Research & reports

Julia M. Schmack, Monika Egerer · Urban Ecosystems · Germany

A study in 30 urban community gardens in Berlin and Munich, Germany, observed 20 focal plant species and 13 common bee and non-bee flower visitor groups, examining how landscape urbanization and the availability of floral and nesting resources within gardens affected the complexity (nestedness, linkage density, connectance) of pollinator interaction networks. Dominant flower visitors changed over the growing season, with non-bee visitors such as ants and flies dominant early in the season and bees becoming important later. Nestedness of the flower visitor network increased with floral richness within gardens, while floral abundance, the impervious surface surrounding gardens, garden size, and nesting resource availability did not strongly influence the networks. The findings indicate that high floral richness in community gardens can ensure the complexity and stability of flower visitor networks, that non-bee visitors play an important role especially in the shoulder seasons, and that urban gardeners play a key role in mediating flower visitor interactions through their gardening practices.

Lukas Egli, Judith Rüschhoff, Joerg A. Priess · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

A systematic review of quantitative empirical research on the sustainability effects of community-supported agriculture (CSA) covered 39 studies. Fewer than 30% of the studies assessed ecological sustainability aspects, but where CSA farms were compared to reference systems, they mostly performed better on resource use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. Most studies assessed social aspects; many showed that CSA still fails to reach low-income households, so members do not represent the average population, while CSA membership was associated with improved health and sustainability behavior. Economic variables were assessed in more than half of the studies, but knowledge of CSA's relative economic performance remains scarce, though early studies indicate high economic viability. The review calls for more research on ecological aspects specifically, comparisons across farming and marketing systems, and integration of knowledge from theses and practical sources in multiple languages.

Tainan Messina, Rui Figueira, José M.L. Santos · Ecosystem Services · Europe

A study in intensive farming systems of Central Portugal developed a methodology integrating species, trait and crop data, pest predation indicators and local farmers' expertise to estimate pest consumption by birds. Using point count data and each species' energy requirements and life-cycle characteristics, it estimated birds' daily invertebrate consumption and examined the relationship between birds and service provision along a tree gradient. Relating habitat requirements to pest control services via species guilds, the study found higher predation in annual crops close to trees or woody vegetation than in crop-only plots. After analyzing the methodology's main challenges and strengths, the study concludes that farmers' participation improved the accuracy and results of the analysis and that the methodology's holistic character can guide stakeholders and policymaking more effectively.

Mary Leou, Tania Goicoechea, Bethany Kogut · Catholic education/Catholic education (Dayton, Ohio. Online) · United States (New York City)

A report on "Bees Alive!", a civic ecology program run over three years by the NYU Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education & Sustainability in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York. A university, public schools, non-profit organizations and the Lentol Garden community garden collaborated to establish a native-plant pollinator garden, funded by EPA Region 2, using place-based education and experiential learning theory to create an outdoor classroom that supports wildlife and teaches the public about pollinators.

Samir A. Haddad, Hossam Abdelmageed, Abdelaziz Saleh, Samia Ahmed, M. M. Abd El-Azeim, Joanna Lemanowicz, Gaber E. Eldesoky, Omar Saad · Sustainability · Egypt

Incubation and pot experiments under controlled greenhouse conditions used clay and sandy soils collected from peri-urban agricultural areas near El-Minia, Egypt, to test how different biochar application rates affected faba bean growth, cellulose decomposition, nodulation, and carbon-cycling enzyme activities. Biochar at 3 kg/sq·m was the most effective treatment, followed by 2 kg/sq·m; counts of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms rose to a high level in both soil types by 60 days of incubation and then declined by 90 days regardless of biochar rate, while clay soil showed significantly greater fresh and dry weight than sandy soil, and biochar overall improved soil health, microbial communities, and faba bean nodulation and growth.

Devisri S.S. Senthilkumar, Moumita Malakar · Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability · India

This review examines "public gardens" — green spaces holding diverse plant collections for public enjoyment, education, and biodiversity conservation — as a potential option for climate change hazard mitigation, drawing on recent built-environment interventions in non-agriculture-based rural cities in India that use urban gardening. It notes a deficit in public awareness and understanding of climate information and governance systems, including technical knowledge, and compiles knowledge on how urban gardening approaches feature in climate change programs that seek to legalize green infrastructure implementation.

Poonam Bewtra · Current Agriculture Research Journal · India

Food forests involve planned agroforestry. The abstract states that, like a real forest, a food forest requires no pesticides, herbicides, weeding, crop rotation, mowing, or digging, and ensures the sustainability of flora, fauna, birds, animals, and particularly bees. This is a case study of one such food forest, Vanya Organic, realized by one of its owners, Mr. Patanjali Jha, who grew native trees, creepers, and shrubs in combination with symbiotic vegetation to maximize carbon sequestration, forest cover, and usable by-products. A key component is Vetiver grass, and Jha argues that food forests and vetiver plantations should be planned and established together, terming the combination a "Regenerative Food Forest." The abstract states that Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) or Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), described as a "green fuel," can be derived from the agricultural waste and other biomass that regenerative food forests produce in abundance; a CBG plant produces sulphur-stripped, automotive-grade methane along with a high-quality organic fertilizer by-product approved for regular use by the Ministry of Agriculture, and the abstract argues for linking CBG plants with regenerative food forests to provide jobs, increase farm incomes, and bring sustainable changes to air, water, and soil quality over time. The case study is stated to have been prepared with the owner's consent and approval.

Jean Pascal · Biodiversity online journal. · Global

Noting that insects constitute most of the biodiversity on Earth and provide a wide range of services to society while being threatened by human activities such as habitat destruction and urbanization, this article assesses advances in understanding the impact of insects on sustainable food production in low-income countries. It focuses on two research topics that have emerged in recent years: entomophagy combined with the creation of small household farms rearing insects for sale (the Thai example), and the use of insects to improve soil fertility and nutrient availability (the Zai example). The article advocates considering the diversity of solutions and adaptations found in nature, arguing that the ways local communities and ethnic groups use natural resources are vast and should be seen as a source of inspiration for scientists developing sustainable food systems.

· Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology · Philippines

A survey of 204 ground leaf litter samples from ornamental woody shrubs and herbaceous flowering plants, collected from elevated gardens in eight low- to high-rise buildings in Metro Manila, Philippines, used the moist chamber technique to examine the occurrence of myxomycetes (slime molds). Fourteen species from nine genera were identified, with overall moist chamber productivity ranging from 43% to 45%. Arcyria cinerea and Perichaena depressa were the most frequently recorded species. The survey provided evidence that rooftop gardens serve as suitable habitats for myxomycetes.

Aikaterini N. Martini, Μ. Papafotiou, Ioannis Massas, Nikoleta Chorianopoulou · Plants · Greece

Origanum dictamnus, a perennial herb endemic to Crete, Greece, was grown at two cultivation sites in Athens — an extensive green roof and ground level next to a moderate-traffic road — in two substrate types at 10 cm depth, to examine growth along with nutrient content (N, P, K, Na) and heavy metal accumulation (Cu, Pb, Ni, Mn, Zn, Fe) in its tissues. Plant growth was favored by the soil substrate but was also satisfactory in the soilless substrate. Cultivation site affected heavy metal accumulation, with higher concentrations found in leaves and flowers at street level, though no differences appeared in roots. Washing reduced heavy metal concentrations only in leaves grown at street level. Substrate type significantly affected manganese concentration in all tissues and iron concentration in roots, with the highest values in the soil substrate. The species could be cultivated on sustainable green roofs, preferably on a soilless substrate to reduce structural weight, but careful selection of the cultivation site was identified as necessary to minimize contamination with environmental pollutants when human consumption is intended.

Maulana Andinata Dalimunthe, Noviawan Rasyid Ohorella, Nabila Fahira Nasution · Journal of Peasants’ Rights · Global

This bibliometric literature review analyzed research using the keyword "urban farming" published between 2010 and 2023 to map the field's development. The reviewed literature characterizes urban farming as a way to improve food security and economic conditions in urban areas with potential positive impacts across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, and as commodity production it is concerned with distribution, marketing, and land area; the review itself does not report primary data from a specific location or population.

Nimas Sekarlangit, Prasasto Satwiko · MODUL · Indonesia

This paper addresses how the COVID-19 pandemic forced people worldwide, including in Indonesia, into new living habits. It notes that experts link recurring zoonotic pandemics closely to human consumption of wild animals and livestock, and states that plant-based food sources have already been shown to meet humans' complete nutritional needs. The "arsitektur nabati" (plant-based architecture) discussed here combines human activity spaces with food plants within a local context, and is presented as an integrated solution to the challenges of preventing recurring zoonotic pandemics, nutritional sufficiency, biodiversity, and urban living-environment quality. Using recent COVID-19-related information, the paper discusses the connection between the pandemic and plant-based architectural design, studying student and professional architects' works that respond to the idea of urban agriculture. It concludes that plant-based architecture can serve as an early mitigation effort against pandemic disasters by providing good air quality and lighting for spaces, promoting occupant health, and providing food security under conditions of limited land.

Stacy M. Philpott, Azucena Lucatero, Sofie Andrade, Cameron R. Hernandez, Peter Bichier · Insects · United States (California)

This study examined how native plant species richness, garden management, and landscape composition affect the abundance and richness of native and non-native bees, ladybeetles, ants, and ground-foraging spiders in urban community gardens (urban agroecosystems) in California, United States. Native plants — about 10% of species but only about 2.5% of plant cover — had little influence on arthropods overall, with the only significant effect being a negative one on non-native spider richness, likely reflecting native plants' low cover. Garden size increased native and non-native bee abundance and richness and non-native spider richness; floral abundance increased non-native spider abundance and native and non-native spider richness; mulch cover and tree/shrub abundance increased non-native spider richness; and natural habitat cover increased non-native bee and native ant abundance but was associated with fewer native ladybeetle species. The study concludes that native plant richness does not strongly influence the abundance and richness of beneficial arthropods.

Liang Zixi, Hui Liang, Chen Xiuping, Huang Yushu, Yang Guiying, Yuan Cuiyun · Journal of Agriculture and Forestry · China

An essay (Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 2023) traces the historical development of "Yunnan Garden," a regional garden style in China's Yunnan province, situating it within the context of the 2021 UN Convention on Biological Diversity conference (COP15) held in Kunming, and proposes countermeasures for its further development based on an analysis of Yunnan's resource endowment. The paper is a historical and cultural analysis without empirical measurements.

D Kozáková, M. Jebavý, M. Kunt, K. Čechová · Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica · Europe

A study in Prague, Czech Republic (Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica, 2023) tested bulbous plant species for suitability in vertical and rooftop gardens under a temperate climate, recording bloom timing, duration, and resilience by cardinal direction across multiple years. Narcissus performed best in the south-facing section of the vertical garden and was found most suitable for both garden types; Scilla siberica was the worst choice for south-facing gardens in bloom length and quantity of flowering plants; Muscari armeniacum showed balanced bloom results across all cardinal directions; Galanthus woronowii did not show promise for either garden type; and Crocus 'King of Striped' was found unsuitable for vertical gardens.

Nancy Harlet Esquivel-Marín, Leticia Myriam Sagarnaga Villegas, Octavio T. Barrera-Perales, Juan Antonio Lugo Machado, José María Salas González · Acta Universitatis Sapientiae Agriculture and Environment · Europe

This bibliometric review analyzes the systemic structure of multifunctional agriculture (MFA) and its relationship to sustainability, based on a sample of 432 documents published on the Web of Science platform. Using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer to map scientific collaboration networks, the review identified the authors, journals, and countries shaping the current knowledge structure and four thematic clusters: (a) MFA and sustainability, (b) ecosystem services and biodiversity, (c) European public policies, and (d) governance and urban agriculture. It concludes that, despite an increase in publication rates, research remains concentrated in Europe with few collaborative networks across disciplines, indicating that SDG 17 (partnerships) is not being achieved.

Kamal Prasad Acharya, Chitra Bahadur Budhathoki, Birgitte Bjønness, Krishna Prasad Duwadi · Advances in educational marketing, administration, and leadership book series · Nepal

A participatory action research study (observe-plan-act-reflect) involving students, teachers and parents as co-researchers examined a school-garden project at a public school in Nepal. The garden functioned as a "living laboratory" for learning about flora, fauna and their interrelations, and transformed teaching into a mix of indoor and outdoor sessions. Students developed a sense of responsibility for environmental conservation and were positioned as "junior scientists" caring for the garden, with parents, teachers and students engaging in it as a co-curricular activity.

Mark A. Goddard, Helen Glanville, Carla Comadran‐Casas, M. Ehsan Jorat, David A.C. Manning, Miranda T. Prendergast‐Miller, Kevin Stott · · Global

A book chapter on the role of soil within urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI). It outlines the characteristics of urban soils and their contribution to ecosystem services such as food production, flood mitigation, carbon storage and recreation, and discusses challenges and opportunities in managing and creating soils within urban BGI. The chapter closes with land-use-specific management recommendations and a call for greater recognition of urban soils in planning policy. It is a review/discussion chapter and reports no original data, study site or measurements.

Maria Korkou, Ari K.M. Tarigan, Hans Martin Hanslin · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global

A systematic literature review examines the multifunctionality concept in urban green infrastructure planning, identifying a knowledge gap in the planning literature regarding multiple ecosystem functions and a lack of methods for quantifying and monitoring ecological services and biodiversity at different spatial scales. The reviewed literature clustered into five main themes — planning methods for urban green infrastructure, assessment approaches, ecosystem services and their benefits, sustainability and climate adaptation, and urban agriculture — which the review found were interconnected. It identifies a knowledge gap in incorporating multifunctional green infrastructure into planning principles and proposes five critical elements for ensuring multiple functions: spatial distribution, optimal distance, integrated network, accessibility, and public participation and engagement.

Veronica Sebald, Julia M. Schmack, Monika Egerer · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Germany

This study surveyed the occurrence of poisonous plant species in 30 urban community gardens across two German cities, Berlin and Munich, and examined concerns around poisonous and highly poisonous plants in urban garden settings. It found that plants producing substances toxic to humans occur in these gardens while also potentially holding ecosystem-functioning and biodiversity-conservation value, creating a trade-off with the ecosystem service of human health promotion, and concludes that poisonous plants should be carefully monitored and managed—depending on garden participants and the goals of the garden organization—to mitigate health risks while still supporting biodiversity conservation.

Olivia G Bassetti, Rebecca A McDonough, Kabindra M Shakya · Environmental Monitoring and Assessment · United States (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh)

A 2023 study that sampled soils from 21 community gardens in Philadelphia city, the Philadelphia suburbs and Pittsburgh city, Pennsylvania, USA, in September–October 2021 and measured seven elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, V, Cd, Ni, As) by ICP-MS. City gardens had higher concentrations than suburban ones. All elements except vanadium fell below Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection guidelines, but against the stricter Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment limit of 140 mg/kg for lead, 36% of Philadelphia city gardens, 60% of Pittsburgh gardens and 20% of Philadelphia suburban gardens exceeded it — so whether a garden counts as 'safe' or 'over the limit' depends on which standard is applied. In Philadelphia, concentrations generally fell with distance from historical smelter sites, though the correlation was significant only for zinc. Raised-bed soils were lower in lead and arsenic but often higher in zinc, copper, vanadium and nickel, which the authors attribute to ongoing deposition from road traffic and active industry rather than legacy contamination.

FAO, Rikolto, RUAF · Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rikolto & RUAF · Global

A comprehensive guide co-published by FAO, Rikolto and RUAF for local decision-makers, urban planners and practitioners. It frames urban and peri-urban agriculture from production through to urban food systems and policy, promoting reduced food loss via short supply chains, biodiversity protection, social inclusion, and urban-rural linkages.

Evans D.L., Falagán N., Hardman C.A., Kourmpetli S., Liu L., Mead B.R., Davies J.A.C. · Ecosystem Services, 54, 101405 · Global

A systematic review synthesizing 157 peer-reviewed articles that compares which ecosystem services are delivered by different types of urban agriculture and green infrastructure. It finds that community gardens, green spaces and parks deliver the most diverse services, that local climate and air-quality regulation are best provided by green infrastructure alone, and that biological control and genetic-diversity maintenance peak when green infrastructure is combined with urban agriculture.

Tripodi P., D'Alessandro A., Francese G. · Frontiers in Plant Science 13:1031776 · Italy

Integrated genomic and biochemical analysis of heirloom tomatoes linking fruit shape and size to sugars, organic acids, and aroma compounds. Demonstrates heirlooms as germplasm resources for high food quality and sustainable agriculture.

Ramirez-Villegas J., Khoury C.K., Achicanoy H.A., Diaz M.V., Mendez A.C., Sosa C.C., Kehel Z., Guarino L., Abberton M. · Nature Plants 8:491-499 · Global

A global gap analysis predicting distributions of over 70 landrace groups across 25 crops, finding a mean 63% represented in genebanks and major collecting gaps in South Asia, the Mediterranean, the Andes and Africa.