Scape bending is the primary cause shortening the vase life of cut gerbera flowers (Gerbera jamesonii ‘Harmony’). A previous study showed that this bending is closely related to the scape hardness, which is attributed to cell wall rigidity maintained by calcium ion bonds. In this experiment, the developing gerbera scape was sprayed with 0.5 and 1% calcium chloride to determine whether exogenous calcium directly influences scape hardness and whether it is related to pectin crosslinks. The calcium spray hardened the scape by 12% and efficiently reduced bending, thereby prolonging the vase life of the cut gerbera flowers. A 9% increase in calcium ions (Ca²⁺) was detected in the CaCl₂-treated flowers compared to the control flowers. Additionally, the pectin content increased by up to 14% in the CaCl₂-treated flowers as compared to that in the control. Pectins are the main polysaccharides of cell walls that impact plant tissue integrity and rigidity, with calcium ions acting as bonds for pectin crosslinking. Calcium treatment efficiently increased the content of total pectin in the cell walls and slowed the conversion of insoluble pectin (IP) to water-soluble pectin (WSP) during vase life. The results suggest that exogenously applied calcium increases the Ca²⁺ in cellular tissue and affects the pectin levels, which may aid in increasing the scape hardness by strengthening the calcium–pectin combination in cell walls.

Introduction: Urban gardens are increasingly recognized as multifunctional green spaces that support biodiversity and contribute to sustainable urban living. This scoping review explores how environmental and social factors interact to shape biodiversity outcomes in urban gardens across different taxa. Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we screened an initial pool of 11,900 records retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. We synthesized findings from 30 peer-reviewed studies published since 2000, including 26 core studies identified through the PRISMA-ScR process and four additional studies from a supplementary update search. For each study, we extracted taxonomic focus, garden types, spatial scales, and environmental and social variables tested as biodiversity drivers, and synthesized patterns across taxa. Results: Most studies were conducted in Europe and North America and focused on plants and invertebrates in private and community gardens. Environmental variables—such as garden size, plant species richness, vegetation structure, and landscape connectivity—were consistently associated with higher species richness and abundance. Social and cultural factors, including gardeners’ motivations, management intensity, cultural background, and socio-economic context, shaped garden management and species assemblages. Discussion: This review shows that urban garden biodiversity is jointly shaped by environmental heterogeneity and the decisions of diverse gardeners, but evidence remains geographically biased and taxonomically narrow. Future research should adopt more integrative socio-ecological designs, include underrepresented regions and taxa, and use more comparable biodiversity metrics. Policy and planning should recognize gardens as key components of urban green infrastructure and support management practices that enhance both ecological and social benefits.

Introduction: In South Korea, government-led garden development has shifted gardens from private spaces to public domains.Methods: This study evaluates the economic value of gardens’ social functions by analyzing the willingness-to-pay (WTP) and usage patterns of 759 visitors across seven local gardens.Results: On average, visitors spent 77 min traveling, with women aged 50 + reporting high stability and healing. Middle- and low-income groups (incomes below 4 million KRW) had a WTP rate of 68.1%, and garden creation experience raised WTP to 70.5%. The estimated WTP was 5,932 KRW per person per day.Discussion: These findings provide key evidence for policies addressing regional depopulation and social isolation.