Urbanization and green structures

Dr. Sohini Bhattacharyya

Kalinga University, Naya Raipur

Rapid industrialization and access to modern facilities have resulted in large scale worldwide urbanization. Urbanization increases concrete structures which adversely affect the green habitats of that particular locality. Reduction in plants (trees, shrubs, herbs) has a negative impact on the in-situ ecosystem as it is directly linked to the biodiversity of the site. Plants bear flowers and fruits which attract various pollinators and other birds and animals which rely on these supplies for their nutrition. Furthermore, these smaller organisms are prey to larger ones; hence, the food chain of the region thrives and flourishes. Removal of the base of this chain ends in collapsing the ecosystem balance which leads to loss of associate ecosystem function altogether. This is harmful for the environment and also for us.

Considering the ill effects of urbanization and its destruction of surrounding greeneries, people have now started to think and focus on improvisation. The most common practice that has gained popularity is the concept of increasing green space within concrete buildings. For this purpose, small water fronts, parks, terrace gardens, green roofs, etc. are being introduced in various new residential and official constructions. This can both enhance the aesthetic value of the place and boost the biodiversity on the local scale. Abundance and diversity is also seen among the microorganisms which inhabit such green areas. These microbes play important role in various biogeochemical cycles and are also associated with important ecosystem functions (decomposition, primary production, etc.). Additionally, more green space results in providing more shaded regions which facilitates cooling of that area bringing down the temperature during the hot months. Moreover, residents and working officials are able to relax and walk in such spaces to ease their stress. Overall, such structures improve the quality of living and assists in maintaining ecosystem diversity and functioning.

References:

1. Williams, N.S., Lundholm, J. and Scott MacIvor, J., 2014. Do green roofs help urban biodiversity conservation?. Journal of applied ecology, 51(6), pp.1643-1649.
2. Yang, J., Sun, J., Ge, Q. and Li, X., 2017. Assessing the impacts of urbanization-associated green space on urban land surface temperature: A case study of Dalian, China. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 22, pp.1-10.
3. Byomkesh, T., Nakagoshi, N. and Dewan, A.M., 2012. Urbanization and green space dynamics in Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh. Landscape and ecological engineering, 8, pp.45-58.
4. Aerts, R., Honnay, O. and Van Nieuwenhuyse, A., 2018. Biodiversity and human health: mechanisms and evidence of the positive health effects of diversity in nature and green spaces. British medical bulletin, 127(1), pp.5-22.