Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Environmental Science (Ecological Remediation and Sustainable Utilisation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

China has undergone significant urban growth and industrialization over the last 30 years and its incredible development continues to move ahead at an increasingly rapid pace. In terms of urban expansion, China has just recently surpassed the world’s average urbanization rate of 50%, as it moves its massive population from rural to urban areas at an astonishing speed. It’s massive population and fast urbanizing speed aside, China is also unique in terms of its socio-political system and historical-cultural context: it is a hybrid of government planning and market forces. Since it encompasses a large part of the global population and has had a vastly different urbanization experience than that of Western countries, around which most theories are based, studying China’s urbanization is an opportunity to contribute to the field of urban studies in an unprecedented manner. However, these differences also make it difficult to develop a comprehensive study of China’s urban system since the predominant theories in the field are best suited to Western cities. This research rises to this challenge by systematically studying the relationship between the socioeconomic and biophysical processes in the Chinese urban system to understand the interaction between human and physical factors, and the landscape patterns that result from these interactions. This complex urban system is examined using a hierarchical, top-down approach. At the highest level is a Macro-scale analysis of the national urban system, followed by a study of the regional urban system: the JingJinJi Metropolitan Area at the Meso-scale, and finally a Micro-scale examination with a focus on the city of Beijing. Since urban systems develop over both time and space, the urban system is analyzed spatio-temporally on all three levels. Research at the national scale is composed of two parts. First, the challenges and opportunities of China’s urban development since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 are investigated in a general context. The institutional barriers that impede the management and continuation of China’s urban development are also discussed. Rank-size Analysis and satellite images are used to present the structural transitions of city scaling and urban clusters. These changes come with a series of challenges that are also iterated and discussed. This is followed by an analysis of the spatial distribution and transition patterns of China’s urban system using Centrographic Analysis, particularly since the post-1979 reforms. Second, the Macro-scale research focuses on a study of the urban hierarchy that is based on inter-city interactions as determined by the Synthesized Gravity Model (SGM). Under this model socioeconomic variables are synthesized and represented by the Influential Factor, while the Function Distance is derived from a Network Analysis that is based on multiple transportation methods. As an improvement on the conventional Gravity Model (GM), the SGM is used to accurately establish and represent the nodal structure of China’s urban system, the evolution of its hierarchical structure, and the relationships that exist between the nodal structure and socioeconomic factors. The results based on the SGM indicate that China’s national urban system is characterized by the emergence of urban clusters with stronger inter-city interactions since the 1990s. However, development among cities within certain urban clusters is not even, although the general pattern indicates a lessening inequality among cities. Spatially, while most cities at the top of the hierarchy are located in the east of China, cities in the middle and west of the country are also gaining higher positions in the hierarchy over time. On the Meso-scale, the applicability of the Cellular Automata (CA)-based SLEUTH model for regional urban growth pattern is studied through a focus on the JingJinJi Metropolitan Area (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei). By integrating socioeconomic factors into a modified SLEUTH model, the urban growth dynamics and future development scenarios of the area are simulated and predicted. The results based on the CA model show that this region is characterized by a dynamic development pattern with high spreading and breeding growth rules that relies greatly on the growing transportation systems. It also allows for the projection of three possible future urban growth scenarios, each occurring under different environmental and development conditions, showing the future urban growth with or without further intervention. This research confirms that four factors play essential roles in the formulation of the urban growth mechanism of the JingJinJi Metropolitan Area: Urban policies, Industry restructuring, Rural-urban migration, and Reclassification of urban boundaries. The Micro-scale study of Beijing is conducted from two perspectives: the social and natural. The social aspect adopts the factorial ecology approach to identify the social landscape patterns and the factors that have shaped Beijing’s social space in 1990 and 2000. The social mosaic has experienced a significant change due to suburbanization, resulting in a more dynamic and complex internal structure since the 2000s. From a natural perspective, Beijing’s physical landscape patterns are extracted by processing remotely sensed images that have the same temporal span. The physical change through landscape metrics demonstrates that Beijing’s expansion has generated a more complex and fragmented land use/cover pattern. Meanwhile, transportation systems play a significant role in urban expansion, although the expansion across the space (zonal rings and directional sectors) is not even. Finally, the relationship between the social and physical landscapes is quantitatively defined by the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) technique, using physical landscape metrics as dependent variables and social areas as independent variables. The GWR is able to demonstrate the relationship between the social and physical landscapes at this level: as a city’s social mosaic becomes more varied over time it results in the fragmentation of that city’s physical space.

This study examined the existing, or potential, risk of invasion by street trees into an urban forested park (Breithaupt Park, a 32.5 hectare semi-forested park, and its surrounding residential neighbourhood in the City of Kitchener.). The primary research question is: What are the spatial distribution and dispersal patterns of street trees and park trees in urban areas? For street populations, height, crown spread, diameter at breast height (DBH), tree condition, trunk condition and foliage transparency were measured. Qualitative tree health indicators were used to gauge the condition of the street tree population only. For trees in Breithaupt Park, a point-quarter sampling method combined with a line-plot sampling method was used. There were 33 identified (and several unidentified) species of street trees and 24 identified species of forest trees. Acer platanoides was the most abundant street tree species, while Acer saccharum was the most abundant forest tree species. 52% of the street tree population and 9% of the forest tree population were exotic species; however, the exotics were mainly species not originating from the nearby streets (i.e. Rhamnus cathartica). Despite the well-established population of exotic invasive species such as Acer platanoides on the streets, spatial assessment of the nearby forested park revealed that relatively few exotic species had actually established there. Acer platanoides composed 1.9% of all trees, 3.2% of all saplings and 2.7% of all seedlings in the forest sample. The four possible sources of Acer platanoides seeds were trees planted on the street, trees planted in backyards, the leaf drop site in the parking lot of Breithaupt Park (only in the fall) and trees potentially planted directly in the forest. Explanations for the lack of invasion by Acer platanoides (in particular) include: 1) houses located between Acer platanoides street trees and Breithaupt Park functioning as a barrier to seed dispersal; 2) the highway traversing the northeast corner of the park; 3) the short length of time since Acer platanoides street trees reached their age of maturity to produce enough viable seeds to invade the forest and the lag time in the establishment phase; 4) unique park characteristics; and 5) opposing predominant wind directions. While Acer platanoides may be more invasive under different circumstances, it was concluded that Acer platanoides is not currently invading the park at a considerable rate but may be tending towards a future invasion. The main recommendations are: 1) to not cut down the Acer platanoides currently growing as street trees as they do not pose a high risk of invasion (though this is specific to the current study); 2) to manage the forest for invasive species and remove and restore the ecology of the forest as necessary; 3) to remove Acer platanoides currently growing in the forest; and 4) to replace dead street trees with non-invasive, hardy native trees instead of the historical planting of Acer platanoides and other exotics, in case the risk of invasion changes because of climate or urban design changes.

This study examined the existing, or potential, risk of invasion by street trees into an urban forested park (Breithaupt Park, a 32.5 hectare semi-forested park, and its surrounding residential neighbourhood in the City of Kitchener.). The primary research question is: What are the spatial distribution and dispersal patterns of street trees and park trees in urban areas? For street populations, height, crown spread, diameter at breast height (DBH), tree condition, trunk condition and foliage transparency were measured. Qualitative tree health indicators were used to gauge the condition of the street tree population only. For trees in Breithaupt Park, a point-quarter sampling method combined with a line-plot sampling method was used. There were 33 identified (and several unidentified) species of street trees and 24 identified species of forest trees. Acer platanoides was the most abundant street tree species, while Acer saccharum was the most abundant forest tree species. 52% of the street tree population and 9% of the forest tree population were exotic species; however, the exotics were mainly species not originating from the nearby streets (i.e. Rhamnus cathartica). Despite the well-established population of exotic invasive species such as Acer platanoides on the streets, spatial assessment of the nearby forested park revealed that relatively few exotic species had actually established there. Acer platanoides composed 1.9% of all trees, 3.2% of all saplings and 2.7% of all seedlings in the forest sample. The four possible sources of Acer platanoides seeds were trees planted on the street, trees planted in backyards, the leaf drop site in the parking lot of Breithaupt Park (only in the fall) and trees potentially planted directly in the forest. Explanations for the lack of invasion by Acer platanoides (in particular) include: 1) houses located between Acer platanoides street trees and Breithaupt Park functioning as a barrier to seed dispersal; 2) the highway traversing the northeast corner of the park; 3) the short length of time since Acer platanoides street trees reached their age of maturity to produce enough viable seeds to invade the forest and the lag time in the establishment phase; 4) unique park characteristics; and 5) opposing predominant wind directions. While Acer platanoides may be more invasive under different circumstances, it was concluded that Acer platanoides is not currently invading the park at a considerable rate but may be tending towards a future invasion. The main recommendations are: 1) to not cut down the Acer platanoides currently growing as street trees as they do not pose a high risk of invasion (though this is specific to the current study); 2) to manage the forest for invasive species and remove and restore the ecology of the forest as necessary; 3) to remove Acer platanoides currently growing in the forest; and 4) to replace dead street trees with non-invasive, hardy native trees instead of the historical planting of Acer platanoides and other exotics, in case the risk of invasion changes because of climate or urban design changes.

In this study, I examined the effect of watershed urbanization on the invasion of alien woody species in riparian forests. This study was conducted in three major steps: 1) estimating the degree of watershed urbanization using impervious surface maps extracted from remote sensing images; 2) examining the effect of urbanization on hydrologic regime; and 3) investigating a relationship between watershed urbanization and ecosystem invasibility of a riparian forest. I studied twelve riparian forests along urban-rural gradients in Austin, Texas. Hydrologic regimes were quantified by transfer function (TF) models using four-year daily rainfall-streamflow data in two study periods (10/1988-09/1992 and 10/2004-09/2008) between which Austin had experienced rapid urbanization. For each study period, an impervious surface map was generated from Landsat TM image by a support vector machine (SVM) with pairwise coupling. SVM more accurately estimated impervious surface than other subpixel mapping methods. Ecosystem invasibilities were assessed by relative alien cover (RAC) of riparian woody species communities. The results showed that the effects of urbanization differ by hydrogeologic conditions. Of the study watersheds, seven located in a hillslope region experienced the diminishing peakflows between the two study periods, which are contrary to current urban hydrologic model. I attributed the decreased peakflows to land grading that transformed a hillslope into a stair-stepped landscape. In the rest of the watersheds, peakflow diminished between the two study periods perhaps due to the decrease in stormwater infiltration and groundwater pumpage that lowered groundwater level. In both types of watersheds, streamflow rising during a storm event more quickly receded as watershed became more urbanized. This study found a positive relationship between RAC and watershed impervious surface percentage. RAC was also significantly related to flow recession and canopy gap percentages, both of which are indicators of hydrologic disturbance. These results suggest that urbanization facilitated the invasion of alien species in riparian forests by intensifying hydrologic disturbance. The effects of urbanization on ecosystems are complex and vary by local hydrologeologic conditions. These results imply that protection of urban ecosystems should be based on a comprehensive and large-scale management plan.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2008. Graduate Programme in Women's Studies. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 397-426). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR45999

This research poses two questions: How, through collaboration and thoughtful design practices, can rainwater management systems on school grounds be developed as resources for learning? And, what can these systems contribute to the development of more sustainable urban rainwater management? The research was conducted through a literature review, the analysis of three case studies and a pilot project. The research points to the potential for schools to act as a centralizing figure, enabling a community collaboration to occur, with the aim of implementing shared goals. This process generated knowledge, spread awareness and built relationships among the community. The school’s participation in this process was key to creating place-based, engaging solutions. The rainwater systems must be multi-functional and contribute to the learning environment by building on the school’s educational philosophy. The four projects offer different scenarios for creating rainwater management systems that engage students through both hands-on learning and play. / Graduate / 0390 / orr.cat@gmail.com

The purpose of this research is to propose effective ways to select areas for biodiversity conservation in the CCZ (Civilian Control Zone) and the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). To define “biodiversity,” I discuss the key concepts and their historical applications in the field of planning and related fields. After critiques on intuitive and conventional approaches to biodiversity conservation planning, I apply an integrative approach that combines systematic area selection process and information on human perspectives. The study focuses on the case of the CCZ and the DMZ in South Korea, where the invaluable natural environment recovered from the ruins of battle and biodiversity has thrived since the cease-fire of Korean War in 1953. However, despite a recent increase of public awareness on the significance of conservation in the CCZ and the DMZ, extremely limited access for military security and buried landmines, and the lack of data have been significant barriers for effective biodiversity conservation. It is also controversial about how to measure the value of biodiversity in the region to select areas for conservation, while simultaneously considering local residents’ concerns in the CCZ. Thus, I examine historical efforts and methods developed for area selections for biodiversity conservation in the CCZ, and explore ways to apply integrative approaches in the context of the CCZ. The integrative method is based on using systematic area selection algorithms for biodiversity content analysis and a qualitative research to understand local residents’ perspectives. Information about local residents’ values toward social and physical environment is obtained from a focus group study, which identified useful criteria in terms of spatial configuration and socio-cultural issues. The multiple criteria are carefully interpreted and applied to evaluate area network options produced from the computer-based area selection analysis. The final area networks represent the best selections based on available data and multiple criteria directly associated with spatial configuration. Adhering to the principles of systematic conservation planning, the integrative method proposed in this study may provide a more flexible framework that can be adapted in the dynamic social context of the CCZ and the DMZ. / text

Urbanization is considered one of the leading threats to biodiversity and wildlife habitat (McKinney 2002; Shochat et al. 2006). Urban environments are humandominated systems, yet they support wildlife habitat and provide meaningful ecological functions. Methods to conserve biodiversity and minimize habitat loss and fragmentation in urban environments include utilizing private residential yards and gardens to enhance habitat connectivity. Private residential yards or gardens designed to attract and support wildlife are known as backyard habitats and wildlife gardens. The City of Austin, Texas initiated Wildlife Austin in 2007. Wildlife Austin coordinates backyard habitats in Austin as a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat [trademark]. My research analyzes the goals of the Wildlife Austin from the perspective of landscape ecology and urban ecology; reviews research related to backyard habitats in order to identify ways of enhancing habitat connectivity for bird communities; and provides recommendations for a more scientifically grounded approach and management in the promotion of backyard wildlife habitat. / text