Synergies and trade-offs in ecosystem services from urban and peri‑urban forests and their implication to sustainable city design and planning. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cueva, Jessica; Yakouchenkova, Iulia Almeida; Fröhlich, Katrin; Dermann, Anna Floria; Dermann, Florian; Köhler, Mario; Grossmann, Josef; Meier, Winfried; Bauhus, Jürgen; Schröder, Dietrich; Sardemann, Gerhard; Thomas, Carolin; Carnicero, Arturo Romero; Saha, Somidh
• Is Part Of: Sustainable cities and society. Volume 82(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: Urban and peri‑urban forests -- Ecosystem services -- Climate change -- Spatial assessment -- Trade-offs; Sustainable urban development -- Periodicals; Sustainable buildings -- Periodicals; Urban ecology (Sociology) -- Periodicals; 307.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2022.103903
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2210-6707

Abstract

Highlights: Spatial analysis shows the distribution and degree of the potential supply of ecosystem services (ES) from urban and peri‑urban forests and their trade-offs. The interactions between provisioning and regulating ES were mostly synergistic. The potential supply of supporting ES was relatively low in comparison with provisioning and regulating ES. The patterns of trade-offs between the different ES should be considered in the planning and development of urban and peri‑urban forests. Abstract: Reducing trade-offs among ecosystem services (ES) from urban and peri‑urban forests (UPF) is crucial for human wellbeing. We performed spatial analyses and quantified the supply and trade-offs between 23 ES (grouped into three categories: provisioning, regulating, and supporting) from UPF in the Karlsruhe region, southwest Germany. The supply of ES was calculated, normalized, and mapped from field data collected at 201 randomly selected plots in UPF, located in agricultural land, built-up areas (i.e., artificial surfaces), and forest and seminatural areas. Trade-offs were calculated as the root mean squared error between the benefits from two categories of ES. Predominantly, there was a synergy between provisioning and regulating ES; however, trade-offs with supporting ecosystem services were detected in all three land-uses. The UPF areas with a high supply of supporting ES (e.g. tree species, structural and tree microhabitat diversity) had a lower supply of regulating and provisioning ES, resulting in trade-offs. This study demonstrates trade-off patterns between the ES in UPF, which should be considered in the management of UPF and sustainable city design. Current UPF should be transformed to a more multifunctional and climate-resilient state to guarantee ES and human wellbeing in cities.