Research & reports

Hoque MN, Rana ML, Gilman MAA, Pramanik PK, Islam MS, Punom SA, Rahman R, Hassan J, Rahman MS, Ramasamy S, Schreinemachers P, Oliva R, Rahman MT · Environmental Monitoring and Assessment · バングラデシュ・ダッカ／ガジプール

A shotgun metagenomic study motivated by how little is known about the microbial communities and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of rooftop and surface garden soils in Bangladesh, and their potential role as reservoirs and disseminators of AMR, despite the growing expansion of urban agriculture. Twenty-seven soil samples were sequenced — 7 from Dhaka rooftop gardens, 6 from Dhaka surface gardens, 8 from Gazipur rooftop gardens and 6 from Gazipur surface gardens. The work identified 88 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), of which 19 (21.6%) were shared across all sites, and found significant differences in resistome composition by garden type (p = 0.04). Rooftop soils harboured more ARGs (Dhaka 50, Gazipur 48) than surface soils (Dhaka 40, Gazipur 41) and were dominated by glycopeptide resistance genes, collectively 62.43-74.07% of ARGs; rooftop soils were also enriched in efflux pumps (adeF, 45.21% of rooftop ARGs) and the ribosomal-protection oxazolidinone resistance gene O23S (62.13% in Gazipur rooftops). Surface soils instead featured more genes mediating antibiotic inactivation, such as CATA (11.64% in Dhaka surface gardens) and fosBx1 (5.94% of surface ARGs).

· Wikipedia · Global

This article describes green roofs as roof structures covered with vegetation and growing media that provide stormwater retention, insulation, urban heat island mitigation, and biodiversity benefits. Installation costs vary widely by system type, from $108-248/m2 for extensive systems to $355-2,368/m2 for intensive systems, with long-term economic benefits such as extended roof lifespan and increased property value offsetting high upfront costs.

· Wikipedia · Global

The English Wikipedia article 'Permaculture' defines it as an approach to land management and design based on observing flourishing natural ecosystems. Franklin Hiram King introduced the term 'permanent agriculture' in 1911, and Bill Mollison and David Holmgren coined 'permaculture' with the 1978 publication of 'Permaculture One'. It outlines three core ethics (care of the earth, care of people, and setting limits to population and consumption), Holmgren's twelve design principles, and practices such as hugelkultur, sheet mulching, and companion planting.

· Wikipedia · Global

The 'Forest gardening' URL now redirects to a section within Wikipedia's merged 'Agroforestry' article. Per that section, forest gardening is a low-maintenance, perennial, woodland-modeled food production system practiced since prehistoric times in the tropics; horticulturist Robert Hart coined the term and adapted it for temperate climates in the 1980s. The article states Kerala, India has 'no fewer than three and a half million' forest gardens, citing one 0.12-hectare plot found to contain 23 young coconut palms, 12 cloves, 56 bananas, 49 pineapples, and 30 pepper vines.

· Wikipedia · Global

This Wikipedia article on nitrogen fixation (the chemical process converting inert nitrogen gas into biologically usable nitrogen compounds) states that, as one legume example, nitrogen fixation by red clover can range from 50 to 200 lb/acre (56 to 224 kg/ha). It states the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is thought to account for 'almost half' of nitrogen fixation in marine systems globally, and that the amount of nitrogen fixed in the ocean is at least as much as on land. It also credits the spread of Haber-process nitrogen fertilizer with helping expand the human population from about 2 billion in the early 20th century to over 8 billion today.

ByBi · ByBi · Norway

An introduction to 'The Pollinator Passage', launched in 2015 by Oslo beekeeping organization ByBi with funding from the Norwegian Environment Agency, mobilizing citizens to create flowering 'stepping stones' across the city — from large flowering farming areas to balcony flower pots — to build urban pollinator habitat. Since its launch, Norway has adopted a National Pollinator Strategy, Oslo has established an Urban Agriculture Program and a roof/facade greening strategy, and ByBi now manages pollinator-friendly practices in the city's cemeteries and the three royal gardens of Oslo.

· Wikipedia · Global

A Wikipedia article on terra preta, a fertile anthropogenic dark soil found across the Amazon Basin, formed between 450 BCE and 950 CE and rich in low-temperature charcoal and pottery shards. It notes black carbon content reaching up to 9% (versus 0.5% in surrounding soils), depths of up to 2 meters, a regeneration rate of about 1 centimeter per year, an estimated coverage of 0.1-0.3% (6,300 to 18,900 square kilometres) of the Amazon Basin, and modern biochar-based attempts to recreate it.

· Wikipedia · Global

A Wikipedia article on attention restoration theory (ART), developed by Stephen and Rachel Kaplan in their 1989 book The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective, which holds that exposure to nature helps recovery from directed attention fatigue. It cites a 2025 meta-analysis finding consistent benefits to executive function and working memory after at least 30 minutes of nature exposure, with effects plateauing around 200-300 minutes, and notes findings that people who spent at least two hours in nature in the past week were more likely to report feeling healthy and well.

· Wikipedia · Global

A Wikipedia article on Mycobacterium vaccae, a non-pathogenic soil bacterium first cultured from cattle dung and also isolated from soil in Lang'o District, Uganda. It cites research in which heat-killed bacteria injected into mice raised serotonin levels and lowered anxiety, and live bacteria led mice to navigate a maze twice as fast with less anxious behavior. It also notes a meta-analysis of 54 clinical trials finding improved sputum conversion and radiological outcomes in tuberculosis treatment, and a 2019 study finding a lipid from the bacterium blocks several pro-inflammatory pathways in immune cells.

· Wikipedia · Global

Soil is a complex three-phase system of minerals, organic matter, gases, water, and organisms that supports plant growth and soil life. A typical soil is about 50% solids (45% mineral, 5% organic matter) and 50% pore space, with microbial density around 10^8 organisms per gram and pore-space CO2 concentrations 10 to 100 times atmospheric levels.

Gao, Si, Burce, Katrina, Smith, Laney, Espinoza, Nina, Melbourne, Alfred · Frontiers in Soil Science · 米国（カリフォルニア州ウェスト・サクラメント）

Urban agriculture soils are commonly amended with compost, yet how such systems respond functionally to biochar across application rates is poorly understood. In a field experiment at Three Sisters Gardens (West Sacramento, CA, USA), biochar was applied at 0, 10, 20 and 30 t/ha to compost-amended plots under corn and squash, and late-season soils were analysed for physical, chemical and biological indicators. Intermediate rates (10–20 t/ha) improved aggregate stability and increased soil respiration; the highest rate (30 t/ha) produced the strongest biological responses, including higher microbial biomass, fungal:bacterial ratios and extracellular enzyme activities in nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. Soil pH and cation exchange capacity did not differ significantly among treatments. Regression analyses indicated nutrient availability was more strongly associated with microbial indicators than with bulk soil chemistry, consistent with microbial mediation of biochar-associated nutrient dynamics, and the patterns held broadly across both cropping systems.

Teerlinck J., Dewaelheyns V., Wittemans K., Tzoulas K., Raymaekers P., Cavan G., Steen T., Somers B. · Urban Forestry & Urban Greening · Belgium (Flanders)

A paper on domestic gardens in Flanders, Belgium, examining how gardens are used, what they are composed of, and what stands in the way of climate change adaptation in them — treating the privately-held share of urban green space as an adaptation resource. Note: this entry is written from the paper's bibliographic record and title; see the article itself for its figures and conclusions.

Rduch Paulina, Hodor Katarzyna, Wilkosz-Mamcarczyk Magdalena · Cities · ポーランド・チェコ

A study of Katowice (Poland) and Brno (Czech Republic) examining how family allotment gardens function as greenery in city centres, together with the legal regulations that govern them. Drawing on statistical and cartographic data, it shows a downward trend in the area of allotment gardens within cities.

Bhaskaran Varsha, Nilon Charles H. · Urban Forestry & Urban Greening · インド

A paper framing home gardens in Bengaluru as everyday environmental stewardship by residents. The bibliographic record was verified at the source, but the abstract could not be retrieved, so only the scope of the topic is described here. The same authors have published related work on home gardens and urban wildlife in the city.

· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

A thematic review synthesising global trends, innovations, governance frameworks and pathways to sustainability in urban agriculture, mapping the field's current state and future directions including citizen participation, policy support and environmental challenges.

Ranalli et al. · Journal of Applied Ecology · Global (urban ecosystems)

2025 research on how urban agriculture and urban planning enhance pollinator habitats in changing landscapes. Urban environments offer benefits to pollinator communities: lower pesticide use, greater variety of floral resources, and increased landscape heterogeneity. Urban agriculture serves as a pollinator reservoir and source area for adjacent rural regions, contributing to food security, poverty alleviation, and pollinator conservation.

Thompson, R., Climate & Food Security Research Initiative · Agriculture · Global

Analyzes urban agroecology as a key strategy to build climate-resilient communities and strengthen urban food systems. Examines multifaceted impacts of community-based agricultural practices on biodiversity conservation, local food security, and climate adaptation. Includes comparative case studies from Global South and Global North perspectives.

· Landscape Ecology · Global

Ecological study examining how local garden features structure pollinator communities in urban agriculture. Links biodiversity conservation to food production success.

Alessio Russo, Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Annick St-Denis, Mark G. Tjoelker · Land · Global

Compares native and non-native plants in urban green spaces. Examines impacts on pollinator diversity, ecosystem services, and climate resilience. Analyzes conservation strategies and public preferences.

Emma Plant, Ria Dunkley, Davide M. Dominoni, Dominic J. McCafferty · Urban Ecosystems · Global

Empirical analysis of factors supporting pollinators in urban gardens. Demonstrates that floral richness and abundance are critical for pollinator diversity. Garden diversity prioritized over surrounding landscape influence.

Li et al. · Ecological Solutions and Evidence (Wiley) · Global

Meta-analysis on the integration of urban agriculture and green infrastructure for ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Urban agriculture shows less negative impact than conventional farming while reducing food supply chain distances.

Romanian Urban Agriculture Research Center · MDPI Land (Open Access) · Romania

Comparative study of residents' perceptions in three Western Romanian cities on urban agriculture's potential for biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and reducing synthetic compound use.

Chen, M., Rosenberg, R., Thompson, L., Schmidt, H. · Ecological Engineering · Global

Study of 15 cities with integrated green infrastructure networks. Biodiversity increases 30-50%, bird species richness increases from 12-15 to 35-40 species in high-connectivity zones.

Pickles, J. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Australia

Situational analysis of civic gardeners in peri-urban region of Australia showing food gardening contributes to health, environmental sustainability, and more equitable local food systems

Lokesh Ramachandran, Keerthivasan Ragupathi, Nithishkumar Govindaraju, Ajay Raja Anandhan, Dinesh Devarajan · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Argentina

This chapter examines agroecology as a sustainable production paradigm for the horticultural sector, facing challenges like climate change and resource depletion. It reviews the conceptual foundations of agroecology, its application to horticulture, and advances in agroecological practices. Case studies, such as peri-urban horticulture in Argentina, illustrate its promise, but note that a full transition remains incomplete.