Biology subjects

Babi Almenar, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Babi Almenar, J..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Exploring the value of thematic urban ecosystem accounts in Western Balkan Countries to inform urban greening actions

Urban ecological health is increasingly prioritized in Europe, as reflected in the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Nature Restoration Regulation, and the amendment to the Regulation on Environmental-Economic Accounts. Translating this ambition into greening actions that halt and reverse urban ecological degradation requires standardized, spatially explicit indicators. This study explores the utility of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) framework for developing thematic urban ecosystem accounts as integrated metrics to inform urban greening in the Western Balkans. We constructed pilot accounts for the Western Balkans for 2018, with particular focus on Horizon-funded CROSS-REIS countries, where local accounts were also developed for representative municipalities (Kranj, Rijeka, Ni[s], Podgorica, Tirana). The accounts quantify ecosystem extent, four condition metrics (imperviousness, green space, tree cover, and PM concentration), and the service air filtration using PM deposition onto vegetation as a proxy. Results were benchmarked nationally against EU/EFTA/UK countries and locally against Italian municipalities of the National Biodiversity Future Centre project. The analysis reveals that urban ecosystems in the Western Balkans exist on a continuum with other European countries but exhibit a distinct, more homogeneous profile shaped by geography, climate, and policy legacies. The accounts identify ecological degradation hotspots (e.g., high soil sealing) and areas of high service-delivery capacity, supporting translation of spatial diagnosis into targeted greening priorities. Overall, the study shows that thematic urban ecosystem accounts offer a standardized, multi-scale evidence base to inform and monitor urban greening policies, supporting the Western Balkans environmental management needs on their path toward EU integration.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Do urban ecosystem service assessments account for ecosystem condition and biodiversity?

Urban ecosystems provide essential ecosystem services (ES), a supply that is dependent on ecosystem condition (EC). Statistical frameworks like the UN SEEA-EA explicitly link ES flows to the extent and condition of ecosystem assets. Yet, the concrete role of EC in shaping ES supply remains only partially understood, as their relationship is complex and varies across services. Consequently, the operational integration of EC into urban ES assessments remains fragmented. Through a systematic review of 110 studies (2005-2024), we evaluated how and to what extent EC has been incorporated into urban ES assessments. For each study, we examined ES assessment methods, types of condition variables, spatial and temporal explicitness, flow types (potential vs. actual), and sustainability considerations. We find that integration is decisively underway, with most studies (87%) using EC variables as inputs, predominantly for regulating services. However, this integration is narrow: it relies on static methods, focuses on potential over actual flows, and favors easily measurable abiotic and structural state variables over functional, compositional, or landscape ones. While spatial explicitness is common (45%), dynamic models are rare (20%), and assessments seldom leverage EC to evaluate ES flow sustainability. Addressing these gaps, by broadening types of EC variables, increasing temporal dynamism, and linking condition to both actual flows and sustainability, will enhance the capacity of urban ES assessments to support the planning and adaptive management of urban greening. It will also help advance the development of urban ecosystem condition and service accounts, thereby increasing the relevance of urban ES assessment knowledge.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

An individual, mechanistic and dynamical model to simulate urban tree growth and ecosystem services supply under future scenarios

Urban trees represent a key nature-based solution and an essential component of green infrastructures, providing multiple ecosystem services but increasingly subjected to environmental stressors. Here we present a dynamic, mechanistic, and individual-based model designed to simulate growth of urban trees and the associated provision of ecosystem services under varying climate conditions. The model is modular, runs at daily time steps and incorporates key biological processes such as photosynthesis, water limitation and biomass allocation. It simulates single-tree growth and quntifies ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, air filtration, and local climate regulation using species-specific parameters and local climate forcing. The model was calibrated and tested in a pilot application in Milan, simulating the long-term growth of three of three common broadleaved species (Platanus x acerifolia, Populus nigra and Robinia pseudoacacia) across different planting ages and climate scenarios. A multi-objective calibration was used to fit stem diameter and crown width, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess parameter robustness and uncertainty propagation. Results show realistic growth trajectories with clear species-age contrasts. Tree growth declines under stronger climate forcing, and ecosystem service provision scales non-linearly with age, with mature trees delivering far greater benefits. Carbon sequestration and air filtration decrease under more extreme scenarios, whereas local climate regulation exhibits a compensatory response: lower productivity is offset by higher evaporative demand, yielding stable or slightly increased evapotranspiration-based cooling. The model offers a promising tool for supporting urban forestry decisions related to planning, species selection, and long-term ecosystem service provision.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Advancing the global statistical standard for urban ecosystem accounts

The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA), adopted by UNSD, provides a standardized global framework for measuring and monitoring ecosystems extent, condition, and services. However, its application to urban ecosystems faces conceptual and operational challenges. Building on SEEA-EA, we propose advancing the framework for thematic urban ecosystem accounting, identifying main challenges and framing potential solutions based on existing lessons and approaches. Through a literature review on ecosystem accounting and urban science, we identified 24 challenges, with lessons and approaches suggested for 17 of them. Results show that many challenges are highly interconnected and shared with accounts for other ecosystem types. Urban-specific challenges include a lack of consensus in defining urban ecosystems, their specific assets, and their classifications. Additionally, findings highlight the need for defining appropriate methods to capture socio-ecological degradation, impacts, and dependencies of urban ecosystems. Suggested solutions include adapting the accounting structure and prioritizing the resolution of urban- specific challenges.

ecology↗