Lawns as common ground for society and the flux of water and nutrients
| Authors: | Peter M. Groffman, J. Morgan Grove, Dexter H. Locke, Austin Troy, Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, Weiqi Zhou |
| Year: | 2019 |
| Type: | Book Chapter |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300249385-015 |
| Source: | In: Pickett, Steward T.A.; Cadenasso, Mary L.; Grove, J. Morgan; Irwin, Elena G.; Rosi, Emma J.; Swan, Christopher M., eds. Science for the Sustainable City: Empirical Insights from the Baltimore School of Urban Ecology. New Haven: Connecticut: Yale University Press. 117-127. |
Abstract
In brief:
Lawns and residential lands are an important and increasing land cover and land use type, and there is great concern about its ecological value and environmental performance.
Long-term integrated social-ecological studies show that the socio-ecology of lawns and residential land use are much more complex than originally thought.
Lawns are less intensively managed, and have produced less nitrogen pollution of water and air than originally expected by BES investigators.
Long-term studies of lawns and residential lands have facilitated integration between biophysical and social science research within the BES.
Long-term studies of lawns and residential lands have produced results that can improve the environmental performance of urban ecosystems and landscapes.
Novel methods have been required to examine social-ecological dynamics of residential land uses because of the fine-scale, spatial heterogeneity of urban areas. These methods include: hiresolution characterization of landcover; integration with demographic, social, economic, and built data; and characterizing individual property parcels with these physical, biological, social, and built data.