Die Krim: Kulturlandschaft und Kulturwandel in einem russischen Expansionsraum

The Crimea peninsula is a European region which presently is in the public limelight due to its political situation. The Crimea presents not only a clearly structured but also greatly variable landscape. The steppe-type Crimea in the north and the upland-type Crimea with its Mediterranean climate south coast are the dominating largest landscapes. Their utilization as a cultivation area is historically traceable to the Scythian, Gothic and Greek periods. So far the Crimea experienced several cultural changes. The first change was caused by the Mediterranean civilizations (Greece, Genoa, Byzantium), the second by the Tatar invasion, followed by its integration into the Ottoman empire. Christian and Muslim cultural traditions mingled with each other during that period. Its incorporation into the Russian empire during the modern era brought profound changes in the cultural landscape, in the population composition, in the manner of live and of pursuing economic affairs. The historical development is indispensable for the understanding of the Crimea’s present position. The region is now searching for new development perspectives after the changes of its political affiliation. Although it is a constituant of the Ukraine, the traditional relationships with Russia are just as decisive now as ever before. It becomes apparent that the historical development as a Russian expansion area and the geostrategical position have determined the regional development so far. This makes its efforts for reintegration into the Russian union of states quite understandable

Urban ecosystem services on the local level: urban green spaces as providers

Ecosystem services are provided at different spatial and service/functional scales. The local level is the basic unit for ecosystem services, especially when it comes to the human dimension of urban landscapes. These services are provided by green elements (patches) or basic complex ecosystems (green areas) which differ from their neighbourhoods through their structures and functions. This study reviews the generally available knowledge on urban green functions and services at the site level and explains them by using own studies in five different cities in three different continents related to distinct ecosystem services. This allows the development of a methodology to evaluate and compare ecosystem services at the site level. The methodology is based at two levels, patch and green space, and includes the relationship with the surrounding green and built-up space. Different urban green space types are characterized by their internal structures of vegetation, size, shape and location in relation to at least a semi-quantitative scaling of their urban ecosystem services. The evaluated urban green spaces are public urban green spaces. The urban ecosystem services assessed include climate regulation, biodiversity, nature experience, recreation and health. The actual urban challenges, such as land use change, adaptation to climate change, demographic change and urban cultural diversity, demand a systematic and very concrete monitoring of urban ecosystem services at the site level.Fil: Breuste, Jürgen. University of Salzburg. Department of Geography and Geology; AustriaFil: Schnellinger, Johanna. University of Salzburg. Department of Geography and Geology; AustriaFil: Qureshi, Salman. Birmingham City University. School of Architecture; Reino UnidoFil: Faggi, Ana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentin

Der suburbane Raum in ökologischer Perspektive - Potenziale und Herausforderungen

Suburbane Räume sind permanente Problemräume, dynamische Gestaltungsräume und Übergangslandschaften zwischen agrarisch-forstlichen Landschaften und urbanen (Kern-)Landschaften, deren beider Eigenschaften sie enthalten. Daraus entsteht ein spezifisches Ökosysteminventar, das aus historischen Reliktnutzungen geringer Nutzungsintensität und Umbruchsfrequenz einerseits und andererseits aus urbanen Versatzelementen wie Einkaufszentren, Gewerbegebieten, Wohnanlagen etc. besteht. Bodenversiegelung und Landschaftszerschneidung führen tendenziell zur Isolation verbliebener Natur-Resträume und zum Verlust von den durch sie getragenen Ökosystem- Dienstleistungen.In einer ökologisch-planerischen Perspektive sollten die oftmals noch teilweise vorhandenen Ökosystem-Dienstleistungen im suburbanen Raum erkannt, quantifiziert und bewertet werden. Dies sind Unterstützungs- (Biodiversität), Bereitstellungs- (Nahrungsmittelproduktion), Regulations- (z.B. Klimaausgleichsfunktion) und Kulturfunktionen z.B. Erholung). Dafür können ökologische Prinzipien, Strategien und Leitbilder für eine bewusst gestaltete suburbane Kulturlandschaft angewandt werden und damit kann aus dem "Zufallsprodukt" suburbane Kulturlandschaft eine Leistungsträger-Landschaft für den suburbanen Raum selbst und die benachbarten Räume, besonders für die Stadt(kern)landschaft, entstehen.Suburban spaces are permanent problem spaces: dynamic design spaces and transitional landscapes that fall between agricultural and forestry landscapes and urban (core) landscapes and that contain features of both. This gives rise to a specific ecosystem inventory consisting on the one hand of historical relicts that experience a low level of use and little change and on the other hand of displaced urban features such as shopping centres, commercial districts, residential estates and the like. Soil surface sealing and landscape fragmentation tend to lead to the isolation of the remaining natural spaces and to the loss of ecosystem services previously provided by such areas. The aim is to take an ecological planning perspective and to identify, quantify and evaluate the ecosystem services that often still exist in suburban spaces. These services consist of supporting (biodiversity), provisioning (food production), regulating (e.g. climate stabilisation) and cultural (e.g. recreation) functions. Ecological principles, strategies and guidelines can then be applied to purposefully design a suburban cultural landscape. The intention is thus from the "random product" of the suburban cultural landscape to create a service provider landscape for suburban spaces themselves and also for adjoining spaces, especially the urban (core) landscapes

Constructed Images of Iguazú National Park (Argentina) Related to Visitors’ Origins

We analyzed the perceptions of tourists visiting the famous waterfalls in Iguazú National Park to define how they envisaged the park with their constructed images. Nine hundred and seventy six questionnaires were completed by personally interviewing visitors in February and April 2011. They were asked to describe the park by choosing between 17 fixed features (tranquility, grandiosity, water, harmony, beauty, horizon, sound of nature, colors, rainforest, extension, green, maintenance, animals, diversity, nature, peace and wilderness) and also an open option. The constructed images were classified in categories of Beauty, Sublime, Picturesque and Spiritual and explored with SPSS and multivariate analyses. Results showed that the appeal of the waterfalls is multidimensional, combining different elements of the Picturesque, Sublime, Beauty, and also Spiritual, categories in different proportions. We identified associations between visitors’ origins and the constructed images among groups of visitors from North America, Latin-America, Europe, Australia, South Africa and East Asia. We confirmed the widespread election of picturesque and sublime features as visions with which to describe the national park. Water, beauty and grandiosity were the main features mentioned. Peace, tranquility and horizon were found as possible explanations for the divergence in visions between the six groups studied, especially segregating East Asians and South Africans from the other groups. The observed similarities and differences in the constructed images of Iguazú National Park of visitors coming from different parts of the world could be explained by both evolutionary and cultural frameworks. Some recommendations for park management and city planning are given

Espacios verdes urbanos, fortalezas, amenazas y oportunidades de mejora

En términos de sustentabilidad es preciso entender, diseñar y manejar el verde urbano adecuadamente desde una perspectiva ecológica, estética y recreativa (FTL-HSR & ZSA 2006). Se presentan aquí a modo de ejemplos resultados de investigaciones realizadas en Buenos Aires, Salzburgo y Munich, que aportan ideas sobre el valor de los espacios verdes y de las problemáticas a los cuales se enfrentan.Fil: Breuste, Juergen. Lodron-Paris University; AustriaFil: Artmann, A..Fil: Wurster, D..Fil: Voigt, Annette. University of Salzburg. Department of Geography and Geology; AustriaFil: Faggi, Ana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentin

Qualität von Grünzuwachs durch Stadtschrumpfung: Analyse von Vegetationsstruktur, Nutzung und Management von durch Rückbau entstandenen neuen Grünflächen in der Großwohnsiedlung Halle-Silberhöhe

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht am Beispiel der Großwohnsiedlung Silberhöhe in Halle/Saale die auf Abrissflächen entstandenen Vegetationsstrukturen, ihre Benutzung und Pflege. Dazu wurden 10 repräsentative Flächen ausgewählt und einer detaillierten Analyse unterzogen. Ziel der Untersuchung war es auch, geeignete Methoden zur Analyse und Bewertung von Vegetationsstruktur, Nutzung und Management von Grünzuwachsräumen zu erarbeiten und diese praktisch zu erproben. Damit entstand ein methodisches Instrumentarium, das flexibel auf vergleichbare Standorte in anderen Städten anwendbar ist. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die planungsseitig angestrebten Zielzustände noch bei weitem nicht erreicht sind. Anthropogene Ruderalstandorte dominieren. Der überwiegende Teil der neuen Waldflächen sind lediglich derzeit ungenutzte Brachflächen. Nur ein geringer Teil der Flächen sind bepflanzte Baumhaine Nur 13 % der untersuchten Flächen sind gepflanzte Baumhaine. 25% der Flächen sind ohne Nutzung, 38 % sind in ihrer Hauptnutzungsfunktion Hundewiesen. Lediglich 15 % werden für Erholung genutzt und nur 4 % der Flächen führen Kinder durch Spiel an Natur heran. Mehr als die Hälfte der Flächen weist keinerlei Pflege auf. Dies weist auf wesentliche noch nicht genutzte Potenziale der Flächen hin

Resi2 Rick: Flood Resistance and Resilience in Ricklingen, Hanover (Germany)

This paper explores how factors of flood resistance and resilience are addressed within the development of an area in Ricklingen, a hydro-geologically vulnerable district in the southwest of Hanover. The already existing dyke as a flood control and resistance measure offers protection against fluvial floods but does not offer protection for pluvial or flash floods and further intensification of extreme weather events. In order to adapt to climate change, this paper proposes the establishment of ditches that relieve stress from the drainage system and ponds and green roofs to evacuate intense rainfalls. The City of Hanover has already established a transparent information base on flood precaution, response and recovery and initiated a funding programme for roof and facade greening and land reclamation. In addition to these measures, this proposal foresees awareness-raising campaigns, resilience meetings and supplemental incentive schemes to encourage civil initiatives and actions such as small retention basins on private property. Besides, the high recreational value of the landscape should be further strengthened to support a close connection between people and nature

High biodiversity of green infrastructure does not contribute to recreational ecosystem services

Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proven to positively affect people’s health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be the most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. An assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens and housing values in the urban–rural gradient revealed that the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. The growth of cities has led to an increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational areas. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place, limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work, the provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located along the urban–rural gradient of the Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relationship between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the recreational ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban–rural gradient are of great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. The provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological characteristics of the floodplain lakes. Only hemeroby was significantly correlated with provisioning, and there was no relationship with factors such as naturalness of vegetation or water quality, demonstrating that public preference was not generally influenced by high ecological quality. These data should be available to potential buyers and be integrated in spatial planning management plans in order to shape future housing policy

Estimating the Cooling Effect of Pocket Green Space in High Density Urban Areas in Shanghai, China

Recently, pocket green spaces (PGS), i.e., small green spaces, have attracted growing attention for their various ecological and social services. As a crucial part of urban green spaces in high-density urban areas, PGS facilitates recreation and relaxation for neighborhoods and thus improves the livability of cities at the local scale. However, whether and how the PGS cools the urban heat island effect is still unclear. This research was performed in the highly developed areas of the city of Shanghai during hot summer daytime. We applied a set of cooling effect indicators to estimate the cooling extent, cooling intensity, and cooling efficiency of PGS. We further examined whether and how landscape features within and surrounding the PGS influence its cooling effects. The results showed that 90% of PGS are cooler than their surroundings. Among the landscape features, the land surface temperature of PGS logarithmically decreased with its area, and the maximum local cool island intensity and maximum cooling area logarithmically increased with the area of PGS. The vegetation types and their composition within the PGS also influenced their surface temperature and the cooling effect. The PGS dominated by tree-shrub-grass showed the highest cooling efficiency. The surrounding landscape patterns, especially the patch density and the landscape shape index, influence the cooling effect of PGS at both class and landscape levels. These findings add new knowledge on factors influencing the cooling effect of PGS, and provide the biophysical theoretical basis for developing nature-based cooling strategies for urban landscape designers and planners.Peer Reviewe