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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 15899

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Dr. Yafei Wang

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School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: urban ecosystem services; blue–green infrastructure; urban nature-based solution; human wellbeing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid growth of cities, the urban ecosystem is becoming one of the most important habitats for human beings. It combines natural and anthropogenic components that interact with one another, providing both natural and artificial benefits that influence the quality of urban life. Under the carbon neutrality targets of various countries across the world, nature-based solutions (NBS) will play an increasingly important role in addressing climate change. NBSs constitute a type of ecosystem-based blue and green infrastructure (BGI) involving interconnected networks of natural and artificial landscape components. The natural processes and aspects of BGI underpin their functions, which in turn provide most urban ESs. Under the pressure of urban expansion and climate change, better information on how ESs contribute to the urban ecosystem and human wellbeing is crucial for decision making and urban planning and will likely improve sustainable urban development. This Special Issue will present an up-to-date overview of advances in ecosystem services and urban sustainability by bringing together conceptual, epistemological, methodological, and mainly case-based studies or applied perspectives.

The editors of this Topic encourage submissions focused on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

New definition, characterization, or mapping of urban forms, urban ecosystem services, or urban management.
Novel approaches to identify the main drivers of land cover/land use change for sustainable urban development in urban planning throughout history.
Innovative concepts, methods, or technologies to analyze and model urban land cover/land use change, human–nature interaction, or social–ecological system dynamics.
Disentangling the synergy and trade-offs among social progress, regional development, environmental management, and urban planning.
New concepts, technologies, approaches, and developments of NBS.
New technologies, methodologies, and tools to support BGI planning in sustainable urban development.

Dr. Yafei Wang
Guest Editor

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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

drivers of land cover/land-use change
urban sustainability
urban ecosystem services
urban ecosystem
geographic information technologies
human–nature interactions
blue and green infrastructure planning
nature-based solutions

Related Special Issue

Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability, 2nd Edition in Sustainability

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 5412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Trade-Offs in Ecosystem Services for Blue–Green–Grey Infrastructure Planning

by Hanxi Chen, Jing Li, Yafei Wang, Zhuobiao Ni and Beicheng Xia

Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010203 - 25 Dec 2023

Viewed by 828

Abstract

The effectiveness and feasibility of urban planning are significantly influenced by the supply capacity and net value of ecosystem services offered by blue–green–grey infrastructure. This study used a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) to ascertain and contrast the ecological net present value (NPV) of the blue–green–grey infrastructure in three distinct functional areas (a park, a square, and a residential district) under 12 scenarios during the period characterized by representative summer temperature, which we refer to as “warm periods”. Our findings suggest varied optimal scenarios for the three functional areas. For the park, the most beneficial scenario involved an integrated approach with a 5% increase in grey infrastructure and a 5% replacement of green infrastructure with grey. This scenario yielded an NPV of 7.31 USD/m² in a short-term life span (25 years) and 11.59 USD/m² in a long-term life span (150 years). In the case of the square, the introduction of an additional 5% of blue infrastructure led to the highest NPV of ecological benefits, resulting in gains of 1.49 USD/m² for a short-term life span and 2.18 USD/m² for a long-term life span. For the residential district, the scenario where 5% of green infrastructure was replaced with blue infrastructure resulted in the highest NPV across all scenarios, with values of 8.02 USD/m² and 10.65 USD/m² for a short- and long-term life span, respectively. Generally, the most beneficial scenario yielded greater benefits over the long term compared with short-term projects. By quantifying the ecological benefits of different blue–green–grey infrastructure combinations, our research provides theoretical support for optimizing both the ecological and economic value of urban infrastructures. This study could benefit academics, practitioners, and policymakers in urban planning in optimizing the allocation of the blue–green–grey infrastructure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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28 pages, 4052 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Urbanization and Environmental Factors on the Financial Performance of Retail and Automotive Industries in China

by Faisal Mahmood, Wasim Al-Shattarat, Ruba Hamed, Basiem Al-Shattarat, Kameleddine Benameur, Ahmed Hassanein and Yasean Tahat

Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16138; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316138 - 21 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1041

Abstract

This study probes the intersection of urbanization, environmental degradation, and corporate performance in China’s retail and automotive sectors. Utilizing data from 23 regions spanning 2000–2022, the research elucidates the impacts of urban growth, infrastructure development, and particulate matter 2.5 pollution (PM2.5) on these industries. The study uses panel data from 2000 to 2022 and the corresponding analytical random effect model, along with pre- and post-estimation tests for the main results. The findings reveal that while urban population growth bolsters retail sales, it adversely affects the automotive industry. Urban infrastructure does not influence conventional sectors, yet it negatively impacts online retail sales. PM2.5 pollution depresses retail and automotive sales but boosts online sales, underscoring the rising environmental consciousness among consumers. The urban population significantly moderates the relationship between PM2.5 pollution and sales across sectors, hinting at unique consumption patterns in populated urban areas. This study provides critical insights for policymakers aiming for sustainable economic growth, and encourages further research with more region-specific factors and extended time frames. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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19 pages, 6674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Ecosystem Service Values and Topography-Driven Effects Based on Land Use Change: A Case Study of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area

by Hui Li, Yilin Huang, Yilu Zhou, Shuntao Wang, Wanqi Guo, Yan Liu, Junzhi Wang, Qing Xu, Xiaokang Zhou, Kexin Yi, Qingchun Hou, Lixia Liao and Wei Lin

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9691; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129691 - 16 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1090

Abstract

The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is rich in natural and marine resources, and it is scientifically valuable to study the evolution patterns and driving mechanisms of the ecosystem service values (ESVs) of the GBA for the governance and conservation of its ecosystems. Based on the land use changes in the GBA from 2000 to 2020, the ESVs in the GBA were measured at the grid scale, and the Markov model was used to predict the ESVs in 2030; the calculated results were used to analyze the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of the ESVs during the 30-year period, while the driving role of the topographic factors on the ESVs is revealed through the construction of the geographically weighted regression model (GWR). The results show the following: (1) During the 20-year period, the area of arable land and water in the GBA fluctuated greatly, with the area decreasing year by year and shifting mainly into construction land; in terms of shifting the center of gravity of the land, and the center of gravity of the grassland and unused land shifted the greatest distance due to the expansion of construction land, with the center of gravity shifting westward as a whole. (2) The ecosystem services (ESs) in the GBA show obvious aggregation in the spatial distribution, with the total ESVs decreasing year by year. Among them, the areas with an increasing total value are mainly located in the cities of Zhaoqing and Huizhou in the GBA, accounting for 27%, and the areas with a decreasing total value year by year are mainly located in the dense urban areas in the central part of the GBA, accounting for 35%, and the area is increasing, indicating that the habitat quality is deteriorating, and the model prediction shows that the value of ecosystem services in 2030 have a decreasing trend under the development of the natural state. (3) Topographic factors have a significant influence on the ESVs, and in terms of spatial distribution, the areas with the strongest effect are distributed in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the GBA, and the main uses for the land are wood land, arable land, water and the area of the water–land intersection near the sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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14 pages, 3598 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Co-Application of Sewage Sludge, Chinese Medicinal Herbal Residue and Biochar Attenuated Accumulation and Translocation of Antibiotics in Soils and Crops

by Min Pan, Shing Him Lee, Liwen Luo, Xun Wen Chen and Yik Tung Sham

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6972; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086972 - 21 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1373

Abstract

Sewage sludge (SL), Chinese medicinal herbal residues (CMHRs) and the raw materials of biochar (BC) are normally treated as wastes. However, SL, CMHRs and BC are potential candidates for soil amendments. The performances of soils amended with three different proportions (5%, 10% and 20% on a dry-weight basis) of SL-BC and SL-CMHR-BC in terms of ameliorating soil properties and attenuating antibiotics in soil–plant systems were investigated with two common crop species: carrot and lettuce. The amended soils in general showed higher nutrient levels than the control soils, and particularly for the 20% SL-CMHR-BC. The soils with 10% or 20% SL-BC or SL-CMHR-BC apparently retarded the germination performances of the two crop species, but the negative effects were not noticeable after a growing period. Six target antibiotics, amoxicillin (AMX), tetracycline (TC), sulfamethazine (SMX), norfloxacin (NOR), erythromycin (ERY) and chloramphenicol (CAP), were applied for growing the crops by using irrigation water with 3 μg L⁻¹ (IW3) and 30 μg L⁻¹ (IW30) of each antibiotic. The amended soils led to lower levels of antibiotics in the soils and crop tissues as compared with the control, with the 20% SL-CMHR-BC soils showing the most pronounced effect. The effects of the soil amendments on the bioconcentration factor (BCF) varied, but generally with lower values in the amended soils. Both SL-BC and SL-CMHR-BC were proven in the study as potential soil amendments for alleviating the environmental dispersal and human exposure risks of different antibiotics, and specifically 20% SL-CMHR-BC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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14 pages, 1656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimized Monitoring and Conservation of Farmland Bird Species through Bayesian Modelling: The Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus Population in Central Italy

by Alessandro Ferrarini, Enzo Calevi, Dina Brozzetti, Alessia Colle, Riccardo De Santis, Stefano Laurenti, Enzo Savo and Marco Gustin

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4426; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054426 - 1 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1542

Abstract

The Montagu’s harrier Circus pygargus is considered a rare species at the Italian level, and vulnerable at the European level. The main threat for these farmland birds is represented by agricultural practices; in fact, it nests on the ground in agricultural environments; therefore, at harvest time nests are often destroyed (with the eggs and chicks) by farm machinery. We examined the reproductive traits (clutch size, laying date, hatching, and fledging date and success) of the Montagu’s harrier population in central Italy (about 10% of its population in Italy) where nest protection has been implemented through electric fences and metallic meshes. By using a Bayesian probabilistic network, we modeled the sequence of events that determine its reproductive success (percentages of eggs hatched and chicks fledged) and simulated the effects of different environmental and management scenarios. Our model explained the hatching and fledging success with 90.20% and 95.12% accuracies, respectively. We found that crop type and height, laying date, type and delay of nest protection have specific effects on the reproductive success of this population. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to optimize the monitoring of this population and significantly increase its reproductive success by acting selectively upon the environmental and management attributes of the breeding area. Our decision tool allowed us to produce several rules for the optimized monitoring and conservation of the Montagu’s harrier population in central Italy. The methodological approach proposed here is suitable for application to any farmland bird population on a local scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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20 pages, 10006 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial–Temporal Heterogeneity of Urbanization and Ecosystem Services in the Yellow River Basin

by Zhongwu Zhang, Jinyuan Zhang, Liping Liu, Jian Gong, Jinqiang Li and Lei Kang

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3113; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043113 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1485

Abstract

Taking 736 counties in the Yellow River Basin of China as the research area, the comprehensive urbanization development level and ecosystem service capacity from 2000 to 2020 were measured. Combined with spatial autocorrelation, the spatial pattern evolution characteristics of the two systems in the Yellow River Basin were revealed. The spatio–temporal geographically weighted regression (GTWR) model was used to analyze the spatio–temporal heterogeneity of the impact of various elements of the system on urbanization and ecosystem service capacity. The results showed that (1) the urbanization level and ecosystem service capacity of the Yellow River Basin were on the rise but the urbanization level and ecosystem service capacity were low, while the spatial and temporal heterogeneity was significant. (2) The two systems are positively correlated in space, and the agglomeration characteristics are significant. The evolution trend of urbanization from an L–L agglomeration area to an H–H agglomeration area is occurring gradually. The spatial change in the ecosystem service agglomeration area is small, and the stability is strong. (3) The impact of ecosystem services on comprehensive urbanization is enhanced by time, and the spatial ‘center–periphery’ diffusion characteristics are significant. (4) The influence of urbanization on the comprehensive ecosystem service capacity is enhanced and shows the law of east–west differentiation in space. There are obvious transition zones in the spatial heterogeneity interval of the interaction between the two systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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16 pages, 820 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovation Efficiency of Chinese Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry from the Perspective of Innovation Ecosystem

by Xueling Guan, Lijiang Chen, Qing Xia and Zhaohui Qin

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 12993; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142012993 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2177

Abstract

Improving innovation efficiency is of great significance to the sustainable development of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry as well as the regional economy. To measure the efficiency of the innovation process from the perspective of the ecosystem, a model, including three head-to-tail stages, namely the innovative production process, innovative integration process, and innovative application process, is established. The DEA-Malmquist index is used to evaluate the static and dynamic innovation efficiency of the Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry from 2009 to 2020. The results show that the overall innovation efficiency of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry fluctuated, and the industry has not yet achieved steady growth in innovation efficiency during 2009–2020. Cross-sectional data comparisons found that there are significant differences in innovation efficiency among provinces. To improve the innovation efficiency of the Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, several suggestions are proposed, such as improving the technical efficiency, improving the efficiency of the whole process in innovative ways, and bridging the gap in innovation efficiency across regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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26 pages, 1987 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Emission Reduction Cost Assessment Using Multiregional Computable General Equilibrium Model: Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area

by Jin-Feng Zhou, Juan Wu, Wei Chen and Dan Wu

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10756; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710756 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1571

Abstract

Carbon emissions reduction is an urgent global call to action, and for China, the nation with the largest carbon dioxide emissions, the task is especially arduous. For a country like China with many provinces and cities and unbalanced regional economic development, how to balance carbon emission reduction targets with economic development goals has become a social concern. Estimating the emission reduction costs of economic entities at all levels and reasonably allocating emission reduction tasks are the basic prerequisites for sustainable urban development. Based on an input–output (IO) table analysis of the socioeconomic data of Guangdong Province from 2017, this paper uses RAS and other data reconciliation methods to decompose various statistical data based on cities and industries. A multiregional IO table of nine cities in Guangdong Province in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is obtained, and a multiregional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of Guangdong Province is established. Using this model, this paper explores city-level differences in carbon emissions reduction costs while accounting for differences in economic development under industry-wide coverage. A scientific basis for the allocation of urban carbon quotas is provided, which is particularly important for the sustainable development of cities. First, the carbon emissions reduction cost (carbon price) of each city is related to the intensity of emissions reduction and the present carbon intensity, both of which are affected by cities’ industrial and trade structures. Second, under neoclassical closure conditions, carbon emissions reduction is found to have less impact on the overall gross domestic product (GDP). At the industrial level, the high-carbon sectors are the most affected, whereas the low-carbon sectors are less affected. Notably, some industries become beneficiary sectors. Under Keynesian closure conditions, carbon emissions reduction has a greater impact on overall GDP, and all cities and industries are generally affected, especially those that are currently carbon- and trade-intensive. Third, to ensure the achievement of emissions reduction targets and minimize negative economic impacts, it is determined that the direct and opportunity costs of carbon emissions reduction must be fully considered when allocating carbon allowances, and optimal solutions should be derived from the combined perspective of fairness and efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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21 pages, 8605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive Evaluation and Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Green Development in Hunan Province, China

by Zhirong Li, Kaiheng Zheng and Qikang Zhong

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6819; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116819 - 2 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1520

Abstract

Hunan Province in China is in the initial stage of green development. Human activities and urban construction lead to ecological environmental problems. Based on the physical geography, environmental quality and socio-economic data from 2005 to 2020, this study established a green development evaluation system based on the DPSIR model by analyzing the logical relationship of green development in Hunan Province. In addition, we explored the change characteristics of the green development level, and evaluated the green development in Hunan Province from the time and space dimensions. The results showed that there are significant spatial differences in the green development level of counties in Hunan Province, showing a pattern of “strong in the east, weak in the central and western regions”. In addition, from 2005 to 2020, the county’s green development index showed agglomeration distribution. The driving forces and pressure systems have a significant role in promoting the green development of the county, while the state and impact systems also have a certain role in promoting the green development of the county. Based on the evolution mechanism of green development in Hunan Province, this paper studied the new green development evaluation system and proposed green development policy recommendations, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the construction of ecological civilization in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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Review

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18 pages, 3741 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ecosystem Services Research in Rural Areas: A Systematic Review Based on Bibliometric Analysis

by Beichen Ge, Congjin Wang and Yuhong Song

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065082 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2160

Abstract

As an essential part of ecosystem services, the rural ecosystem service (rES) plays an irreplaceable role in sustainable development. However, research on rESs still needs improvement compared with urban ecosystem services. Aiming at analyzing the research and development trends in rES, three types of bibliometric analysis software, HistCite, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace, are applied to reveal and visualize the research status and the prospect of existing research. The results show that since 2015, there has been a significant increase in the number of countries, papers, and institutions studying rES. There are five main research areas, among which urbanization and nature’s contribution to people (NCP) are ongoing. Moreover, the research content gradually shifted from fundamental studies on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services to the relationships between different stakeholders and rESs against the background of complex social relations and cultural settings in urbanization. However, there is still a lack of leading ancestor literature in the field, and this field still needs to be developed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecosystem Services and Urban Sustainability)

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