All Outputs (19)

Urban greening snakes and ladders: A case study of the practical realities of implementing food-water-energy nexus projects in Southend-on-Sea, UK (2022)
Book Chapter

As the CRUNCH project launched in April 2018, Southend-on-Sea (SoS) presented as an exciting location to test innovative nature-based nexus solutions. The proposed Urban Living Lab (ULL) location was part of the urban regeneration plan for the town c... Read More about Urban greening snakes and ladders: A case study of the practical realities of implementing food-water-energy nexus projects in Southend-on-Sea, UK.

Can microbial inoculants boost soil food webs and vegetation development on newly constructed extensive green roofs? (2022)
Journal Article

Green roofs are a key to providing nature-based solutions in cities. However, most green roofs installed in the Northern hemisphere are shallow, stonecrop planted systems (“extensive” green roofs), which have been shown to support limited biodiversit... Read More about Can microbial inoculants boost soil food webs and vegetation development on newly constructed extensive green roofs?.

Stewardship innovation: The forgotten component in maximising the value of urban nature-based solutions (2021)
Book Chapter

Nature-based solutions (NBS) enable the ecosystem service benefits associated with natural landscapes to be embedded into the built environment, simultaneously providing environmental, social, and economic benefits. This represents a mechanism for re... Read More about Stewardship innovation: The forgotten component in maximising the value of urban nature-based solutions.

Less is more: Soil and substrate quality as an opportunity for urban greening and biodiversity conservation (2021)
Book Chapter

Soil is a key component of the water and nutrient cycles and a major contributor to global carbon sequestration. It can remediate pollution and provides habitat for almost all terrestrial plants, as well as a large proportion of terrestrial fauna. Ye... Read More about Less is more: Soil and substrate quality as an opportunity for urban greening and biodiversity conservation.

A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems (2021)
Journal Article

Technology is transforming societies worldwide. A major innovation is the emergence of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), which have the potential to revolutionize cities for both people and nature. Nonetheless, the opportunities and challenges a... Read More about A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems.

“I like to get my hands stuck in the soil”: A pilot study in the acceptance of soil-less methods of cultivation in community gardens (2020)
Journal Article

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role that soil-less methods of food production can play in urban agriculture, particularly in projects that are run by community groups. Over the last years, a drive by people to engage in sustainable lifes... Read More about “I like to get my hands stuck in the soil”: A pilot study in the acceptance of soil-less methods of cultivation in community gardens.

Understanding and applying ecological principles in cities (2019)
Book Chapter

Renaturing cities requires a thorough understanding of how plants and animals interact with the urban environment and humans. But cities are a challenging environment for ecologists to work in, with high levels of heterogeneity and rapid rates of cha... Read More about Understanding and applying ecological principles in cities.

Hydroponics and community gardens: Insights on the interaction between urban farmers and technology (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Large-scale hydroponic systems, a highly resource and space efficient form of cultivation, already contribute substantially to global food production. Recognising the value of such an efficiency, a few hydroponic/aquaponics community projects and sma... Read More about Hydroponics and community gardens: Insights on the interaction between urban farmers and technology.

Green roof soil organisms: Anthropogenic assemblages or natural communities? (2018)
Journal Article

Green roofs provide a range of ecosystem services, from stormwater retention to thermal insulation. They can also provide habitat for biodiversity, remediating land lost in development. However, few extensive green roofs are designed with this benefi... Read More about Green roof soil organisms: Anthropogenic assemblages or natural communities?.

Elements of rooftop agriculture design (2017)
Book Chapter

This chapter focuses on the elements that must be considered when designing rooftop gardens and integrating them within buildings. Different types of rooftop gardens and how they can be integrated within existing and new buildings in order to enhance... Read More about Elements of rooftop agriculture design.

Biodiversity of flora and fauna (2017)
Book Chapter

Rooftop farming can contribute to urban biodiversity in terms of providing habitats and creating an urban green network. In addition, the cultivation of plants on roofs can provide places where wild animals and plants can survive and reproduce. Chose... Read More about Biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Microbial inoculants as a soil remediation tool for extensive green roofs (2017)
Journal Article

Green roofs are increasingly used in the urban environment to insulate buildings, reduce stormwater runoff and remediate biodiversity lost in construction. Most common in the Northern Hemisphere are extensive green roofs, due to their low-cost and lo... Read More about Microbial inoculants as a soil remediation tool for extensive green roofs.

Positive plant-soil feedbacks of the invasive Impatiens glandulifera and their effects on above-ground microbial communities (2016)
Journal Article

Impatiens glandulifera is one of the most widespread invasive plant species in the UK. Although aspects of its biology are known, there is little information about its association with microbial communities, both above ground and below ground. Furthe... Read More about Positive plant-soil feedbacks of the invasive Impatiens glandulifera and their effects on above-ground microbial communities.

Valuing the urban trees in Bridgend county borough (2016)
Report

Urban forests provide a range of services, often termed ecosystem services, that help alleviate problems associated with urbanisation. Trees improve local air quality, capture carbon, reduce flooding and cool urban environments. They provide habitat... Read More about Valuing the urban trees in Bridgend county borough.

Valuing Wrexham's Urban Forest (2015)
Report

Urban forests are a valuable source of ecosystem services in towns and cities. They help us alleviate problems associated with densely packed populations by improving local air quality, capturing carbon and reducing flooding. They also provide food a... Read More about Valuing Wrexham's Urban Forest.

Valuing urban trees in Glasgow (2015)
Report

Urban trees provide a range of services, often termed ecosystem services, that help alleviate problems associated with the high population densities found in urban areas. Urban trees improve local air quality, capture carbon, reduce flooding and cool... Read More about Valuing urban trees in Glasgow.

A comparison of urban tree populations in four UK towns and cities (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Trees are a valuable asset to cities and towns, providing numerous services that sustain and support human life. They store carbon, filter airborne pollutants and intercept rainwater. The structure of urban tree populations and how resilient urban tr... Read More about A comparison of urban tree populations in four UK towns and cities.

Soil microarthropod community dynamics in extensive green roofs (2013)
Journal Article

Green roofs are of increasing interest to ecologists, engineers and architects, as cities grow and aim to become more sustainable. They could be exploited to improve urban biodiversity and ecosystem services, yet almost nothing is known about them fr... Read More about Soil microarthropod community dynamics in extensive green roofs.

Investigating the mycorrhizal colonisation of Sedum spp. in the UK
Report

Sedum, or stonecrops, are a popular garden plant. They are colourful but resistant to difficult growing conditions such as dry soils. These drought-resistant properties have also made them the most common species to be planted on green (vegetated) ro... Read More about Investigating the mycorrhizal colonisation of Sedum spp. in the UK.