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Urban Ecosystems and Nature-Based Solutions: The Role of Data in Optimizing the Provision of Ecosystem Services

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Informed Urban Environments

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Abstract

Growing urban areas are facing significant challenges in terms of ecosystem health, human wellbeing, and environmental quality. Ecosystems are composed of biotic and abiotic components and their interactions. Healthy urban ecosystems can provide numerous so-called ecosystem services, which are benefits provided by nature to society and the economy. They are classified into provisioning services, regulating services, cultural services, and support services. As demonstrated by several studies and stated by the European Commission, nature-based solutions, depending on urban areas’ characteristics, can enhance the provision of relevant ecosystem services in cities. Therefore, nature-based solutions can be planned, designed, and integrated as a means to improve urban ecosystem health. However, a systematic approach to optimizing ecosystem service provision is frequently overlooked. Data collection and modeling allow for the evaluation of biotic and abiotic interactions, as well as the effects of anthropogenic activities and modifications. In this field, the chapter mainly focuses on the role of data in an integrated design process, aimed at the optimization of the performance of nature-based solutions to improve urban ecosystem health.

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  1. Università Degli Studi Di Genova, Genova, Italy

    Katia Perini

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  1. Katia Perini
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  1. TUM School of Engineering and Design, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    Ata Chokhachian

  2. Department for Digital Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Wien, Austria

    Michael U. Hensel

  3. Architecture and Design Department, Polytechnic School, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Katia Perini

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Perini, K. (2022). Urban Ecosystems and Nature-Based Solutions: The Role of Data in Optimizing the Provision of Ecosystem Services. In: Chokhachian, A., Hensel, M.U., Perini, K. (eds) Informed Urban Environments. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03803-7_9

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