Key insights for the future of urban ecosystem services research
Journal article, 2016
Understanding the dynamics of urban ecosystem services is a necessary requirement for adequate planning, management, and governance of urban green infrastructure. Through the three-year Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (URBES) research project, we conducted case study and comparative research on urban biodiversity and ecosystem services across seven cities in Europe and the United States. Reviewing > 50 peer-reviewed publications from the project, we present and discuss seven key insights that reflect cumulative findings from the project as well as the state-of-the-art knowledge in urban ecosystem services research. The insights from our review indicate that cross-sectoral, multiscale, interdisciplinary research is beginning to provide a solid scientific foundation for applying the ecosystem services framework in urban areas and land management. Our review offers a foundation for seeking novel, nature-based solutions to emerging urban challenges such as wicked environmental change issues.
urban liveability
biodiversity
urban ecology
urban green infrastructure
urban planning
urban ecosystem services
social-ecological systems
Author
Peleg Kremer
Villanova University
The New School
Zoe Hamstead
The New School
Dagmar Haase
Humboldt University of Berlin
Helmholtz
Timon McPhearson
The New School
Niki Frantzeskaki
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Erik Andersson
Stockholm University
Nadja Kabisch
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Humboldt University of Berlin
Helmholtz
Neele Larondelle
Humboldt University of Berlin
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Emiliy Rall
Technical University of Munich
Annette Voigt
Alpen-Adria Universitaet (AAU)
Francesc Baró
Institut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA)-UAB
Christine Bertram
Institut fur Weltwirtschaft an der Universitat Kiel
Erik Gómez-Baggethun
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Rieke Hansen
Technical University of Munich
Anna Kaczorowska
Chalmers, Architecture
Jaan-Henrik Kain
Chalmers, Architecture
Jakub Kronenberg
University of Lodz
Johannes Langemeyer
Institut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA)-UAB
Stephan Pauleit
Technical University of Munich
Katrin Rehdanz
University of Kiel
Institut fur Weltwirtschaft an der Universitat Kiel
Maria Schewenius
Stockholm University
Chantal van Ham
IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
Daniel Wurster
Stockholm University
Thomas Elmqvist
Stockholm University
Ecology and Society
17083087 (eISSN)
Vol. 21 No.2 29- 29Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Areas of Advance
Building Futures (2010-2018)
Subject Categories
Environmental Engineering
Architecture
Landscape Architecture
DOI
10.5751/ES-08445-210229