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Developing biodiversity indicators for cities: applying the DPSIR model to Nagoya and integrating social and ecological aspects

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Ecological Research

Abstract

Capturing the trends and status of urban biodiversity is challenged by current rapid changes, including increasing population flow into urban areas and multiple pressures on neighboring ecosystems. For this reason, this article aims to highlight relevant findings from both ecological and social sciences in the development of urban and biodiversity indicators. It examines the applicability of a model to an urban city in Japan. The objectives of this study are threefold. First, it reviews and summarizes the historical development and relevant existing studies of urban and biodiversity indicators, the “Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response” (DPSIR) model is presented, and its main critiques are summarized. Second, trends in scientific studies in specific journals are identified. Third, practical lessons for a Japanese local municipality, the city of Nagoya, are derived from two previous sets of reviews. The applicability of the “DPSIR” to current practices in the city of Nagoya is examined to assess the relevance of the model to real situations.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Prof. Liisa Tyrväinen (The Finnish Forest Research Institute METLA) for her valuable comments and research exchange. This research was supported by FY 2009 Researcher Exchange Program between JSPS and the Academy of Finland. In addition, the work was partly funded by the Nagoya Urban Institute, Institute of Economics Research Graduate School of Economics, and a Grant-in-Aid for Research from Nagoya City University. Thanks are extended to Ms. Leah Mohammed (Concordia University), Ian Thompson (Resource Canada), Kieran Mooney (SCBD), Masashi Kato (Nagoya City), and researchers and colleagues in the CBI processes for their input.

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  1. Graduate School of Economics, Nagoya City University, 1 Yamanohata, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 476-8501, Japan

    Ryo Kohsaka

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Kohsaka, R. Developing biodiversity indicators for cities: applying the DPSIR model to Nagoya and integrating social and ecological aspects. Ecol Res 25, 925–936 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-010-0746-7

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