While global water transfers within and between the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) returns most terrestrial precipitation to the atmosphere, water transfer to the atmosphere is diminished in urban environments due to reduced transpiration from greenery as well as widespread impermeable surfaces that decrease soil infiltration and evaporation. Lack of evapotranspiration and soil moisture storage in urban systems increases stormwater runoff and entrained sediments, nutrients, and pollutants. Also, natural latent heat transfer due to evapotranspiration normally cools land surfaces, which is diminished in urban environments, contributing to urban heat island effects, and exacerbating global warming in warm-climate cities.
Urgent efforts are underway to integrate urban water and greenery management to restore microclimates in urban environments through SPAC amelioration, which also reduces storm runoff volumes and pollutant loads. Smart solutions have been implemented in cities of different climates, urban structures, and socioeconomical conditions. They are described in various terms including water (climate, biodiversity) sensitive urban design, sponge cities, blue infrastructure, nature-based solutions. Meanwhile, urban tree planting programs have been implemented in many cities globally, with varying degrees of success. The topic of urban ecohydrology and hydrometeorology is ripe for recent advances in monitoring, modelling, and remote sensing of urban SPAC, with the aim to promote effective knowledge sharing for integrated water and greenery management in support of climate resilience in cities. These efforts are intended to protect water resources, improve urban greenness, ameliorate microclimate, and enhance benefits for urban environments and residents.
Examples of acceptable manuscripts include but are not limited to:
• Stormwater interception (harvesting) and storage
• Urban tree water stress and drought responses
• Tree physiology in response to urban settings (e.g., light and elevated CO2)
• Evapotranspiration in urban landscapes
• Smart urban greenery and water management, and air quality
• Urban green-blue infrastructure nexus for heat mitigation and thermal comfort
• Urban ecosystem services under extreme climate conditions
• Water-centered eco-infrastructure for urban sustainability and resiliency
• Drought and flood prediction and early warming systems for urban catchments
• Urban tree planting programs (initiatives), their effectiveness and sustainability
• Loss of urban greenery cover in residential (re-)development and relevant solutions
• Social and economical (e.g., aesthetic, cultural, carbon harvesting) aspects of urban greenery
• New methods and models for integrated water and greenery management
While global water transfers within and between the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) returns most terrestrial precipitation to the atmosphere, water transfer to the atmosphere is diminished in urban environments due to reduced transpiration from greenery as well as widespread impermeable surfaces that decrease soil infiltration and evaporation. Lack of evapotranspiration and soil moisture storage in urban systems increases stormwater runoff and entrained sediments, nutrients, and pollutants. Also, natural latent heat transfer due to evapotranspiration normally cools land surfaces, which is diminished in urban environments, contributing to urban heat island effects, and exacerbating global warming in warm-climate cities.
Urgent efforts are underway to integrate urban water and greenery management to restore microclimates in urban environments through SPAC amelioration, which also reduces storm runoff volumes and pollutant loads. Smart solutions have been implemented in cities of different climates, urban structures, and socioeconomical conditions. They are described in various terms including water (climate, biodiversity) sensitive urban design, sponge cities, blue infrastructure, nature-based solutions. Meanwhile, urban tree planting programs have been implemented in many cities globally, with varying degrees of success. The topic of urban ecohydrology and hydrometeorology is ripe for recent advances in monitoring, modelling, and remote sensing of urban SPAC, with the aim to promote effective knowledge sharing for integrated water and greenery management in support of climate resilience in cities. These efforts are intended to protect water resources, improve urban greenness, ameliorate microclimate, and enhance benefits for urban environments and residents.
Examples of acceptable manuscripts include but are not limited to:
• Stormwater interception (harvesting) and storage
• Urban tree water stress and drought responses
• Tree physiology in response to urban settings (e.g., light and elevated CO2)
• Evapotranspiration in urban landscapes
• Smart urban greenery and water management, and air quality
• Urban green-blue infrastructure nexus for heat mitigation and thermal comfort
• Urban ecosystem services under extreme climate conditions
• Water-centered eco-infrastructure for urban sustainability and resiliency
• Drought and flood prediction and early warming systems for urban catchments
• Urban tree planting programs (initiatives), their effectiveness and sustainability
• Loss of urban greenery cover in residential (re-)development and relevant solutions
• Social and economical (e.g., aesthetic, cultural, carbon harvesting) aspects of urban greenery
• New methods and models for integrated water and greenery management