Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
967 results(36 / 39)
Kaupunkiluonto käsin tehtynä
2011Ari Jokinen, Ville Viljanen, Krista Willman · Alue ja Ympäristö · Finland (Tampere)
This article analyzes the social and ecological significance of the Pispala allotment area in Tampere, Finland, where nearly 300 plots are used for urban farming, despite city plans for building purposes. A mixed-method analysis, using field observation, planning documents, biological surveys, and questionnaires, found that farming practices make the place visible, foster social interaction, and link the site ecologically to rare plant species. However, these crucial features of urban diversity are frequently disregarded by local administrative bodies in planning.
Governance failureCommunityBiodiversityPolicyUrban–rural linkageDistribution Patterns of Wild Flowers and Their Use in Urban Gardening in Tianjin City
2011Hongyuan Li · Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation · China (Tianjin)
An investigation of wild flowers in urban areas of Tianjin City was conducted from 2005 to 2010. The study examined the ecological habits, life forms, and distribution of each species, identifying six distinct distribution patterns: single, linear, scattered, assembled, radial, and climbing. Following an analysis of these patterns' characteristics, the potential use of these wild flowers in urban gardening was discussed.
BiodiversityPollinatorsDIYOptimizing Urban Material Flows and Waste Streams in Urban Development through Principles of Zero Waste and Sustainable Consumption
2011Steffen Lehmann · Sustainability · Global
This paper reports on best practices in urban design principles for material flow, recovery, and adaptive reuse to implement zero waste. It notes that urban farming is a valid strategy for local food production and composting organic waste. A key finding is that embedding zero-waste requires strong industry leadership, new policies, effective education curricula, and increased awareness.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityBiodiversityClimate changePotential of fern species to forecast microclimate changes at urban area
2011Nur Hanie Mohd Latif, Mohd. Arami Md. Jais, Izawati Tukiman, Rashidi Othman · · Malaysia
This research explored the potential of fern species as natural indicators to forecast microclimate changes in urban areas in Malaysia. Observations of latitudinal changes were conducted at Gunung Jerai and Lata Jarum, while urban heat island studies were performed at Hospital Serdang's rooftop garden and One Utama Shopping Complex's Secret Garden. The observations indicated that climate is a main factor affecting fern species occurrences, and microclimate has a strong relationship with fern species distribution.
BiodiversityClimate changeThe Second Report on the State of the World's Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
2010Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · FAO, Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture · Global
FAO's comprehensive global assessment of trends in conserving and using plant genetic resources, documenting genetic erosion, genebank accessions, and policy needs for safeguarding crop diversity for food security.
Heirloom & landracePolicyBiodiversityHome gardens: neglected hotspots of agro-biodiversity and cultural diversity
2010Galluzzi G., Eyzaguirre P., Negri V. · Biodiversity and Conservation 19:3635-3654 · Global
Reviews home gardens worldwide as hotspots conserving high inter- and intra-specific genetic diversity, especially traditional crop varieties and landraces, linking agrobiodiversity conservation with cultural diversity and local knowledge.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityCommunityGenetic erosion in crops: concept, research results and challenges
2010van de Wouw M., Kik C., van Hintum T., van Treuren R., Visser B. · Plant Genetic Resources 8(1):1-15 · Global
Reviews the concept of genetic erosion in crops at the crop, variety and allele levels, analyzing the loss of diversity through replacement of landraces by modern cultivars and the research challenges involved.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityPolicyThe Dynamics of Urban Agriculture in Hanoi, Vietnam
2010Lee B., Binns T., Dixon A.B. · Field Actions Science Reports (Special Issue 1: Urban Agriculture) · Vietnam (Hanoi)
Field-based research in Hanoi identifies a shift from staple crops to higher-value vegetables, flowers, and ornamentals among urban farmers, and warns that without explicit urban agriculture provisions in city master plans, the practice risks disappearing within two to three decades.
EconomicsPolicyBiodiversity住民の都市農業への評価に関する比較分析 : 中国の上海市とハルビン市を対象として
2010美華 朱, 莉莉 木南 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · China (Shanghai, Harbin)
This study used an internet survey to clarify urban residents' expectations for urban agriculture functions and discuss its sustainability through a comparative analysis of resident assessments in Shanghai and Harbin, China. It notes that expectations for urban agriculture functions and the relative importance of economic efficiency, sociality, and environmental protection vary by location.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyBiodiversityDeterminates of inner city butterfly and bee species richness
2010Kevin C. Matteson, Gail Langellotto · Urban Ecosystems · United States (New York City)
A study in community gardens in densely populated Bronx and East Harlem, New York City, evaluated local and landscape factors influencing bee and butterfly richness. Contrary to predictions, models showed that within-garden variables like floral area and sunlight availability were the most influential factors for both bee and butterfly richness. Marginal support was found for models of bee richness including the number of surrounding building units, which showed a negative association.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsDesigning the Green Roofs of the New Horticultural Center
2010Sarah Presogna · ScholarlyCommons (University of Pennsylvania) · United States (Philadelphia)
The Morris Arboretum is incorporating two new Green Roofs to demonstrate sustainable and functional stormwater management. The author designed an aesthetically pleasing rooftop garden, informed by visits to other local green roofs, which will mitigate stormwater runoff and showcase native and water-wise plants suitable for the Philadelphia area.
CommunityClimate changeBiodiversityRESEARCH ON ORNAMENTAL PLANTS APPLIED TO ROOFTOP GARDENS
2010Daisuke Tachibana, Hitoshi Watanabe, Kei Yakushiji, Kenji Nakamura, Takaharu YOSHIOKA · AIJ Journal of Technology and Design · Global
This study conducted a four-year growth experiment with eighty ornamental plants, including perennials, bulbous plants, and shrubs, in an experimental rooftop garden using a rainwater storage planting base. It was found that various plant types could grow in a thin 10cm substrate depth, their bloom times and flowering periods were confirmed, and the rainwater storage system allowed for reduced irrigation frequency even in thin-layer planting.
DIYClimate changeBiodiversitySmall scale additions of native plants fail to increase beneficial insect richness in urban gardens
2010Kevin C. Matteson, Gail Langellotto · Insect Conservation and Diversity · United States (New York City)
The ability of adding 70 plants of seven native wildflower species over two years to augment beneficial insect richness, including bees, butterflies, and predatory wasps, was assessed in New York City community gardens. Bayesian analyses failed to find a strong influence of the native plant additions on beneficial insect richness, even after correcting for prior floral abundance. Butterflies and megachilid bees were found to heavily utilize introduced ornamental and crop flowers in these gardens, even when native flowers were present.
Limited or null effectCommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsDIVERSIDADE BIOLÓGICA NA AGRICULTURA PERIURBANA DO DISTRITO FEDERAL, MÉXICO
2010Hiran Moran Ramon Soriano-Robles · Ateliê Geográfico · Mexico (Mexico City)
In peri-urban agriculture in Mexico City, a traditional multi-cropping agro-ecosystem combining diverse species like maize, beans, and amaranth is preserved. Maize and amaranth are central to productive activities and are part of Mexico City's biological and cultural heritage. The conservation and utilization of this diversity can enhance the genetic potential of native crops, contribute to local agricultural development and sustainability, and potentially offer alternatives for a future global food crisis.
BiodiversityPeri-urban agricultureHeirloom & landraceFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana: un aporte a la rehabilitación integral
2010Nerea Morán Alonso · · Global
This article reviews the historical background of urban agriculture, highlighting it as an example of action in crisis situations and the social potential of food production in urban contexts. In Southern countries, urban agriculture has gained importance as a development strategy, including programs led by international organizations. Urban gardens, by integrating nature into the city, contribute to urban metabolic efficiency and enhance biological diversity.
CommunityBiodiversityPolicyClimate changeSeedling Stage Adaptability of 8 Magnoliaceae Species in Chenggong of Yunnan
2010Lin Ma · Xibu linye kexue · China (Kunming)
A study on the seedling stage adaptability of 8 Magnoliaceae species was conducted in Chenggong county, Yunnan province, from 2004 to 2009. Results from five years of seedling raising indicated that Woonyoungia septentrionalis, Michelia ingrata, and Manglietia grandis were not adapted to Chenggong and died in frost. Michelia velutina showed very significant differences in height and basal diameter growth compared to other species, leading to its evaluation as the top choice for urban gardening and greening in Kunming city, followed by Manglietia maguanica and Michelia lacei.
BiodiversityDIY아파트내 「헬스 커뮤니티 파밍가든」의 효용성에 관한 연구
2010윤혜경, 이연숙, 이홍성 · 한국생태환경건축학회 학술발표대회 논문집 · Global
This study investigates the utility of "Health Community Farming Gardens" within apartment buildings in Korea, aiming to present a realistic and effective apartment floor plan that enhances residents' health. Through a literature review of green infrastructure and urban farming, the research confirms that green infrastructure and urban farming revitalize apartment culture, effectively address ecosystem deterioration, and foster a green cultural spread within resident communities. The study emphasizes the innovation of integrating farming gardens into apartment buildings to maintain residents' holistic health.
CommunityHealthBiodiversityClimate changeDiscussion on the Spatial Differentiation of Beijing Urban Agriculture
2010Junping Liu · System Sciences and Comprehensive Studies in Agriculture · China (Beijing)
This paper constructed an evaluation index system for urban agricultural multi-functionality using factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process for 13 agriculture-related districts in Beijing. Based on GIS spatial analysis of function, Beijing was divided into three urban agricultural subareas according to production economy function, social service function, and ecological protection function. The results indicate that Beijing urban agriculture has an obvious 'core-periphery' spatial structure but with different function-orientation, locational tendency, and development patterns.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityBiodiversityPolicyMultiple origins and high genetic diversity of cultivated radish inferred from polymorphism in chloroplast simple sequence repeats
2009Yamane Kyoko, Lü Ning, Ohnishi Ohmi · Breeding Science, 59(1): 55-65 · Japan
Analyzing 25 chloroplast SSR loci across 59 cultivated radish accessions and 23 wild Raphanus accessions, the study found evidence for at least three independent domestication events and high genetic diversity in cultivated radish.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityCan green roofs provide habitat for urban bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)?
2009Colla S.R., Willis E., Packer L. · Cities and the Environment (CATE), 2(1):4 · Canada (Toronto area)
A foundational study comparing bee diversity and abundance on green roofs and ground-level sites near Toronto. With suitable plants and management, green roofs can host bee communities comparable to ground habitats, discussing implications for urban pollinator conservation and rooftop agriculture.
PollinatorsBiodiversityCommunityCuban Home Gardens and Their Role in Social–Ecological Resilience
2009Buchmann C. · Human Ecology · Cuba (Trinidad de Cuba)
Using ethnobotanical fieldwork in Trinidad de Cuba, this study shows how home gardens serve as the most adaptable local land resource, with garden composition and management adapting in response to major events such as the Soviet collapse, bolstering household food security and social-ecological resilience.
BiodiversityCommunityHeirloom & landraceWelfareBumble Bee Abundance in New York City Community Gardens: Implications for Urban Agriculture
2009Kevin C. Matteson, Gail Langellotto · Cities and the Environment · United States (New York City)
In 2005, a study compiled a list of crop plants in 19 New York City community gardens, classifying them by bee pollination dependence. Using mark-recapture methods, the abundance of the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) was estimated. Wild populations of B. impatiens were found to be abundant in New York City community gardens, where it is the most prevalent native bee species and visits various crop flowers.
PollinatorsBiodiversityCommunityThe Learning Garden: Ecology, Teaching, and Transformation
2009Veronica Gaylie · · Global
This book chronicles the establishment of a campus learning garden involving student teachers and environmental education students. Despite starting with no funding, the project resulted in a transformation of attitudes towards nature, community, and the learning process. The book examines this process through metaphors of the garden as environment, community, and transformation, bridging theory and practice for ecology-centered teaching.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityEconomics and Ground Cover Growth Characteristics of a New Method of Shallow Soil Artificial Foundation Planting
2009Jin-Woo Choi, Hag-Kee Kim, Kyong-Jae Lee, Hyun-Kyung Kang · Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture · South Korea
This study analyzed the economics and growth characteristics of native and imported ground cover plants in a new shallow soil rooftop gardening method, using 13cm soil thickness, on the rooftop of the Korean National Housing Corporation. The new method cost 45,000 won/m², which was 50% less expensive than existing methods. Native ground cover plants and some imported species showed increased cover rate, live weight, and dry weight, with improved growth, though some species required weed maintenance.
EconomicsBiodiversityDIYFirst Report of Cherry virus A in Sweet Cherry Trees in China
2009W.-L. Rao, Z.-K. Zhang, Runzhong Li · Plant Disease · China (Kunming)
In June 2007, sweet cherry trees with mottling and mosaic symptoms were observed in a private garden near Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. Twenty-four samples from sweet cherry, sour cherry, flowering cherry, and peach trees in private and community gardens were tested for eight viruses by RT-PCR. Cherry virus A (CVA) was detected in two symptomatic sweet cherry trees, marking the first report of CVA in sweet cherry in China.
Contamination & food safetyBiodiversityCommunity