Refined Wilding for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes: A Verification and Contextualisation
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- (I)
- Suggests an improved understanding of how wild and diverse UGS can improve sustainability in urban landscapes could be required, alongside implementation strategies that ensure function.
- (II)
- Suggests urban landscape design can improve the ecological function and natural- environment aspects of an urban landscape, but it requires improved language for intention to care, ‘cues to care’ [21], for a design to be able to ensure positive outcomes [22] from implementations and guidance provided for human natural-environment interactions (HNEI).
- (III)
- Verifies functional biodiversity as a viable positive outcome for UGS and urban landscapes and refined wilding as a substantiating concept. It is a new term for urban landscapes that has improved specificity for responsive guidance for urban development.
- (IV)
- Uses Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM) and a literature review to verify the term and substantiating concept for relevance and fit in the urban landscape context, how it addresses a main concern [23] and is complementary by intention and can improve on existing terms. Agricultural wilding as a preceding substantiating concept provides some basic conceptual framing for analysis and assists in contextualising refined wilding and functional biodiversity for the urban landscape. How wild productive systems are different from refined wilding design principles is a significant indication of how refined wilding is different from agricultural wilding and how ecological sensitivity within human realities (ESHR) [22,24] aligns design changes by landscape type and specific conceptual guidance. The three literature reviews analyse UGS types, advanced studies, and search term results. They provide initial verification of refined wilding as a substantiating term for functional biodiversity in urban landscapes. They are analysed and organised using this theory and concept as a conceptual framing that additionally verifies and contextualises the relevance of functional biodiversity and refined wilding. The methodologies review definitions of different UGSs in an effort to address different functions and define functional outcomes. This drives refined wilding toward a biodiversity function for different UGS types, adequately addresses the main concerns [23], and takes advantage of opportunities for urban trends. Eventually, refined wilding is verified as achieving a functional biodiversity that satisfies all UGS types and that can improve the quality of all UGSs, which is suggested as capable of improving the quality of other UST and of the urban landscape for the typical functions of an urban landscape and for advanced function, including the opportunity to decrease health care costs.
- (V)
- Brings functionality to biodiversity, and functional biodiversity is an aspect of UGSs that can reach urban landscape sustainability by functional connecting. The functions of UGSs are hypothesised to be determined and dependent on an adequate response to most advanced studies from various relevant disciplines, a well-defined intention of outcome, and being specific while adaptable to local context concepts. As these studies continue to advance and improve, an approach for comprehensive reach in guidance is suggested.
- (VI)
- Provides by definition of the concept, refined wilding as guidance for design approaches that achieve a wild refined UGS which can be further supported by the existing terms, renaturing and novel urban ecosystems, and by existing disciplinary understandings and practices for the urban landscape. It is, by principle, a design system for functional biodiversity that encourages function and efficiency in planning and implementation by long-term outcomes that maintain efficiency and function with minimal maintenance. The land type, UGS, is the defining space and its influence on and connection to surrounding landscape and space types.
- (VII)
- Refers to UGS as urban green spaces, but also uses urban green systems.
- (VIII)
- Introduces urban transparent spaces as air and aquatic spaces in urban landscapes.
1.1. Urban Green Spaces
1.2. Functional Urban Green Spaces
1.3. Functional Biodiversity for Urban Landscapes
1.4. Trends in Urban Development: An Example of Changing Landscapes and Opportunities for Refined Wilding and Functional Biodiversity
1.4.1. Shrinking Cities
1.4.2. Urban Green Spaces and Examples of Urban Planning
1.4.3. Responsive Guidance for Trends in Urban Development: Functional Biodiversity
2. Materials and Methodologies
2.1. Data Filtering and Classification Procedures
2.2. Conceptual Framing and Preceding Theories and Concepts
2.3. Three Literature Reviews
2.3.1. Literature Review I
2.3.2. Literature Review II
2.3.3. Literature Review III
3. Results
3.1. Literature Review I: UGS Types Defined as Relevant to Refined Wilding
Summary of Literature Review I
3.2. Literature Review II: Advanced Study Findings
3.2.1. General Findings of Significance for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes
Plant Species Selection for Taxonomically and Functionally Diverse Areas
Functional Attributes of Native and Non-Native Species
Meadowscaping Lawn and Grasses: Selections, Diversities, and Maintenance
Human Health
3.2.2. Specific and Advanced Study Findings for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes
Air Quality: Pollen Content by Count and Type, and Pollutants
Existing Terms and Practices for Urban Green Spaces and Refined Wilding
Summary of Literature Review II
3.3. Literature Review III: Relevance and Verification of Refined Wilding and Functional Biodiversity for Urban Landscapes
3.3.1. Functional Biodiversity and Urban Green Spaces
3.3.2. Functional Biodiversity and Cities
3.3.3. Design, Functional Biodiversity, Urban
3.3.4. Journals by General Discipline
3.3.5. Urban Green Space Types
3.3.6. Terms That Are More Relevant to Refined Wilding and Functional Biodiversity
Summary of Literature Review III
3.3.7. Limitations
3.3.8. Summary
4. Refined Wilding as a Verified Concept for Urban Functional Biodiversity
4.1. Wild Refined Urban Green Spaces
4.2. Refined Wilding Design for Advanced Function
4.3. Recommendations
- Organise the selected study findings (Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5) that provide specific and advanced considerations using refined wilding and functional biodiversity as a resource of extensive knowledge sets to improve functional biodiversity outcomes as a responsive local urban landscape and system and to UGS type.
- Use the organisation of existing knowledge sets for conceptual guidance and design approaches in urban landscapes, optimise functional biodiversity outcomes, and improve refined wilding design by ensuring locally specific and appropriate outcomes.
- Design for landscape functional biodiversity outcomes using refined wilding principles ensuring connective function between UGS types and between different USTs, including grey and transparent (aquatic and air).
- Work from methods to monitor connectivity between green spaces in cities, like the City Biodiversity Index: Connectivity of Natural Areas in a City [77] and the Singapore Index on city biodiversities, and include the additional method of measuring within-patch connectivity. These methods can determine strategies for increasing connectivity and identifying the impacts of urban development on biodiversity.
- Guide and design for the advanced function of urban green, grey, and transparent spaces for functional urban biodiversity.
- Ensure functional connectivity between UGS, different UGS types, and between different UST.
- Responsive guidance informed by interdisciplinarity and a need for specificity from different disciplines can, for a topic and practical intervention and implementation, require multi-disciplinary expertise that facilitates a vast range of understandings.
- Find and assess state of the art examples for different UGS types; Urban grey spaces that include advanced function for and from UGS, and transparent spaces that are influenced by advanced function of UGS and subsequent human health implications and benefits.
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Functional Biodiversity | Agricultural Wilding and Wild Productive Systems | Refined Wilding |
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Functional biodiversity is a verified grounded theory substantiated by five published concepts developed using a classic GTM. Ecological Sensitivity within Human Realities (ESHR *) is the substantiating concept [22] that can guide HNEI to positive outcomes for agricultural landscapes. | Agricultural wilding [24] is a term introduced for an agricultural landscape. The resulting system is defined as a wild productive system. The definition of wild crops and plants is clarified and well-defined. Wild productive systems can satisfy the productive intention and various other human realities that are occasionally proven to impede functional biodiversity outcomes in these landscapes. It is the result of an analysis of traditional definitions and uses of rewilding using ESHR as a schema for the grounded theory of functional biodiversity. This schema is also used to analyse four farm designs and results in an ESHR-aligned farm design [46] implementation tool for agricultural wilding. The analysis relies on a literature review and determines the appropriateness of coffee farming landscapes. | Refined wilding provides semi-natural ecological systems in urban landscapes that are composed of wild plants, trees, shrubs, and grasses (PTSG). Wild PTSG are non-domesticated and in systems that are not human-modified. Refined provides differentiation and expectation of human modification; wild PTSG are native and non-native functional selections. Urban agricultural and community garden spaces could use functional biodiversity and wild productive systems as relevant outcomes for improved functional biodiversity outcomes. The other UGS types are not normally productive but instead for aesthetic function for resident or public use and, in some cases, address health benefits. Wild refined UGS is a term introduced for other UGS types. As a design approach, refined wilding provides initial and general design principles for the urban landscape. It works from some specific aspects of ESHR-aligned farm design [46]. |
UGS Types and Refined Wilding | |
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Urban gardens and forests | |
Urban gardens and forests represent microhabitats, ecological niches [46] and, at times, an overlooked opportunity for functional urban biodiversity that can connect across an urban landscape. Urban forests provide a different use and function for sustainability principles and categories; they also, however, provide an opportunity for functional urban biodiversity that connects across an urban landscape. Urban forests [47] provide advanced complexity in all aspects of natural environment systems, including wildlife-friendly functions. They are not likely to be residential individual-use systems. Soil multi-functionality and biodiversity in below- and above-ground interactions and processes are relevant considerations for urban gardens, but also for urban forests. They provide microhabitats where plant diversity has a positive effect on soil fauna and multi-functionality and for diverse taxa. Urban gardens of different types, residential (individual or shared), community, public, rooftop and wall or ceilings, will often provide functional complexity in particular aspects, for example, soil and plants, and indirect functions for human well-being, as well as protection for the natural environment beyond its own system. Several studies indicate important landscape design considerations to address and integrate. For example, a decline in community garden biodiversity and a need for green hard surfaces and connectivity between garden plots and other green spaces [48]. Tresch et al. [49] find that intensive management decreases plant diversity, and urban gardens should have plant diversity and engage in soil protective management practices, including applying compost and mulch and avoiding soil tilling to improve urban biodiversity. They find that anthropogenic assemblages can achieve such urban biodiversity outcomes. Individual preferences in aesthetics, safety, or other aspects can lead to higher maintenance and less complex, less native, less wild, and less biodiverse systems. Wildlife friendliness and wildlife conservation in urban landscapes improve with the use of residential gardens [50,51,52], which are dominant UGS types. | Advanced design principles and techniques are suggested to increase and achieve urban biodiversity outcomes. Watering and soil tilling were two significant factors in structuring soil fauna and plant communities which can be managed to avoid reducing urban biodiversity outcomes. Urban gardens and forests can, therefore, be encouraged, maintained, or improved with refined wilding principles and associated ESHR-aligned garden and forest design approaches [46]. The challenges of ensuring continuity across individually owned gardens are recognised and need to be addressed. Most urban forests are, by category, functionally biodiverse and ecologically complex UGS. |
Urban agriculture | |
Urban agriculture, like traditional agriculture in rural landscapes, is often prioritised by productivity. Urban agriculture is often more adaptable to various functions and uses rather than just a productive function, with the population also influenced by urban sustainability principles. Management techniques can result in urban agriculture benefiting the natural environment as well as humans [53]. However, the agricultural and productive intention does differentiate a community garden system in an urban landscape from an urban agricultural system. The biodiversity outcomes from urban agriculture, from gardens to farms with livestock, therefore, vary and contribute variably to landscape-level ecological connectivity and function. Defining urban agriculture is suggested as dependent on an urbanisation gradient, as agricultural systems have very similar intentions and definitions with location, with the urbanised area being the most significant defining factor. It can also be differentiated from urban gardens for the definition of agriculture, which often has several of the same tree or plant as a crop harvested for subsistence or for sale. In urban gardens, while there can occasionally be several of the same plant or crop for harvest, these examples are closer to urban agriculture but stay within an urban garden definition. Urban agriculture is then defined when a closer to standard or traditional agricultural system is located within or close to the population of an urban landscape and is managed by urban populations. | Refined wilding and design approaches aligned with ESHR for functional biodiversity [22] outcomes are relevant for urban agricultural systems; however, agricultural wilding [24] is relevant as well, with wild productive systems more likely to result. It is, therefore, an example of how refined wilding can result in wild productive systems. |
Urban green rooftops, walls, and ceilings | |
Urban green rooftops and exterior walls often result in climate variability and heat mitigation from hard surfaces in urban landscapes. They provide additional benefits, with air and water quality and noise quality by photosynthesis, filtration, and insulation from external noise and air provision, with some aesthetic benefits depending on a user’s preferences. Green interior walls and ceilings, which are not always urban but in most cases are, provide a different function, including noise insulation and air quality, including scents and filtration [54,55] and aesthetic benefits that are associated with health benefits, by relaxation and other hypertension factors [55,56]. Green roofs, walls, and ceilings perform differently than urban parks, forests, and gardens when discussing air pollutants and aerosols. They provide a different function for human health via mitigation, and expectations for design are, therefore, different but can be guided by the same parameters for urban landscapes by optimised requirements. These differences include how they regulate air pollution, contribute to pollen and allergenic aerosols, and how they mitigate heat radiation and filter or capture water. | Design approaches and refined wilding are relevant for these green space types, and exterior UGSs are most significant for ecological continuity across an urban landscape. As refined wilding works toward functional biodiversity, these factors for consideration can easily be integrated into a refined wilding design approach. |
Urban green corridors | |
Green corridors provide a connection between traditional UGS for various purposes, including fauna, pollinator, and insect habitat or forage, transport corridors, air quality, temperature regulation, or just an aesthetic function. They, therefore, provide a significant opportunity for ecological continuity between UGS and can be influenced by aesthetic preference and function, with selections determined by preferences. | Refined wilding as a design principle and a guiding concept that balances between aesthetic preferences and advanced functional biodiversity outcomes. |
Significant Considerations and Findings | Strategies and Recommendations for Pollen Exposures |
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Allergenic rhinitis affects 4 million people, reduces life quality, and burdens the health care system. Kabisch et al. [57] list clinical symptoms, including dermatitis, rhinitis, and respiratory complications such as asthma and symptoms indicative of worsening mental health [32,33]. Air pollutants and pollen types and counts influence allergenic symptoms. | Improved prevention of allergic symptoms of pollen allergy sufferers is considered a significant strategy, with symptom burdens, ozone or air pollutants, and pollen concentrations coordinated with behaviour change [58]. Determining different pollen types and different concentrations using in situ monitoring of pollen and forecasting that provides a finer scale with continuous implementation can improve the availability of relevant information for risk and recommendations for behaviour adaption. Recognising the significance of air pollution and ozone for humans and UGS. Reducing air pollutants. Urban development strategies, including considering eco tones between urban and regional or rural landscapes to address pollen exposures from outer urban landscapes. Providing allergenicity [59,60] findings by contextualising for human population, pollen type, air pollutants, and UGS type is essential. Urban planning at the system and landscape level, differentiating UGS planning strategies and studies to minimise the negative health effects on urban residents, such as allergies. Improve the risk information available and use it to improve opportunities for improved targeted behaviour changes, which can reduce medical treatment needed. Low risk according to pollutants combined with pollen exposure by different UGSs. |
Higher concentration on a hospital rooftop as compared to a park of allergenic pollen from PTSG with different symptoms as compared to urban parks [55]. | UGS-specific findings, design, and behaviours are required. Proven decreases in air pollutants in and because of UGS and between UGS (rooftops had higher allergen symptoms among the exposed as compared to a park). Ensure education and understanding of different UGS types and higher allergen symptoms. Ensure the public utilises the information and adapts behaviour to reduce the risk of exposure. Ensure different UGS are designed for specific use and type, and for continuity across UGS and urban landscapes. |
Pollen interactions and merging with air pollutants, which leads to the majority of pollen particles creating allergen containing aerosols, worsen symptoms amongst the exposed. Limited studies of pollen counts, concentrations, allergenic thresholds, and behaviour change. | Lower pollen particles that are allergenic with strategic and functional selections and spatial distributions of native and non-native plants. Lower air pollutants. Studies and designs that consider specific and comprehensive indicators for measurement and responsive design. Measures include tree and grass types, pollen types, and varying pollen concentrations and thresholds for allergenic symptoms. Designs for UGS should maintain diversity in PTSG. Include non allergenic trees, shrubs, and grasses in UGS with maintained native plant diversity. |
Summary | A functional design that finds a balance between these specific considerations of air quality and ecological function by system and landscape can provide an advanced function for urban functional biodiversity. |
Allergenic Species and Pollen Season: Advanced Knowledge for Functional Design | ||
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Allergenic PTSG are normally only a problem in the flowering season, for three months of the year. In most cases, wind-pollinated and species identified as the most harmful by aerosol exposure are to be avoided but can be managed with adapted human behaviour and locations away from high air pollutant rates. Urban landscapes are surroundings that rely on transport networks and can be considered higher in air pollutants, alongside manufacturing and mining locations. As allergens vary by region and climate, the variables to consider that support country- and regional-level studies for accurate estimations of risk will factor in types of allergens, pollen, air pollutants, moulds, mites, and other microbials from outdoor and indoor exposure [54,55]. Hasnain et al. [61] find that sensitisation to different indigenous pollens and moulds varies by country and region, determining allergenicity [59,60] as a regional and country-specific finding. | Regional and country-level studies are required to determine estimations of risk to allergens, pollen, and air pollutants. Indoor and outdoor exposures require study and consideration. | Allergenicity is region- and country-dependent. Sensitivity to pollen and air pollutant exposure is human-dependent. Indoor and outdoor exposure risks must be monitored. |
Recognising the allergenic potential of UGS is relatively unproven or unknown in detail of native and non-native species, additional studies have found that non-natives, while not necessarily less allergenic than natives, have different flowering seasons and, therefore, lengthen the pollen season and potential risk of exposure. In a study of the allergenic properties of 56 dry grasslands, 30% were allergenic, and most were natives [62]. From this study, the pool of non-natives contributed a larger biochemical diversity of allergens and flowered later than natives. The policies, strategies, and design and implementation of diverse, non- or low-allergen UGS vegetation must take the combination of native and non-native vegetation into account and must consider and monitor the abundance of allergenic species. This study suggests urban area populations are more susceptible to allergens; this might be qualified with air pollutants and UGS type. | Different flowering seasons and abundance of allergenic species and pollen. Air pollutants are regulated differently according to UGS type. | Functional selections that limit pollen season are required. Monitor the abundance of allergenic species and pollen content. Adapt behaviour to limit air pollutant and pollen exposure risks. Functionally biodiverse UGS can regulate air quality. |
Trees or shrubs that are high in pollen and rely on wind include cypress, box hedges, and pine trees. Avoid trees such as alder, birch, ash, Willow, elm, olive, mulberry, and white cedar. Pollinator-reliant PTSG are less likely to contribute to pollen-containing allergenic aerosols. Ref. [63] Non-obvious flowering PTSG are to be avoided. Ref. [60], wattle trees, native wildflowers pollinated by insects, birds, bees, etc., are less likely to be allergenic and, therefore, negatively impactful to human health. Diverse landscapes with many different plant types minimise the amount of pollen from any one species. Asters, goldenrods, and coneflowers are examples. Exceptions to the rule include cypress pine which are Australian native and allergenic trees. | Wind-reliant pollination increases a species’ allergenicity; pollinator-reliant species are less likely to negatively impact human health; Diversity in species can minimise the amount of any one type of pollen. | Diverse pollinator-reliant selections of PTSG could minimise the risk of pollen exposure in urban landscapes. Natives and non-natives are allergenic. |
Some studies consider the potential allergenicity of tree species to determine risks to human health. There are limited regulations for planting and maintaining allergenic versus non-allergenic in urban landscapes [13,14]. These regulations can be informed by improved and updated measures of the allergenicity of different tree and plant species, referred to as the value of potential allergenicity (VPA). Two studies in the Mediterranean found species, or native species provide further information about allergenic risks [59]. Some studies provide information about the allergenicity of each tree species, and other studies further analyse to determine the risk of an entire urban park, using VPA, the surface of the urban park, the number of species in the park, and the area occupied by each species and height of each tree. Composition and configuration by spatial distribution and arrangement of tree species are factored into this study. With these factors formulated, the urban park is rated for allergenicity risk, which is informative to the design and planning of UGS [64]. Across the Mediterranean, 41.3% of common Mediterranean urban trees from 150 urban forest species (trees and shrubs) have moderate- to very-high allergenicity, and they are not all native species [60]. | VPA varies by country and is not entirely determined by native species. Various trees and shrub species have different allergenicity. | Allergenicity is more significant than native selections. Local and regional studies of VPA are required. Planning and design must be responsive to these findings. Regulations could be required. |
Improved Understanding: Existing Knowledge Sets of Biodiversity in an Urban Landscape | Examples of How Refined Wilding Can Improve a Green Urban Space from Existing Knowledge Sets * |
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‘Ecological continuity’ from community gardens for urban biodiversity | |
Community gardens for ‘ecological continuity’ [43] and urban biodiversity, particularly when located in urban spaces, are determined by plant diversity and are almost continuously proven as beneficial. More precarious is considered for building land, and non-precarious on non-building land. The non-building lands can provide an ecological corridor with diverse and functional plant species selection and continuity by corridors across the urban landscape. With significant community garden coverage, the loss of community gardens is considered to represent a significant risk to ecological continuity. The emerging threats to garden biodiversity include their replacement by development, conversion to hard surfaces, and declining plot sizes. The points of connectivity between garden spaces and neighbouring plots are important with declining plot sizes. Adaptive green hard surfaces for connectivity are suggested as capable of addressing how biodiversity across an urban landscape with connectivity can provide biodiversity impacts of intensively diverse garden spaces. These hard surfaces could be adapted to UGS, rooftops and walls, or footpaths and roads of partial green surface coverage. | Refined wilding is relevant for any green urban space introduced to adapt to hard surface introductions. Landscape design provides not only an opportunity for human control and intervention for a biodiversity outcome but, when guided by a particular concept, can further encourage an intended outcome. With refined wilding guiding landscape design or urban gardens and green spaces, native and wild crops and plants are integrated at minimum proportions. The function of these systems is reliant on aspects of ESHR, which factors in human realities of the landscape and of each individual designing and maintaining and/or using the garden or green space, alongside ensuring an ecological function within the system, between garden and green urban space systems and at a landscape level. The importance of ecological niches for garden systems [46] as a complementary schematic analysis and considers different farm design approaches with a conceptual analysis guided by an ESHR-aligned design approach. The ecological continuity referred to for conservation and functional biodiversity for community gardens, or inclusive of community gardens, is determined by PTSG selection and spatial distribution. Therefore, determining which design can be guided by refined wilding. |
Novel urban ecosystems. | |
NUEs [13,14,65,66] emphasise the importance of native plants for UGS and some of the human barriers to seeing native plants further implemented in various UGS types. They also emphasise the importance of conserving semi-natural systems in urban landscapes. Spontaneous plants, lack of safety, and invasive risk provide an argument for design and structured terms for all urban ecosystems, as well as a need to address non-native plants and spontaneous plants (unattractiveness, lack of safety, and no cues to care) [21]. | Refined wilding provides design principles and intentions for a functionally biodiverse green space. It can address and refine spontaneous plant green spaces and improve the ability for human care and control of any UGS. It encourages native plant inclusion and functional native and non-native selections for various additional functions. A refined wilding UGS would, therefore, suit the definition of a novel urban ecosystem; also, the informing concept, ESHR, considers continuity and function across a landscape and with other UGS that are geographically close, alongside continuity and function between urban and outer-urban landscapes. |
Novel landscape designs | |
Design provides cues to care and a level of human control. ‘Design makes NUEs more acceptable by providing guidance for intervention’ [65,66,67] for professionals, but without findings for users of NUEs. Li and Nassauer [21] find that design provides cues to care by providing human control for organising and providing new uses and encourages a landscape approach for design [68]. Design makes NUEs more acceptable by providing defined guidance for intervention. The value of design is further supported for intervening and making native and biodiverse gardens and urban spaces functional, ecologically and for human purposes. The level of human control it provides can facilitate conservation and ecological continuity, not just by maintaining and conserving with realistic creation and maintenance strategies but with the function and complexity of ecological structures in each urban community garden or green space. Landscape designs that are novel are likely influenced and guided by knowledge sets organised within advanced concepts. | Landscape-level consideration of functional biodiversity encourages consideration of ecological connectivity between different green spaces and the creation of UGS and urban gardens, even on hard surfaces and built-up areas. Refined wilding furthers the functional ecological connectivity of such garden and urban green systems, with further implementation guidance provided with complementary schema and terms developed [21,31]. As refined wilding suits definitions of novel urban ecosystems and provides design principles, it addresses suggestions for and provides a novel landscape design. It also complements Carinanos et al.’s [60,69] informed design with health outcome focus suggestions for urban trees and parks. |
Wildlife friendly | |
Wildlife-friendly urban systems emphasise the importance of landscape connectivity and the management of gardens as a collection of gardens across scales from neighbourhood to city [44,45,46,47]. For an urban landscape with a limited intention for productivity as a spatially continuous intention across systems or landscape patches in a landscape, wildlife diversity or populations are encouraged or conserved with gardens, whether individual/residential or community. Van Helden et al. [51] discuss wildlife-friendly gardens with ponds, bird baths, and shelters for rare and endangered native species, contributing to biodiversity and conservation. Hwang and Jain [52] encourage landscape design for urban wildlife conservation, with design examples provided for an urban city. They suggest urban landscapes as opportunities for wildlife conservation, which require improvement across cities. Larson et al. [50] suggest residential gardens and ‘yards’ as significant opportunities to contribute to and support wildlife habitat in urban landscapes. Habitats and corridors for wildlife do not always need native or closer-to-wild urban green systems to be supportive. Plants more than grass are often found in wildlife supportive residential gardens. To retain viable populations, a landscape ecology framing is needed which can provide biological corridors and safe movement between UGS. Assigning particular spaces for wildlife to find habitat in urban landscapes can also address safety and impacts on built environment structures. The influence of human behaviour on wildlife and other taxonomic groups is almost as important to control as the threat of some wildlife to humans. | Where biodiverse UGS encourage wildlife and other taxonomic populations, they also provide more opportunities and encourage the importance of functionally biodiverse UGS that provide habitat and corridor function between habitat and forage environments. A refined wilding system can better support wildlife-friendly UGS by addressing human realities. The different needs and preferences of individual gardens and yards as compared to public parks and other UGS types can be accommodated. Individual gardens and yards are considered significant for wildlife-friendly urban landscapes. Human realities include safety and human health associated with wildlife abundance in urban landscapes; examples include human/wildlife interactions and zoonotic disease. With these factors well addressed in implementation and design, the resistance to wildlife-friendly UGS could decrease. ESHR encourages landscape ecological framing as an analytical schema that leads to refined wilding as a new term for the urban landscape. Intra-system considerations of an individual garden and of connection to neighbouring habitats or landscape patches can provide a system-to-system understanding of landscape ecology and connectivity. Design can improve landscape ecological connections and functional biodiversity outcomes. These considerations can be addressed with refined wilding-influenced PTSG selections across an urban landscape, particularly as ecological connectivity across an urban landscape can adapt design spaces for such purposes. |
Meadowscaping | |
Integrating native grasses and meadows can provide a sustainable alternative to traditional grass for residential or public gardens or parks [19,36]. Multi-layered vegetation, including tree canopy, might better address human health and functional biodiversity outcomes. | With variable findings regarding lawns and maintenance, refined wilding encourages an understanding of native grasses and maintenance approaches. However, meadows without tree canopy can provide sufficient function. All selections for advanced function are non-allergenic, have a limited pollen season, are not wind-pollinated, and are able to regulate air pollutants. |
Functional Biodiversity and Urban Green Spaces | ||
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(Diversity 11) (Biodiversity 12) Functional Functional diversity (2) Functional ecology (2) Functional connectivity (2) of a structure of green space network Functional roles Functional ecosystems Functional specificities of wild bee communities (refined wilding) Functional riparian corridors Functional specificities Functional habitat network Functional group Functional biotope Functional spontaneity (refined wilding) Function of urban parks Functional urban green space types Functional habitat network Functional diversity and urban bird Functional traits Ecological functionalities Functional and taxonomic biodiversity approaches Species richness to functional community structure. Linking functional and structural connectivity Multi-function Multi-function by human use Multi-scale landscape patterns Multifunctional (4) green infrastructure Multifunctional design of sustainable drainage (blue or aquatic space with green space) Multifunctional urban green space (2). Bioretention swales as multifunctional landscapes Spontaneous vegetation: more than weeds Province trees Diversity Structural diversity Diversity of urban birds Spatial patterns and drivers of plant diversity. Plant species diversity (refined wilding) Mammal diversity Identifying diversity Tree species diversity and composition Soundscape diversity (layers of vegetation and trees) Urban forest diversity Taxonomic diversity Butterfly richness and diversity | Ecological Avian ecological diversity Ecological quality Landscape heterogeneity Private trees as compared to urban forests Sustainable urban futures: ecological approach Plant/pollinator interactions Trait-based Ground dwelling anthropoids Parasitoid wasps Overabundance of species Vegetation structure Urban Urban biodiversity Urban ecosystems services Urban green connectivity and multi-functionality Urban green space dynamics Urban ecosystem regeneration (refined wilding) Urban green space standards Urban residents value Landscape Landscape structure and function (2), edges and adjacent Landscape connectivity Landscape construction and bird diversity Ecology of air Composition Vegetation structure and composition across UGS types ‘Composition and structure of the local plant community’ Composition and functional diversity of urban flora Habitat Habitat network construction Habitat fragmentation and connectivity Animal habitat construction Native Indigenous plants Native or exotic Role of natives in urban greening Plant native Native and non-native: role in urban pollinator networks Wild Wild flowers Design Assemblages (refined wilding and design | Additional search term results by relevance Renaturing (refined wilding) Green Neighbouring green network and landscape metric Restorative urban green spaces Green corridors in urban landscapes, domestic gardens Green roofs Urban green networking Regreening the metropolis Green infrastructure (2) Regreening (2) Human preferences Mental and physical fitness and cultural dimensions Aerobiomes Urban green space Effects of UGS on water partitioning Urban green networking Restorative urban green spaces Effects of UGS on water partitioning Vegetation structure and composition across UGS types Role of natives in urban greening Urban green space standards Multifunctional urban green space (2). Functional urban green space types Biodiversity in urban green spaces Functional urban green space types Urban green space dynamics Quality green space Effects of UGS on water partitioning Green space characteristics Green space functionality Quality green space Green space characteristics Land surface temperature and green spaces Biodiversity Biodiversity patterns Biodiversity in urban green spaces Integrating biodiversity Maintenance and biodiversity Nature connectedness and biodiversity Fungal biodiversity Facets of biodiversity: edible forests Tree biodiversity Increasing biodiversity Spontaneous biodiversity Trait-based approach for sustainable benefits of biodiversity |
‘Functional Biodiversity and Cities’ | |
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Functional Functional networks of green spaces: landscape spatial patterns Functional roles: integrating biodiversity as a non-human stakeholder Functional traits Functional biodiversity metrics Functional spontaneity Functional corridor connected green areas Functional traits for species Functional, structural and aesthetic aspects Wild Wilding cities for biodiversity Wildlife friendly Biodiversity Biodiverse city Biophilia: urban biodiversity for biophilic cities Biodiversity in gardens Air Aerobiomes Air quality (2) Aerosols with pollen particles | Green Urban green infrastructure Quality urban green spaces (2) Common green connectivity Ecology Hierarchical filters Community assemblages of urban species pool Ecological continuity Plant selections Multi-layered vegetation Native Native plants Native plants, grasses, and trees Native meadows Novel Novel urban ecosystems Novel landscape design Planning Reorientation Meadowscaping vs. lawns |
Journal and Disciplinary Knowledge Sets from Research and Practice | |
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Biology Biological conservation (3) Biodiversity and conservation (3) Bioscience Biological reviews Journal of biological diversity Urban biodiversity Plant archives Ecology Urban ecosystems (8) Ecological engineering (2) Journal of applied ecology (2) Ecological indicators (2) Ecosystem services (2) Journal of applied ecology Urban ecology Ecology and evolution Ecological Ecological applications Frontiers in ecology and the environment Austral ecology Ecography Energy, ecology and environment Journal of animal ecology Eco cities Journal of urban ecology Frontiers in ecology Basic and applied ecology Ecological research Trends in ecology and evolution Medical and health British medical bulletin International journal of environment and public health World Health Organisation (WHO) Oencologia Frontiers in microbiology Cities Making green cities Greening cities forms and functions Economics Beyond CBA | Sustainability Sustainability (2) Frontiers in sustainable cities Sustainable cities and society Sustainable development Current opinion of environmental sustainability. Centre for sustainable infrastructure development Journal Urban Urban forestry and urban greening (5) Landscape and urban planning (3) Contemporary urban design thinking Science Science and pollution Scientific Report Nature and science Science and the total environment Science and policy Journal of land use science Social science European journal of social science research Plurality, diversity and multicultural Frontiers in psychology Environment Environmental research (2) Environmental research Building and environment Mobility and environment Environmental monitoring and assessment Floresta y ambience Landscapes and land use Doctoral thesis: landscape architecture Conference on landscape and urban horticulture Landscape research Journal of faculty of architecture Land use policy (3) Land (2) Remote sensing ISPRS Remote sensing Revista |
Relevant to Functional Biodiversity and Refined Wilding | |
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Vegetation structure Multi-layered Native selections Assemblages Landscape design Novel ecosystems Aesthetic preferences Human safety and health: air quality, pollen and wildlife, vector-borne disease, zoonotic disease. Capability: design and maintenance Non-allergenic native selections Adapted human behaviour in pollen season Pollen and air quality UGS type, air quality and human health Heat mitigation Water filtration Ecology of air Landscape connectivity Noise and soundscape | Landscape connectivity Spontaneous greenery Green corridors Green space connectivity Wild cities (functional and refined) Biophilia Aesthetic preferences Sensescaping (scents, visual, sounds) therapy and health Ecological continuity across paved (grey) and urban green spaces Mammals, insects, and fauna included in urban biodiversity Wildlife friendly Tree canopy, green roofs vs. vegetation for human health and air quality Air, noise and water quality: impacts on respiratory, skin, and mental health [28,29,32,33]. Biotope Meadowscaping Renaturing |
Significant Points |
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Functional biodiversity is a rarely used term for urban landscapes as per published articles reviewed. |
The terms used with similar definitions or intentions can be comprehensively defined or organised by refined wilding as a concept for urban landscapes that work toward functional biodiversity. |
Verifying and contextualising functional biodiversity and refined wilding for the urban landscape emphasises the opportunity for advanced function. Advanced and specific studies from different disciplinary fields must be considered for the advanced function of biodiversity for UGSs and urban landscapes. |
Trends in urban development and changes in urban development, planned or unplanned, provide opportunities for functional biodiversity interventions and adaptions using refined wilding as a preventative and improvement approach toward already set sustainability goals. |
There are several different types of UGSs. Gardens, forests, urban agriculture, urban parks, meadows, residential yards, grassy lawns, green roofs, and rain gardens [19]. |
UGSs provide a significant opportunity for improved sustainability outcomes in urban landscapes. A landscape type that has a significant influence on economic, environmental, and societal outcomes and that requires maintained improvement. Urban grey spaces require almost the same consideration and both are reciprocally influential to blue spaces, aerobiomes, and air quality (sound, sight, climate). Refined wilding can achieve a balance in function across all UST, aerobiomes, and other aspects of air quality as a matter of adequately reaching advanced interdisciplinary studies as relevant for each particular UGS and urban landscape. |
Native systems are also more conducive and acceptable to ecological function while leading to self-maintained or low-maintenance systems. They must, however, be designed for urban landscapes to ensure the functionality of biodiversity. |
Human health in an urban environment can emphasise some negative aspects of urban biodiverse systems and landscapes, including pollen count and taxonomy groups of wildlife, reptiles, and insects. Design can address these drawbacks, with examples of plant selections that are non-allergenic, how pollen exposure is influenced by pollen seasons, which can be extended by combinations of non-natives and natives, and layers in UGSs that provide various functions, including noise and air filtration, alongside the complexity of the ecological function of the modified natural environment system. |
UGS with multi-layered vegetation and tree canopy of non-allergenic native and non-native selections that have a limited pollen season. |
Wild plants, as native or indigenous by definitional terms, are already recognised as significant for urban biodiversity outcomes but must be functional for the human population as well as for the natural environment and for ecological function. |
Meadows and native grasses can address human health impacts of pollen in urban landscapes as advanced function systems. |
Human populations must adapt some behaviours and interactions for the function of the natural environment. |
The size, type, quality, and capacity of UGS affect visit volume and frequency [26,27] and are relevant to users of public green spaces but are determined by the designer and urban planner in most cases, with the exception of spontaneous green spaces. A residential garden is not included in these statistics for accessibility. While UGSA is limited by spatial equity, with higher-income countries having better access compared to cities in low-income countries [26] the quality of UGS by income of city or country could be measured to balance and further qualify the finding. The quality of UGS [28] can significantly influence human health, and access can improve human health, but it is not essential. UGSA, may be as significant as the quality of UGS. Physical activity without green spaces can maintain human health in lower socioeconomic urban landscapes that have lower accessibility. |
Selections of natives and non-natives must be functional for ecological conditions in the system and across systems and must factor in human health, pollen season length, and allergenic selections. |
Wildlife integrated into an urban landscape requires system and landscape connectivity, and human and wildlife safety considerations. |
Techniques for maintenance are significant for functional biodiversity outcomes. |
Native and diverse UGSs are often found to be low maintenance and sustainable, but function is not assumed. |
Designing for ecological connectivity within and between systems and across urban landscapes can factor in the safety of wildlife and human interactions while providing habitat, forage, and corridors for travelling between natural environments without human exposure. |
Design that ensures functional structures for native PTSG provides human control and cues for care that encourage long-term functional biodiversity outcomes. |
Design by selection and distribution in any green urban space is an essential consideration for function. |
An example of the novelty of refined wilding is how it can improve an understanding of spontaneous urban greenery, which is often resisted by preference but presents a significant opportunity for functional biodiversity in an urban landscape. |
Refined wilding design approaches and functional biodiversity can integrate and maintain spontaneous urban greenery and informal UGS with the encouraged understanding of the greenery as native with decreased need for maintenance and with ecological functions. |
Introduce and abide by regulations for planting and maintaining allergenic versus non-allergenic plants in urban landscapes. |
Some Commonly Understood and Practiced Aspects of Sustainable UGS | How Refined Wilding Addresses Each of the Existing Practices |
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Native or indigenous plants | Functional native and non-native selections assembled for a natural system function and function for human populations. |
Water regulation | Selections of grasses and location of UGS; advanced design by PTSG selections and soil patterns; functional integration of UGS with built environment and infrastructure. |
Air quality | Stratification and PTSG selections determined by design for functional ecological complexity and UGS type. |
Low pollen | PTSG selections and functional native and non-native selections for limited pollen season. |
Low maintenance | Semi-natural or natural ecological systems determined by wild PTSG selections and design for function. |
Ecological connectivity between UGS, particularly community gardens | Ecological urban corridors; multi-function of ecological urban corridors for wildlife, different taxa, water regulation, and air quality; increases in UGS quality and number; improvements in informal UGS; increases in UGS in built environments, outdoor and indoor, rooftop, walls, indoors. |
Wildlife habitat, forage, and transit | PTSG selections and design for habitat dependent on UGS type. Provision of a concept and design system that can provide aesthetic and built environment preferences and requirements while accommodating wildlife-friendly requirements and strategies. Integrated considerations of wildlife function as mammals and pollinators. |
Limited preference for spontaneous urban greenery and informal UGSs | Conceptual guidance and design approach that can improve understanding of how spontaneous greenery and informal urban greenery can be integrated for aesthetic and safety preferences. |
Meadowscaping | Refined wilding encourages wild PTSG selections and encourages selections that are low allergenic, functional, and conducive to meadowscaping; lower maintenance but different aesthetics. Plants can provide wildlife-friendly residential gardens more than grasses. |
Anthropogenic assemblages | ESHR-aligned and refined wilding design as selections and spatial distributions at system and landscape level. |
Diversity of taxa | Ecological function and complexity as associated with PTSG selections and spatial distributions. |
Multi-layered vegetation; stratification; tree canopy | Ecological complexity by structures, vertical and horizontal of a system and landscape. Inclusion of plants, trees, shrubs, and/or grasses as functional inclusions by ESHR definition of functional biodiversity. |
Microhabitats | Ecological niches [46]. |
Summarised Points for Advanced Functional Design for UGS That Accommodate Pollen Exposure Risks to Human Health. |
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Lower air pollutants during pollen season. Limit pollen season using functional and coordinated PTSG selections. Select pollinator-dependent selection and design of UGS which adequately maintain these diversities and populations. Use non-allergenic and diverse PTSG in UGS [60] Effective monitoring and communication of pollen counts and concentrations combined with air pollutants can inform UGS redesign and/or behaviour change [58,59,64]. For behaviour change: Increase visitation to parks and forests as compared to green roofs or other UGS types that might not have multiple functions. Increase visitation to UGS with non-allergenic and diverse PTSG during pollen season or when air pollutants are significant. Decrease visitation to UGS that are allergenic during pollen season. Decrease visitation during high air pollutant days/weeks/months when pollen exposure risk is high. Ecological connectivity between UGS with these functional attributes is maintained. As pollen exposure risk is publicly available, make safe UGS according to pollen seasons and exposure risk publicly available. |
Summarised Points for Refined Wilding Design for UGS That Accommodate Wildlife Friendly Strategies for Advanced Function |
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Provide various habitat types, forage, and/or transport corridors for different wildlife types. Health considerations that can be designed for: Disease contracted from wildlife; Attacks from either a human or wildlife; Attracting wildlife to locations that are safe for reasons of traffic, electricity lines, or other examples. Landscape-level connectivity considerations UGSs connect and contribute adequately to an ecological continuity that is functional for wildlife activity in an urban landscape. Consideration of outskirt urban systems and landscapes, including roads and public transport infrastructure, which can be addressed with biological corridors that provide transit and transport as well as habitat for different wildlife. In built-up urban landscapes, these considerations are different from biological corridors between natural environment landscapes. Road or public transport infrastructure, again different by UGS type, garden as compared to forest. Complementary to the specific points for air quality and pollen exposures in Table 11, where wildlife includes pollinators, design approaches for an urban landscape that integrates wildlife-friendly strategies and provides additional consideration for advanced function for biodiverse urban landscapes. Larson et al. [50] emphasise residential gardens as significant opportunities to provide habitat for wildlife. Van Helden et al. [51] discuss wildlife-friendly gardens. Hwang and Jain [52] encourage landscape design for wildlife consideration. |
Measure and understand the local landscape and individual green spaces and connect grey and transparent spaces by ecological (plant and taxa diversities) and human realities. | ||
Design and guide for landscape connectivity and advanced function. | ||
Wildlife-friendly, including understanding habitat quality and importance and connectivity across an urban landscape; air quality and human health, including non-allergenic native or non-native refined wild systems with limited pollen seasons. | Human health-orientated UGS design and urban landscape design using refined wilding with consideration of transparent spaces, stratification, and ecological complexity according to UGS. Human behaviour: Ensure human health benefits by physical activity, location of UGS, and air quality benefits; Ensure quality of UGS without or with increases in the quantity of UGS. | |
Green spaces | Improving the quality of different UGS, types, and increasing UGS coverage and accessibility where functional biodiversity outcomes as optimal are or will be achieved, | |
Grey spaces | Increasing coverage and quality of green spaces on grey spaces of the built environment. Improving understanding of spontaneous greenery as a functional biodiversity aspect. Work from advanced function examples in sustainable building design, sustainable informal space design, and sustainable temporary space design and use. | |
Transparent (aquatic and air) spaces | Ensure the function of green and grey spaces provides a positive influence on transparent spaces, with filtrations, limiting pollutants, aerosols, and pollen exposures and improving as sensescapes and for health benefit functions. |
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Vogt, M. Refined Wilding for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes: A Verification and Contextualisation. Urban Sci. 2025, 9, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9020021
Vogt M. Refined Wilding for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes: A Verification and Contextualisation. Urban Science. 2025; 9(2):21. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9020021
Chicago/Turabian StyleVogt, Melissa. 2025. "Refined Wilding for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes: A Verification and Contextualisation" Urban Science 9, no. 2: 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9020021
APA StyleVogt, M. (2025). Refined Wilding for Functional Biodiversity in Urban Landscapes: A Verification and Contextualisation. Urban Science, 9(2), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9020021