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Bioretention systems are a popular type of Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS). However, their largest single component, the fill media, is often a non-sustainably sourced material. This study evaluates a bioretention fill media comprising 100% recycled waste components. The fill media components come from multiple waste streams, quarry waste from the construction sector, crushed glass and green waste compost from domestic waste, and sugar-beet washings from the food processing sector. The hydraulically important physical characteristics of the recycled fill media were evaluated against reported literature examples of bioretention fill media, alongside UK and international guidance documentation. The particle size distribution of the recycled fill media was found to be unlike that seen in the literature and was also not compliant with the UK’s CIRIA ’The SuDS Manual’ guidance (
Simon De-Ville; Daniel Green; Jill Edmondson; Ross Stirling; Richard Dawson; Virginia Stovin. Evaluating the Potential Hydrological Performance of a Bioretention Media with 100% Recycled Waste Components. Water 2021, 13, 2014 .
AMA StyleSimon De-Ville, Daniel Green, Jill Edmondson, Ross Stirling, Richard Dawson, Virginia Stovin. Evaluating the Potential Hydrological Performance of a Bioretention Media with 100% Recycled Waste Components. Water. 2021; 13 (15):2014.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimon De-Ville; Daniel Green; Jill Edmondson; Ross Stirling; Richard Dawson; Virginia Stovin. 2021. "Evaluating the Potential Hydrological Performance of a Bioretention Media with 100% Recycled Waste Components." Water 13, no. 15: 2014.
Interest in urban food production is growing; recent research has highlighted its potential to increase food security and reduce the environmental impact of food production. However, resource demands of urban horticulture are poorly understood. Here, we use allotment gardens in the United Kingdom to investigate resource demands of urban horticultural production across the country. We conducted a nationwide citizen science project using year-long allotment ‘diaries’ with allotment gardeners (n = 163). We analysed a variety of resources: transportation; time; water use; inputs of compost, manure and topsoil; and inputs of fertilisers, pest control and weed control. We found that, overall, an allotment demands 87 annual visits, travelling 139 km to and from the plot; 7 fertiliser additions; 4 pest control additions; and 2 weed control additions. On average, each kilogram of food produced used 0.4 hours’ labour, 16.9 L of water, 0.2 L of topsoil, 2.2 L of manure, and 1.9 L of compost. As interest in urban horticultural production grows, and policy makers build urban horticultural spaces into future sustainable cities, it is of key importance that this is carried out in a way that minimises resource requirements, and we demonstrate here that avenues exist for the diversion of municipal compostable waste and household-level city food waste for this purpose.
Miriam Dobson; Philip Warren; Jill Edmondson. Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2628 .
AMA StyleMiriam Dobson, Philip Warren, Jill Edmondson. Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (5):2628.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiriam Dobson; Philip Warren; Jill Edmondson. 2021. "Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach." Sustainability 13, no. 5: 2628.
Cities, which now host the majority of the global population, are vulnerable to environmental and socio-economic disturbances, which are likely to increase in number and severity in the near future. Urban agriculture (UA) could help increase the resilience of cities to a range of pressures and acute shocks by improving food security and public health, building social capital, and promoting circular economies. However, comprehensive assessments of its potential are still lacking. Here, we use a systematic review of the literature on UA in the global North to identify factors that determine its success in providing resilience benefits, explore challenges that can limit this, and develop a conceptual model to highlight the ways in which it could be enhanced through research, policy, and practice. We define the success of UA in increasing city resilience as determined by five factors, which in turn depend on the amount of institutional and public support for UA, the presence of a sufficient knowledge base, communication and collaboration among different actors, and resourcefulness in finding alternative ways to use space and other resources efficiently. We close with a discussion of specific directions for research and practice based on the conceptual model developed here.
Boglarka Gulyas; Jill Edmondson. Increasing City Resilience through Urban Agriculture: Challenges and Solutions in the Global North. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1465 .
AMA StyleBoglarka Gulyas, Jill Edmondson. Increasing City Resilience through Urban Agriculture: Challenges and Solutions in the Global North. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1465.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBoglarka Gulyas; Jill Edmondson. 2021. "Increasing City Resilience through Urban Agriculture: Challenges and Solutions in the Global North." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1465.
Purpose Participation in urban horticulture (UH) is increasing in popularity, and evidence is emerging about the wide range of social and environmental benefits “grow your own” can also provide. UH can increase mental and physical well-being, as well as improve nature connectedness, social capital and community cohesion. Design/methodology/approach This study focusses on allotments, which is one of the dominant forms of UH that takes place in the United Kingdom. 163 volunteers in England and Wales participated in keeping a year-long allotment diary as part of a citizen science project investigating activities on allotment gardens. This study examines the unprompted comments that 96 of these gardeners offered as observations when visiting their allotment plots. Findings Participants recorded high levels of social and community activities including the sharing of surplus food produce, knowledge exchange, awareness and interaction with wildlife, emotional connection to their allotment, appreciation of time spent outside and aesthetic delight in the natural world around them. Originality/value At a time when waiting lists for allotment plots in the United Kingdom are on the rise, and allotment land is subject to multiple pressures from other forms of development, this study demonstrates that these spaces are important sites not only for food production but also health, social capital and environmental engagement.
Miriam Clare Dobson; Christian Reynolds; Philip H. Warren; Jill L. Edmondson. “My little piece of the planet”: the multiplicity of well-being benefits from allotment gardening. British Food Journal 2020, 123, 1012 -1023.
AMA StyleMiriam Clare Dobson, Christian Reynolds, Philip H. Warren, Jill L. Edmondson. “My little piece of the planet”: the multiplicity of well-being benefits from allotment gardening. British Food Journal. 2020; 123 (3):1012-1023.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiriam Clare Dobson; Christian Reynolds; Philip H. Warren; Jill L. Edmondson. 2020. "“My little piece of the planet”: the multiplicity of well-being benefits from allotment gardening." British Food Journal 123, no. 3: 1012-1023.
Urban agriculture contributes to food security and human wellbeing and is associated with a wide range of environmental benefits. In the United Kingdom, a substantial proportion of urban agriculture occurs in allotment gardens, and these are a historically significant part of the landscape. However, allotment land provision has declined significantly since its mid-twentieth century peak. Here, we examine the magnitude and nature of this decline using a GIS analysis of historic Ordnance Survey maps covering ten British urban areas from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. We find there has been a 65% decline in allotment land from its peak to 2016, a pattern also reflected in per capita provision, which declined by 62%, demonstrating a long-term trend across the case study areas, and the loss of food provisioning land for an average of 6% of the urban population. We also show that the most at-risk areas for food insecurity have faced eight times the level of allotment closures than the least deprived areas. Assessing subsequent land-use of former allotments, we show that 47% of allotment land is now part of the urban built infrastructure, and 25% is other forms of urban greenspace. Restoration of these greenspace sites to allotments has the potential to meet up to 100% of the current levels of demand for new allotments by residents of our case study areas. Our results demonstrate that whilst a significant amount of urban agricultural land has been lost, opportunities for restoration exist on a substantial scale.
Miriam C. Dobson; Jill L. Edmondson; Philip H. Warren. Urban food cultivation in the United Kingdom: Quantifying loss of allotment land and identifying potential for restoration. Landscape and Urban Planning 2020, 199, 103803 .
AMA StyleMiriam C. Dobson, Jill L. Edmondson, Philip H. Warren. Urban food cultivation in the United Kingdom: Quantifying loss of allotment land and identifying potential for restoration. Landscape and Urban Planning. 2020; 199 ():103803.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiriam C. Dobson; Jill L. Edmondson; Philip H. Warren. 2020. "Urban food cultivation in the United Kingdom: Quantifying loss of allotment land and identifying potential for restoration." Landscape and Urban Planning 199, no. : 103803.
There is increasing interest in urban food production for reasons of food security, environmental sustainability, social and health benefits. In developed nations urban food growing is largely informal and localised, in gardens, allotments and public spaces, but we know little about the magnitude of this production. Here we couple own-grown crop yield data with garden and allotment areal surveys and urban fruit tree occurrence to provide one of the first estimates for current and potential food production in a UK urban setting. Current production is estimated to be sufficient to supply the urban population with fruit and vegetables for about 30 days per year, while the most optimistic model results suggest that existing land cultivated for food could supply over half of the annual demand. Our findings provide a baseline for current production whilst highlighting the potential for change under the scaling up of cultivation on existing land.
Darren R. Grafius; Jill L. Edmondson; Briony Norton; Rachel Clark; Meghann Mears; Jonathan R. Leake; Ron Corstanje; Jim Harris; Philip H. Warren. Estimating food production in an urban landscape. Scientific Reports 2020, 10, 1 -9.
AMA StyleDarren R. Grafius, Jill L. Edmondson, Briony Norton, Rachel Clark, Meghann Mears, Jonathan R. Leake, Ron Corstanje, Jim Harris, Philip H. Warren. Estimating food production in an urban landscape. Scientific Reports. 2020; 10 (1):1-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDarren R. Grafius; Jill L. Edmondson; Briony Norton; Rachel Clark; Meghann Mears; Jonathan R. Leake; Ron Corstanje; Jim Harris; Philip H. Warren. 2020. "Estimating food production in an urban landscape." Scientific Reports 10, no. 1: 1-9.
Urban areas offer considerable potential for horticultural food production, but questions remain about the availability of space to expand urban horticulture and how to sustainably integrate it into the existing urban fabric. We explore this through a case study which shows that, for a UK city, the space potentially available equates to more than four times the current per capita footprint of commercial horticulture. Results indicate that there is more than enough urban land available within the city to meet the fruit and vegetable requirements of its population. Building on this case study, we also propose a generic conceptual framework that identifies key scientific, engineering and socio-economic challenges to, and opportunities for, the realization of untapped urban horticultural potential.
Jill L. Edmondson; Hamish Cunningham; Daniele O. Densley Tingley; Miriam Dobson; Darren R. Grafius; Jonathan R. Leake; Nicola McHugh; Jacob Nickles; Gareth K. Phoenix; Anthony J. Ryan; Virginia Stovin; Nick Taylor Buck; Philip H. Warren; Duncan D. Cameron. The hidden potential of urban horticulture. Nature Food 2020, 1, 155 -159.
AMA StyleJill L. Edmondson, Hamish Cunningham, Daniele O. Densley Tingley, Miriam Dobson, Darren R. Grafius, Jonathan R. Leake, Nicola McHugh, Jacob Nickles, Gareth K. Phoenix, Anthony J. Ryan, Virginia Stovin, Nick Taylor Buck, Philip H. Warren, Duncan D. Cameron. The hidden potential of urban horticulture. Nature Food. 2020; 1 (3):155-159.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L. Edmondson; Hamish Cunningham; Daniele O. Densley Tingley; Miriam Dobson; Darren R. Grafius; Jonathan R. Leake; Nicola McHugh; Jacob Nickles; Gareth K. Phoenix; Anthony J. Ryan; Virginia Stovin; Nick Taylor Buck; Philip H. Warren; Duncan D. Cameron. 2020. "The hidden potential of urban horticulture." Nature Food 1, no. 3: 155-159.
The process of urbanization has detached a large proportion of the global population from involvement with food production. However, there has been a resurgence in interest in urban agriculture and there is widespread recognition by policy-makers of its potential contribution to food security. Despite this, there is little data on urban agricultural production by non-commercial small-scale growers. We combine citizen science data for self-provisioning crop yields with field-mapping and GIS-based analysis of allotments in Leicester, UK, to provide an estimate of allotment fruit and vegetable production at a city-scale. In addition, we examine city-scale changes in allotment land provision on potential crop production over the past century. The average area of individual allotment plots used to grow crops was 52%. Per unit area yields for the majority of crops grown in allotments were similar to those of UK commercial horticulture. We estimate city-wide allotment production of >1200 t of fruit and vegetables and 200 t of potatoes per annum, equivalent to feeding >8500 people. If the 13% of plots that are completely uncultivated were used this could increase production to >1400 t per annum, feeding ~10,000 people, however this production may not be located in areas where there is greatest need for increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The citywide contribution of allotment cultivation peaked in the 1950s when 475 ha of land was allotments, compared to 97 ha currently. This suggests a decline from >45,000 to <10,000 of people fed per annum. We demonstrate that urban allotments make a small but important contribution to the fruit and vegetable diet of a UK city. However, further urban population expansion will exert increasing development pressure on allotment land. Policy-makers should both protect allotments within cities, and embed urban agricultural land within future developments to improve local food security.
Jill L. Edmondson; Dylan Childs; Miriam Dobson; Kevin J. Gaston; Philip H. Warren; Jonathan R. Leake. Feeding a city – Leicester as a case study of the importance of allotments for horticultural production in the UK. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 705, 135930 .
AMA StyleJill L. Edmondson, Dylan Childs, Miriam Dobson, Kevin J. Gaston, Philip H. Warren, Jonathan R. Leake. Feeding a city – Leicester as a case study of the importance of allotments for horticultural production in the UK. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 705 ():135930.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L. Edmondson; Dylan Childs; Miriam Dobson; Kevin J. Gaston; Philip H. Warren; Jonathan R. Leake. 2019. "Feeding a city – Leicester as a case study of the importance of allotments for horticultural production in the UK." Science of The Total Environment 705, no. : 135930.
Biofuel provides a globally significant opportunity to reduce fossil fuel dependence; however its sustainability can only be meaningfully explored for individual cases. It depends on multiple considerations including: life‐cycle GHG emissions, air quality impacts, food versus fuel trade‐offs, biodiversity impacts of land use change, and socio‐economic impacts of energy transitions. One solution that may address many of these issues is local production of biofuel on non‐agricultural land. Urban areas drive global change, for example they are responsible for 70% of global energy use, but are largely ignored in their resource production potential; however under‐used urban greenspaces could be utilised for biofuel production near the point of consumption. This could avoid food versus fuel land conflicts in agricultural land and long‐distance transport costs, provide ecosystem service benefits to urban dwellers, and increase the sustainability and resilience of cities and towns. Here, we use a GIS to identify urban greenspaces suitable for biofuel production, using exclusion criteria, in ten UK cities. We then model production potential of three different biofuels: Miscanthus grass, short rotation coppice willow and short rotation coppice poplar, within the greenspaces identified and extrapolate up to a UK‐scale. We demonstrate that approximately 10% of urban greenspace (3% of built‐up land) is potentially suitable for biofuel production. We estimate the potential of this to meet energy demand through heat generation, electricity, and combined heat and power (CHP) operations. Our findings show that, if fully utilised, urban biofuel production could meet nearly a fifth of demand for biomass in CHP systems in the UK’s climate‐compatible energy scenarios by 2030, with potentially similar implications for other comparable countries and regions.
Darren R. Grafius; Stephen Hall; Nicola McHugh; Jill Edmondson. How much heat can we grow in our cities? Modelling UK urban biofuel production potential. GCB Bioenergy 2019, 12, 118 -132.
AMA StyleDarren R. Grafius, Stephen Hall, Nicola McHugh, Jill Edmondson. How much heat can we grow in our cities? Modelling UK urban biofuel production potential. GCB Bioenergy. 2019; 12 (1):118-132.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDarren R. Grafius; Stephen Hall; Nicola McHugh; Jill Edmondson. 2019. "How much heat can we grow in our cities? Modelling UK urban biofuel production potential." GCB Bioenergy 12, no. 1: 118-132.
Own‐grown fruit and vegetable production in urban areas is increasingly assumed to increase food security, however, the evidence‐base to support this assumption is lacking. By integrating remotely sensed Geographic Information System data, fieldwork, and a citizen science project (MYHarvest) we will estimate the current levels of UK own‐grown fruit and vegetable production and how this could be increased if more urban land was made available for own‐growing. This will provide the first comprehensive UK dataset on own‐grown production for use by research scientists, policy‐makers, and the public, and will highlight the importance of urban horticulture to local and national food security.
Jill L. Edmondson; Roscoe S. Blevins; Hamish Cunningham; Miriam C. Dobson; Jonathan R. Leake; Darren R. Grafius. Grow your own food security? Integrating science and citizen science to estimate the contribution of own growing to UK food production. PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET 2019, 1, 93 -97.
AMA StyleJill L. Edmondson, Roscoe S. Blevins, Hamish Cunningham, Miriam C. Dobson, Jonathan R. Leake, Darren R. Grafius. Grow your own food security? Integrating science and citizen science to estimate the contribution of own growing to UK food production. PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET. 2019; 1 (2):93-97.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L. Edmondson; Roscoe S. Blevins; Hamish Cunningham; Miriam C. Dobson; Jonathan R. Leake; Darren R. Grafius. 2019. "Grow your own food security? Integrating science and citizen science to estimate the contribution of own growing to UK food production." PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET 1, no. 2: 93-97.
Nitrogen (N) deposition poses a severe risk to global terrestrial ecosystems, and managing this threat is an important focus for air pollution science and policy. To understand and manage the impacts of N deposition, we need metrics which accurately reflect N deposition pressure on the environment, and are responsive to changes in both N deposition and its impacts over time. In the UK, the metric typically used is a measure of total N deposition over 1–3 years, despite evidence that N accumulates in many ecosystems and impacts from low-level exposure can take considerable time to develop. Improvements in N deposition modelling now allow the development of metrics which incorporate the long-term history of pollution, as well as current exposure. Here we test the potential of alternative N deposition metrics to explain vegetation compositional variability in British semi-natural habitats. We assembled 36 individual datasets representing 48,332 occurrence records in 5479 quadrats from 1683 sites, and used redundancy analyses to test the explanatory power of 33 alternative N metrics based on national pollutant deposition models. We find convincing evidence for N deposition impacts across datasets and habitats, even when accounting for other large-scale drivers of vegetation change. Metrics that incorporate long-term N deposition trajectories consistently explain greater compositional variance than 1–3 year N deposition. There is considerable variability in results across habitats and between similar metrics, but overall we propose that a thirty-year moving window of cumulative deposition is optimal to represent impacts on plant communities for application in science, policy and management.
Richard J. Payne; Claire Campbell; Andrea J. Britton; Ruth Mitchell; Robin J. Pakeman; Laurence Jones; Louise C. Ross; Carly Stevens; Christopher Field; Simon J.M. Caporn; Jacky Carroll; Jill Edmondson; Edward J. Carnell; Sam Tomlinson; Anthony J. Dore; Nancy Dise; Ulrike Dragosits. What is the most ecologically-meaningful metric of nitrogen deposition? Environmental Pollution 2019, 247, 319 -331.
AMA StyleRichard J. Payne, Claire Campbell, Andrea J. Britton, Ruth Mitchell, Robin J. Pakeman, Laurence Jones, Louise C. Ross, Carly Stevens, Christopher Field, Simon J.M. Caporn, Jacky Carroll, Jill Edmondson, Edward J. Carnell, Sam Tomlinson, Anthony J. Dore, Nancy Dise, Ulrike Dragosits. What is the most ecologically-meaningful metric of nitrogen deposition? Environmental Pollution. 2019; 247 ():319-331.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard J. Payne; Claire Campbell; Andrea J. Britton; Ruth Mitchell; Robin J. Pakeman; Laurence Jones; Louise C. Ross; Carly Stevens; Christopher Field; Simon J.M. Caporn; Jacky Carroll; Jill Edmondson; Edward J. Carnell; Sam Tomlinson; Anthony J. Dore; Nancy Dise; Ulrike Dragosits. 2019. "What is the most ecologically-meaningful metric of nitrogen deposition?" Environmental Pollution 247, no. : 319-331.
Intensification of agriculture has led to major losses of hedgerows and field margins worldwide. Soil sample extraction, in situ time series of soil moisture, temperature and soil water quality analyses, annual earthworm sampling and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi sampling enabled comparison of soil functions between typical hedgerows, grass field margins, pasture and arable (mainly winter wheat) fields in a temperate, lowland setting. Mean bulk density (upper 50 cm), surface compaction and soil moisture content were significantly lower while organic matter content and porewater dissolved organic carbon concentrations were significantly greater in hedgerow soils, than margins or fields. Mean nitrate and phosphate concentrations were three and ten times larger, respectively, in soil solutions under hedgerows than arable fields while ammonium concentrations were least in arable fields. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was significantly greater under hedgerows (median = 102 mm hr−1) where it took an average of one hour longer for soils to reach maximum moisture content following rainfall, than adjacent arable (median = 3 mm hr−1) or pasture fields and margins (median = 27 mm hr−1). Hedgerow soils had a greater proportion of flow through micropores and less macropore flow than other soils. The pasture and margin soils had the largest proportion of macropore flow (>85%) and more (and larger) anecic earthworm species, such as Lumbricus terrestris which produce vertical burrows. Earthworm density, biomass and diversity were greater in pasture and margin soils, followed by hedgerow soils, and tended to be lowest in arable soils. For both total and AM fungi, hedgerow soils hosted a distinct and heterogeneous soil community, margin and pasture communities were diverse but clustered together, and arable communities formed a distinct cluster, with low inter-sample variation and significantly lowest AM fungal richness. The findings demonstrate that soils under hedgerows, which should be conserved, can provide important functions on farmland including storing organic carbon, promoting infiltration and storing runoff, increasing earthworm diversity and hosting distinct AM communities.
J. Holden; R.P. Grayson; D. Berdeni; S. Bird; P.J. Chapman; Jill Edmondson; L.G. Firbank; T. Helgason; M.E. Hodson; S.F.P. Hunt; D.T. Jones; M.G. Lappage; E. Marshall-Harries; M. Nelson; Miranda Prendergast-Miller; H. Shaw; R.N. Wade; J.R. Leake. The role of hedgerows in soil functioning within agricultural landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2018, 273, 1 -12.
AMA StyleJ. Holden, R.P. Grayson, D. Berdeni, S. Bird, P.J. Chapman, Jill Edmondson, L.G. Firbank, T. Helgason, M.E. Hodson, S.F.P. Hunt, D.T. Jones, M.G. Lappage, E. Marshall-Harries, M. Nelson, Miranda Prendergast-Miller, H. Shaw, R.N. Wade, J.R. Leake. The role of hedgerows in soil functioning within agricultural landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2018; 273 ():1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Holden; R.P. Grayson; D. Berdeni; S. Bird; P.J. Chapman; Jill Edmondson; L.G. Firbank; T. Helgason; M.E. Hodson; S.F.P. Hunt; D.T. Jones; M.G. Lappage; E. Marshall-Harries; M. Nelson; Miranda Prendergast-Miller; H. Shaw; R.N. Wade; J.R. Leake. 2018. "The role of hedgerows in soil functioning within agricultural landscapes." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 273, no. : 1-12.
Urban areas are major contributors to air pollution and climate change, causing impacts on human health that are amplified by the microclimatological effects of buildings and grey infrastructure through the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Urban greenspaces may be important in reducing surface temperature extremes, but their effects have not been investigated at a city-wide scale. Across a mid-sized UK city we buried temperature loggers at the surface of greenspace soils at 100 sites, stratified by proximity to city centre, vegetation cover and land-use. Mean daily soil surface temperature over 11 months increased by 0.6 °C over the 5 km from the city outskirts to the centre. Trees and shrubs in non-domestic greenspace reduced mean maximum daily soil surface temperatures in the summer by 5.7 °C compared to herbaceous vegetation, but tended to maintain slightly higher temperatures in winter. Trees in domestic gardens, which tend to be smaller, were less effective at reducing summer soil surface temperatures. Our findings reveal that the UHI effects soil temperatures at a city-wide scale, and that in their moderating urban soil surface temperature extremes, trees and shrubs may help to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization on microclimate, soil processes and human health.
Jill L Edmondson; Iain Stott; Z. G. Davies; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan R Leake. Soil surface temperatures reveal moderation of the urban heat island effect by trees and shrubs. Scientific Reports 2016, 6, 1 -8.
AMA StyleJill L Edmondson, Iain Stott, Z. G. Davies, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan R Leake. Soil surface temperatures reveal moderation of the urban heat island effect by trees and shrubs. Scientific Reports. 2016; 6 (1):1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L Edmondson; Iain Stott; Z. G. Davies; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan R Leake. 2016. "Soil surface temperatures reveal moderation of the urban heat island effect by trees and shrubs." Scientific Reports 6, no. 1: 1-8.
There is currently a lack of data recording the carbon and emissions inventory at household level. This paper presents a multi-disciplinary, bottom-up approach for estimation and analysis of the carbon emissions, and the organic carbon (OC) stored in gardens, using a sample of 575 households across a UK city. The annual emission of carbon dioxide emissions from energy used in the homes was measured, personal transport emissions were assessed through a household survey and OC stores estimated from soil sampling and vegetation surveys. The results showed that overall carbon patterns were skewed with highest emitting third of the households being responsible for more than 50% of the emissions and around 50% of garden OC storage. There was diversity in the relative contribution that gas, electricity and personal transport made to each household’s total and different patterns were observed for high, medium and low emitting households. Targeting households with high carbon emissions from one source would not reliably identify them as high emitters overall. While carbon emissions could not be offset by growing trees in gardens, there were considerable amounts of stored OC in gardens which ought to be protected. Exploratory analysis of the multiple drivers of emissions was conducted using a combination of primary and secondary data. These findings will be relevant in devising effective policy instruments for combatting city scale green-house gas emissions from domestic end-use energy demand.
David Allinson; Katherine N. Irvine; Jill Edmondson; Abhishek Tiwary; Graeme Hill; Jonathan Morris; Margaret Bell; Zoe G. Davies; Steven K. Firth; Jill Fisher; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake; Nicola McHugh; Anil Namdeo; Mark Rylatt; Kevin Lomas. Measurement and analysis of household carbon: The case of a UK city. Applied Energy 2016, 164, 871 -881.
AMA StyleDavid Allinson, Katherine N. Irvine, Jill Edmondson, Abhishek Tiwary, Graeme Hill, Jonathan Morris, Margaret Bell, Zoe G. Davies, Steven K. Firth, Jill Fisher, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan Leake, Nicola McHugh, Anil Namdeo, Mark Rylatt, Kevin Lomas. Measurement and analysis of household carbon: The case of a UK city. Applied Energy. 2016; 164 ():871-881.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Allinson; Katherine N. Irvine; Jill Edmondson; Abhishek Tiwary; Graeme Hill; Jonathan Morris; Margaret Bell; Zoe G. Davies; Steven K. Firth; Jill Fisher; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake; Nicola McHugh; Anil Namdeo; Mark Rylatt; Kevin Lomas. 2016. "Measurement and analysis of household carbon: The case of a UK city." Applied Energy 164, no. : 871-881.
The capacity of urban areas to deliver provisioning ecosystem services is commonly overlooked and underutilized. Urban populations have globally increased fivefold since 1950, and they disproportionately consume ecosystem services and contribute to carbon emissions, highlighting the need to increase urban sustainability and reduce environmental impacts of urban dwellers. Here, we investigated the potential for increasing carbon sequestration, and biomass fuel production, by planting trees and short‐rotation coppice (SRC), respectively, in a mid‐sized UK city as a contribution to meeting national commitments to reduce CO 2 emissions.Iterative GIS models were developed using high‐resolution spatial data. The models were applied to patches of public and privately owned urban greenspace suitable for planting trees and SRC, across the 73 km2 area of the city of Leicester. We modelled tree planting with a species mix based on the existing tree populations, and SRC with willow and poplar to calculate biomass production in new trees, and carbon sequestration into harvested biomass over 25 years.An area of 11 km2 comprising 15% of the city met criteria for tree planting and had the potential over 25 years to sequester 4200 tonnes of carbon above‐ground. Of this area, 5·8 km2 also met criteria for SRC planting and over the same period this could yield 71 800 tonnes of carbon in harvested biomass.The harvested biomass could supply energy to over 1566 domestic homes or 30 municipal buildings, resulting in avoided carbon emissions of 29 236 tonnes of carbon over 25 years when compared to heating by natural gas. Together with the net carbon sequestration into trees, a total reduction of 33 419 tonnes of carbon in the atmosphere could be achieved in 25 years by combined SRC and tree planting across the city. Synthesis and applications. We demonstrate that urban greenspaces in a typical UK city are underutilized for provisioning ecosystem services by trees and especially SRC, which has high biomass production potential. For urban greenspace management, we recommend that planting SRC in urban areas can contribute to reducing food–fuel conflicts on agricultural land and produce renewable energy sources close to centres of population and demand.
Nicola McHugh; Jill Edmondson; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan R. Leake; Odhran S. O'sullivan. Modelling short-rotation coppice and tree planting for urban carbon management - a citywide analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology 2015, 52, 1237 -1245.
AMA StyleNicola McHugh, Jill Edmondson, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan R. Leake, Odhran S. O'sullivan. Modelling short-rotation coppice and tree planting for urban carbon management - a citywide analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology. 2015; 52 (5):1237-1245.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola McHugh; Jill Edmondson; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan R. Leake; Odhran S. O'sullivan. 2015. "Modelling short-rotation coppice and tree planting for urban carbon management - a citywide analysis." Journal of Applied Ecology 52, no. 5: 1237-1245.
Soil holds 75% of the total organic carbon (TOC) stock in terrestrial ecosystems. This comprises ecosystem-derived organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC), a recalcitrant product of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. Urban topsoils are often enriched in BC from historical emissions of soot and have high TOC concentrations, but the contribution of BC to TOC throughout the urban soil profile, at a regional scale is unknown. We sampled 55 urban soil profiles across the North East of England, a region with a history of coal burning and heavy industry. Through combined elemental and thermogravimetic analyses, we found very large total soil OC stocks (31-65 kg m(-2) to 1 m), exceeding typical values reported for UK woodland soils. BC contributed 28-39% of the TOC stocks, up to 23 kg C m(-2) to 1 m, and was affected by soil texture. The proportional contribution of the BC-rich fraction to TOC increased with soil depth, and was enriched in topsoil under trees when compared to grassland. Our findings establish the importance of urban ecosystems in storing large amounts of OC in soils and that these soils also capture a large proportion of BC particulates emitted within urban areas.
Jill L. Edmondson; Iain Stott; Jonathan Potter; Elisa Lopez-Capel; David Manning; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake. Black Carbon Contribution to Organic Carbon Stocks in Urban Soil. Environmental Science & Technology 2015, 49, 8339 -8346.
AMA StyleJill L. Edmondson, Iain Stott, Jonathan Potter, Elisa Lopez-Capel, David Manning, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan Leake. Black Carbon Contribution to Organic Carbon Stocks in Urban Soil. Environmental Science & Technology. 2015; 49 (14):8339-8346.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L. Edmondson; Iain Stott; Jonathan Potter; Elisa Lopez-Capel; David Manning; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake. 2015. "Black Carbon Contribution to Organic Carbon Stocks in Urban Soil." Environmental Science & Technology 49, no. 14: 8339-8346.
Jill L Edmondson; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake. Soil and the city. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2015, 13, 241 -241.
AMA StyleJill L Edmondson, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan Leake. Soil and the city. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2015; 13 (5):241-241.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L Edmondson; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake. 2015. "Soil and the city." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13, no. 5: 241-241.
Urban trees sequester carbon into biomass and provide many ecosystem service benefits aboveground leading to worldwide tree planting schemes. Since soils hold ∼75% of ecosystem organic carbon, understanding the effect of urban trees on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil properties that underpin belowground ecosystem services is vital. We use an observational study to investigate effects of three important tree genera and mixed-species woodlands on soil properties (to 1 m depth) compared to adjacent urban grasslands. Aboveground biomass and belowground ecosystem service provision by urban trees are found not to be directly coupled. Indeed, SOC enhancement relative to urban grasslands is genus-specific being highest under Fraxinus excelsior and Acer spp., but similar to grasslands under Quercus robur and mixed woodland. Tree cover type does not influence soil bulk density or C∶N ratio, properties which indicate the ability of soils to provide regulating ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and flood mitigation. The trends observed in this study suggest that genus selection is important to maximise long-term SOC storage under urban trees, but emerging threats from genus-specific pathogens must also be considered.
Jill L. Edmondson; Odhran S. O'sullivan; Richard Inger; Jonathan Potter; Nicola McHugh; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan R. Leake. Urban Tree Effects on Soil Organic Carbon. PLOS ONE 2014, 9, e101872 .
AMA StyleJill L. Edmondson, Odhran S. O'sullivan, Richard Inger, Jonathan Potter, Nicola McHugh, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan R. Leake. Urban Tree Effects on Soil Organic Carbon. PLOS ONE. 2014; 9 (7):e101872.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L. Edmondson; Odhran S. O'sullivan; Richard Inger; Jonathan Potter; Nicola McHugh; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan R. Leake. 2014. "Urban Tree Effects on Soil Organic Carbon." PLOS ONE 9, no. 7: e101872.
Large-scale spatial gradient studies are increasingly used to understand the impacts of air pollution and devise appropriate conservation and policy responses, but how consistent are the conclusions we draw from these surveys? Here, we address this question by comparing three independent gradient studies from the same habitat, UK heather moorlands. We harmonise and re-analyse vegetation data from these surveys in relation to cumulative nitrogen deposition, sulphur deposition and other potential drivers and use these results to assess the possible impacts of air pollution in this habitat. Air pollution variables explain more variance in species richness and composition than other variables in the vast majority of analyses. Untangling the relative contribution of nitrogen and (legacy) sulphur deposition is difficult due to strong correlation, but it is likely that nitrogen deposition is currently the dominant driver of change. There is consistency in the negative correlation between species richness and nitrogen deposition, but some variability in the form of this relationship due to small sample sizes. Across surveys there is a high degree of consistency in species identified as either positively or negatively correlated to nitrogen deposition, and no evidence for systematic differences. We conclude that relatively small surveys across wide gradients can provide useful information on potential drivers of diversity, as well as identify sensitive and tolerant species. Our results strongly suggest that nitrogen deposition has a severe and widespread impact on the biodiversity of British heather moorlands and is causing changes in plant communities, including promoting the spread of at least one invasive species.
Richard J. Payne; Simon J. M. Caporn; Christopher D. Field; Jacky A. Carroll; Jill Edmondson; Andrea Britton; Nancy B. Dise. Heather Moorland Vegetation and Air Pollution: A Comparison and Synthesis of Three National Gradient Studies. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 2014, 225, 1 -13.
AMA StyleRichard J. Payne, Simon J. M. Caporn, Christopher D. Field, Jacky A. Carroll, Jill Edmondson, Andrea Britton, Nancy B. Dise. Heather Moorland Vegetation and Air Pollution: A Comparison and Synthesis of Three National Gradient Studies. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. 2014; 225 (7):1-13.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard J. Payne; Simon J. M. Caporn; Christopher D. Field; Jacky A. Carroll; Jill Edmondson; Andrea Britton; Nancy B. Dise. 2014. "Heather Moorland Vegetation and Air Pollution: A Comparison and Synthesis of Three National Gradient Studies." Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 225, no. 7: 1-13.
Modern agriculture, in seeking to maximize yields to meet growing global food demand, has caused loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) and compaction, impairing critical regulating and supporting ecosystem services upon which humans also depend. Own-growing makes an important contribution to food security in urban areas globally, but its effects on soil qualities that underpin ecosystem service provision are currently unknown. We compared the main indicators of soil quality; SOC storage, total nitrogen (TN), C : N ratio and bulk density (BD) in urban allotments to soils from the surrounding agricultural region, and between the allotments and other urban greenspaces in a typical UK city. A questionnaire was used to investigate allotment management practices that influence soil properties. Allotment soils had 32% higher SOC concentrations and 36% higher C : N ratios than pastures and arable fields and 25% higher TN and 10% lower BD than arable soils. There was no significant difference between SOC concentration in allotments and urban non-domestic greenspaces, but it was higher in domestic gardens beneath woody vegetation. Allotment soil C : N ratio exceeded that in non-domestic greenspaces, but was lower than that in garden soil. Three-quarters of surveyed allotment plot holders added manure, 95% composted biomass on-site, and many added organic-based fertilizers and commercial composts. This may explain the maintenance of SOC, C : N ratios, TN and low BD, which are positively associated with soil functioning. Synthesis and applications. Maintenance and protection of the quality of our soil resource is essential for sustainable food production and for regulating and supporting ecosystem services upon which we depend. Our study establishes, for the first time, that small-scale urban food production can occur without the penalty of soil degradation seen in conventional agriculture, and maintains the high soil quality seen in urban greenspaces. Given the involvement of over 800 million people in urban agriculture globally, and its important contribution to food security, our findings suggest that to better protect soil functions, local, national and international urban planning and policy making should promote more urban own-growing in preference to further intensification of conventional agriculture to meet increasing food demand.
Jill L. Edmondson; Zoe G. Davies; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake. Urban cultivation in allotments maintains soil qualities adversely affected by conventional agriculture. Journal of Applied Ecology 2014, 51, 880 -889.
AMA StyleJill L. Edmondson, Zoe G. Davies, Kevin J. Gaston, Jonathan Leake. Urban cultivation in allotments maintains soil qualities adversely affected by conventional agriculture. Journal of Applied Ecology. 2014; 51 (4):880-889.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJill L. Edmondson; Zoe G. Davies; Kevin J. Gaston; Jonathan Leake. 2014. "Urban cultivation in allotments maintains soil qualities adversely affected by conventional agriculture." Journal of Applied Ecology 51, no. 4: 880-889.