This study aims to evaluate the individual and synergistic controls of climatic and land cover changes on stormwater runoff regimes, and perform a comparative synthesis of the historical and future ...runoffs for complex coastal-urban environments. A large-scale (7117 km2) mechanistic hydrologic model was developed for Florida Southeast Coasts Basin as the study area using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Storm Water Management Model 5.1. The model was calibrated and validated with daily streamflow observations (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency = 0.74 to 0.92) during 2004–2013 (termed 2010s), computing the corresponding runoff volume as a historical reference. Runoffs for 2050s (2044–2053) and 2080s (2076–2085) were quantified by incorporating climatic projections from 20 General Circulation Models and land cover projections from EPA under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. We found a predominant climatic control on the potential runoff changes and a high vulnerability in the coastal-urban environments. The concurrent changes in climate and land cover led to synergistic (stronger than the sum of individual effects) nonlinear responses of runoff. The projected changes in climate and land cover together would increase the annual basin runoff volume by 118%, 106%, 86%, and 80% under the 2080s-RCP 4.5, 2050s-RCP 4.5, 2050s-RCP 8.5, and 2080s-RCP 8.5 scenarios, respectively. Greater increases in runoff were noted at and around the urban centers than that at the non-urban areas across the basin. The relative increases in runoff were higher during the dry season and transitional months (October–May) than the wet season (June–September). Our findings would guide stormwater management and ecosystem protection for southeast Florida and coastal built environments across the world.
Display omitted
•A large-scale stormwater model was developed with EPA SWMM for southeast Florida.•The coastal-urban environments had a predominant climatic control on runoff changes.•Concurrent climatic and land cover changes led to synergistic changes in runoff.•High increases (80–118%) in coastal-urban runoff were projected by 2050s and 2080s.•Higher increases in runoff and flooding risk were noted in the urban centers.
With current decentralization trends and polycentric planning efforts, the urban spatial structures of Chinese cities have been changing tremendously. To detect the true urban polycentric pattern of ...Chinese cities, this article analyzed the urban polycentricity characteristics of 294 cities. The natural cities were delineated by points of interest (POIs), and road networks constituted street blocks. Based on check-in data and new spatial units, centers within both metropolitan areas and central cities were identified and examined. We discovered that all Chinese cities have at least one natural city in their metropolitan areas because of rapid urban sprawl. Although a monocentric structure is still the most common urban spatial structure, 110 Chinese cities displayed different degrees of polycentricity at the metropolitan level. Many natural cities beyond central cities contribute to polycentric development at the metropolitan level. Central cities have maintained their original vitality and importance, most Chinese cities have dispersed urban structures in central cities, and 45 central cities are polycentric. The spatial structures in metropolitan areas are more polycentric than those in central cities. The only 36 cities with polycentric urban structures at both the metropolitan and central city levels are all national or regional central cities in eastern China.
•All Chinese cities have at least one natural city in their metropolitan areas because of rapid urban sprawl.•The spatial structures in metropolitan areas are more polycentric than those in central cities.•There are only 36 cities with polycentric structures in both metropolitan areas and central cities..•Central cities have maintained their original vitality and importance, and most Chinese cities have dispersed urban structures in their central cities.
Urbanization is increasing at an alarming rate altering biodiversity. As urban areas sprawl, it is vital to understand the effects of urbanization on biodiversity. Florida is ideal for this research; ...it has many reptile species and has experienced multiple anthropogenic impacts. Herein, we aim to evaluate human impacts on registered reptile richness across an urbanization gradient in Florida. The expectation is that highly urbanized areas would harbor a lower number of species. To represent urbanization, we used Venter et al. (2016) human footprint index. We downloaded georeferenced occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to collate species richness. We ran generalized linear regressions controlling for spatial autocorrelation structure to test the association between urbanization and reptile records across Florida. We found a positive association between urbanization and registered reptiles across Florida for total and non-native species richness; however, a lack of association occurred for native species. We performed rarefaction curves due to an inherent bias of citizen science data. The positive association was supported for non-native reptile species richness with greater species richness located at urban centers. Interestingly, total and native species richness were largest at low as well as moderate levels of urbanization. Thus, moderately urbanized areas may have the potential to harbor a similar number of reptile species compared to areas with low urbanization. Nevertheless, a difference exists in sample completeness between the urbanization categories. Thus, a more systematic monitoring of reptile species across an urbanization gradient, not only focusing on urban and wild areas but also including moderate levels of urbanization, is needed to provide informed conservation strategies for urban development planning. Advances in environmental sensors, environmental DNA, and citizen science outreach are necessary to implement if we are to effectively monitor biodiversity at the accelerated rate of urbanization.
Display omitted
•Urbanization is considered a primary pressure on biodiversity.•Nevertheless, knowledge gaps exist for certain taxa and biodiversity hotspots.•Native reptile richness is similar at low and moderate urban levels in Florida.•We need a more systematic monitoring of species across urban and wild areas.•Innovative technologies should inform conservation strategies for urban planning.
Terrestrial protected areas (TPAs) have become a keystone in nature conservation and environmental policy-making because they provide a potpourri of ecosystem services—benefits that are foundational ...for human existence and well-being. The intensity of ecosystem services production (i.e., potential) and use (i.e., realized) from a TPA depends on several variables such as ecosystem type, TPA size, population in the region, and development infrastructure. However, little is known about how ecosystem services intensity varies in relation to these variables. The TPAs provide a rich setting to investigate these relationships in support of better management for both TPAs and ecosystem services. Here, using the Co$ting Nature model, I map the potential and realized ecosystem services intensity from 140 of Pakistan's TPAs. To ascertain the direct impacts on realized ecosystem services, I use ArcGIS and InVEST tools to infer three spatial variables: TPA size (area), TPA distance from the nearest urban center, and visitation rates to the TPA. Results from the statistical analyses show that potential and realized ecosystem services are positively and significantly correlated, meaning increased supply results in more use. Yet, both are negatively correlated with TPA size and distance from the urban centers. Finally, a multivariate regression analysis is conducted considering potential ecosystem services and the selected three spatial variables as predictors for realized ecosystem services. The analysis indicates that potential ecosystem services and the size of a TPA are both significant for realized ecosystem services, with the potential services positively and TPA size negatively correlated with realized ecosystem services. The data generated and the results obtained in the study can inform the protection, stewardship, and expansion of TPAs at national and global scales.
•Pakistan's terrestrial protected areas (TPAs)—places conserved for nature—are mapped for potential (supply) and realized (demand) ecosystem services intensity.•A higher potential intensity leads to a higher realized intensity from TPAs.•Small TPAs provide ecosystem services at a higher intensity than large TPAs.•The potential and realized intensities decrease with the increase in TPA distance from urban centers.•The results can inform the creation, protection, and future expansions of TPAs.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5; ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) stands out among all pollutants as more directly responsible for long-term health problems. This work aims to evaluate the public ...health benefits of improved air quality in Brazil, based on the estimated reduction in mortality from PM2.5, a pollutant commonly related to all causes mortality including non-accidental, cardiovascular, ischemic heart diseases and lung cancer. Annual PM2.5 concentrations were obtained from 50 monitoring stations spread across 24 Brazilian cities between the years 2000 and 2017, which constituted the baseline scenario. The control scenario was represented by the annual PM2.5 guideline values (10 μg m−3) of the World Health Organization (WHO). The relationship between the change in baseline and control scenarios with health effects was estimated using the BenMAP-CE program and the application of exposure-response functions. São Paulo city showed the highest number of avoidable deaths, with values ranging from 28,874 ± 9769 and 82,720 ± 24,549 for all causes from 2000 to 2017. In 2009, just three Brazilian cities were monitoring PM2.5. Between 877 ± 295 and 2497 ± 719 all causes avoidable deaths related to PM2.5 were estimated under the scenario when the WHO guideline was applied. In 2017, the 15 cities with representative annual PM2.5 data account for between 2378 ± 801 and 6282 ± 1818 avoidable deaths due to all-cause PM2.5 mortality, between 2974 ± 376 and 10,397 ± 516 avoidable deaths due non-accidental causes, between 1373 ± 230 and 3428 ± 265 avoidable deaths due cardiovascular disease, between 927 ± 162 and 2514 ± 156 avoidable deaths due ischemic heart diseases and the lowest between 101 ± 45 and 264 ± 88 avoidable deaths due to lung cancer.
Display omitted
•Brazilian air quality monitoring data from 24 cities were used to estimate avoidable deaths.•Almost 90% of the annual PM2.5 concentrations in Brazilian cities were higher than WHO guideline.•Large urban centers such as Sao Paulo city obtained higher values of avoidable deaths.•National PM2.5 standard in Brazil based on WHO guideline could bring health-related benefits.
Objective
The main objective of this study is to investigate diet patterns among rural and urban populations of the Center‐West, Northeast, and Amazon regions of Brazil through the carbon and ...nitrogen isotopic composition of fingernails, recognizing that the extent of market integration is a key driver of food consumption.
Materials and methods
In the Center‐West, Northeast, and Amazon regions of Brazil, fingernails were sampled in clusters encompassing a major city, town, and rural village. A total of 2,133 fingernails were analyzed. Fingernails were clipped by donors using fingernail clippers. In the laboratory, samples were cleaned then weighed in small tin capsules before being isotopically analyzed for carbon and nitrogen.
Results
The overall mean δ13C and δ15N were −19.7 ± 2.8‰ and 10.6 ± 1.1‰, respectively. In the more remote villages, where access to food markets is more challenging, lower δ13C prevails, suggesting that Brazilian staple foods (rice, beans, and farinha) still dominate. In areas with easier access to food markets, δ13C values were higher, suggesting a change to a diet based on C4 plants, typical of a Brazilian supermarket diet. The variability among inhabitants in the same location expressed by a significant inverse correlation between δ13C and δ15N fingernail values suggested that “market integration” does not affect everyone equally in each community.
Discussion and Conclusion
The nutrition transition has not yet reached some remote villages in these regions of Brazil or that the nutrition transition has not yet reached all residents of these remote villages. On the other hand, in several villages there is a considerable adherence to the supermarket diet or that some residents of these villages are already favoring processed food.
Urban afforestation began around the 15th century in Europe, with “gardened walkways” installation. Over the years, as landscaping techniques have been disseminated and improved, life quality in ...urban centers has improved. The present study was carried out in the Labienópolis neighborhood in the city of Garça - SP at coordinates 22º 12' South and 49º 35' West., elevation 670m. A total of 1,140 plants were sampled involving trees, shrubs, herbs, palms and lianas belonging to 34 botanical families, 64 species between native and exotic. The species with highest number of planted specimens was Moquilea tomentosa (164 plants); Murraya paniculata (140); Pachyra aquatica (132); Lagerstroemia indica (115). On the one hand, the survey allows us to infer that most of species used in the city are exotic, which can compromise the avifauna, as well as the biodiversity of existing native species. On the other hand, there is a clear need for a qualitative study aimed at the planning and management of trees in urban areas.
Identifying the comprehensive metropolitan urban form is important to propose effective policies to mitigate transportation carbon emissions. A publicly accessible night-time light dataset was used ...to identify urban centers and develop two polycentric indices to compute the composition and configuration of urban form, respectively. We used the most populous 103 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), with their corresponding transportation carbon emissions, polycentric indices, population sizes, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and road network densities. We first explored the typology of urban form and classified MSAs into six types based on two polycentric indices. We then introduced correlation analysis and statistical models to test the relationships between polycentric urban form and transportation carbon emissions. We found: (1) more urban centers lead to more emissions (compositional dimension), (2) more spatially distributed urban centers result in less emissions (configurational dimension), and (3) population and GDP per capita are positively related to carbon emissions. These findings suggest the importance of measuring two polycentric dimensions separately but using them together. Urban planners should consider mixed strategies that combine the traditional intra-center-based smart growth principles and the metropolitan-level inter-centers spatial plan to effectively counteract climate change.
•Urban centers are identified by the publicly accessible night-time light dataset.•The urban form should be measured by considering both the composition and configuration of urban centers.•More urban centers lead to more transportation carbon emissions.•More spatially dispersed urban centers result in less transportation carbon emissions.•Inducing polycentric urban form can be a complementary metropolitan-level smart growth strategy to respond to climate change.
Amazon Rivers are important sources of macroplastic that enter the oceans. The estimated macroplastic transport is still inaccurate as hydrodynamics are not considered and data are not collected in ...situ. The present study shows the first quantification of floating macroplastics at different temporal scales, and an annual transport estimate through urban rivers in the Amazon: the Acará and Guamá Rivers, which discharge into the Guajará Bay. We conducted visual observations of macroplastics (>2.5 cm) in different river discharges and tidal stages, and we measured current intensity and direction in the three rivers. We quantified 3481 floating macroplastics, which varied according to tidal cycle and seasonality. Although connected to and affected by the same tidal regime, the urban estuarine system had an import rate of 12 ton.y−1 through the Guamá River and an export rate of 21.7 ton.y−1 of macroplastics through the Guajará Bay, affected by local hydrodynamics.
•Macroplastic was quantified in three rivers in the Amazon region during a tidal cycle.•Macroplastic was present in all rivers studied.•The Guajará Bay exports approximately 21.7 ton. y−1.•The Guamá River traps up to −12 ton. y−1 of macroplastics.
Along with the rising space-of-flow, non-local functions are identified as a comparable force to local urban-hinterland relations that determine urban development. However, little evidence and ...explanation have been presented for how urban centers (UCs) are made of local and non-local functions. By examining the case of Shanghai, this paper endeavors to fill the gap with multiple big/open datasets. We first identify UCs using a new method as well as employment/activity densities inferred from cell phone data. Then, local and non-local forces are measured using functional and interaction metrics derived from theoretical deduction based on classic economic-space theories. Our result demonstrates that non-local functions have become a comparable force as local functions. Spatial analyses show that non-local functions generally agglomerate in about 30 UCs (27%) in the inner-ring Puxi area, presumably indicating a locational preference for local services and demand; local functions are distributed more like the central places diagram in Isard (1956). Additionally, specialization analysis of UCs shows clear evidence that non-local functions cause both centralization and decentralization in UCs, which can be well explained by the deductive theoretical patterns. This paper contributes to the literature of urban spatial structure with new evidence as well as a generic theoretical explanation and transferable methodologies.
•Non-local functions have become a comparable force as the local functions (UCs).•Non-local functions generally agglomerate in about 30 UCs (27%) in the inner ring Puxi area.•Non-local functions cause both centralization and decentralization in UCs, as explained by the theoretical patterns.•A novel UC identification method is proposed.
PDF
