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A Global Horizon Scan for Urban Evolutionary Ecology

Verrelli, Brian C.; Alberti, Marina; Des Roches, Simone; Harris, Nyeema C.; Hendry, Andrew P.; Johnson, Marc T. J.; Savage, Amy M.; Charmantier, Anne; Gotanda, Kiyoko M.; Govaert, Lynn; Miles, Lindsay S.; Rivkin, L. Ruth; Winchell, Kristin M.; Brans, Kristien I.; Correa, Cristian; Diamond, Sarah E.; Fitzhugh, Ben; Grimm, Nancy B.; Hughes, Sara; Marzluff, John M.; Munshi-south, Jason; Rojas, Carolina; Santangelo, James S.; Schell, Christopher J.; Schweitzer, Jennifer A.; Szulkin, Marta; Urban, Mark C.; Zhou, Yuyu; Ziter, Carly. (2022). A Global Horizon Scan for Urban Evolutionary Ecology. Trends In Ecology & Evolution, 37(11), 1006-1019.

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Abstract

Research on the evolutionary ecology of urban areas reveals how human-induced evolutionary changes affect biodiversity and essential ecosystem services. In a rapidly urbanizing world imposing many selective pressures, a time-sensitive goal is to identify the emergent issues and research priorities that affect the ecology and evolution of species within cities. Here, we report the results of a horizon scan of research questions in urban evolutionary ecology submitted by 100 interdisciplinary scholars. We identified 30 top questions organized into six themes that highlight priorities for future research. These research questions will require methodological advances and interdisciplinary collaborations, with continued revision as the field of urban evolutionary ecology expands with the rapid growth of cities.

Keywords

Urban Ecology; Sustainability; Cities & Towns; Ecosystem Dynamics; Urban Growth; Ecosystem Services; Urban Research; Climate Change; Sociopolitical; Urban Evolution; Urbanization; Human Health; Biodiversity; Adaptation; Challenges; Dynamics; Management; Invasion; Science

A Water Quality Prediction Model for Large-scale Rivers Based on Projection Pursuit Regression in the Yangtze River

Yi, Ze-ji; Yang, Xiao-hua; Li, Yu-qi. (2022). A Water Quality Prediction Model for Large-scale Rivers Based on Projection Pursuit Regression in the Yangtze River. Thermal Science, 26(3), 2561-2567.

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Abstract

In recent decades, the Yangtze River Basin, which carries hundreds of millions of people and a substantial economic scale, has been plagued by water quality dete-rioration, threatening considerably sustainable development. In this paper, a sample set is established based on the water quality indexes of chemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen obtained by week-by-week monitoring on the main stream of the Yangtze River in Panzhihua, Yueyang, Jiujiang, and Nanjing from 2006 to 2018. The twelve characteristic variables are selected by random forest technique, and the week-by-week dynamic prediction models of chemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen at each section of main stream are established by the projection pursuit regression, which can effectively predict the water quality dynamics of the Yangtze River main stream.

Keywords

Pollution; Water Quality; Dynamic Prediction Model; Random Forest; Projection Pursuit Regression; Yangtze River

Slumdogs vs. Millionaires: Balancing Urban Informality and Global Modernity in Mumbai, India

Chalana, Manish. (2010). Slumdogs vs. Millionaires: Balancing Urban Informality and Global Modernity in Mumbai, India. Journal Of Architectural Education, 63(2), 25 – 37.

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Abstract

Mumbai and other Indian cities are rapidly transforming to address the needs of global commerce and the expanding middle class. Mumbai's vernacular environments, home to most working-class residents, are consequently being redeveloped using supermodern global aesthetics. The urbanism emerging from the current wave of modernism is an unprecedented radical departure from existing patterns of place. Proponents claim the new developments serve low-income residents' interests, when actually they ignore fundamental socio-cultural and economic realities. This paper considers two case studies, Dharavi and Girangaon, highlighting a subset of Mumbai's vernacular environments to argue for their significance and to explore alternative redevelopment approaches.

Effects of the Built Environment on Automobile-involved Pedestrian Crash Frequency and Risk

Chen, Peng; Zhou, Jiangping. (2016). Effects of the Built Environment on Automobile-involved Pedestrian Crash Frequency and Risk. Journal Of Transport & Health, 3(4), 448 – 456.

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Abstract

This area-based study explores the relationship between automobile-involved pedestrian crash frequency versus risk and various built environment factors such as road network and land use. The methodology involves the use of Bayesian hierarchical intrinsic conditional autoregressive model, which accounts for unobserved heterogeneities and spatial autocorrelations. The city of Seattle is selected for this empirical study, and the geospatial unit of analysis is traffic analysis zone. The primary data were obtained from collision profiles available at the Seattle Department of Transportation. The major findings of this study include: (1) the densities of 4-way intersections and more than 5-way intersections and land use mixture are positively correlated with the pedestrian crash frequency and risk; (2) sidewalk density and the proportion of steep areas are negatively associated with the pedestrian crash frequency and risk; (3) areas with a higher bus stop density are likely to have more pedestrian crashes; (4) areas with a greater proportion of industrial land use have lower pedestrian crash frequency; (5) areas with an averagely higher posted speed limit has higher pedestrian crash risk; (6) areas with a higher employment density has lower pedestrian crash risk; (7) the mode share of walking and the total number of trips are positively correlated with the pedestrian crash frequency, and the total number of trips is negatively correlated with the pedestrian crash risk. These findings provide support for planning policy making and road safety programs. Local authorities should improve walkability by providing more sidewalks and separate travel lanes for motorized traffic and pedestrians in areas with different land use purposes. Compact development should be encouraged to support building a safe walking environment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Spatial-analysis; Urban Form; Land-use; Model; Counts; Transportation; Severity; Bicycle; Safety; Travel; Pedestrian Crash Frequency; Pedestrian Crash Risk; Built Environment; Spatial Autocorrelation; Road Network; Land Use

Physical and Mental Health Impacts of Household Gardens in an Urban Slum in Lima, Peru

Korn, Abigail; Bolton, Susan M.; Spencer, Benjamin; Alarcon, Jorge A.; Andrews, Leann; Voss, Joachim G. (2018). Physical and Mental Health Impacts of Household Gardens in an Urban Slum in Lima, Peru. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 15(8).

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Abstract

Rural poverty and lack of access to education has led to urban migration and fed the constant growth of urban slums in Lima, Peru. Inhabitants of these informal settlements lack land rights and access to a public water supply, resulting in poor sanitation, an inability to grow food, and suboptimal health outcomes. A repeated measures longitudinal pilot study utilizing participatory design methods was conducted in Lima between September 2013 and September 2014 to determine the feasibility of implementing household gardens and the subsequent impact of increased green space on well-being. Anthropometric data and a composite of five validated mental health surveys were collected at the baseline, 6-months, and 12-months after garden construction. Significant increases from the baseline in all domains of quality of life, including: physical (p < 0.01), psychological (p = 0.05), social (p = 0.02), environmental (p = 0.02), and overall social capital (p < 0.01) were identified 12 months after garden construction. Life-threatening experiences decreased significantly compared to the baseline (p = 0.02). There were no significant changes in parent or partner empathy (p = 0.21), BMI (p = 0.95), waist circumference (p = 0.18), or blood pressure (p = 0.66) at 6 or 12 months. Improved access to green space in the form of a household garden can significantly improve mental health in an urban slum setting.

Keywords

Of-life Assessment; Psychometric Properties; Threatening Experiences; Vegetable Consumption; Developing-countries; Community Garden; Climate-change; Green Space; Poverty; Participation; Mental Health; Peru; Quality Of Life; Urban Slum; Social Capital

Korean Apartment Complexes and Social Relationships of the Residents

Gu, Naeun. (2020). Korean Apartment Complexes and Social Relationships of the Residents. Housing Studies, 35(8), 1362 – 1389.

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Abstract

Korean apartment housing, where more than half of the population lives, has drawn attention with its spatial, historical, and cultural uniqueness. Among many questions on Korean apartments, this article explains how the socio-spatial characteristics of apartment housing have impacts on the social relationships among the residents. This article first analyses the historical, socio-cultural, and spatial characteristics of Korean apartments, and then synthesizes up-to-date empirical study results to examine how the diverse characteristics can be associated with the residents' social relations. The empirical evidence clarifies the effects of Korean apartments' characteristics on residents' social relations-the exclusive complex design, spatial configurations, shared spaces including community facilities, heights of the units, public/private housing types, social homogeneity, and community programs are all associated with social relations of the residents. Key methodological problems in current studies as well as implications for future apartment planning are highlighted.

Keywords

Housing; Homogeneity; Shared Space (traffic Engineering); Empirical Research; Sociocultural Theory; High-rise High-density; Korean Apartments; Residents; Social Relationships; Socio-spatial Characteristics; Built Environment; South-korea; Neighborhood; Community; Health; City; Place; Density; Seoul; Configuration Management; Apartments; Uniqueness; Social Relations; Empirical Analysis; Characteristics

Intermodal Transfer Between Bicycles and Rail Transit in Shanghai, China

Pan, Haixiao; Shen, Qing; Xue, Song. (2010). Intermodal Transfer Between Bicycles and Rail Transit in Shanghai, China. Transportation Research Record, 2144, 181 – 188.

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Abstract

Large cities in China are building rail transit systems as part of a key strategy to address their pressing urban transportation problems. Because the high construction cost of subways and light rail limits the network density of rail transit, urban transport planners must seek effective intermodal connections between rail and other modes. This research examines the challenges and opportunities for improving the bicycle rail connection by using Shanghai as a case study. On the basis of two questionnaire surveys of rail transit riders, the research analyzes the existing mode shares of rail station access and egress trips, the underlying mechanisms for choosing among alternative modes, and the comparative advantages of the bicycle for trips that have certain distance and location characteristics. Empirical results suggest that the potential for travel improvement for rail transit riders lies primarily in the collection and distribution phases. Results point to several promising approaches to improving the bicycle rail connection and utilizing the bicycle more fully as an efficient supplement mode for the rapidly expanding urban rail transportation in China. In addition, the work can be a useful reference for cities in other countries in which rail transit development is accompanied by the continued importance of bicycles in residents' travel.

Behavioral Response in the Immediate Aftermath of Shaking: Earthquakes in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan

Jon, Ihnji; Lindell, Michael K.; Prater, Carla S.; Huang, Shih-kai; Wu, Hao-che; Johnston, David M.; Becker, Julia S.; Shiroshita, Hideyuki; Doyle, Emma E. H.; Potter, Sally H.; Mcclure, John; Lambie, Emily. (2016). Behavioral Response in the Immediate Aftermath of Shaking: Earthquakes in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 13(11).

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Abstract

This study examines people's response actions in the first 30 min after shaking stopped following earthquakes in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan. Data collected from 257 respondents in Christchurch, 332 respondents in Hitachi, and 204 respondents in Wellington revealed notable similarities in some response actions immediately after the shaking stopped. In all four events, people were most likely to contact family members and seek additional information about the situation. However, there were notable differences among events in the frequency of resuming previous activities. Actions taken in the first 30 mins were weakly related to: demographic variables, earthquake experience, contextual variables, and actions taken during the shaking, but were significantly related to perceived shaking intensity, risk perception and affective responses to the shaking, and damage/infrastructure disruption. These results have important implications for future research and practice because they identify promising avenues for emergency managers to communicate seismic risks and appropriate responses to risk area populations.

Keywords

Adjustment; Hazard; Model; Earthquakes; Post-impact Response Actions; Risk Perception

Parking Policies in China’s Metropolises: Rationales, Consequences, and Implications

Liu, Qian; Chen, Peng; Sun, Feiyang. (2018). Parking Policies in China’s Metropolises: Rationales, Consequences, and Implications. Urban Policy & Research, 36(2), 186 – 200.

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Abstract

Metropolises in China, a rapidly motorizing nation, are confronted with the challenge of managing parking pressures. Given the generally increased affordability of cars, most local authorities are making efforts to provide more parking spaces to accommodate additional cars. Although the worldwide paradigm of managing parking is shifting from a supply-focused approach to a restraint mind-set, China has been slow to follow this trend. To untangle the factors that contribute to delays implementing desirable parking policy reforms, this paper examines the development of parking policies in China. This paper characterizes the challenge of parking in Chinese cities as a spatio-temporal mismatch. In the context of rapid motorization, local authorities are subject to political pressure to cater to the increased parking demand by increasing the minimum parking requirements. However, this approach fails to mitigate parking shortages and results in unintended consequences, including relatively high parking density in central and transit-rich areas and imbalanced parking across neighbourhoods. This paper suggests four strategies, including market-based pricing, geographically differentiated supply regulations, and district-based parking management (Parking management is referred to as various policies and programs that result in more efficient use of parking resources). These strategies represent policy-reform targets to establish more efficient parking systems in rapidly motorizing urban settings worldwide.

Keywords

Parking Facilities; Urbanization; Parking Lots; China; Minimum Parking Requirements; Motorization; Parking Policies; Parking Supply; Spatio-temporal Mismatch; Requirements; Minimum; Ownership; Future; Transportation; Cities; Pressure; Neighborhoods; Affordability; Local Authorities; Shortages; Regulation; Developmental Delays; Density; Parking; Reforms