Social-ecological research in urban natural areas: an emergent process for integration

Urban Ecosystems - Understanding the structure and function of urban landscapes requires integrating social and ecological research. Here, we integrate parallel social and ecological assessments of...     

Bird community responses to different urban conditions in La Paz,Bolivia

Urbanization alters ecosystems worldwide, but little is known about its effects in the Neotropical region. In the present research we examined the relative influence of different levels of urbanization and of some urban development measures on bird species richness, abundance and composition. We surveyed 104 observation stations at which we collected data on the relative abundance of bird species, and also data on seven environmental variables as measures of urban development and human activity. We registered 57 native bird species. Bird species richness and bird abundance increased with lower urbanization levels. Both variables were positively related to vegetation cover and native vegetation, and negatively to built-up cover, abundance of Rock Pigeon (Columa livia), pedestrian rate and car rate. A canonical correspondence analysis produced a significant model that explained 37% of the total variation in species data. This analysis segregated bird species along two important gradients: urbanization and elevation. The most urbanized areas were dominated by a few synanthropic species tolerant to human disturbance, such as Rufous-Collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis), Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) or Chiguanco Thrush (Turdus chiguanco). Areas with lower urbanization levels had more species typically associated with native vegetation, such as Plain-Mantled Tit-Spinetail (Leptasthenura aegitaloides) or D’Orbigny’s Chat-Tyrant (Ochthoeca oenanthoides), among others. Elevation had a significant influence in structuring bird communities, with some species restricted to higher elevations and some to lower elevations. Although changes in elevation had an important influence, urbanization had a stronger effect on structuring bird communities. This study provides valuable information and an important baseline for future studies.     

让城市规划创新更上一层楼

改革开放30年来,我国发生了历史性的巨大变化,城市规划建立了历史性的功绩,得到了历史性的巨大发展,30年来,我们有许多认识和经验,需要很好地总结。在社会主义市场经济条件下,我国城市规划和城市发展应当认识和处理好10个关系：     

天津城市文化产业的结构创新与文化金融创新

文化是民族的血脉和灵魂,在经济和社会发展中的战略地位越来越突出,文化产业日益成为增强城市综合竞争力的核心要素,发展文化产业已成为天津下一阶段国民经济和社会发展的重要战略之一。在天津市第九次党代会上,市委、市政府提出了“把天津建设成为富有独特魅力和创造活力的文化强市”、“文化竞争力走在全国前列”的目标,天津城市文化产业在“十二五”时期必将获得更快的发展。     

The effects of workplace unionization on worker responses to HRM innovation

This study develops and empirically tests a theory which explains how workplace unionization affects worker responses to HRM innovation. We hypothesize that union support varies depending on whether the union perceives the innovation as a threat to its power base and institutional security or as an opportunity to increase its status and influence. This differential effect is expected to be curvilinear. Our hypothesis is generally supported by our sample of 230 organizations. Practical and research implications are discussed. We are indebted to Kay Devine and Thomas G. Cummings for helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper.     

Indigenous perspectives for strengthening social responses to global environmental changes: A response to the social work grand challenge on environmental change

ABSTRACT

The “Grand Challenges for Social Work,” is a call to action for innovative responses to society’s most pressing social problems. In this article, we respond to the “Grand Challenge” of Creating Social Responses to a Changing Environment from our perspective as Indigenous scholars. Over the last several decades, diminishing natural resources, pollution, over-consumption, and the exploitation of the natural environment have led to climate change events that disproportionately affect Indigenous peoples. We present how environmental changes impact Indigenous peoples and suggest culturally relevant responses for working with Indigenous communities. We propose a decolonizing cyclical, iterative process grounded in Indigenous Ways of Knowing.     

Forest ethnography: An approach to study the environmental history and political ecology of urban forests

Urban Ecosystems - A landscape succession paradigm has shaped much of our understanding about the processes of forest emergence and transformation in the United States. Drawing heavily from theory...     

Designing and modeling innovation across scales for urban water systems

Urban Ecosystems - Effective, sustainable management of urban water systems, including drinking water, stormwater, wastewater, and natural water systems, is critical to the health and well-being of...     

区分市容环境管理不同层面 建设高效管理体制

市容环境是城市精神文明和物质文明水平的综合体现．也是这个城市市民生活追求的彰显．同时也反映了城市管理者的执政水平和管理理念。一个市容环境靓丽、清新、整洁、大气的城市．必定有着积极向上的市民和高水平的城市管理者，也必定有着幸福、和谐、文明的社会氛围。天津市经过多年的不懈努力．在市容环境方面取得了令人瞩目的成就．在提高市民生活质量的同时也创造了良好的政治、经济等各项事业发展的条件。     

城市技术创新系统的构成及技术创新能力的培养

当世界经济发展到知识经济时代,国际竞争力越来越依赖于创新,创新能力已成为解释高收入国家和地区经济繁荣程度差异的最重要因素.对于发展中国家来说,由于市场全球化降低了低成本投入的价值,因此获取和开发新技术已成为提高竞争力的一个基本驱动力.技术创新不仅仅是技术本身的发展问题,而是一系列相互关联的要素组成的有机协作系统,在技术创新系统各组成部分的协同作用下,培育一个城市的技术创新能力,也就意味着该城市获取了科技进步和经济繁荣的引擎.     

Birds biodiversity in urban and periurban forests: environmental determinants at local and landscape scales

A significant decline in biodiversity is associated with the current and upcoming degree of urbanization. A challenging strategy to address this conflict is to make urban growth compatible with biodiversity protection and in this context urban parks can play a crucial role. Urban systems are highly dynamic and complex human-shaped ecosystems, where the relationship between species and environment may be altered and make the preservation of biodiversity within them a challenging goal. In this study, we analysed how different environmental features affect bird biodiversity in one of the most urbanized areas of Italy (the metropolitan area of Milan) at different spatial scales. Bird surveys were conducted in fifteen urban and peri-urban parks and environmental variables at landscape and local scale recorded. Results showed that a mixture of land covers and the presence of water bodies inside urban parks favoured species occurrence and abundance at landscape scale, but a surrounding dense urban matrix deflated biodiversity. At local scale, woodland cover and presence of water bodies were key determinants in ensuring overall high biodiversity but local-specific vegetation management produced an unusual pattern for forests species. In particular, the maintenance of large trees may not result in biodiversity support for forest bird species if large trees are not located in woodland areas with a significant tree density. To understand biodiversity patterns and provide useful information for urban planning and design, we need to provide insights into species/environment relationships at multiple scales in the urban environment.