Zhou_et_al_2017

Zhou W, Pickett STA, Cadenasso ML (2017) Shifting concepts of urban spatial heterogeneity and their implications for sustainability. Landscape Ecol 32:15–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-016-0432-4

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Keywords: ecology of cities, heterogeneity

Spatial hetereogeneity in social-ecological systems is a key concept for influences on ecosystem processes, sustainability, equity, urban design, etc. How researchers frame heterogeneity impacts how sustainability promotion is modelled. Show how the framework of spatial heterogeneity in ecology of cities (as opposed to ecology in cities) supports more effective measurement, improves management, and relates better to design. Heterogeneity results from various processes – ecological, built infrastructure, land use types, etc. Spatial heterogeneity is crucial to urban sustainability. Diagram comparing ecology in and of cities and appraches to spatial heterogeneity. Ecology in cities doesn’t take into account social attributes with the exception of occasional, coarse scale parameters. Ecology in cities often maps land use types as discrete pixels at low resolutions – this may not accurately capture spatial heterogeneity of urban systems, need to shift the paradigm. Ecology of cities describes spatial heterogeneity using hybrid compositional elements. Hybridity reflects patch structure from biophysical and social-economic sources. Use the patch mosaic model for modellign spatial heterogeneity using ecology of cities. Increasing spatial and conceptual resolution CAN go together but they are separate concepts. Ecology of cities provides a more holistic view of the city landscape for management. Urban design parallels the ecology of cities framework – recognizing that every patch has value.