Rethinking urban blue spaces from a landscape perspective:
species, scale and the human element

Gledhill, DG; James, P

Abstract

The term “green space” is commonly applied to all open natural and semi-natural areas in built areas.
This term can be misleading as a proportion of urban “green” spaces are, in fact, “blue”; that is to say
that they contain surface water. As well as providing habitat for many species urban green / blue
infrastructure can bring people who are often divorced from the countryside into daily contact with
nature on their doorsteps. Ecological data was collected from 37 pond sites in the Borough of Halton
(Northwest England) from 2005 to 2006. The median species richness per pond was 28 invertebrate
species and 10 macrophyte species. A highly significant correlation was observed between pond
density and species richness. The relationship between richness of different taxa varied according to
scale, becoming more significant within clusters of ponds than within a single site. These findings
have significance for those involved in planning and managing urban environments further
strengthening the need for ecological networks in urban areas and indicating the need for a paradigm
shift in current management practices beyond single site strategies and single objectives, to the
creation of multifunctional landscapes incorporating consideration of nature conservation, sustainable
development and human well being.

Citation

species, scale and the human element

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2008
• Deposit Date: Aug 4, 2010
• Journal: Salzburger Geographische Arbeiten
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 42
• Pages: 151-164