and also taxonomic composition and application areas were given in the paper. Lianas are a minority in the flora and mainly in grasses and shrubs forms as have shown results of studies. 25 species of lianas of 11 families and 14 genera are spread in the natural flora of Azerbaijan. This is consist only 0.5% of the total natural flora of Azerbaijan (4,500 species). Many perennial and annual lianas belonging to the Convolvulaceae family (Bingweed), especially Convolvulus cantabrica L., Convolvulus commutatus Boiss., Convolvulus erinaceus Ledeb. etc. species are very rare in nature. This group of plants is most widespread in the Kur-Araz lowland and the Greater Caucasus, and the least were found in the Caspian lowlands, Nakhchivan mountains and Gobustan as shown result of the study of the distribution areas of lianas. The use of lianas of natural flora in urban landscaping has been studied, and many species can be used for landscaping due to their bioecological properties. Some species (i. e., Hedera helix L., Lonicera caprifolium L., etc.) are currently used in vertical landscaping should be noted. However, research has shown that the flora also contains many species of ornamental lianas that can be involved in vertical landscaping.

Overlap of Ecological Niche Breadth of Euglossa cordata and Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) Accessed by Pollen Loads and Species Distribution Modeling

Urban areas can serve as biodiversity refuges for pollinators because of the high diversity of available floral and nesting resources. However, it remains unclear what plant species commonly used for urban landscaping provide floral resources that pollinators actively use. Here, we integrate data from the pollen and species distribution models of two abundant euglossine bees-the large-bodied Eulaema nigrita (Lepeletier, 1841) and the small-bodied Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758)-in urban areas to investigate their overlap in diet breadth and distribution. We hypothesized that because bees with larger body sizes tend to have larger foraging areas, large-bodied bees would have a wider diet breath than small-bodied bees. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that Eg. cordata has a wider diet breadth than El. nigrita with the former species showing higher diversity of pollen types collected (per pollen load and on average across pollen loads). Pollen grains from Solanum paniculatum and Tradescantia zebrina represented 63% of the diet of Eg. cordata, whereas pollen from S. paniculatum and Psidium guajava represented 87% of the diet of El. nigrita. After overlaying the distribution of both bee species and the three most important pollen resources, the distribution models revealed that these three plant species can co-occur with both euglossine bees throughout a large portion of eastern Brazil near the coast. Thus, we conclude S. paniculatum, T. zebrina, and P. guajava should be considered key plants for the maintenance of these two urban euglossine bee species. The results of this study provide important information for urban landscaping programs that aim to protect and preserve pollinators.

Transformation of Microbial Complexes in Components of Soil Constructions of Different Origin (Soil, Peat, Sand) during Freezing-thawing Processes

In a model experiment, the transformation of microbial complexes of cultivated saprotrophic bacteria and yeasts during freezing-thawing was studied in various natural substrates that are used to create soil constructions for urban landscaping and for growing herbaceous plants. The number of saprotrophic bacteria and yeasts depended both on the type of substrate and on temperature changes during freezing-thawing. At the stage of freezing of peat and soil (arable horizon) to 0 and –5°C and at the subsequent stage of thawing to 0°C, a significant increase in yeast number was registered. The maximum number of yeasts in soil and peat was 5.1 log (CFU/g). In contrast to the number of yeasts, number of saprotrophic bacteria in soil and peat was characterized by a sharp decrease when the substrate temperature was negative and peaked at 19–22 and 10°C, respectively. The maximum bacterial number in soil and peat was 7.5 and 8.0 log (CFU/g), respectively. In sand, number of both saprotrophic bacteria and yeasts did not depend on the temperature and was 5.0 log (CFU/g) for bacteria and 3.4 log(CFU/g) for yeasts at all stages of the freezing-thawing cycles. In total, 15 saprotrophic bacterial species and 29 yeast species were isolated from different components of soil constructions. At the maximum temperature of freezing in the cycles (–5°C), three bacterial species with psychrophilic properties (Flavobacterium psychrophilum) and the ability to form endospores resistant to various adverse effects (Bacillus subtilis, B. megaterium) were isolated from soil and peat. Among the yeasts isolated from soil and peat at negative temperature and also having psychrophilic properties were Candida sake, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rh. mucilaginosa, and Solicoccozyma terricola. Bacteria with psychrophilic properties, F. psychrophilum and Pseudomonas fluorescens, as well as two species of bacilli, Bacillus subtilis and B. megaterium were revealed in sand at negative temperatures. Only one yeast species, Debaryomyces hansenii, capable of surviving stress conditions in the form of ascospores, was isolated from sand at –5°C. The effect of short-term temperature drops on the microbial communities’ number and diversity dynamics in soil constructions in a model experiment showed that specialized soil constructions were able to “tolerate” short-term temperature stress drops typical of the spring and autumn period, restoring the number of initial populations after cessation of the negative impacts. This also indicates development of the soil constructions in the process of functioning, rather than their rapid degradation.

Seasonal changes in the woody plants development in an urbanized environment

The features of the phenological development of woody plants in green urban plantations in the dry steppe zone have been studied. The phenological phases of woody plants and shrubs are described and analysed: the beginning of bud swelling, the beginning of bud opening, the beginning of leaf opening, the beginning of flowering, the end of flowering, the beginning of fruit ripening, and mass loss of mature fruits. The onset of phenological seasons for the steppe zone has been determined. Formed groups of plants according to the terms of leafing and flowering. The calendar dates of the onset of phenological phases of trees and shrubs in an industrial urban environment are analysed. The sum of effective temperatures for the main phenological phases of woody plants in the steppe zone has been determined. Decorative dendrological groups have been developed for phenological phases of leafing and flowering of woody plants for urban landscaping in the dry steppe zone. Practical recommendations are given for grouping plants by flowering time for landscape construction.

Влияние экологических условий выращивания на фотосинтетический потенциал декоративных растений

The article presents the results on the influence of environmental conditions of growth on the photosynthetic potential of different flower crops. It is established that the conditions of different ecological zones dramatically affect the growth and development of plants, which is interrelated with their photosynthetic activity. In the absence of sources of contamination, plants are able to accumulate the maximum amount of pigments. Flower crops often used in urban landscaping and landscape architecture, such as Tagetes, Pelargonium, Salvia, and Cineraria, were selected for the study. The study of the content of pigments (chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids) in ornamental and floral plants was determined in extracts using spectrophotometric analysis. The analysis of the study showed that pelargonium has the least sensitivity of all the studied flower material to unfavorable conditions of development. Keywords: DECORATIVE AND FLORAL PLANTS, CHLOROPHYLLS, CAROTENOIDS, PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Ficus beipeiensis (Moraceae), an endemic and endangered plant in China

Ficus beipeiensis S.S.Chang is an evergreen plant of Ficus from the family Moraceae. This is an endangered species endemic to China. In terms of economic value, F. beipeiensis are used as a native plant resource of urban landscaping in Chongqing, China. Here, we sequenced, assembled and annotated the chloroplast (cp) genome of F. beipeiensis, and aim to provide genetic resources for this endangered species. The length of cp genome was 160,595 bp, with a large single-copy region (LSC) of 88,683 bp and a small single-copy region (SSC) of 20,160 bp separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,876 bp. It encodes 110 unique genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Besides, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Moraceae based on the whole cp genome sequences data set. Phylogenetic analysis shows that all analyzed Ficus species are clustered and form a monophyletic group. Antiaris is a sister group to Ficus. In our maximum likelihood (ML) tree, F. beipeiensis is closely related to F. racemose.

Composição e diversidade florística de um trecho da BR-316 no município de Satuba/AL

RESUMO: Atividades antrópicas crescem desordenadamente gerando impactos negativos ao meio ambiente. Em diversos municípios o paisagismo urbano ganha destaque, principalmente pelo investimento ofertado para arborização. Através da fitossociologia, que se podem conhecer as espécies mais importantes dentro de uma comunidade, bem como, estabelecer graus de hierarquia entre as espécies. Sendo fundamental a avaliação da flora urbana local, pois contribui para o desenvolvimento de planos de arborização. Desta forma, este estudo teve como objetivo realizar um levantamento florístico das espécies arbóreas das margens da BR-316, localizada no município de Satuba – AL. A vegetação da intermediação da área de estudo é diagnosticada como floresta ombrófila aberta, sua estrutura de relevo é integrante da unidade dos tabuleiros costeiros. Foram mensurados o CAP (circunferência à altura do peito) ≥ 15 cm e a estimativa da altura dos indivíduos arbóreos. As espécies foram identificadas por especialistas do Campus de Engenharias e Ciências Agrárias (CECA-UFAL). Os dados foram inseridos em planilha para avaliação e a diversidade florística foi estimada de acordo com os índices de Riqueza de Espécie e de Diversidade de Shannon. No levantamento florístico realizado na BR-316 no município de Satuba, foram computados 97 indivíduos, com distribuição em 8 famílias botânicas, foi avaliada a predominância de indivíduos entre as famílias Fabaceae e Bignoniaceae. Dentre todos os espécimes deste trabalho, somente 4 indivíduos são encontrados naturalmente no bioma da região. O teste de diversidade de Shannon é dos mais requeridos para avaliação da estrutura e composição florística em locais arborizados, avaliando condições específicas como número de espécies e sua distribuição.
 PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Arborização; Paisagismo; Espécies nativas.

Features of the introduction of representatives of the genusInula L.

Representatives of the genus Inula are promising for introduction due to their wide range of uses. So, many species are ornamental plants, promising for introduction, including in urban landscaping. Several species are medicinal plants, and even though recently the chemical composition of certain species of this genus has been studied, it was evident that this work must be continued to maximize the study of the possibilities of this genus. The article discusses the experience of introducing representatives of the genus Inula in the Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin RAS in the aspect of general introduction work both in the gardens of the former USSR, Western Europe, and the USA. The fact states that only natural species found in the natural flora of the USSR prevailed in the botanical gardens of the countries of the former USSR. At the same time, East Asian and Iranian-Turanian species are representatively represents in foreign botanical gardens. For the Russian flora and neighboring countries (within the borders of the former USSR), 33 species have been recorded, of which 15 species have undergone an introduction study at the Russian Academy Science (RAS). For all species studied at the GBS RAS, the flowering time in the conditions of central Russia was analyzed, the possibilities of using it both for decorative and other purposes were indicated. According to literary sources, the analysis of the component composition of raw materials of 16 natural species found within this region was carried out.

Sustainable landscape for high urban temperature mitigation in the disaster-prone coastal city of Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Coastal City of Banda Aceh has experienced considerable changes related to urban morphology, and also the environmental and climatic aspects, particularly after a massive earthquake hit the City on 26th December 2004. The city’s climate is basically characterized by high air temperature and relative humidity. However, climatic data of 1995-2015 shows that its temperature has actually increased. The issue worsens the thermal comfort, lead to more energy used for cooling, and can even induce heat-stress-related health problems. Urban heat island effect is one potential cause, triggered by significant progress of infrastructure development, increased number of vehicles, and land-use changes. It argues that sustainable urban landscaping is a prerequisite to environmental sustainability, especially in coastal city that prone of disasters. This study composes and analyzes the potential of vegetative measures for mitigating the issue. To provide reflective solutions, both substantial vegetative cooling mechanisms are studied. Hence, the paper asserted that unsustainable use of urban landscape structures leads to environmental problems, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and soil erosion. The outputs become the foundation for the strategic framework of the proposed vegetative measures, i.e. tree planting, development of greenspaces with optimum size, cover composition and distribution, and green façade application to support sustainable landscapes. The impact of each vegetative intervention is investigated through microclimate simulations run using ENVI-met. Air temperature and other climatic factors related to outdoor thermal comfort and urban heat island are used as the indicators. The results reveal that landscaping such: tree planting with proper distance, adjusted based on tree canopy’s width to optimize shading, improves outdoor thermal comfort considerably, while the impact on urban heat island is rather small. On the other hand, green facade application only impacts insignificantly on both aspects.

Monitoring of the genus Ulmus L. in urban landscaping

Monitoring of the genus Ulmus L. in urban landscaping

Features of the introduction of ornamental herbaceous plants native to the Russian Far East region in Laboratory of Ornamental Plants, at Main Botanical Garden of Russian Academy of Science

Based on a long-term introduction study of the species native to the Russian Far East region, a representative collection was collected, including a wide range of ecological groups. On the basis of the conducted research, the peculiarities of the preservation of individual species in the collection fund (the ability to persist in culture for a long time, vegetative renewal, self-seeding) are revealed. It is noted that for a number of species, in addition to active vegetative overgrowth, mass self-seeding is also noted. Despite the prospects of such species in the introduction work, they can pose a potential threat to invasion. That is why only those species that are not characterized by regular and mass self-seeding are recommended for use in urban landscaping.