Functions of Urban Greenspace and Ecosystem Services

The concept of ecosystems services has become an important model for linking the functions of ecosystems to human welfare. The aim of this paper is to identify ecosystem services generated by green areas within the urban area, classify and value them. "Ecosystem services" refers to components of nature, directly enjoyed, consumed, or used to yield human well-being (Boyd, Banzhaf 2007). This definition advances the ability to use ecosystem services as a practical measurement tool

Interdisciplinary environmental studies in urban parks as a basis for their sustainable management

The goal of this paper is to present interdisciplinary environmental studies in urban park. Simple measures are proposed here for evaluating the status of vegetation and its habitat. When systematically applied, these measures could be a basis for sustainable management of the park greenery. Studies performed in Skaryszewski Park in Warsaw are as an example. Studies confirmed the assumption that simple and relatively cheap field and laboratory methods could be a good basis for recognising the status of plant habitats in parks

Climate features or the composition of submerged vegetation? Which factor has a greater impact on the phytoplankton structure in temperate lakes?

This study compares the composition and biomass of phytoplankton assemblages of lakes with abundant vegetation dominated by (1) charophytes (Chara-lakes) and (2) angiosperms (Potamogeton-lakes). These two groups of submerged macrophytes effectively control the phytoplankton development in lakes, but differ in the feedback mechanisms involved. Despite increasing interest, the phytoplankton development in charophyte- and angiosperm-dominated lakes under different climatic circumstances remains poorly recognized. Each type of lakes was studied in two distant (>500 km apart) regions of Poland, characterized by distinctly different climate features (western – warmer, and north-eastern – cooler), with temperature differences corresponding to the predicted magnitude of the global warming-related temperature rise in the near future. Twelve lakes were selected for this study, three Chara- and three Potamogeton-lakes in each region. In addition to phytoplankton analysis, macrophytes and climatic conditions, water chemistry, and the use of land in the catchment area were studied. Although we expected that climatic differences would have greater impact on the structure of phytoplankton assemblage than that expected due to higher macrophyte biomass and lower nutrient availability in Chara- than in Potamogeton-lakes, multidimensional statistical analyses clearly distinguished between the two macrophyte types of lakes. Significantly lower values of the total phytoplankton biomass, and the biomass of diatoms and cyanobacteria occurred in Chara- vs Potamogeton-lakes. We therefore postulate that not only abundantly developed submerged macrophytes, but also the type of vegetation are important factors structuring phytoplankton development and by interacting with the physical and chemical characteristics of water show potential in mitigating the effects of climate change