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Considerable effort and money are spent to promulgate greener, more biodiverse cities with a fundamental push to increase the green connectivity between remnant urban bushlands and with their surrounding natural habitats (ecological reserves and National Parks). Yet, cities are recognised as major point of entry for biological invasions and provide abundant shelter and food resources to sustain established populations of invasive species. An increased connectivity of green spaces across the cities could therefore create new hazards for the health and safety of native species and the human residents. In Australia, most greening strategies designed for large urban centres only consider invasive species as a secondary nuisance that can be managed a posteriori. Established pest populations are very difficult and costly to control unless the effort is invested at the early stage of invasion and lethal control of wildlife is often controversial in urban landscapes. A novel approach that has yet to be further explored consists of manipulating the habitat within the urban green spaces and corridors so as to maintain their functionality for biodiversity and their benefits for human residents while slowing the spread of invasive species. The key to success involves cross-disciplinary research between urban design, conservation and biosecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensification of agricultural production to support demographic growth has been invoked as a necessary correlate to the important socio-economic changes involved in the urbanisation process of Western Central Italy at the beginning of the 1st millennium BCE. Yet, the agricultural economy of the early urban centres in the region remains poorly understood. Ongoing excavations at Gabii provide a new substantial archaeobotanical dataset that allows the investigation of crop production and farming practices during the transitional period between the eighth and the sixth century BCE. This study presents a multi-proxy approach that integrates archaeobotanical data with carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses on charred cereal grains to reconstruct Gabii's crop husbandry regimes. Our results show an unexpected local combination of staples in which barley is the most common crop. No significant changes are visible throughout the period suggesting a remarkable consistency in crop selection and persistence of traditional practices. The stable nitrogen isotope analysis has revealed low values that we argue could be an indication of intercropping cereals and pulses. A drop in the water availability during the sixth century BCE could be related to a combination of environmental factors, human behaviours, and, possibly, production stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas can be both detrimental for pollinators or function as suitable habitats, depending on the land-use type, the urban context and the pollinator group in focus. Urban green spaces, including gardens, parks or cemeteries can provide essential resources for a wide range of pollinator groups, like wild bees, hoverflies and beetles. Urban community gardens can be particularly structurally complex and harbour a diverse range of nesting and food resources for pollinators. However, we know little about how garden features may vary with the urban context of gardens and which specific garden features can increase the abundance of pollinators in general and of different pollinator groups. Over two summer seasons, we recorded garden features and pollinators using flower observations in 33 urban community gardens in Munich and Berlin, Germany. We examined how garden features differ amongst urban community gardens from three urbanisation categories, and analysed the effects of garden features such as floral and nesting resources and landscape imperviousness (as indicator of urbanisation) on pollinator abundance, richness and diversity. In more urbanised gardens, flower richness and bare substrate were less prevalent. Flower richness was positively correlated with overall pollinator abundance, richness and diversity as well as with the abundances of all pollinator taxa excluding beetles. Landscape imperviousness was negatively correlated with hoverfly and beetle abundances. Hoverflies also decreased with increasing bare substrate and wasp abundance decreased with increasing deadwood availability. Our findings highlight the important role of flower richness for insect conservation in urban management and show that pollinator taxa react differently to garden features and urbanisation. To support pollinating insects, gardeners can increase flower richness, especially in highly urbanised areas. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a synthesis of zooarchaeological evidence from 27 medieval and post-medieval sites from Finland. These faunal samples derive from rural, town, manor, castle and ecclesiastic sites, and their production and consumption patterns were examined by studying the role of the major domesticates (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). As taxonomic abundance in faunal material may be altered by taphonomic processes, such as burning, these factors were assessed before comparison. The animal husbandry system in Finland was shaped by environmental constraints that limited the number of animals that could be kept over winter. However, some specialisations were observed within the frame of the basic pattern. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of zooarchaeological data in the study of animal husbandry and consumption and production patterns. These findings support data integration as a useful tool for understanding general large-scale processes, such as urbanisation, development, environmental adaptation and the specialisation of animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 19th century, with the development of industrialisation, there has been a process of change and transformation from rural to urban areas. In fact, with industrialisation, the employment opportunities of the city in the fight against poverty have taken their place as one of the main factors accelerating rural-urban migration. Increasing migration and the fact that the city has exceeded its current carrying capacity have created the need for spatial expansion towards the periphery. Globalisation and competition in world markets, which became dominant in the 1980s, have been identified as another important factor that has increased urban-rural occupation. The aim of this study is to prevent the destruction of agricultural areas, which are of primary importance for vital activities, in the urban-rural relationship and to raise awareness on this issue. Within the scope of the study, Torbalı district of Izmir was selected as the sample area. Geographical Information Systems and plans of Torbalı district at different scales were used as a method. In this direction, the aim is to monitor the impact of urban development trends in Torbalı on agricultural areas in temporal (1990, 2000, 2012, and 2022) and spatial terms. Consequently, it has been established how much of the urban settlement areas in the Torbalı district, particularly the development and pressure on agriculturally important areas, and how much of the agricultural lands have been destroyed by this urbanisation pressure and what kind of land use type they have transformed into. In addition, in light of the data obtained, strategies have been developed to prevent this urbanisation pressure on agricultural land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Survey of London offers readers past and present an unrivalled insight into the history of early modern London. However, it is of hitherto unrecognised significance that the Survey draws on a pronounced horse culture and participates in the seventeenth-century revival of chivalric literature as a way of engaging with topographical change in the City. Drawing on early modern nostalgia studies, this article is the first to explore how the depiction of Smithfield's horsemen evokes chivalric nostalgia. With the help of the memory studies concepts of synchronic and diachronic historical consciousness, I show how this chivalric nostalgia functions as a literary device that by harnessing the traditions of chivalric romance offers a way of challenging the impact of urbanisation on readerly memory. This approach reveals the importance of Smithfield's horsemen in London's rich civic history and that nostalgia is a strategy rather than a limiting force in the Survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation is a main driver of land-use change, leading to rising in temperatures and fragmentation and reduction of green areas. Bees and wasps, which are important insect groups due to the ecosystem services they provide, may respond to this disturbance via changes in morphological traits which are functionally relevant. To date, studies focusing on this aspect only investigated few social bee species, and often gave contrasting results even at intra-generic level. Here, we studied how body size, wing loading, wing aspect ratio and wing fluctuating asymmetry vary in a social ground-nesting bee (Halictus scabiosae), a solitary hole-nesting bee (Osmia cornuta) and a social paper wasp (Polistes dominula) along an urbanisation gradient within Milan (Italy). By assessing the effects of temperature, green areas fragmentation and vegetation productivity on the above-listed functional traits, we found the three species to variably respond to increasing urbanisation, albeit the driving environmental parameters differed among species. More specifically, smaller individuals were sampled in warmer (for bees) and in less productive (for wasps) areas along the urbanisation gradient. Furthermore, greater wing aspect ratio values were recorded at warmer locations for H. scabiosae , lower wing loading was recorded at more fragmented sites for O. cornuta , and greater wing loading was recorded at locations with greater productivity for P. dominula. H. scabiosae and P. dominula showed greater wing fluctuating asymmetry at more fragmented sites. Although distinct species seemed sensitive to different driving factors, our results point toward a consistent response: smaller body but potentially improved flight performance in more urbanised environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Urban History Review / Revue d'Histoire Urbaine is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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This paper aims to shed new light on changes in counter-urbanisation over the past three decades. A specific focus will be placed on new features of domestic migration to non-metropolitan rural areas which have become apparent during the global coronavirus pandemic. We focus on the intensity, origins, and destinations of counter-urban moves, and on the individual characteristics of counter-urban movers. Based on a case study of Estonia, our main findings show, firstly, that urbanisation has been the predominant migration trend across the past thirty years, with the main destination of domestic migrants being the capital city and its urban region. Secondly, we find that counter-urban moves have gained importance over time and especially during the periods of economic bust. The most important new features of counter-urbanisation during the pandemic relate to the increased migration of families with children and people who have high-income occupations to non-metropolitan rural areas. These new features of domestic migration could serve to slow down or even reverse the long-term problem of population aging in the countryside and the loss of educated people there. • Analysis of counter-urbanisation between over the past three decades. • New features of counter-urban moves. • Pandemic has reinforced many long-term trends in counter-urban moves. • Counter-urban moves of families improve the demographic profile of rural areas. • Counter-urban moves of higher-income earners improve the social profile of rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation is characterised by the high consumption of nonrenewable resources and being resource-intensive in meeting the energy demands of the growing urban population. The growth compels the efficient management of urbanisation to mitigate climate change. The inability to effectively plan and manage urbanisation will result in high consumption of nonrenewable resources, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollution, which contribute to the intensification of climate change. Complexity theory as a theoretical framework asserts that the management of urbanisation is both complex and nonlinear. This means that the management of urbanisation cannot be done by reducing the system into individual components. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. The data were collected from the four areas around the City of Polokwane and officials from the Polokwane Local Municipality. The finding of the study is that the City of Polokwane is still facing multiple challenges such as traffic congestion, lack of community participation, illegal dumping of wastes and a decline in green spaces. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality has made inroads towards reducing traffic congestion through the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) (Leeto la Polokwane). It can be concluded that urbanisation in the City of Polokwane is not effectively planned and managed to address climate change. Contribution: This article recommends that the Polokwane Local Municipality should implement a solar system plant and generate gas from the increasing level of waste in the City of Polokwane. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality should transition from operating street lights, office lights and traffic lights with electricity towards the use of solar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of VertigO is the property of La Revue Electronique en Sciences de l'Environnement VertigO and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

At present, the intensification of urban landcover is one of the most critical threats for biodiversity. Common side-effects of urban sprawl are anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN). Although their negative effects have often been described, little research has concerned nocturnal wildlife, especially avian predators. Here, we investigated the effect of urban and tree cover, traffic noise and ALAN on the presence of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco, a common night-active predator in Europe. We conducted playback surveys along an urban gradient in Turin (Italy) to detect species presence. Traffic noise was measured in the field, the cover of built-up and (semi-)natural areas was estimated using GIS and multiple measures of ALAN were acquired from a light pollution map. We modelled species presence as a function of each environmental predictor and we found a significant negative relationship with light pollution, which was the foremost urban stressor affecting Tawny Owl occurrence. Our findings suggest that Tawny Owls are more likely to be found in less artificially illuminated areas and that their distribution in urban areas is not only influenced by noise pollution and the availability of suitable habitat, but also the intensity of ALAN. Therefore, light pollution could be a key driver of the spatial distribution of Tawny Owls and potentially other nocturnal species in urban ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to employment through the Internet matters a great deal to stabilise the livelihood of migrant peasant workers in Chinese cities. This study examines how Internet usage affects the off-farm income of migrant peasant workers by constructing a random effects model for the period 2010–2016. Research findings corroborate that Internet usage has significantly increased the off-farm income of migrant peasant workers and the positive impact of Internet usage on income is stronger for migrant peasant workers than for their urban flexible-employed counterparts. The positive impacts of Internet usage on migrant peasant workers' income vary regarding region, gender, and educational level. It is concluded that Internet usage has helped improve the livelihood resilience of migrant peasant workers in China. • Internet usage significantly increased the off-farm income of migrant peasant workers. • The impact is stronger for the migrant workers compared with their urban counterparts. • The positive impacts of internet usage on migrant workers' income vary in regions. • The positive impact is stronger on female income compared with male counterparts. • The positive income impacts of internet usage increase in education level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burgeoning unplanned urbanisation and growing environmental risks across global South cities pose core questions to urban sustainability, planning theory and practice. Who are the agents of, and what are the control mechanisms in spatial plan preparation? To what extent are economic, social, and environmental sustainability principles considered and embedded in spatial plans and frameworks? And what are the possibilities for attaining sustainable urban future via spatial planning practice in the context of multi-level governance? Using Ghana as a case study, and critical literature review, interviews, and policy analysis, we contribute to the spatial planning and sustainability narrative in global South cities by evaluating the extent to which sustainability principles are integrated in Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs) and Spatial plans (SPs) in Ghana. We show that whereas sustainability is entangled with spatial planning, integrating sustainability principles in contemporary multi-level governance continues to present a complex challenge in practice. The complexities necessitated the engagement of local and international planning firms to complement the efforts of street-level-bureaucrats (local planning officials) in the preparation of spatial development frameworks and plans. However, such collaborations did not result in comprehensive integration of sustainability principles in spatial plans in practice. Our study indicate that, the economic, social, and environmental principles of sustainability were marginally embedded in local spatial plans of the three-tier spatial planning system of Ghana. We argue that equitable prioritisation of the principles of sustainability are required to strengthen local based spatial planning practice. • Environmental risks in Global South cities raise significant challenges for urban sustainability. • Achieving a sustainable urban future through spatial planning practice within the context of multi-level governance is critical. • We argue for strengthening local-based spatial planning practice through a balanced consideration of sustainability principles. • We emphasise equitable prioritization of economic, social, and environmental sustainability principles in local spatial planning practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the implementation of rural revitalisation, China's rural landscape is experiencing drastic reconstruction together with a prominent debating concerning whether it should retain vernacular or become modern. However, there is little research about residents' landscape preferences regarding vernacular and modern. To fill this gap, this study investigated rural landscape preferences of resident groups in Chongqing City. Urban, town and rural residents were purposely selected and compared as they represent resident groups with varying levels of connection to rural landscapes during urbanisation. Three hundred and eighty-four residents were investigated through field surveys. The results demonstrate that rural residents do not like vernacular landscapes, because the average cognitive salience index of vernacular landscapes is 0.08 lower than that of modern landscape. Correspondence analysis reveals that there are mismatches between residents at all stages of landscape urbanisation and their living environments. A circular pattern emerges: urban residents prefer vernacular landscapes, town residents prefer modern landscapes, and rural residents prefer transitional landscapes. Combining word frequency analysis, two-step clustering and Kruskal–Wallis test, we found that connections with more urbanised areas of rural residents changed their preferences. Rural resident category 1 prefers landscapes with significantly higher vernacularisation (average score 49.39) as compared to category 3 (average score 33.61) with many contacts with the outside. The key factor driving the diversified preferences between the groups is the desire for a better living environment based on what residents perceived lacking in their current living environments. This study therefore demonstrates a theoretical transitional process for rural landscape preferences during urbanisation. Our results provide practical/policy implications for China's rural revitalisation processes and for similar processes in rural areas of other developing countries with diversified desire of varied social groups. • Modern landscapes in rural areas are more preferred than vernacular ones. • The preference of rural, town and urban residents for rural landscapes shows a transitional relationship. • Envisioned better lives intervene people's preferences for rural landscapes. • The transitivity of towns is important for understanding residents' rural landscape preferences in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation, comprising development, land reclamation and population growth along coastal margins, continues to place significant pressure on the maritime cultural heritage (MCH), particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Thus, there is a growing need for ascertaining the extent of the affected MCH resource and its condition. One such assessment is being undertaken by the Maritime Endangered Archaeology (MarEA) project, which is generating a unique informed database of the maritime resource in the MENA region. Through a regional overview combined with focused assessment on two case studies – Marsa Matruh (Egypt) and Bahrain – this paper demonstrates the threat urbanisation poses and the damage it has inflicted on MCH. The analyses and documentation that MarEA produces via remote sensing, desk-based and field-based assessments, constitutes a valuable resource that, at the very least, exists in digital perpetuity. It establishes a record that can be drawn upon to formulate targeted strategies and initiatives inclusive of the maritime cultural heritage resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - As the global population keeps increasing with its associated urbanisation and climate change issues being experienced in various degrees worldwide, there is the need to find mitigating measures to improve thermal conditions within spaces. The study aimed to evaluate green roofs to determine whether they could provide thermal comfort within residential buildings. Design/methodology/approach - Forty-two-year weather data were retrieved from the Kumasi weather station to establish the pattern of the climatic variables. Furthermore, an experiment was conducted by constructing test cells to determine the potential of vegetation/green roofs on temperature development within spaces. This approach led to a simulation-based exploration of the thermal performance of the test cells to probe variables that could lead to the reduction in temperature after the models in the software (design-builder) had been validated. Findings - The results on the 42 years (1976-2018) weather data showed a significant (p 5 0.05) mean temperature increment of 2.0 8C. The constructed test cell with Setcreasea purpurea (Purple Heart) vegetation showed an annual mean temperature reduction of 0.4 8C (p 5 0.05). In addition, the exploration using the simulation application showed combinations of various soil depth (70-500 mm) and leaf area indices (leaf area index of 2-5) having a potential to lower indoor temperature by 1.5 8C and its associated reduction in energy use. The option of green roofs as a valuable alternative to conventional roofs, given their potential in mitigating climate change, must be encouraged. A survey of occupants in six selected neighbourhoods in Kumasi showed varying subjective perceptions of several green issues (24-98%) and increases in temperature values because of the loss of greenery in the city. Originality/value - Empirical data that point to the significant reduction of indoor temperature values and a subsequent reduction in energy use have been unearthed. Therefore, built environment professionals together with city authorities could invest in these sustainable measures to help humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the special issue ' Rural hinterland development in sparsely populated areas (SPAs): new challenges and opportunities arising from urbanisation within the periphery '. It problematises the relationships between growing cities and hinterland areas in SPAs, such as those commonly found in Arctic, Outback and similar remote resource peripheries of developed countries. Many SPAs are rapidly urbanising, with polarised development becoming an ever-increasing concern for regional planners and policy-makers. This special issue contributes to debates about the impact that urban growth and city-centric development strategies in SPAs might have on the development prospects for small and distant settlements in the hinterland. We first discuss why SPAs are different from other rural contexts when it comes to urban-rural interactions and introduce the idea of regional disconnectedness as a defining feature of SPAs. We then review the papers in this collection, which include perspectives from northern Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Scotland, Alaska, and Australia, and position them according to their contributions to theory, policy and practice. The special issue challenges assumptions that city-centric regional development in SPAs will automatically generate spillover or backwash effects for the hinterland. It emphasises the need to consider diverse mobility flows within SPAs as part of urban-rural interactions. It also raises attention to micro-scale urbanisation within the hinterland, with housing, services, and amenities increasingly concentrating in a few small towns. The final discussion outlines important areas for research into more effective urban-rural partnership building in SPAs and on how to embrace regional disconnectedness for more targeted hinterland development. • This special issue debates urbanisation within sparsely populated areas (SPAs). • We propose regional 'disconnectedness' as a key feature of SPAs. • Urban growth has limited spillover or backwash effects on disconnected hinterlands. • 'Microurbanisation' replicates urban-rural divides within the hinterland. • Mobilities, regional markets and amenities may be key to urban-rural partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to investigate the fragmented governance in South African cities which creates dilemmas in planning and management of urbanisation. Urbanisation is unstoppable, irreversible and inevitable in both developing and developed countries. The inevitability of urbanisation, therefore, underscores the need for effective planning and management of this process to guide orderly sustainable urban development and the attainment of sustainable cities. However, the fragmentary governance and exclusive planning, which find their etymology from colonialism, continue to manifest in South African municipalities post-independence. South African cities were ill-prepared to cater for the increasing urban population, which resulted in unplanned settlements, traffic congestion, service delivery backlog and overconsumption of resources. This spatial planning has created cities where the low-income people bear the brunt of commuting every day to access the cities. The study is grounded in resilient theory, which provides urban planners with a methodological approach to ensure that cities are operational post perturbation. Fragmentary governance and exclusionary planning need to be relinquished as a matter of state policy and promote inclusive cities. The paper recommended that local municipalities must acquire capacitated and ethical employees to circumvent the misuse of municipal funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Tolerance to humans in Eurasian red squirrels was examined in three European countries and Japan. • Tolerance varied between four different countries. • Squirrels were less tolerant to humans when the trees and underbrush were taller in sites in the UK. • Squirrels were more tolerant when there was artificial feeding in Japan, while site-scale characteristics were not associated with tolerance in Germany and Finland. • Differences in human-squirrel interaction and conservation status among countries may create variations of tolerance in wildlife. As urbanisation increases, wildlife is more likely to be exposed to humans. Although human disturbance is the main cause of biodiversity loss, some wildlife thrives in anthropogenic environments. Such species show increased behavioural tolerance to humans, which plays an important role in human-wildlife coexistence. However, whether wildlife modulates tolerance differently between regions and cities is inadequately understood. Understanding how animals behaviourally modulate their tolerance to humans at the larger geographical scale can provide useful information to predict behavioural adaptations to urbanisation and adequate management actions for conservation. We examined alert distance (AD), flight initiation distance (FID), and vertical escape distance (VED) in Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in four countries (Finland, Germany, Japan, and the UK). Linear mixed models with Tukey's multicomparisons showed that all tolerance measures varied between countries. We subsequently analysed the relationship between site-scale environmental variables (vegetation conditions, presence of artificial feeding, and human population density) and tolerance behaviours separately by country. We found that squirrels were more tolerant in sites with taller trees and more underbrush cover in the UK, and more tolerant in sites with artificial feeding in Japan, while environmental variables were not associated with squirrels' tolerance in Finland and Germany. Our results indicated that regional forms of environmental factors and human-squirrel interactions play a key role in tolerance modification at the larger spatial scale. Our study suggests the importance of considering regional-dependent relationships between tolerance behaviours and environmental characteristics for urban wildlife conservation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Presents a novel settlement network optimisation model. • The model integrates urbanisation-energy nexus and its socio-economic impacts. • Shows how to achieve energy efficiency via development pattern and tech leverage. • Coordinated urban development is essential for successful energy transition. The nexus between urbanisation and energy transition represents a critical juncture in the pursuit of sustainable development. As cities continue to grow and expand, their energy needs rise, driving consumption and emissions. Simultaneously, efforts to transition towards renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency are underway to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, urbanisation poses a challenge to these efforts, as sprawling cities require more energy for transport, infrastructure and buildings. Reconciling the need for urban development with sustainable energy practices requires integrated spatial planning approaches that consider the spatial layout of residential areas, land use patterns and transport systems. To address this nexus, our study explores the complex interplay between energy efficiency and urban development, alongside communities' quality of life, which is crucial for urban sustainability. We have developed a settlement network model that integrates socio-economic factors and the spatial distribution of energy consumption. Using a U-NSGA 3 algorithm, we have attempted to optimise future settlement network to simultaneously improve the two goals of energy efficiency and socio-economic factors. By optimising settlement networks, we shed light on the relationship between energy efficiency and communities' quality of life arising from different urban development patterns, offering insights for strategic spatial planning and technological advances. Using insights from a Swiss case study, we delineate modified strategies encompassing coordinated development, densification and the use of electric vehicles and building insulation. The results offer practical solutions for policymakers and spatial planners dedicated to fostering sustainable urban development. The overall conclusion underscores the critical significance of a coordinated approach to urban development in attaining overarching sustainability objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalation of urbanisation contributes significantly to climate change and exacerbates environmental, health and social disparities, especially affecting impoverished and vulnerable communities in the urban periphery. However, few studies contrast the global disparities in multiple wellbeing from inequitable green infrastructure (GI) and cooling perspectives. Through a combination of systematic literature review and hierarchical archetypal analysis, this study examines 95 out of 3864 initial articles focusing on the interplay between inequitable GI and disparate cooling services, and their emphasis on both subjective and objective wellbeing. Our findings highlight an increasing interest on this topic since 2009, with a notable surge post-2015 focused on the application of nature-based solutions for urban cooling and associated inequity. The literature review reveals 43 wellbeing thematic categories based on four dimensions, of which we identify characteristics: (1) the most affected vulnerable individuals often based on financial status, population density, and access to public facilities; (2) geographic areas where wellbeing effects are most pronounced, linked to building attributes and high-density impervious surfaces; (3) health implications highlighting physical ailments; and (4) perceptions of GI emphasising residents' GI demand. Afterwards, hierarchical analysis generated clustered archetypes that Archetype I and III mostly filled in North American, Archetypes II in Asia, and IV across Europe, Asia, and North America, to underscore substantial variances and similarities in wellbeing categories across continents. These archetypes characterise global pathways to enhancing cooling for wellbeing, including Archetype I of integrating GI in urban planning, Archetype II of retrofitting infrastructure to improve GI interaction, Archetype III of connecting disadvantaged groups with heat management, and Archetype IV of fostering public involvement in decision-making processes. The study's findings provide insights to narrow ecological injustices arising from GI and research direction for further in theoretical, technological, and practical investigations to optimize cooling and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces (UGS) contribute to human health and wellbeing. However, few studies have focused on cities in the Global South, mainly examining them on a citywide scale without considering deprived areas where residents lack basic facilities and sufficient income. Consequently, there is limited understanding of the relationship between the availability of UGS and associated ecosystem services (ES), and what is actually demanded for by residents in such deprived areas. Therefore, this study aims to assess (i) the perceived supply and (ii) the perceived demand for ES of UGS in selected deprived urban areas; and (iii) to determine the potential gap(s) between these perceived supply and demand aspects. A mixed-method approach was adopted for the study, incorporating GIS methods, household surveys, and key informant interviews. As case studies, the study was conducted in two deprived areas in Kumasi, Ghana – Dakodwom and Ayigya Zongo. The findings reveal that land scarcity and encroachment have led to a limited supply of UGS in these areas. Nevertheless, residents appreciate the few available UGS and ES, demonstrating adaptation to their limited resources. They particularly highlighted the cultural ES provided by these UGS. The high demand for these services, surpassing their supply, shows significant gaps, emphasising the need for comprehensive urban planning and management decisions. Such decisions should involve all stakeholders and be underpinned by effective legislative support. • Residents of two deprived urban areas in Kumasi enjoy ecosystem services (ES). • Preference for cultural over regulating and provisioning ES is noted. • Gaps between perceived supply and demand for some cultural and regulating ES are identified. • Residents adapt to low urban green spaces supply due to land scarcity. • Findings pose challenges for climate change adaptation through nature-based solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic disturbances including forestry, urbanisation and agricultural expansion are causing significant habitat loss and fragmentation in boreal forests, leading to changes in ecosystem function. Here, we ask whether these anthropogenic disturbances alter predator–prey spatial overlap in the boreal forest landscape, leading to increased nest predation rates on ground-nesting birds such as forest grouse. To study the roles of forest loss and fragmentation on nest survival, we conducted an artificial nest predation experiment in Finland using 370 camera traps across landscapes varying in forest quantity and fragmentation (measured by edge habitat length). Our artificial nests mimicked the early egg-laying stage of forest grouse. Our primary hypotheses were that nest survival is higher in landscapes with more continuous forest habitat and less edge habitat, and that predator communities differ based on the matrix habitat between the forests. Our findings revealed a negative association with forest cover and nest predation risk, but forest fragmentation, measured as edge length, had no detectable relationship with the nest predation risk. Additionally, nest predation risk depended on the matrix habitat types, with agricultural land and urban areas exhibiting higher predation rates than clearcuts exhibited. Furthermore, the number of predator species observed was positively associated with the level of urban area present. We found that the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), a rather novel invasive alien species, was the most common mammalian nest predator, indicating a change in the predator community. Our results highlight the possible impact of both forest loss and the presence of agricultural and urban areas in the landscape on avian nest survival in forest habitats. We conclude that forest loss may be a more important factor affecting nest predation risk than forest fragmentation. [Display omitted] • Anthropogenic disturbances alter encounters of predators and prey in boreal forests. • Artificial-nests with camera-traps mimicking forest grouse nests reveal predators. • Nest predation rate was associated with amount of forest, not with edge. • Vicinity of agricultural and urban area decreased survival of artificial nests. • Alien predator raccoon dog is a potential risk for forest grouse nesting success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transdisciplinary Research (TDR) fosters collaboration amongst stakeholders from different academic disciplines and sectors of society, to jointly search for solutions to complex challenges including rapid urbanization. In order to enhance collaboration and ensure reciprocity of expertize amongst stakeholders, flattening the hierarchy of power is critical for working together to develop research agendas and experiment solutions. However, context dependent research on power dynamics in TDR is still limited and yet it is one of the conditions for understanding how to optimize the value and relevance of TDR in transitions to sustainable cities. This paper sheds light on power dynamics in TDR, using a qualitative analysis of case studies in the cities of Accra (Ghana), Durban (South Africa) and Nairobi (Kenya). Learnings from the case studies suggest that researchers should not overstate expert terminologies and illuminate the controversies that stem from stark differences in their methodological domains, during interfaces with stakeholders from policy and local communities, as this can dent the societal credibility and inclusiveness of the TDR process. Secondly, it is important to seize the potential of creating joint learning platforms using micro-level solutions in informal settlements, since it empowers local community representatives to assert themselves as co-researchers with legitimate perspectives on how the research agenda can be reshaped. Local-level solutions also provide scientific and policy windows for discerning expert biases in approaches used by academics and policy-makers to presuppose what can be done about the situation of under-privileged communities, which is key in building consensus when setting the research agenda. • TDR enables scientists collaborate with societal actors to find solutions to global urbanization. • Flatter power hierarchies amongst stakeholders is a condition for optimizing the value of TDR. • Overstating expert terms and converseness in research methods can dent inclusivity in TDR. • Solutions from informal settlements empower local actors to assert themselves as co-researchers. • Research agendas that fuse scientific with societal views demonstrate flatter power hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper estimates a gravity model to analyse the region-level differences that explain internal migration in post-apartheid Namibia, with the specific aim of understanding whether there are differences in motivations for long and short-distance migration. Given Namibia's history of apartheid-era segregation, the sample is later restricted to African-language speaking migrants to determine whether the distances travelled differ from that of the full population. A zero-inflated negative binomial model is applied to estimate the effects of constituency-level economic indicators, labour market conditions, agricultural activity, and built amenities on migration flows. Regression analysis shows that analysing internal migration flows in Namibia without accounting for distance-related differences in migrant motivations may produce misleading results. Disaggregation of migration flows by distance reveals that for both the entire population and the restricted African-language speaking sample, constituency differences in amenity quality are predictors of intermediate-distance migration volumes. Per capita income differences in favour of the receiving constituency increase long-distance migration volumes. For all distances moved, previous migration in the sending constituency is a strong positive predictor of migration volumes. Migration volumes also increase when the sending constituency shares a border with another country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Urban History Review / Revue d'Histoire Urbaine is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Based on a field survey on the conflicts regarding the extension of the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, this text discusses the production of public space. These controversies make possible an understanding of the production process of peri-urban space in terms of residential aspirations and negotiation mechanisms. This investigation allows us to understand the articulation of the two forms of public space – as publicity and as a set of freely accessible places – and the questions of local democracies related to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual wildlife fencing presents as a cost-effective measure for roadkill mitigation, which aids in reducing fragmentation of wildlife populations by facilitating safer movement of wildlife across the landscape. In this study, we conducted an audit of a virtual fence installation in south-east Queensland, Australia. We assessed its reliability in flows of traffic and the effect that installation parameters and site conditions had on its effective operation in an urban setting. We made observations on the behavioural response of Eastern Grey Kangaroos Macropus giganteus to the acoustic signals produced by the fence. We found that the fencing activated consistently in response to headlights at dusk and dawn, and when traffic flows were dense, despite considerable variations in the range of installation parameters. However, we identified that the response of the virtual fence to headlights was affected by road curvature and we identified inconsistencies in the timing and pattern of activation in response to traffic. Behavioural observations showed a significant increase in kangaroo vigilance in response to the acoustic signal of the fence when resting or grazing, and kangaroos detected the acoustic signal up to 50 m away. While virtual fencing operates effectively and is a low-cost roadkill mitigation option that can be applied to the urban environment, more research is needed to better understand the effect of its acoustic and visual signals on wildlife behaviour and efficacy in busy urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urbanisation is increasing globally, degrading terrestrial and freshwater habitats and reducing faunal and floral richness. Whilst the potential for garden ponds to serve as important biodiversity resources in urban areas has been documented in a limited number of studies, quantifying the contribution of garden ponds to urban freshwater diversity has been largely neglected. This study aims to quantify the taxonomic richness, community composition and conservation value of aquatic macroinvertebrates in domestic garden and non-urban ponds. Taxonomic richness was significantly lower in garden ponds than non-urban ponds at an alpha and gamma scale. A greater richness of Odonata, Coleoptera, Gastropoda and Hemiptera were recorded in non-urban ponds. Garden ponds were found to support compositionally different macroinvertebrate communities compared to non-urban ponds, influenced by variation in water depth and conductivity. A total of 23 taxa were recorded from garden ponds only. Non-urban ponds had a significantly higher conservation value compared to garden ponds (87% of garden ponds were of low or moderate conservation value, while only 35% of non-urban ponds were in these categories). Although garden ponds currently support limited macroinvertebrate diversity and have lower conservation value, they contribute to the regional species pool and their potential to limit future urban biodiversity loss is significant. Given their high abundance and popularity within the urban landscape, clear guidance is required for pond-owners on how to best manage garden ponds to support and sustain biodiversity. For this to be achieved, research is required to increase fundamental understanding of urban pond ecology, and the development of evidence led garden pond management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the prevalence of maxillary sinusitis in people who lived in the Middle Nile Valley across different periods, cultures, and environmental conditions. 481 skeletons from 13 sites, curated at the British Museum, London, were analysed. The sites ranged in date from the Neolithic to Medieval periods (c. 4900 BCE–CE 1500). Bony changes within the maxillary sinuses, associated with sinusitis and oroantral fistulae were systematically recorded according to pre-established criteria. There were significant differences in the prevalence of maxillary sinusitis between time period/subsistence economy groups. The Neolithic hunter-gatherer/early agricultural group had the lowest prevalence, whilst the urban group demonstrated the highest frequency of the disease. Factors involved in the development of maxillary sinusitis are manifold and complex. However, the results indicate that increased aridity in Sudan in later periods and intensification of agricultural practices may have played a role in increasing prevalence of the disease. Urban environments, including crowding, poor sanitation, and industrial air pollution, could also have influenced susceptibility to maxillary sinusitis. Prior to this paper, the impact of arid environments on respiratory health in the past had received little attention despite growing clinical research on the topic. Both arid and urban environments are predicted to expand in the future. This paper provides a deep-time perspective on an issue of increasing concern today. Poor preservation of skeletons and a lack of archaeological settlement data for some sites. Investigation of a greater range of populations from different environments/climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tests the argument that industrialisation was accompanied by a dramatic worsening of urban health in England. Family reconstitutions derived from baptism, marriage and burial records for the period before 1837, and from civil registration of deaths and census populations between 1837 and 1900. Age-specific mortality rates are used as indicators of population health. The available evidence indicates a decline in urban mortality in the period c.1750–1820, especially amongst infants and (probably) rural-urban migrants. Mortality at ages 1–4 years demonstrated a more complex pattern, falling between 1750 and 1830 before rising abruptly in the mid-nineteenth century. These patterns are better explained by changes in breastfeeding practices and the prevalence or virulence of particular pathogens than by changes in sanitary conditions or poverty. Mortality patterns amongst young adult migrants were affected by a shift from acute to chronic infectious diseases over the period. Pathogen evolution, infant care and migration exerted major influences on mortality trends and should be given greater attention in studies of the health impacts of British industrialisation. Evidence of urban mortality rates is very limited before 1837 and may not be fully representative of industrialising populations. Mortality also provides only a partial picture of the health of urban populations and may be distorted by migration patterns. There is enormous scope for collaboration between archaeologists and historians to investigate the health of industrial populations, through the triangulation and contextualisation of diverse sources of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)