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Forests
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Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology
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Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 23 May 2025 | Viewed by 9656

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chunlin Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Interests: urban landscape ecology; remote sensing; ecological modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Tiemao Shi

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Institute of Spatial Planning and Design, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
Interests: landscape ecology; urban planning; ecosystem services
Dr. Tangao Hu

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of International Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Interests: land use and land cover; urban heat island; urban flooding
Dr. Zhibin Ren

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Interests: urban forest; ecological services; landscape pattern; urbanization; remote sensing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban green infrastructures (UGIs, i.e., forests, parks, shrubs, green roofs, etc.), as natural elements in a city, could provide multiple benefits to people in the urban environment. UGIs should be capable of addressing the major challenges of urbanization, such as improving the quality of life, promoting social cohesion and environmental justice, protecting biodiversity, and adapting to climate change, thereby supporting sustainable urban development.

Planning and designing new generation UGIs require the use of landscape ecology theory, through which the pattern evolution characteristics of UGI could be evaluated and its impact on ecosystem service functions such as atmosphere, hydrological cycle, and thermal environment could be analyzed, which will aid in adequate management of urban planning and pattern optimization.

The goal of this Special Issue is to publish new research on the multifunctional ecosystem of UGI in order to deepen our understanding of the impact of various ecological functions of UGIs and to develop sustainable solutions for urban ecosystem management with enhanced ability to respond to climate change.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chunlin Li
Prof. Dr. Tiemao Shi
Dr. Tangao Hu
Dr. Zhibin Ren
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban greening
  • nature-based solutions
  • urban landscape ecology
  • ecosystem services
  • urban forest management
  • urban planning
  • landscape architecture

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 11521 KiB  
Article
Constructing a Future Green Space Ecological Network Based on Multi-Scenario Urban Expansion: A Case Study of Chengdu, Sichuan, China
by Yushu Luo, Yuan Zhou, Bei Li, Pengyao Li, Li Zhang and Shunbin Ning
Forests 2024, 15(10), 1818; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101818 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 930
Abstract
As urban spaces expand, changes in land use significantly affect the structure and function of urban ecosystems, particularly with challenges such as green space reduction and uneven distribution. This study focused on the central urban area of Chengdu, China, simulating and forecasting various [...] Read more.
As urban spaces expand, changes in land use significantly affect the structure and function of urban ecosystems, particularly with challenges such as green space reduction and uneven distribution. This study focused on the central urban area of Chengdu, China, simulating and forecasting various urban development scenarios for 2035, including cultivated land protection (CP), economic development (ED), ecological priority (EP), and natural development (ND). The construction of green space ecological networks followed a systematic process, incorporating key methods such as ecological source identification, landscape resistance surface construction, and ecological corridor extraction. The connectivity of these ecological networks was assessed using the space syntax. The results indicated that: (1) Construction land expanded across all scenarios, with the ED scenario having the largest area, while the EP scenario resulted in a significant increase in green space. (2) Ecological corridors were established under every scenario, with the EP scenario featuring the most extensive and well-connected network, linking urban green patches with surrounding natural areas. (3) The EP scenario’s ecological network displayed integration, choice, connectivity, and depth values that indicate the most complete and stable network structure. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of green space ecological network changes under different urban development strategies, offering valuable insights for optimizing urban green space planning and management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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10 pages, 1486 KiB  
Article
Distance Decay of Urban Park Visitation: Roles of Personal Characteristics and Visitation Patterns
by Di Shu, Yulin Peng, Ziyu Zhang, Ruirui Shi, Can Wu, Dexin Gan and Xiaoma Li
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1589; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091589 - 10 Sep 2024
Viewed by 863
Abstract
Distance decay of urban park visitation (e.g., visitation number and visitation frequency) has been widely acknowledged and is increasingly integrated into urban park planning and management considering spatial accessibility and service equity. However, thorough understandings especially concerning the variations among visitors with different [...] Read more.
Distance decay of urban park visitation (e.g., visitation number and visitation frequency) has been widely acknowledged and is increasingly integrated into urban park planning and management considering spatial accessibility and service equity. However, thorough understandings especially concerning the variations among visitors with different personal characteristics and visitation patterns are still scarce. Taking Changsha, China as an example, we collected data on visitation distance (i.e., the distance between urban parks and visitor’s homes) and visitation frequency of 2535 urban park visitors, modeled the distance decay of visitation density and visitation frequency, and investigated their variations among visitors with different personal characteristics and visitation patterns. The results show that: (1) The median visitation distance was 1.3 km and the median visitation frequency was 24 times per season. (2) Both visitation density and visitation frequency showed clear spatial patterns of distance decay and can be effectively modeled using common distance decay functions (e.g., power function, exponential function, and logarithmic function). (3) Visitors’ characteristics (e.g., gender and age) and visitation patterns (e.g., duration time, transportation modes, and visitation purposes) significantly impact visitation distance, visitation frequency, and the characteristics of distance decay (i.e., the rate of distance decay). These findings extend our understanding of the distance decay of urban park visitation which can help better urban park planning and management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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20 pages, 5663 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Urban Forest Fragmentation and Urban Shrinkage in China Differentiated by Moisture and Altitude
by Jingchuan Zhou, Weidong Man, Mingyue Liu and Lin Chen
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1522; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091522 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 826
Abstract
Forest fragmentation and urban shrinkage have become the focus of attention in global ecological conservation, with the goal of achieving sustainable development. However, few studies have been concerned with urban forest patterns in shrinking cities. It is necessary to explore whether the loss [...] Read more.
Forest fragmentation and urban shrinkage have become the focus of attention in global ecological conservation, with the goal of achieving sustainable development. However, few studies have been concerned with urban forest patterns in shrinking cities. It is necessary to explore whether the loss of the population will mitigate urban forest degradation. Thus, in this study, 195 shrinking cities were identified based on demographic datasets to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of urban forests in China against a depopulation background. To illustrate the explicit spatial evolution of urban forests in shrinking cities in China, in this study, we reclassified land-use products and determined the annual spatial variations from 2000 to 2022 using area-weighted centroids and landscape pattern indexes. The effects of different climatic and topographical conditions on the spatiotemporal variations in the urban forest patterns against population shrinkage were discussed. The results demonstrated that the forest coverage rate in the shrinking cities of China increased from 40.05 to 40.47% with a generally southwestern orientation, and the most frequent decrease appeared from 2010 to 2015. Except for the temperate humid and sub-humid Northeast China, with plains and hills, all geographical sub-regions of the shrinking cities exhibited growing urban forests. Relatively stable movement direction dynamics and dramatic area changes in climatic sub-regions with large forest coverage were observed. The urban forest centroids of shrinking cities at a lower elevation exhibited more fluctuating changes in direction. The urban forests in the shrinking cities of China were slightly fragmented, and this weakened condition was identified via the decelerating fragmentation. The urban forests of the shrinking cities in the warm-temperate, humid, and sub-humid North China and basin regions exhibited the most pattern variations. Therefore, it is emphasized that the monitoring of policy implementation is essential due to the time lag of national policies in shrinking cities, especially within humid and low-altitude regions. This research concludes that the mitigation of urban deforestation in the shrinking cities of China is greatly varied according to moisture and altitude and sheds light on the effects of the population density from a new perspective, providing support for urban forest management and improvements in the quality of residents’ lives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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17 pages, 4978 KiB  
Article
Landscape Patterns of Green Spaces Drive the Availability and Spatial Fairness of Street Greenery in Changchun City, Northeastern China
by Lu Xiao, Wenjie Wang, Zhibin Ren, Chenhui Wei and Xingyuan He
Forests 2024, 15(7), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15071074 - 21 Jun 2024
Viewed by 972
Abstract
Understanding the determinants of the availability and spatial fairness of street greenery is crucial for improving urban green spaces and addressing green justice concerns. While previous studies have mainly examined factors influencing street greenery from an aerial perspective, there has been limited investigation [...] Read more.
Understanding the determinants of the availability and spatial fairness of street greenery is crucial for improving urban green spaces and addressing green justice concerns. While previous studies have mainly examined factors influencing street greenery from an aerial perspective, there has been limited investigation into determinants at eye level, which more closely aligns with people’s actual encounters with green spaces. To address this, the Green View Index (GVI) and Gini coefficient were used to assess the availability and spatial fairness of street greenery from a pedestrian’s perspective, using Baidu Street View (BSV) images across 49 subdistricts in Changchun City, China. A dataset of 33,786 BSV images from 1877 sites was compiled. Additionally, 21 explanatory factors were collected and divided into three groups: socioeconomic, biogeographic, and landscape patterns. The Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) method was employed to assess the relative influence and marginal effects of these factors on street greenery’s availability and spatial fairness. The results showed that street greenery’s availability and spatial fairness are predominantly influenced by landscape patterns. Specifically, the percentage of landscape and edge density emerged as the most significant factors, exhibiting a threshold effect on the availability and fairness of street greenery. Increasing the proportion and complexity of urban green spaces can efficiently enhance the availability and spatial fairness of street greenery. These findings lay a new foundation for urban green infrastructure management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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18 pages, 2847 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Particulate Matter, Heavy Metals, and Carbon Deposition Capacities of Urban Tree Species in Tehran, Iran
by Sahar Elkaee, Anoushirvan Shirvany, Mazaher Moeinaddini and Farzaneh Sabbagh
Forests 2024, 15(2), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020273 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1474
Abstract
Air pollution is a pressing environmental concern in urban areas, with particulate matter (PM) posing serious health and environmental threats. Urban greening has emerged as a potential solution to capture and retain PM. This study assesses the PM deposition capacity of five common [...] Read more.
Air pollution is a pressing environmental concern in urban areas, with particulate matter (PM) posing serious health and environmental threats. Urban greening has emerged as a potential solution to capture and retain PM. This study assesses the PM deposition capacity of five common tree species: Morus alba (M. alba), Ailanthus altissima (A. altissima), Platanus orientalis (P. orientalis), Robinia pseudoacacia (R. pseudoacacia), and Ulmus minor (U. minor) in two highly polluted sites in Tehran, Iran. Additionally, this study investigates the accumulation of heavy metals (Ni, Fe, Cd, and Pb), Organic Carbon (OC), Elemental Carbon (EC), and Total Carbon (TC) on the leaves of these tree species. The results demonstrate species-specific differences in PM deposition capacity, with U. minor and M. alba showing high PM retention. A. altissima exhibits strong capability in adsorbing PM 0.1–2.5, while U. minor demonstrates greater retention of PM > 2.5. Moreover, the deposition of heavy metals varies among species, with R. pseudoacacia and A. altissima capturing higher levels. This study highlights the significance of appropriate tree utilization in urban environments against air pollution in order to make the air healthier in major cities. Awareness of the different tree species capacities leads urban planners and policymakers to make intelligent decisions about urban greening initiatives to improve air quality and overall well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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26 pages, 6061 KiB  
Article
Modeling Management-Relevant Urban Forest Stand Characteristics to Optimize Carbon Storage and Sequestration
by Jenna Drolen, Leslie Brandt, Yanning Wei and Ray Dybzinski
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2207; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112207 - 7 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1606
Abstract
Urban forests are an essential part of adaptation and mitigation solutions for climate change. To understand the relationship between carbon storage, sequestration, and stand density in the most heavily-managed aspect of the urban forest—street trees—we modified the parameters and algorithms of a rural [...] Read more.
Urban forests are an essential part of adaptation and mitigation solutions for climate change. To understand the relationship between carbon storage, sequestration, and stand density in the most heavily-managed aspect of the urban forest—street trees—we modified the parameters and algorithms of a rural forest dynamics model, the perfect plasticity approximation (PPA), to reflect urban street tree conditions. The main changes in the new street tree PPA are the maintenance of a prescribed stand density via management of recruitment, the possibility of crown-roof overlap, and increased mortality rates. Using the street tree PPA, we explored overall productivity, crown allometry relative to stem diameter, and mortality rate to test each mechanism’s impact on urban street tree carbon storage and sequestration across a gradient of prescribed stand density, with the goal of finding conditions in which street tree carbon storage and sequestration are optimized. We compared the qualitative trends in storage from the street tree PPA to those found in the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban Forest Inventory Analysis data. We found that carbon storage and sequestration increase with prescribed density up to a point where carbon storage and sequestration saturate. Optimized carbon storage and sequestration result from a stand with high productivity, maximized crown allometry relative to stem diameter, and a low mortality rate. These insights can be used to inform urban street tree maintenance strategies that effectively increase carbon storage and sequestration within a given city, such as focusing afforestation campaigns on adequate areas with the lowest street tree densities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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17 pages, 3351 KiB  
Article
A LiDAR-Driven Effective Leaf Area Index Inversion Method of Urban Forests in Northeast China
by Chang Zhai, Mingming Ding, Zhibin Ren, Guangdao Bao, Ting Liu, Zhonghui Zhang, Xuefei Jiang, Hongbo Ma and Haisen Lin
Forests 2023, 14(10), 2084; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102084 - 18 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1626
Abstract
Leaf area index (LAI) stands as a pivotal parameter for the quantitative assessment of vegetation growth dynamics, and the rapid acquisition of the effective leaf area index (LAIe) in different scales is crucial for forest ecological monitoring. In this study, forest structure parameters [...] Read more.
Leaf area index (LAI) stands as a pivotal parameter for the quantitative assessment of vegetation growth dynamics, and the rapid acquisition of the effective leaf area index (LAIe) in different scales is crucial for forest ecological monitoring. In this study, forest structure parameters were derived from fusion point cloud data obtained through Airborne Laser Scanning and Terrestrial Laser Scanning in three coniferous forests. The influence of point diameter on the extraction of different forest structure parameters was examined, and an in-depth analysis of the correlations between these parameters and measured LAIe was undertaken. The LAIe inversion model was constructed, and its performance for different forest types was studied. The results show that the precision of the extracted forest structure parameters was highest when the point diameter was set to 0.1 cm. Among the 10 forest structure parameters, internal canopy structures such as canopy openness (CO), gap fraction (GF) and canopy closure (CC) were significantly correlated with measured LAIe (p < 0.01), and the correlations between different forest types were significantly different. In addition, the multiparameter LAIe inversion model was able to distinguish forest type and thus better stimulate measured LAIe; also, it appeared closer to the 1:1 relationship line than the voxel model. This study made up for the inefficiency of LAIe measurement with optical instruments and the inaccuracy of passive remote sensing measurement and proved the possibility of LAIe extraction at a large scale via LiDAR in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Landscape Ecology)
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