Ecosystem Health

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Zhifeng Yang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Urban Ecosystem Health assessment: perspectives and Chinese practice.
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2013
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Yan Zhang, Linyu Xu, Lixiao Zhang, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    The concept of Ecosystem Health is a way to assess the holistic operations and development potential of urban Ecosystems. Accelerated by the practical need for integrated Ecosystem management, assessment of urban Ecosystem Health has been greatly developed and extensively applied in urban planning and management. Development is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the performance of urban Ecosystems, identifying the limiting factors, and providing suggestions for urban regulation. The time has come for reviewing and establishing an instructional framework for urban Ecosystem Health assessment to shed light on certain essential issues of urban Ecosystem Health. Based on literature reviews and series of practice, a holistic framework of urban Ecosystem Health assessment is proposed. The framework covers the essential elements of urban Ecosystem Health and integrates three dimensions: theoretical foundation, assessment method, and practical application. Concrete assessment methods are also established, focusing on both external performance and internal metabolic processes. The practice of urban Ecosystem Health assessment in China is illustrated to briefly demonstrate the application of the established framework and methods. Some prospects are discussed for urban Ecosystem Health assessment and its application in urban planning and management.

  • Implication of Ecosystem Health Assessment for Urban Management
    Procedia environmental sciences, 2010
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Bin Chen, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    In order to implementing theoretical urban Ecosystem Health assessment into practical urban management more effectively, it is necessary to find out the relationship between the urban Ecosystem Health status based on the internal metabolism characteristics and the external performance of the urban Ecosystem. Eleven indicators are selected to describe the performance of the urban Ecosystem from aspects of resources condition, social civilization, economic development and environmental load. The correlation analysis between the emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health status in view of energy and material flows and the Ecosystem status based on the eleven indicators is conducted to reveal the relationship between the internal biophysical foundation and the external performance of the urban Ecosystem. It is indicated that the resources basis and the economic development level correlate with the emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health status, which implies the measurement of effectively and reasonably utilizing and exploiting resources, adjusting the economic development pattern and industrial structure should be paid much attention to improve the urban Ecosystem Health level and optimize the urban Ecosystem management.

  • urban Ecosystem Health assessment a review
    Science of The Total Environment, 2010
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Brian D Fath, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    Due to the important role of cities for regional, national, and international economic development and the concurrent degradation of the urban environmental quality under rapid urbanization, a systematic diagnosis of urban Ecosystem Health for sustainable ecological management is urgently needed. This paper reviews the related research on urban Ecosystem Health assessment, beginning from the inception of urban Ecosystem Health concerns propelled by the development needs of urban Ecosystems and the advances in Ecosystem Health research. Concepts, standards, indicators, models, and case studies are introduced and discussed. Urban Ecosystem Health considers the integration of ecological, economic, social and human Health factors, and as such it is a value-driven concept which is strongly influenced by human perceptions. There is not an absolute urban Ecosystem standard because of the uncertainty caused by the changing human needs, targets, and expectation of urban Ecosystem over time; thus, suitable approaches are still needed to establish Health standards of urban Ecosystems. Several conceptual models and suitable indicator frameworks have been proposed to organize the multiple factors to represent comprehensively the Health characteristics of an urban Ecosystem, while certain mathematical methods have been applied to deal with the indicator information to get a clear assessment of the urban Ecosystem Health status. Instead of perceiving the urban Ecosystem assessment as an instantaneous measurement of the Health state, it is suggested to conceptualize the urban Ecosystem Health as a process, which impels us to focus more studies on the dynamic trends of Health status and projecting possible development scenarios.

  • set pair analysis for urban Ecosystem Health assessment
    Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2009
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Zhifeng Yang, Bin Chen
    Abstract:

    Abstract Set pair analysis (SPA) is introduced to assess the urban Ecosystems, through which the approximate degree of urban Ecosystem Health to the optimal set is calculated to describe the Health level of the urban Ecosystems by combining multiple Health indices. The urban Ecosystem Health levels of Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen and Guangzhou from 1995 to 2003 are thereafter evaluated using SPA. The results show that the urban Ecosystem Health states of Xiamen and Guangzhou is the best during the study period, while the Health states of the others changes over time. Particularly, the change of Beijing’s urban Ecosystem Health from 1992 to 2003 is analyzed in detail.

  • emergy based urban Ecosystem Health assessment a case study of baotou china
    Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2009
    Co-Authors: Zhifeng Yang, Yan Zhang, Lixiao Zhang, Baoguo Chen, Ying Zhao, M M Jiang
    Abstract:

    Abstract Ecosystem Health has been a hot topic of Ecosystem management research for years. Considering the urban area as a complex Ecosystem consisted of natural, societal and economic entities, urban Ecosystem Health assessment is necessary to be conducted for the scientific management and proper ecological restoration. Combining with the Ecosystem service function of the urban Ecosystem, theoretical framework and methodology of the urban Ecosystem Health assessment based on emergy are proposed and the temporal variation of the Health level of the city are also outlined in this paper. Following the principle of Ecosystem Health assessment, four major factors, including vigor (V), organizational structure (O), resilience (R) and function maintenance (F), are integrated to construct a novel emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health index (EUEHI). Based on the EUEHI and comparing with those of five other typical Chinese cities, the case study of Baotou city shows that its urban Ecosystem Health level is steadily arising despite the year 2001 as a turning point. Due to the emphasis on the resource structure adjustment and utilization efficiency, Baotou has obtained a better organizational structure and service function for the total urban Ecosystem.

Meirong Su - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Urban Ecosystem Health assessment: perspectives and Chinese practice.
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2013
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Yan Zhang, Linyu Xu, Lixiao Zhang, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    The concept of Ecosystem Health is a way to assess the holistic operations and development potential of urban Ecosystems. Accelerated by the practical need for integrated Ecosystem management, assessment of urban Ecosystem Health has been greatly developed and extensively applied in urban planning and management. Development is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the performance of urban Ecosystems, identifying the limiting factors, and providing suggestions for urban regulation. The time has come for reviewing and establishing an instructional framework for urban Ecosystem Health assessment to shed light on certain essential issues of urban Ecosystem Health. Based on literature reviews and series of practice, a holistic framework of urban Ecosystem Health assessment is proposed. The framework covers the essential elements of urban Ecosystem Health and integrates three dimensions: theoretical foundation, assessment method, and practical application. Concrete assessment methods are also established, focusing on both external performance and internal metabolic processes. The practice of urban Ecosystem Health assessment in China is illustrated to briefly demonstrate the application of the established framework and methods. Some prospects are discussed for urban Ecosystem Health assessment and its application in urban planning and management.

  • Implication of Ecosystem Health Assessment for Urban Management
    Procedia environmental sciences, 2010
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Bin Chen, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    In order to implementing theoretical urban Ecosystem Health assessment into practical urban management more effectively, it is necessary to find out the relationship between the urban Ecosystem Health status based on the internal metabolism characteristics and the external performance of the urban Ecosystem. Eleven indicators are selected to describe the performance of the urban Ecosystem from aspects of resources condition, social civilization, economic development and environmental load. The correlation analysis between the emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health status in view of energy and material flows and the Ecosystem status based on the eleven indicators is conducted to reveal the relationship between the internal biophysical foundation and the external performance of the urban Ecosystem. It is indicated that the resources basis and the economic development level correlate with the emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health status, which implies the measurement of effectively and reasonably utilizing and exploiting resources, adjusting the economic development pattern and industrial structure should be paid much attention to improve the urban Ecosystem Health level and optimize the urban Ecosystem management.

  • urban Ecosystem Health assessment a review
    Science of The Total Environment, 2010
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Brian D Fath, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    Due to the important role of cities for regional, national, and international economic development and the concurrent degradation of the urban environmental quality under rapid urbanization, a systematic diagnosis of urban Ecosystem Health for sustainable ecological management is urgently needed. This paper reviews the related research on urban Ecosystem Health assessment, beginning from the inception of urban Ecosystem Health concerns propelled by the development needs of urban Ecosystems and the advances in Ecosystem Health research. Concepts, standards, indicators, models, and case studies are introduced and discussed. Urban Ecosystem Health considers the integration of ecological, economic, social and human Health factors, and as such it is a value-driven concept which is strongly influenced by human perceptions. There is not an absolute urban Ecosystem standard because of the uncertainty caused by the changing human needs, targets, and expectation of urban Ecosystem over time; thus, suitable approaches are still needed to establish Health standards of urban Ecosystems. Several conceptual models and suitable indicator frameworks have been proposed to organize the multiple factors to represent comprehensively the Health characteristics of an urban Ecosystem, while certain mathematical methods have been applied to deal with the indicator information to get a clear assessment of the urban Ecosystem Health status. Instead of perceiving the urban Ecosystem assessment as an instantaneous measurement of the Health state, it is suggested to conceptualize the urban Ecosystem Health as a process, which impels us to focus more studies on the dynamic trends of Health status and projecting possible development scenarios.

  • set pair analysis for urban Ecosystem Health assessment
    Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2009
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Zhifeng Yang, Bin Chen
    Abstract:

    Abstract Set pair analysis (SPA) is introduced to assess the urban Ecosystems, through which the approximate degree of urban Ecosystem Health to the optimal set is calculated to describe the Health level of the urban Ecosystems by combining multiple Health indices. The urban Ecosystem Health levels of Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen and Guangzhou from 1995 to 2003 are thereafter evaluated using SPA. The results show that the urban Ecosystem Health states of Xiamen and Guangzhou is the best during the study period, while the Health states of the others changes over time. Particularly, the change of Beijing’s urban Ecosystem Health from 1992 to 2003 is analyzed in detail.

Bin Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Implication of Ecosystem Health Assessment for Urban Management
    Procedia environmental sciences, 2010
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Bin Chen, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    In order to implementing theoretical urban Ecosystem Health assessment into practical urban management more effectively, it is necessary to find out the relationship between the urban Ecosystem Health status based on the internal metabolism characteristics and the external performance of the urban Ecosystem. Eleven indicators are selected to describe the performance of the urban Ecosystem from aspects of resources condition, social civilization, economic development and environmental load. The correlation analysis between the emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health status in view of energy and material flows and the Ecosystem status based on the eleven indicators is conducted to reveal the relationship between the internal biophysical foundation and the external performance of the urban Ecosystem. It is indicated that the resources basis and the economic development level correlate with the emergy-based urban Ecosystem Health status, which implies the measurement of effectively and reasonably utilizing and exploiting resources, adjusting the economic development pattern and industrial structure should be paid much attention to improve the urban Ecosystem Health level and optimize the urban Ecosystem management.

  • set pair analysis for urban Ecosystem Health assessment
    Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2009
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Zhifeng Yang, Bin Chen
    Abstract:

    Abstract Set pair analysis (SPA) is introduced to assess the urban Ecosystems, through which the approximate degree of urban Ecosystem Health to the optimal set is calculated to describe the Health level of the urban Ecosystems by combining multiple Health indices. The urban Ecosystem Health levels of Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen and Guangzhou from 1995 to 2003 are thereafter evaluated using SPA. The results show that the urban Ecosystem Health states of Xiamen and Guangzhou is the best during the study period, while the Health states of the others changes over time. Particularly, the change of Beijing’s urban Ecosystem Health from 1992 to 2003 is analyzed in detail.

Fu-liu Xu - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • handbook of ecological indicators for assessment of Ecosystem Health
    2007
    Co-Authors: Sven Erik Jorgensen, Fu-liu Xu, Robert Costanza
    Abstract:

    Ecological Indicators Introduction S. E. Jorgensen Application of Indicators for the Assessment of Ecosystem Health S. E. Jorgensen, Fu-Liu Xu, Joao C. Marques, and Fuensanta Salas Eco-Exergy as Ecological Indicator S. E. Jorgensen Emergy Indices of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics Mark T. Brown and Sergio Ulgiati Eco-Exergy to Emergy Flow Ratio for the Assessment of Ecosystem Health F. M. Pulselli, C. Gaggi, and S. Bastianoni Natural Capital Security/Vulnerability Related to Disturbance in a Panarchy of Social-Ecological Landscapes Nicola Zaccarelli, Irene Petrosillo, and Giovanni Zurlini Species Richness in Space and Time as an Indicator of Human Activity and Ecological Change Erich Tasser, Georg Niedrist, Patrick Zimmermann, and Ulrike Tappeiner Landscape Development Intensity and Pollutant Emergy/Empower Density Indices as Indicators of Ecosystem Health Mark T. Brown and Kelly Chinners Reiss Ecosystem Services and Ecological Indicators Robert Costanza Assessment of Ecosystem Health Application of Ecological Indicators for the Assessment of Wetland Ecosystem Health S. E. Jorgensen Application of Ecological Indicators for the Assessment of Ecosystem Health in Estuaries and Coastal Zones Joao C. Marques, Fuensanta Salas, J. Patricio, J. Neto, H. Teixeira, and R. Pinto Application of Ecological and Thermodynamic Indicators for the Assessment of Ecosystem Health of Lakes Fu-Liu Xu Application of Ecological Indicators in Forest Management in Africa Kouami Kokou, Adzo Dzifa Kokutse, and Kossi Adjonou Using Ecological Indicators to Assess the Health of Marine Ecosystems: The North Atlantic Villy Christensen and Philippe Cury Indicators for the Management of Coastal Lagoons: Sacca di Goro Case Study J. M. Zaldivar, M. Austoni, M. Plus, G. A. De Leo, G. Giordani and P. Viaroli Ecosystem Indicators for the Integrated Management of Landscape Health and Integrity Felix Muller and Benjamin Burkhard Integrated Indicators for Evaluating Ecosystem Health: An Application to Agricultural Systems V. Niccolucci, R. M. Pulselli, S. Focardi, and S. Bastianoni Ecological Indicators to Assess the Health of River Ecosystems Carles Ibanez, Nuno Caiola, Peter Sharpe, and Rosa Trobajo Appendix Index

  • An Ecosystem Health index methodology (EHIM) for lake Ecosystem Health assessment
    Ecological Modelling, 2005
    Co-Authors: Fu-liu Xu, Zhen-yan Zhao, Wei Zhan, Shan-shan Zhao, Richard Dawson
    Abstract:

    Abstract An Ecosystem Health index methodology (EHIM) was developed for assessing lake Ecosystem Health. A scale from 0 to 100 was chosen as a basis for ranking where an Ecosystem Health index (EHI) of zero indicates the worst possible Health state and one of 100 the best possible Health state. There are five necessary steps in the EHIM: (l) to select basic and additional indicators; (2) to calculate sub-EHIs for all selected indicators; (3) to determine weighting factors for all selected indicators; (4) to calculate a synthetic EHI using the sub-EHIs and weighting factors for all selected indicators; (5) to assess Ecosystem Health based on synthetic EHI values. The EHIM was successfully applied to a series of Italian lakes for assessment and comparison purposes. Phytoplankton biomass (BA) was selected to serve as a basic indicator, while zooplankton biomass (BZ), the ratio of BZ to BA (BZ/BA), and exergy and structural exergy were used as additional indicators. The results suggest that the EHIM is a valuable relatively uncomplicated methodology with simple principles, ease of calculation, reliable and intuitive results. As a practical planning tool, it can be widely used for the quantitative assessment and comparison of Ecosystem Health states for a single lake, a series of different lakes, or more complicated lake systems.

  • marine coastal Ecosystem Health assessment a case study of the tolo harbour hong kong china
    Ecological Modelling, 2004
    Co-Authors: Fu-liu Xu, Z Y Zhao, W Zhan, David Y Chen
    Abstract:

    Abstract Procedures for assessing a marine coastal Ecosystem Health are presented in this paper. The assessment includes the following five steps: (1) review of human activities; (2) identification of human-induced stresses; (3) analysis of Ecosystem responses to the stresses; (4) development of Ecosystem Health indicators; and (5) assessment of Ecosystem Health. A set of comprehensive indicators integrating classical indicators with thermodynamic indicators was proposed and applied to assess the Tolo Harbour marine coastal Ecosystem Health. The indicators encompass the stress indicators and the responses indicators including physical, chemical, biological, general Ecosystem-level and Ecosystem-service-function aspects. The assessment results of the Tolo Harbour Ecosystem Health show that a temporal order of Ecosystem Health state from good to bad is determined as follows: the 1970 s > the 1990 s > the 1980s; while, a spatial order of Health state from good to bad is Channel Subzone > Buffer Subzone>Harbour Subzone. Some recommendations to improve further the marine coastal Ecosystem Health in the Tolo Harbour are finally discussed in the paper.

  • lake Ecosystem Health assessment indicators and methods
    Water Research, 2001
    Co-Authors: Fu-liu Xu, R W Dawson, Pengang Li
    Abstract:

    Abstract A set of ecological indicators including structural, functional, and system-level aspects were proposed for a lake Ecosystem Health assessment, according to the structural, functional, and system-level responses of lake Ecosystems to chemical stresses including acidification, eutrophication, and copper, oil and pesticide contamination. The structural indicators included phytoplankton cell size and biomass, zooplankton body size and biomass, species diversity, macro- and micro-zooplankton biomass, the zooplankton/phytoplankton ratio, and the macrozooplankton/microzooplankton ratio. The functional indicators encompassed the algal C assimilation ratio, resource use efficiency, community production, gross production/respiration (i.e. P/ R ) ratio, gross production/standing crop biomass (i.e. P / B ) ratio, and standing crop biomass/unit energy flow (i.e. B / E ) ratio. The Ecosystem-level indicators consisted of ecological buffer capacities, exergy, and structural exergy. Based on these indicators, a direct measurement method (DMM) and an ecological modeling method (EMM) for lake Ecosystem Health assessment were developed. The DMM procedures were designed to: (l) identify key indicators; (2) measure directly or calculate indirectly the selected indicators; and, (3) assess Ecosystem Health on the basis of the indicator values. The EMM procedures were designed to: (l) determine the structure and complexity of the ecological model according to the lake's Ecosystem structure; (2) establish an ecological model by designing a conceptual diagram, establishing model equations, and estimating model parameters; (3) compare the simulated values of important state variables and process rates with actual observations; (4) calculate Ecosystem Health indicators using the ecological model; and, (5) assess lake Ecosystem Health according to the values of the ecological indicators. The results of a case study demonstrated that both methods provided similar results which corresponded with the lake's actual trophic state.

Brian D Fath - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • urban Ecosystem Health assessment a review
    Science of The Total Environment, 2010
    Co-Authors: Meirong Su, Brian D Fath, Zhifeng Yang
    Abstract:

    Due to the important role of cities for regional, national, and international economic development and the concurrent degradation of the urban environmental quality under rapid urbanization, a systematic diagnosis of urban Ecosystem Health for sustainable ecological management is urgently needed. This paper reviews the related research on urban Ecosystem Health assessment, beginning from the inception of urban Ecosystem Health concerns propelled by the development needs of urban Ecosystems and the advances in Ecosystem Health research. Concepts, standards, indicators, models, and case studies are introduced and discussed. Urban Ecosystem Health considers the integration of ecological, economic, social and human Health factors, and as such it is a value-driven concept which is strongly influenced by human perceptions. There is not an absolute urban Ecosystem standard because of the uncertainty caused by the changing human needs, targets, and expectation of urban Ecosystem over time; thus, suitable approaches are still needed to establish Health standards of urban Ecosystems. Several conceptual models and suitable indicator frameworks have been proposed to organize the multiple factors to represent comprehensively the Health characteristics of an urban Ecosystem, while certain mathematical methods have been applied to deal with the indicator information to get a clear assessment of the urban Ecosystem Health status. Instead of perceiving the urban Ecosystem assessment as an instantaneous measurement of the Health state, it is suggested to conceptualize the urban Ecosystem Health as a process, which impels us to focus more studies on the dynamic trends of Health status and projecting possible development scenarios.