Urban Territories Research Articles

Urban ecological framework as an optimal mechanism for managing the development of urban areas

The urban ecological framework is the systematisation of several frameworks in the city and beyond, connected with each other by actual bonds. However, they are often torn apart and not joined in urban planning documents and rules. This especially affected the Soviet and post-Soviet school of planning, both in theory and in practice. Having a rich knowledge base in practical and scientific fields, there are systemic inconsistencies in regulatory documents. This seriously impacts on the design and implementation results. Strong negative consequences of not being connected into a single mechanism of urban-ecological frameworks are revealed during the operation of finished objects. All this leads to an increase in costs in the long run. All these factors add up to negative consequences for human health and together result in economic losses and costs. The outcomes summed up by economists and doctors only fix the actual state, but medical and economic theory does not have methods for changing the situation in cities seriously. This requires an alliance with the methods of planning and development of urban and adjacent territories, as well as making changes to the regulatory and legal documents of cities.

New approaches to the study of dominant nosological units - the main element of the control of the epizootic process

In a comparative aspect and dynamics in the conditions of urbanized territories, the structure of invasive pathology and the effectiveness of anti-invasive measures were studied. It was established that the epizootic situation is controlled by parasitological, microscopic and hematological studies for 12 invasions. It was determined that from the period from 2020 to 2022, there is a negative trend in the defeat of farm animals and unproductive domestic animals with invasive diseases (from 25% in 2020 to 0.57% in 2022). At the same time, nematodes play a leading role in the invasive pathology of animals - from 60.5% of those affected in small cattle to 0.6% in dogs. In our opinion, the negative dynamics is associated with the optimization of the system of anti-epizootic measures in a metropolis, aimed at the source of the pathogen, the mechanism of its transmission and susceptible animals. It was stipulated that in order to control and determine the effectiveness of the implementation of an optimized scientifically based system of antiparasitic measures, continuous study and assessment of the epizootic situation among cattle are required; laboratory screening of animals and habitat.

Relationship of production and population in Siberian and Mongolian cities

The purpose of this study is to identify the spatio-temporal relationship between the population and production of the urbanized territories of the Siberian-Mongolian region. Cross-cutting methods - statistical, cartographic, comparative-geographical - are used at all stages of the study. The units of measurement taken are the following: in Russia - urban districts and municipal districts, in Mongolia - the capital city and aimags. The main results consist in identifying the main urbanized areas that have formed in places of maximum population concentration: around the capital city of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, and in southeastern Siberia around the regional centers of Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude and Chita. Competitive advantages and opportunities of cities and regions are assessed. The increasing role of the main economic centers objectively leads to the growth of the corresponding agglomerations and damages the functioning of other urban settlements. Based on the analysis of the economic complex of the studied territory, the branches of industrial specialization are distinguished, the typologies of municipalities of the region are carried out according to the prevalence of the main activity in the industry. The determining factors of the social and-economic development of cities are the effects of the economic and geographical location and the accumulated socio-economic potential of the territory in relation to adjacent spaces.

Operational urban planning – Zone d’Aménagement Concerté

Purpose: Particular attention of this article will be given to a selected instrument of operational urban planning which has a French origin - Zone d'Amenagement Concerte_ZAC. The study of this instrument will be preceded by an introduction about the principles of operational urban planning and the system of tools among which the ZAC operates. Design/methodology/approach: The author based the article on the institutional and legal method - the analysis of the French legal regulations, literature and existing studies in the area of French operational urban planning, and in particular the selected planning tool-Zone d'Amenagement Concerte. Findings: The study reveals that France has an extensive set of tools, designed to support the development of the urbanized territory and protect spatial order. The research shows that there is no reason why similar operational tools could not be introduced in Poland. Originality/value: The operational planning instrument-Zone d'Amenagement Concerte - may have a wider positive impact in Polish urban planning reality and could become a catalyst of positive changes helping to counteract dangerous and expensive processes that destroy Polish space, such as urban sprawl. Keywords: operational urban planning, urban design. Category of the paper: Research paper.

HEDGES IN THE URBANIZED ENVIRONMENT OF THE CITY OF KRYVYI RIH.

We carried out an analysis of existing hedgerows in urban territories of various purposes in the city of Kryvyi Rih. As for the greening of the urbanized environment of Kryvyi Rih, we found that hedges are most often used in areas of limited (67,0 %) and general (34,8 %) use, the smallest number of hedges is used in special purpose areas (22,6 %). In general, hedges of medium height prevail (52 %), tall hedges make up 29%, and the rate of low hedges is only 19% in the surveyed territories. We revealed that more than half of the registered hedges (65 %) are formed in one row. The number of two-row hedges is slightly smaller (32 %); three-row hedges were found in only 3% of the total number. The dendroflora of the hedgerows of the city is characterized by a fairly rich biodiversity and consists of 37 species and cultivars of woody and shrubby deciduous and coniferous species, representing 22 genera of 14 families. Greening of urban areas of limited use is dominated by hedges made of such deciduous species as representatives of genera Spiraea L., Berberis L., Symphoricarpos Duhamel, Philadelphus L., Swida Opiz, Forsythia Vahl., Laburnum Medik. The most often used species for creation of evergreen hedges are conifers and a deciduous species Buxus sempervirens L. The most used species for such purposes belong to the family Cupressaceae F. Neger., namely species and cultivars of the genera Juniperus L. and Thuja L. However, the range of plants suitable for vertical landscaping by hedges (even among those introduced in the Kryvyi Rih Botanical Garden) is much larger. Deciduous species of the genera Cotoneaster Medik., Cуdonia Mill., Weigela Thunb., Kolkwitzia Graebn., Deutzia Thunb., Colutea L., Caragana Lam. as well as conifers of genera Picea A. Dietr. and Taxus L. are promising, but practically not used to create the hedges in city’s green areas.

КАРТОГРАФИРОВАНИЕ ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ СБАЛАНСИРОВАННОСТИ УРБАНИЗИРОВАННОЙ ТЕРРИТОРИИ НА ОСНОВЕ СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ФАКТОРОВ

The article discusses the main methods of assessing the environmental balance of the urbanized territory of a model area of the city of Irkutsk through a system of quantitative assessments and expert verbal descriptions of the studied processes based on geostatistical data. An inventory was carried out and a database of spatial and non-spatial data was compiled on the basis of cadastral division of the territory; types of land use and functional types of the site development were identified; the engineering and transport infrastructure, the location of industrial enterprises, recreation areas and public improvements were assessed. Functional types of the category with different degrees of anthropogenic impact and socio-ecological significance have been identified: influencing, neutral, and environment-forming, as well as local areas of environmental stability. Spatial data is represented as a vector topological model of data, surfaces and isolines, attribute data is represented as a set of MapInfo tables, with which it is easy to perform restructuring operations – changing the structure and composition of data tables and structured queries.

Improving the methodology for assessing the level of environmental safety of urban areas as the basis of their life cycle

The article presents a graphical description of the relative environmental, economic and social indicators in the form of planar diagrams reflecting the state of the industrial and economic functional zones under study. Previously, we have described modern changes in the infrastructure of the urbanized areas, and also justified the necessity of supplementing economic and social indicators with environmental ones. On the basis of the conducted analysis, we have compared each of the indicators of the state of the environment of the urbanized areas with allowable values. In turn, the obtained values of relative indicators are graphically presented in the form of planar diagrams that reflect the most significant characteristics (environmental, economic and social) of the objects under study, on the scales of which the values are equal to 1 characterize the negative value of the corresponding characteristic, and the values are close to the reference point - the most favourable. In further research we plan to continue improving the methodology for assessing the level of environmental safety of the urbanized areas with the aim of its practical testing and implementation. The scientific novelty of the study consists in combining the obtained values of environmental, economic and social characteristics into a comprehensive (integral) assessment of the urbanized territories environmental safety level that would serve as the basis for subsequent selection of environmentally effective and cost-efficient organizational, technical and special environmental engineering measures.

Urbana morfologija u Severnoj Americi - istorija i pravci

Urban morphology, named as such, is still undeveloped as a strategy for planning and urban design in North America. On the other hand, the New Urbanism and Smart Growth movements have much to gain from the use of urban morphology as an explicit and disciplined research method. In order to provide a clear path for adoption, this paper will exam how the application of various European-based urban morphology research data, interpretation and theories of change are different in North America. How do different conditions of form, particularly the era in which settlements were established, necessitate a different method and recognition of different types and patterns, and even dif-ferent Schools? Because North American researchers are interested with the rapid expansion of cities, the car-centric city, the need for a live-able configuration, and the disorder of most of the urban territory, a new kind of study is appropriate. This method is already arising, but not rigorously defined. The most common voices are those concerned with promoting a particular urban design solution, rather than examining the past or the existing fabrics. This leaves open a space for urban morphology to fill in.

Functional zoning in urban planning and architectural design

The article discusses a variety of issues, concerning functional zoning. These questions are being considered, starting from the wide-scale urban territories and up to small private plots and dwellings. The urban planning and design are being analyzed in accordance to the main classification features, i.e., in accordance to the number of population, planning schemes and planning structures. It is noted, that in the long run, the principles of zoning are highly dependent in the above-mentioned points of a master planning. The functional zoning of individual houses or flats are being considered with nearly the same method adopted. A dwelling division to functional zones depends upon its size, number of occupants, personal desires, etc.

Зеленая инфраструктура как инструмент устойчивого развития урбанизированных территорий

The article examines the role of green infrastructure as a tool for sustainable development of urbanized territories. The analysis of the normative documentation regulating territorial planning and urban planning is carried out. The object of the study was the city of Novosibirsk. The Leninsky district of the city, which is characterized by a large number of pollution sources, is considered in detail. Functional zones have been studied. The analysis of the greening degree of recreational and residential district areas was carried out, which showed that the greening is uneven. The overall result of the study showed that the Leninsky district is characterized by environmental tension. The importance of sustainable development of the territory and the formation of green infrastructure as an element of the water-green urban framework is emphasized. Rational land use is necessary, aimed at reducing negative environmental factors. The significance of the established zones with special conditions for the use of territories is reflected.

METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SIMULATION MODELING OF EMERGENCY INTERACTION OF LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

An important component of the sustainable functioning of urbanized territories are life support systems that provide the main indicators of the quality of life of the population both in normal conditions and in emergency situations of man-made and natural character. Such systems primarily include power supply systems, gas supply, heat supply, water supply, transport, etc. Accidents in life support systems lead to large-scale and long-term negative social, material, financial and environmental consequences. Especially severe consequences are associated with intersystem accidents, when the termination or restriction in functioning affects two or more life support systems. The report discusses methodological issues of simulation of emergency interaction of life support systems, an algorithm and a general scheme for resilient assessing are proposed.

Methodology for ensuring the environmental safety of territories with science-based choice of environmental measures

In modern conditions, ensuring the environmental safety of urbanized territories is very relevant. However, the selection and implementation of environmental measures without scientific justification are not always successful. The aim of the research is to develop a methodology for ensuring the environmental safety of urbanized territories with science-based choice of environmental measures. The authors have developed an algorithm for implementing a methodology for ensuring the environmental safety of urbanized territories with environmentally efficient and energy-efficient-based choice environmental measures, including three main stages: collecting initial information about the object, choosing and ranking indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental measures, search and choice of the optimal solution to the problem from the existing array of current technical solutions. The algorithm automation using artificial intelligence will allow the authors to launch an online service with environmental measures based choice.

Update of the generalized environmental assessment and inertial forecast for the development of a cluster of urban areas of the Bogorodsky urban district of the Moscow region within the framework of the system “Ecology, environment and public health”

The article presents an update and a generalized geo-ecological assessment of the Bogorodsky urban district of the Moscow region (the former Noginsky was abolished) at the time of 2021-2022. The indicators of the ecological state of the territories are considered from the standpoint of the realities of the current years. A comparison was made of the geo-ecological situation of the territories of small towns of compact residence in the Noginsk district for 2011-2014 and the current geo-ecological situation of the territory of small towns of the Bogorodsk urban district of the Moscow region (the former Noginsk was abolished) for 2021-2022. Data on the incidence of the population and environmental pollution are analyzed from the standpoint of causal relationships of direct and indirect correlations between diseases of the respiratory, digestive and genitourinary systems. Also, for ecodiagnostics, the dominant concepts of toxicology are used, such as the reaction rate and the response of a particular individual organism to a stimulus. A new municipal specialized subprogram “Ecology and the Environment” for 2023-2027 with the introduction of new indicators aimed at protecting the environment is considered. A look at the scenarios and inertial forecast for the development of environmental sustainability of urbanized territories of small towns in the study area is given.

Addis Ababa’s sefer, iddir, and gebbi

This research is motivated by the scholarly calls for new concepts and analytic tools for documenting, analysing, and theorizing complex urban territories such as those of cities in Africa. With implicit comparative intent, it takes the case of Addis Ababa city and its old and typifying places—the sefer, to develop and test a new architectural transdisciplinary research methodology referred to as the trinocular. By way of this methodology, it unearths and introduces sefer, iddir, and gebbi of Addis Ababa as not only socio-spatial phenomena but concepts and vocabulary for a located and nuanced reading of the city itself. Sefer are introduced as flexible boundary conditions that are primarily cognized by their dwellers—results of indigenous and autochthonous foundation and continued processes of self-actualization by communities that construct them. Iddir is unearthed as a form of social capital embedded in sefer that appears in the structures of relations among residents. And the gebbi as an urban spatial typology that constitutes the sefer’s morphology—the last frontier of communality just prior domestic spaces which, in many cases, can be a single multi-functional room. These concepts and vocabulary, it is argued, in both practical and metaphoric sense, should be the starting point of new urban imaginaries for Addis Ababa. Urban planning and housing projections thus, should draw inspiration from these notions, elements, and phenomena. Furthermore, lessons learnt from the trinocular and the findings are presented as new avenues for architectural research in similar, less-known, and complex urban conditions as the sefer of Addis Ababa.

Багатокритеріальний вибір альтернатив на основі методу аналізу ієрархій

Background. When conducting descriptions of territories of a neighboring unfriendly state, as a rule, valid information about the development of such territories is hidden. Therefore, it is necessary to use the prognostic apparatus of expert evaluations based on information obtained from open sources. The article examines the basis of the military-geographical analysis of urbanized territories from the point of view of the application of expert assessments for many criteria. With a large number of options for prognostic decision-making, the question of choosing an alternative (decision option) should be fully justified. For such cases, it is advisable to use ranking based on the method of analysis of hierarchical structures. The purpose of such a description is to increase the validity of the decisions made during the selection of the optimal alternative by creating instrumental means of formalized evaluation of experts' judgments. Methods. The following methods were used: system analysis in the formation of the urban environment metabolism model; the method of analyzing hierarchies when applying multi-criteria selection of alternatives; the method of expert evaluations as a global method of the condition determining of the object according to many criteria; methods of theory of sets and theory of utility, with the help of functions of which the advantages of making the appropriate decision on a set of acceptable alternatives were modeled. Results. From the proposed alternatives, based on the obtained utility functions, the most optimal alternative, in the opinion of experts, was chosen, which can be used during the planning of measures to ensure the sustainable development of the urban environment. The calculated characteristics of utility functions are used as criteria for choosing the optimal alternative. The proposed criteria and alternatives are presented in the form of a hierarchy. Conclusions. The article lays the groundwork for additional research and application of the methodology of analysis of hierarchies and the theory of utility in achieving the goals of sustainable development of urban areas in prognostic models of military-geographical analysis.

Assessment of urban sprawl of St. Petersburg urban areas based on Landsat satellite images

In the context of urbanization processes and the territorial expansion of urban areas, the term "urban sprawl" or "urban sprawl" is used to describe the "phenomenon of urban sprawl. This is a complex geographical process, which can be investigated on the basis of modern remote sensing data, including the use of multispectral satellite images of the Landsat project. The study actualized the process of processing and analysis of images using modern GIS complexes. As a result, the methodology of interpretation, mapping and calculation of changes in the dynamics of urbanized area growth for St. Petersburg was presented and tested. Each image was classified using machine learning by height standards. A class of urbanized areas was separately identified for each year of analysis. As part of this work, a map of the dynamics of urbanized territories over the study period was constructed, and the growth of the area of territories over the analysis period was quantitatively calculated. As a result, Landsat project space images, obtained due to the capabilities of the USGS database, turned out to be quite effective for detecting urban areas, water bodies, unused land and vegetation cover. Testing of the method on the example of St-Petersburg allowed seeing the results of expanding the built-up territory at the expense of peripheral (suburban) zones, including the effect of suburbanization. Over 25 years, urbanized areas have expanded due to the construction of infrastructure road facilities and housing construction of both low-rise projects and residential buildings, as well as large residential complexes. Further development of this study will include the Leningrad Oblast contact area as part of the St. Petersburg urban agglomeration.

Картографирование антропогенных нарушений на территории природного заказника «Воробьевы горы» (г. Москва)

Specially protected natural areas in urban area are significant elements of green infrastructure, since they not only serve as a buffer zone or biodiversity conservation hotspot but also provide a large number of ecosystem services (mainly regulating, supporting, and cultural). At the same time, natural geosystems of protected areas in urbanized territories experience a complex negative anthropogenic impact: chemical and physical pollution, reduction of unsealed territories, violation of the landscape aesthetic, etc. “Vorobyovy Gory” nature reserve in Moscow on the picturesque slopes of the Moscow River valley has a unique biodiversity for a large city (more than 35 species of herbaceous plants and the same number of bird species living in the specially protected natural area are listed in the Red Book of Moscow), as well as a rich historical and cultural heritage. However, nowadays the nature reserve is under great anthropogenic pressure associated, among other things (such as air pollution, surface runoff, etc.), with changes in the land-use structure (construction of a new sports complex, installation of additional lighting poles, laying of new roads), installation of artificial landscape lighting systems, etc. All this leads to adverse changes in “Vorobyovy Gory” nature reserve ecosystems, which can lead to the loss of its conservation functions. The analysis of land-use dynamics on intensively transformed areas of the nature reserve was presented, endangered species of plants and animals were identified in this work. Maps of anthropogenic objects and detected ecosystem disturbances in the “Vorobyovy Gory” nature reserve (including the area affected by landscape lighting) were made.

Impact on climate change through world urbanization

This article discusses the environmental problems of our time, in connection with the increase in population and cities and the impact of global urbanization on the global climate change of the Earth and its use to reduce surface temperature by increasing the albedo reflectivity of urban surfaces. The study improved previous similar works due to the global spatial coverage of all settlements of the Earth's development and developed a comprehensive assessment of the degree of influence and detailed measurements of 15 parameters of modifications of surface albedo calculations using data developed by the Research Institute of Building Physics of the CIS and using satellite sensing Google Earth Pro, from a height of 5 km. As a result of the study, it was found that the urbanized territories of the Earth amounted to - 0.1514% of the Earth's area and the heat release from the development of the whole world will decrease by - 7.8 million MW, which will be -8.6 Gt CO2. The average value of the Earth's temperature will decrease by 0.003°C in a year and by 2100 by 0.35°C. This measure is recommended as an addition to the main approaches to solving the climate problem.

ЦИФРОВИЗАЦИЯ ГОРОДСКОЙ ЭКОНОМИКИ РОССИИ

As countries develop, the proportion of people living in megacities increases, and in the largest ones. Globally, the average proportion of the country’s population living in urban areas is only 34% in low-income countries and 71% in high-income countries. Agglomerations or megacities are large urbanized territories, usually consisting of a core and periphery, characterized by a high population density and a developed transport network. The increase in the burden on the infrastructure of the largest agglomerations is due to the continued influx of the Russian population. As a result of the overload of the transport infrastructure, environmental problems are becoming more acute, which leads to a deterioration in the health of the population and an increase in the costs of the healthcare system, an increase in the burden on the management system of the largest agglomerations. Compression of small and medium-sized cities: reduction of tax revenues while maintaining the burden on the city budget and infrastructure will not allow to qualitatively improve the standard of living of citizens. The growing gap in the quality of life and existing opportunities between the largest agglomerations and small and medium-sized cities may lead to an even greater migration outflow from the latter.

Annotated list of Tetranychoidea mites (Acari: Trombidiformes) of Central European Russia

An annotated list of the Tetranychoidea fauna of Central European Russia, which includes 39 species of the fami- ly Tetranychidae belonging to 11 genera and one species of the Tenuipalpidae family, is presented. This paper provides a brief review of key investigations, including rare and little-known papers, which deal with the diversity of tetranychoid mites in the above region. During the study, three species that are new to the fauna of Russia have been recorded: Eotetranychus thujae, Eo. uncatus and Eurytetranychus furcisetus. Eotetranychus thujae feeds on the plants of the Cypress family, while Eu. furcisetus inhabits mainly the species of the genus Picea. Both species are alien to Russia, being widespread in the urbanized territories of Central European Russia on ornamental coniferous plants. Four species that are new to Central European Russia—Bryobia vasiljevi, Neotetranychus rubi, Oligonychus lagodechii and O. piceae—were also recorded. In addition, some data on tetranychoid mite species, obtained during a plant quarantine laboratory analysis, are provided.