Urban Biodiversity and Design

by Muller, Norbert; Werner, P.; Kelcey, J. G.

• ISBN13: 9781444332674
• ISBN10: 1444332678
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-05-10
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

The major focus of the book is to demonstrate, on the background of scientific knowledge, the relationship between urban development and biodiversity, how urban areas can be designed to maximize their ability to support biodiversity at the local, regional and global level. The book summarises for the first time in a global context current scientific and practical approaches of the implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity in urban areas.Part of our Conservation Science and Practice book series (with Zoological Society of London)

Author Biography

Norbert Müller: is Professor in Landscape Management and Restoration Ecology at the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, Germany. He received a Diploma in Landscape Architecture from the Technical University Munich, a Ph.D. and a post doctoral lecture qualification in Vegetation Ecology from theTechnicalUniversityBerlin (Prof. Dr. Herbert Sukopp). He worked for 20 years in nature conservation research at the City Government Augsburg, Germany, with special emphasis in urban ecology, plant diversity, restoration ecology and ecological design. As an Associated Professor at the Yokohama National University, Japan he started between 1996 and 1997 the first urban biotope mapping in Tokyo. Current urban biodiversity studies he did in cities of South Africa (together with Sarel Cilliers),Italy, the United States and Germany. Since 2004 he compiles research projects on implementing the CBD in urban areas. Besides urban ecosystems natural disturbed ecosystems are another field of his interests, where he did numerous studies in the ecology of floodplain vegetation and the biology of key and invasive species. He serves in several advisory boards for nature conservation and is foundation member of the Competence Network Urban Ecology (CONTUREC).

David Knight is the Team Leader for Biodiversity, Plants and Fungi with Natural England. David has worked for more than twenty years in biodiversity and nature conservation in England, particularly in urban areas. His experience ranges from the reclamation of colliery tips and derelict land to influencing policy for the conservation or urban biodiversity. David gained 'hands-on' experience from work in protecting and managing urban habitats with local government. He also worked on a major urban forestry project in West Yorkshire, the White Rose Forest, before going on to join English Nature as their Urban Adviser. This included acting as Executive Editor for the magazine 'Urbio'. More recently David has been involved in commissioning research into the biodiversity of urban domestic gardens, developing a performance indicator on biodiversity for local government in England and getting recognition for the value of open mosaic habitats on previously developed land in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Peter Werner is senior researcher at the Institute for Housing and Environment in Darmstadt, Germany. He started his scientific career with a research project about the ecological importance of industrial wastelands in the city ofBerlin in the years 1981 to 1983. Also, at this time Professor Herbert Sukopp and Peter Werner wrote the review "Nature in Cities" published by the European Council. Since 1983 he works at the Institute for Housing and Environment and his main research area is urban ecology in the widest sense including urban sustainable development. He was editor of several bibliographies and planning guides concerning urban ecology and published numerous papers in the area of urban nature and ecological development. In 2005 he founded together with other German scientists the competence network urban ecology CONTUREC, since then he is the executive secretary of CONTUREC.

Table of Contents

Contributors

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Urban Biodiversity and the Case for Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity in Towns and Cities

Fundamentals of Urban Biodiversity

Biodiversity ofUrban-IndustrialAreas and its Evaluation - a Critical Review

Cultural Aspects of Urban Biodiversity

Social Aspects of Urban Biodiversity - an Overview

Urban Biodiversity and Climate Change

Design and Future of Urban Biodiversity

Urban Patterns and Biological Diversity: A Review

History and Development of Urban Biodiversity

Urban Flora: Historic, Contemporary and Future Trends

Environmental History and Urban Colonizations from an Avian Perspective

Constraints of Urbanization on Vegetation Dynamics in a Growing City: A Chronological Framework in Rennes (France)

Most Frequently Occurring Vascular Plants and the Role of Non-native Species in Urban Areas - a Comparison of Selected Cities in the Old and the NewWorlds

Factors Influencing Non-Native Tree Species Distribution in Urban Landscapes

Analysis and Evaluation of Biodiversity in Cities

Towards an Automated Update of Urban Biotope Maps Using Remote Sensing Data: What is Possible?

Analysis of the Planted and Spontaneous Vegetation at Selected Open Spaces in Apipucos District of Recife, Brazil

Multivariate Approaches to the Study of Urban Biodiversity and Vegetation: An Example from a Southern Temperate Colonial City, Christchurch, New Zealand

The Biodiversity of Historic Domestic Gardens - A Study in the Wilhelminian Quarter of Erfurt (Germany)

Old Masonry Walls as Ruderal Habitats for Biodiversity Conservation and Enhancement in Urban Hong Kong

Green Roofs - Urban Habitats for Ground-Nesting Birds and Plants

South Atlantic Tourist Resorts: Predictors for Changes Induced by Afforestation

Social Integration and Education for Biodiversity

Urban Green Spaces: Natural and Accessible? The Case of Greater Manchester, UK

UrbanWastelands -A Chance for Biodiversity in Cities? Ecological Aspects, Social Perceptions and Acceptance of Wilderness by Residents

Perception of Biodiversity - The Impact of School Gardening 425

Landscape Design and Children's Participation in a Japanese Primary School - Planning Process of School Biotope for 5 Years

Attracting Interest in Urban Biodiversity with Bird Studies in Italy

Allotment Gardens as Part of Urban Green Infrastructure: Actual Trends and Perspectives in Central Europe

Conservation, Restoration and Design for Biodiversity

Integration ofNatural Vegetation in Urban Design - Information, Personal Determination and Commitment

Prospects of Biodiversity in the Mega-City of Karachi, Pakistan: Potentials, Constraints and Implications

Potential of Biodiversity and Recreation in Shrinking Cities: Contextualization and Operationalization

Near-Natural Restoration Strategies in Post-mining Landscapes

Restoration and Design of Calcareous Grasslands in Urban and Suburban Areas: Examples from the Munich Plain

Contribution of Landscape Design to Changing Urban Climate Conditions

Economics and the Convention on Biodiversity: Financial Incentives for Encouraging Biodiversity in Nagoya

Conclusions

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.