a b s t r a c t This study introduces a novel approach to classifying urban structure using land ... more a b s t r a c t This study introduces a novel approach to classifying urban structure using land cover and building height. The goal of the study was to improve comparability of urban structureefunction relationships across cities through development of a novel classification framework that can facilitate urban studies of ecological patterns and processes. We tested the suitability of the classification in two very different urban settings e continental Berlin and coastal New York City. Using Landsat temperature data as an ecological function variable, we compared how urban structures in both cities relate to temperature. Results show that in both cities a large range of urban structure classes show similar trends with respect to land surface temperature, despite differences in climate and structure of the two cities. We found that approximately 68% of the area of Berlin and 79% of the area of New York City can be represented with the same fifteen urban structure classes. Results in...
Local climate regulation by urban green areas is an important urban ecosystem service, as it redu... more Local climate regulation by urban green areas is an important urban ecosystem service, as it reduces the extent of the urban heat island and therefore enhances quality of life. Local and regional planning policies can control land use changes in an urban region, which in turn alter local climate regulation. Thus, this paper describes a method for estimating the impacts
Urban green spaces provide important recreational services for urban residents. In general, when ... more Urban green spaces provide important recreational services for urban residents. In general, when park visitors enjoy "the green," they are in actuality appreciating a mix of biotic, abiotic, and man-made park infrastructure elements and qualities. We argue that these three dimensions of structural diversity have an influence on how people use and value urban parks. We present a straightforward approach for assessing urban parks that combines multi-dimensional landscape mapping and questionnaire surveys. We discuss the method as well the results from its application to differently sized parks in Berlin and Salzburg.
Urban landscapes are the everyday environment for the majority of the global population, and almo... more Urban landscapes are the everyday environment for the majority of the global population, and almost 80 % of the Europeans live in urban areas. The continuous growth in the number and size of urban areas along with an increasing demand on resources and energy poses great challenges for ensuring human welfare in cities while preventing an increasing loss of biodiversity. The understanding of how urban ecosystems function, provide goods and services for urban dwellers; and how they change and what allows and limits their performance can add to the understanding of ecosystem change and governance in general in an ever more human-dominated world. This Special Issue aims at bridging the knowledge gap among urbanization, demand creation, and provisioning of ecosystem services in urban regions on the one hand and schemes of urban governance and planning on the other.
Urban landscape and land-use structure, particularly that of built space, were found to have a si... more Urban landscape and land-use structure, particularly that of built space, were found to have a significant impact on environmental exposures, e.g., on the level and spatial distribution of particle and noise exposure in cities. Climate change will increase the frequency, duration and intensity of heat waves. Hence, the question arises: how do urban structures affect the shape and intensity of urban temperature conditions? To answer this question, multiple urban structures have been quantified in terms of their structural patterns and configuration using the landscape metric (LSM) approach. The results of a linear regression analysis showed that both the edge density and patch size ratio are significantly correlated with the spread and intensity of temperatures across all urban built structures. The analysis shows that the higher the proportion and structural complexity of the built area, the higher are the morning and evening surface temperatures. LSMs were found to be very well sui...
For quantifying and modelling of landscape patterns, the patch matrix model (PMM) and the gradien... more For quantifying and modelling of landscape patterns, the patch matrix model (PMM) and the gradient model (GM) are fundamental concepts of landscape ecology. While the PMM model has been the backbone for our advances in landscape ecology, it may also hamper truly universal insights into process-pattern relationships.
Acoustic noise and particle air pollution are among the most prominent environmental stressors in... more Acoustic noise and particle air pollution are among the most prominent environmental stressors in cities. They often result in cardiorespiratory diseases among urban dwellers and thus counteract important urban health targets. In cities, both stressors often occur simultaneously because their main source is urban traffic. Nevertheless, little is known about the combined exposure of acoustic noise and particle air pollution and their spatial distribution in urban residential areas. Filling this gap, landscape metrics were used to explain outdoor noise and PM10 patterns. Using Leipzig in central Germany as a case study, a highly statistical relationship exists between particle air pollution concentration and acoustic noise level that differs according to the urban structure type, as determined by landscape metrics. In conclusion, landscape metrics are very useful in predicting noise and PM10 exposure, together and in combination, for people in urban structures. Conversely, landscape m...
In this paper we develop a GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment and mapping approach. Th... more In this paper we develop a GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment and mapping approach. This approach includes flood risks which are not measured in monetary terms; it shows the spatial distribution of multiple risks, and it is able to deal with uncertainties in criteria values and to show their influence on the overall flood risk assessment. Additionally, the approach can be used to show the spatial allocation of the flood effects if risk reduction measures are implemented. The approach is applied to a pilot study for the River Mulde in Saxony, Germany, heavily affected by the hazardous flood in 2002. Therefore, a GIS database of economic, social and environmental risk criteria was created. Two different multicriteria decision rules, a disjunctive and an additive weighting approach, are utilised for an overall flood risk assessment in the area. For implementation, a software tool (FloodCalc) was developed supporting both, the risk calculation of the single criteria as well a...
Despite the perceived value of DSS in informing environmental and natural resource management, DS... more Despite the perceived value of DSS in informing environmental and natural resource management, DSS tools often fail to be adopted by intended end users. By drawing together the experience of a global group of EDSS developers, we have identified and assessed key challenges in EDSS development and offer recommendations to resolve them. Challenges related to engaging end users in EDSS development emphasise the need for a participatory process that embraces end users and stakeholders throughout the design and development process. Adoption challenges concerned with individual and organisational capacities to use EDSS and the match between EDSS and organisational goals can be overcome through the use of an internal champion to promote the EDSS at different levels of a target organisation; coordinate and build capacity within the organisation, and; ensure that developers maintain focus on developing EDSS which are relatively easy and inexpensive to use and update (and which are perceived as such by the target users). Significant challenges exist in relation to ensuring EDSS longevity and financial sustainability. Such business challenges may be met through planning and design that considers the long-term costs of training, support, and maintenance; revenue generation and licensing by instituting processes which support communication and interactions; and by employing software technology which enables easy model expansion and re use to gain an economy of scale and reduce development costs. A final group of perhaps more problematic challenges relate to how the success of EDSS ought to be q Position papers aim to synthesise some key aspect of the knowledge platform for environmental modelling and software issues.
a b s t r a c t This study introduces a novel approach to classifying urban structure using land ... more a b s t r a c t This study introduces a novel approach to classifying urban structure using land cover and building height. The goal of the study was to improve comparability of urban structureefunction relationships across cities through development of a novel classification framework that can facilitate urban studies of ecological patterns and processes. We tested the suitability of the classification in two very different urban settings e continental Berlin and coastal New York City. Using Landsat temperature data as an ecological function variable, we compared how urban structures in both cities relate to temperature. Results show that in both cities a large range of urban structure classes show similar trends with respect to land surface temperature, despite differences in climate and structure of the two cities. We found that approximately 68% of the area of Berlin and 79% of the area of New York City can be represented with the same fifteen urban structure classes. Results in...
Local climate regulation by urban green areas is an important urban ecosystem service, as it redu... more Local climate regulation by urban green areas is an important urban ecosystem service, as it reduces the extent of the urban heat island and therefore enhances quality of life. Local and regional planning policies can control land use changes in an urban region, which in turn alter local climate regulation. Thus, this paper describes a method for estimating the impacts
Urban green spaces provide important recreational services for urban residents. In general, when ... more Urban green spaces provide important recreational services for urban residents. In general, when park visitors enjoy "the green," they are in actuality appreciating a mix of biotic, abiotic, and man-made park infrastructure elements and qualities. We argue that these three dimensions of structural diversity have an influence on how people use and value urban parks. We present a straightforward approach for assessing urban parks that combines multi-dimensional landscape mapping and questionnaire surveys. We discuss the method as well the results from its application to differently sized parks in Berlin and Salzburg.
Urban landscapes are the everyday environment for the majority of the global population, and almo... more Urban landscapes are the everyday environment for the majority of the global population, and almost 80 % of the Europeans live in urban areas. The continuous growth in the number and size of urban areas along with an increasing demand on resources and energy poses great challenges for ensuring human welfare in cities while preventing an increasing loss of biodiversity. The understanding of how urban ecosystems function, provide goods and services for urban dwellers; and how they change and what allows and limits their performance can add to the understanding of ecosystem change and governance in general in an ever more human-dominated world. This Special Issue aims at bridging the knowledge gap among urbanization, demand creation, and provisioning of ecosystem services in urban regions on the one hand and schemes of urban governance and planning on the other.
Urban landscape and land-use structure, particularly that of built space, were found to have a si... more Urban landscape and land-use structure, particularly that of built space, were found to have a significant impact on environmental exposures, e.g., on the level and spatial distribution of particle and noise exposure in cities. Climate change will increase the frequency, duration and intensity of heat waves. Hence, the question arises: how do urban structures affect the shape and intensity of urban temperature conditions? To answer this question, multiple urban structures have been quantified in terms of their structural patterns and configuration using the landscape metric (LSM) approach. The results of a linear regression analysis showed that both the edge density and patch size ratio are significantly correlated with the spread and intensity of temperatures across all urban built structures. The analysis shows that the higher the proportion and structural complexity of the built area, the higher are the morning and evening surface temperatures. LSMs were found to be very well sui...
For quantifying and modelling of landscape patterns, the patch matrix model (PMM) and the gradien... more For quantifying and modelling of landscape patterns, the patch matrix model (PMM) and the gradient model (GM) are fundamental concepts of landscape ecology. While the PMM model has been the backbone for our advances in landscape ecology, it may also hamper truly universal insights into process-pattern relationships.
Acoustic noise and particle air pollution are among the most prominent environmental stressors in... more Acoustic noise and particle air pollution are among the most prominent environmental stressors in cities. They often result in cardiorespiratory diseases among urban dwellers and thus counteract important urban health targets. In cities, both stressors often occur simultaneously because their main source is urban traffic. Nevertheless, little is known about the combined exposure of acoustic noise and particle air pollution and their spatial distribution in urban residential areas. Filling this gap, landscape metrics were used to explain outdoor noise and PM10 patterns. Using Leipzig in central Germany as a case study, a highly statistical relationship exists between particle air pollution concentration and acoustic noise level that differs according to the urban structure type, as determined by landscape metrics. In conclusion, landscape metrics are very useful in predicting noise and PM10 exposure, together and in combination, for people in urban structures. Conversely, landscape m...
In this paper we develop a GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment and mapping approach. Th... more In this paper we develop a GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment and mapping approach. This approach includes flood risks which are not measured in monetary terms; it shows the spatial distribution of multiple risks, and it is able to deal with uncertainties in criteria values and to show their influence on the overall flood risk assessment. Additionally, the approach can be used to show the spatial allocation of the flood effects if risk reduction measures are implemented. The approach is applied to a pilot study for the River Mulde in Saxony, Germany, heavily affected by the hazardous flood in 2002. Therefore, a GIS database of economic, social and environmental risk criteria was created. Two different multicriteria decision rules, a disjunctive and an additive weighting approach, are utilised for an overall flood risk assessment in the area. For implementation, a software tool (FloodCalc) was developed supporting both, the risk calculation of the single criteria as well a...
Despite the perceived value of DSS in informing environmental and natural resource management, DS... more Despite the perceived value of DSS in informing environmental and natural resource management, DSS tools often fail to be adopted by intended end users. By drawing together the experience of a global group of EDSS developers, we have identified and assessed key challenges in EDSS development and offer recommendations to resolve them. Challenges related to engaging end users in EDSS development emphasise the need for a participatory process that embraces end users and stakeholders throughout the design and development process. Adoption challenges concerned with individual and organisational capacities to use EDSS and the match between EDSS and organisational goals can be overcome through the use of an internal champion to promote the EDSS at different levels of a target organisation; coordinate and build capacity within the organisation, and; ensure that developers maintain focus on developing EDSS which are relatively easy and inexpensive to use and update (and which are perceived as such by the target users). Significant challenges exist in relation to ensuring EDSS longevity and financial sustainability. Such business challenges may be met through planning and design that considers the long-term costs of training, support, and maintenance; revenue generation and licensing by instituting processes which support communication and interactions; and by employing software technology which enables easy model expansion and re use to gain an economy of scale and reduce development costs. A final group of perhaps more problematic challenges relate to how the success of EDSS ought to be q Position papers aim to synthesise some key aspect of the knowledge platform for environmental modelling and software issues.
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Papers by Dagmar Haase