The Various Challenges in Urban Ecosystem Research

Heikki SetäläUniversity of Helsinki

Department of Ecological and Environmental Sciences

Hot future topic Climate change

Increased temperature

Pori, August 2007

20 milj. Euros

20 milj. Euros Other negative

consequences ...

CITIES and global change

Climate change- precipitation- temperature

Land use change- urbanisationn- agriculture etc.

Drastic Increase in sealed surfaces

City floods Contamination of surface waters (= hulevedet)

problems

1) Ecologists’s perspective Problems with hydrological cycles

2) Ecologist’s perspective Problems with Urban land use

Why to worry about impermeable, covered soils

Soils are an essential FUNCTIONAL UNITin all terrestrial ecosystems

Ecoystem Services

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

- food

- Water purification- Nutrient cycling- Detoxification- etc.

”Living soil””

Outcomes of urban land use

Down-town Lahti:> million m3 stormwaters to lake Vesijärvi

1

Outcomes of urban land use

2 Reduced and fragmented urban green space

Biodiversity aspects?Esthetical aspects?ELSE?

HOLISTIC view of urban systems:

Urban ecosystemservice network

Decisions/advice for City officials?

More appreciation towards urban green areas

ESPECIALLY

To consider urban systems as ECOSYSTEMS with essentiallife-supprting services

Sustainable future for cities and their inhabitants