Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
967 results(10 / 39)
Botanical extracts for insect management: lessons from participatory research in peri-urban horticultural systems of central Argentina
2024María Amparo Gaona Flores, Martín Videla, Gerardo Serra, Luis Narmona, Jorge Gabriel Barbero, Milene Rocío Barcenilla, Evangelina Beatriz Argüello · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Argentina
This study evaluated botanical insecticides as a technological device for synthetic input substitution in peri-urban horticultural systems of central Argentina. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework was used to assess the performance of garlic extracts (GE) for pest and natural enemy regulation in lettuce crops in conventional and agroecological contexts. Through three PAR cycles, GE effectiveness on aphids, thrips, and natural enemies was observed, and context-specific adaptations were noted: GE was useful near harvest in conventional systems and highlighted biodiversity's relevance for system redesign in agroecological systems.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleBiodiversityCommunityEffects of spatial and temporal crop changes on bird diversity in peri‑urban agricultural lands
2024Myung‐Bok Lee, Daojian Chen, Fangyuan Liu, Fasheng Zou · Basic and Applied Ecology · China (Guangzhou)
This study investigated how spatial and temporal crop changes relate to bird diversity and traits in small peri-urban agricultural lands in Guangzhou, a sub-tropical city in China. Bird and crop data were collected approximately bimonthly from December 2021 to October 2022. Both overall crop diversity (alpha diversity) and seasonal crop changes (beta diversity) were positively associated with bird Shannon-Wiener diversity. Woody vegetation cover positively affected all three bird diversity indices, while plant/seed-eating bird abundance was negatively associated with alpha crop diversity, and ground-foraging bird abundance was positively associated with beta crop diversity.
BiodiversityPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageReview of the Benefits of Green Roofs
2024Consultant Engineer, 107B El. Venizelou str., 73132, Chania, Crete, Greece, John Vourdoubas · International Journal of Current Science Research and Review · Global
This review emphasizes the multiple environmental, economic, energy, and social benefits of green roofs installed on urban buildings. Green roofs are reported to remove atmospheric pollutants, release oxygen, mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce building energy consumption, improve rainwater management, and promote urban agriculture. Their construction is financially subsidized in several countries due to these benefits, which contribute to urban sustainability and resident well-being.
Climate changePolicyCommunityBiodiversity“We never even touched plants this way”: school gardens as an embodied context for motivating environmental actions
2024Deborah Dutta, Sanjay Chandrasekharan · Environmental Education Research · Global
This study, based on a year-long facilitation of a school terrace-garden in a metropolitan city, outlined how situated and embodied interactions can foster an understanding of diverse ecological practices. It indicated that multi-modal sensorimotor experiences and the possibility of sharing these with others motivate children to expand their sphere of environmental activities beyond the site of learning. Students extended their care-based interactions with the garden to their communities and broader ecological issues.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityClimate changeHabitat diversification associated with urban development has a little effect on genetic structure in the annual native plant Commelina communis in an East Asian megacity
2024Nakata Taichi, Naoyuki Nakahama, Nobuko Ohmido, Atushi Ushimaru · Ecology and Evolution · Japan (Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe)
In Japan's Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe megacity, the genetic diversity and structure of 24 Commelina communis populations were investigated across diverse habitat types, including rural agricultural land, urban agricultural land, urban park land, and urban roadsides. The establishment of diverse habitat types through urbanization was found to have no impact on C. communis genetic diversity and little impact on its genetic structure. This is likely due to the plant's high selfing rate and ability to adapt to urban conditions.
BiodiversityUrban–rural linkageSustainable nature‐based solutions require establishment and maintenance of keystone plant‐pollinator interactions
2024Nicole E. Rafferty, Christopher T. Cosma · Journal of Ecology · Global
A literature search on nature-based solutions (NBS), including urban greenspaces and agriculture, found that 0%–3% of papers considered pollinators or pollination, with 12.5% in agricultural NBS papers. The study emphasizes that NBS success depends on resilient pollinator communities and calls for identifying keystone plants and pollinators to promote NBS functioning under future climatic conditions. It advocates for phylogenetic trait-based analyses to understand keystoneness.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleMapping wild food foraging locations reveals urban green space preferences and avenues for edible city solutions
2024Anjoulie Brandner, Karolina Taczanowska, Brenda Maria Zoderer, Christoph Schunko · Urban forestry & urban greening · Austria (Vienna)
A survey of 458 respondents in Vienna, Austria, analyzed urban wild food foraging locations and preferences for urban green spaces (UGS). 1239 foraging locations were identified across 9 UGS types, with forest and meadow landscapes, parks, and UGS mosaics being most utilized. Foragers' major concerns were contamination from traffic and dogs.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityBiodiversityHealthPolicyLand cover changes and management effectiveness of protected areas in tropical coastal area of sub-Saharan Africa
2024Jeffrey Chiwuikem Chiaka, Gengyuan Liu, Hui Li, Wen Zhang, Mingwan Wu, Zhaoman Huo, F. Gonella · Environmental and Sustainability Indicators · Sub-Saharan Africa
This study evaluated land cover change and its drivers using spatial and statistical analysis in 22 designated protected areas (PAs) across the tropical coastal regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Results indicated that food production is prevalent in these protected areas regardless of their designation, and forest loss occurred in most PAs, suggesting weak conservation. Population density was the most significant driver of land cover change, and only 15 out of 22 protected areas showed an increase in their total ecosystem service value.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeBiodiversityUrban Agriculture as Activism: Common Practices and Discourses in Different Contexts
2024Gustavo Nagib · Atlantis highlights in social sciences, education and humanities/Atlantis Highlights in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities · Global
This qualitative study, conducted between 2016 and 2022 in São Paulo, Paris, and Lausanne, explored the relationship between urban agriculture, activism, and the right to the city. It found a convergence between discourse and practice in intraurban horticulture, emphasizing public space reappropriation, social bond strengthening, urban biodiversity promotion, and a new city-nature relationship. Community gardens in all three cities serve as hubs of collective experience, offering a critique of contemporary cities and an alternative to urban life.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceCONNECTING NATURE AND CITY: STRATEGIES FOR RESILIENT URBAN LANDSCAPES
2024Ankur Jyoti Dutta · International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology · Global
This paper analyzes urban resilience by examining urban landscapes and nature-based strategies. It aims to understand how designers and policymakers can identify and assess urban environmental risks to reduce vulnerability and exposure. The study emphasizes integrating smart policies and frameworks to make urban landscapes part of an adaptive resilience strategy for future resilient cities.
BiodiversityClimate changeHealthCommunityEpilogue
2024Erin VanLaningham · · Global
This concluding chapter emphasizes an ecology of the common good, highlighting the interconnectedness required for flourishing campuses, communities, and thought systems. It discusses four key aspects: deep ecology, ecology and economy, the home place, and community gardens and gardening. The chapter suggests that stewarding resources and educating for vocation can help prioritize diversity, justice, and care for all.
CommunityBiodiversityEconomicsFood educationFlower richness is key to pollinator abundance: The role of garden features in cities
2024Astrid E. Neumann, Felix Conitz, Susan Karlebowski, Ulrike Sturm, Julia M. Schmack, Monika Egerer · Basic and Applied Ecology · Germany (Munich)
This study recorded garden features and pollinators in 33 urban community gardens in Munich and Berlin, Germany, over two summer seasons to understand their impact on pollinator abundance. Findings showed that in more urbanized gardens, flower richness and bare substrate were less prevalent. Flower richness positively correlated with overall pollinator abundance, richness, and diversity, while landscape imperviousness negatively correlated with hoverfly and beetle abundances.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsPotential Economic and Ecosystem Performances of Some Mediterranean Fruit Plants in an Urban Context
2024Desirée Muscas, Silvia Marrapodi, Chiara Proietti, Luigia Ruga, Fabio Orlandi, Marco Fornaciari · Sustainability · Italy
A study in an urban area of central Italy evaluated the potential productive, ecosystem, and economic contributions of fruit tree species for a food forest. Using a web app for simulation, Ficus carica and Morus nigra showed good potential fruit production of 1300 kg and 865 kg, and CO2 storage of 2.5 and 1.5 tons, respectively. Morus nigra demonstrated the highest economic value over a 50-year period, estimated at approximately 6000 USD with an average price of 7 USD/kg, and edible food forests were found to improve urban ecosystem biodiversity.
EconomicsBiodiversityClimate changeCommunityPollution gradients shape microbial communities associated with Ae. albopictus larval habitats in urban community gardens
2024Pénélope Duval, Edwige Martin, Laurent Vallon, Pierre Antonelli, Maxime Girard, Aymeric Signoret, Patricia Luis, Danis Abrouk, Laure Wiest, Aurélie Fildier, Christelle Bonnefoy, Patrick Jame, Erik Bonjour, Amélie Cantarel, Jonathan Gervaix, Emmanuelle Vulliet, Rémy Cazabet, Guillaume Minard, Claire Valiente Moro · FEMS Microbiology Ecology · France
A study conducted in French community gardens investigated whether pollution gradients influence the water microbial composition of Aedes albopictus larval habitats. The physicochemical and microbial compositions of noncolonized and colonized waters did not significantly differ, with the exception of N2O and CH4 concentrations, which were higher in noncolonized water samples. The microbial composition of larval habitats covaried differentially along the pollution gradients according to colonization status.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthBasic Study on Long-Term Changes in the Composition of Rooftop Greening Vegetation Using Artificial Soil : Focus on the Soil Analysis Results of the 20-Year Green Roof Testbed
2024Soo-Young Moon, Dae-Hee Jang · KIEAE Journal · South Korea
This study investigated whether green roof soil, originally artificial, could evolve into natural soil suitable for urban agriculture over time. Researchers analyzed the composition of rooftop greening soil from a 20-year-old testbed at KICT in South Korea. The analysis revealed that the rooftop greening soil had gradually transformed into natural soil, confirming that long-term maintained rooftop greening on artificial grounds can evolve into an environment quantitatively similar to natural soil.
Organic cycleClimate changeBiodiversityUsing Cellphones for Visualizing the Social and Environmental Relations of Community Gardens
2024Mitchell McLarnon · · Global
This chapter describes the practice, processes, and ethical tensions of using cell phones for visual data collection, representation, and analysis in school/community garden research projects. The findings suggest that while gardens and cell phones have the potential for enhancing experiential learning, increased well-being, and ecological awareness, their use needs to be highly contextualized within critical discussions related to settler colonialism, consumerism, neoliberalism, and (green) gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood educationBiodiversityClimate changeHealthPolicyAssessing the Social Impact and Community Engagement of the Micro Urban Food Forest Campaign at Masagi Koffee : A Mixed-Methods Study
2024Rafi Pratama, Wawan Dhewanto · International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies · Indonesia (Bandung)
This mixed-methods study assessed the effectiveness of the Micro Urban Food Forest Campaign at Masagi Koffee, Bandung, Indonesia, in enhancing environmental sustainability and community involvement. While the initiative moderately succeeded in raising environmental awareness among participants, it faced problems in achieving consistent community participation. Logistic regression analysis identified awareness and knowledge as significant predictors of sustainability practice, indicating a need for targeted strategies to foster behavioral change.
Limited or null effectCommunityBiodiversityFood educationUrban horticulture for sustainable living
2024Riya Mittal, Juhi Sharma · International Journal of Research in Agronomy · Global
This review states that urban horticulture is essential for addressing food security, urban growth, and environmental issues. It examined techniques such as vertical gardening, rooftop gardens, protected cultivation, and Dutch grow buckets, showing they optimize space, reduce resource use, and enhance crop yields. These methods conserve water, increase biodiversity, and enable year-round production.
Climate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceDIYImpacts of Urban Agriculture on Environment: In Case of Tora town, Silte Zone, Central Ethiopia.
2024Fedila Chumgicho · National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia · Ethiopia
This descriptive study assessed the impacts of urban agriculture on the environment in Tora town, Silte Zone, Central Ethiopia, using a mixed-methods approach with 204 systematically selected samples and 10 purposively selected key informants. Findings revealed that 41.2% of urban residential households were engaged in farming. The study underscored positive impacts such as sustainable waste management, organic waste utilization, and the adoption of sustainable agricultural techniques, while also identifying challenges like water-related issues and sustainable waste disposal.
CommunityClimate changeBiodiversityUso de biopesticida como alternativa segura para control de plagas en huertos urbanos y plantas domésticas
2024Diana Elinos, M. Carolina Cruz, Andrea Loyo del Castillo, Mar Zamora, Grecia Karime Yebra Peralta, José Gabriel Reyes Fernández · Memorias del Concurso Lasallista de Investigación Desarrollo e innovación · Global
This study analyzed the impact of inorganic pesticides, highlighting their potential mutagenic and carcinogenic effects and negative impact on biodiversity, water, and soil contamination. It proposed a methodology for creating an organic pesticide and presented results on its efficacy in pest control. The study concluded that inorganic pesticides pose significant risks, while organic pesticides offer a safe and effective alternative, and emphasized the need to prioritize organic solutions in agriculture.
Environmental trade-offsDIYOrganic cycleHealthBiodiversityIntegrating ecosystem service supply–demand and ecological risk assessment for urban planning: A case study in Beijing, China
2024Shunxiang Fan, Min Yan, Linfei Yu, Bowei Chen, Li Zhang · Ecological Indicators · China (Beijing)
A framework integrating ecosystem service supply-demand and landscape ecological risk assessment was developed for urban planning in Beijing, China's plain area. This study quantified the supply and demand of five ecosystem services (biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, water conservation, food production, and landscape recreation) and identified landscape ecological risks. Findings revealed an imbalance in total ecosystem service supply-demand and a high level of landscape ecological risk in Beijing's plain area, with protection priority areas accounting for 10.39% and restoration priority areas for 19.94% of the total area. Land use, distance to settlements, and vegetation cover were identified as primary influencing factors.
PolicyBiodiversityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceMaximising CO2 Sequestration in the City: The Role of Green Walls in Sustainable Urban Development
2024Mansoure Jozay, Mohammad Hossein Zarei, Sarah Khorasaninejad, Taghi Miri · Pollutants · Global
This study evaluates the conceptual potentials and limitations of urban biomass circulation for energy production, food production, and CO2 consumption, with a focus on multi-purpose green walls. It aims to discover new methods of carbon sequestration using green walls to achieve sustainable urban development and CO2 reduction. Green walls are presented as a solution for CO2 absorption in urban areas due to their land efficiency and ecosystem services.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityFrom School Gardens to Community Oases: Fostering Environmental and Social Resilience in Urban Spaces
2024Ioanneta Dimouli, Dimitra Koumparou, Spyros K. Golfínopoulos · Geographies · Greece (Acharnes)
This case study in Acharnes, Greece, examined a local initiative that transforms schoolyards into community gardens, involving teachers, pupils, parents, grandparents, and neighbors. The research collected data from 85 participants, including parents, guardians, and school staff, using a questionnaire to explore their perceptions, with a focus on interactions with non-human beings like pollinators. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and Kendall’s tau correlation, and the survey results revealed that these new urban green areas were "embraced" by both the school and the local community.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityPollinatorsBridging nature and urbanity through green roof resilience framework (GRF): A thematic review
2024Alishba Saqib, M Sana Ullah Khan, Irfan Ahmad Rana · Nature-Based Solutions · Global
A systematic review of 123 publications on green roofs and climate change identified recurrent themes including urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, thermal comfort, biodiversity, carbon footprint reduction, urban agriculture, and human well-being. The study proposes a Green Roof Resilience Framework (GRF) that integrates these concepts to enhance urban resilience.
Climate changeBiodiversityUrban–rural linkagePolicyExploring Floristic Diversity, Propagation Patterns, and Plant Functions in Domestic Gardens across Urban Planning Gradient in Lubumbashi, DR Congo
2024Yannick Useni Sikuzani, Bernard Kisangani Kalonda, Médard Mpanda Mukenza, Jonas Yona Mleci, Alex Mpibwe Kalenga, François Malaisse, Jan Bogaert · Ecologies · DR Congo (Lubumbashi)
This study analyzed the spatial structure, plant diversity, propagation strategies, and ecological functions of domestic gardens across three distinct neighborhoods—planned, unplanned, and residential—in Lubumbashi, DR Congo. The study identified 232 taxa across 68 families, with exotic species predominating in all neighborhoods (80%), especially in unplanned areas (82.25%). This dominance of exotic species highlights a potential for ecological imbalances and emphasizes the strong human influence on domestic gardens in Lubumbashi.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityCommunityUrban–rural linkage