APES Chapter 10.5 Study Guide

Urban Ecosystems, Urbanization, Cities, and Sustainability:

Environmental Science Instructor: Ben Smith Peninsula High School

Ch.10 Section 5, w/ connections throughout the Course

1. Share two of your favorite large cities, suburban areas, and /or small towns, and note

one reason why each place is a personal favorite / “speaks to you”.

2. Briefly describe how a city is an ecosystem (built though it is).

Different parts/ niches and mechanics, biodiversity

3. Approximately what percent of the global population lives in urban areas / cities?

54%

4. The City Paradox: Briefly describe the apparent (often real) paradox regarding the

necessity of cities (at this point in the evolution of our species) an.

apparent contradiction between the necessity of cities for human development and the challenges they present

5. “Urban area” defined ? (US Census Bureau)

densely developed territory encompassing residential, commercial, and other non-residential urban land uses

6. “City” defined: an area defined by legal and political boundaries, with a formal

government and taxes.

7. Metropolitan area defined: a large central city and the adjacent communities that have

a high degree of social and economic integration with that central city.

8. Suburbs defined: parts of the metropolitan area located outside of the central city.

9. Exurbs defined: undeveloped / rural land areas beyond the suburbs.

10. Describe two advantages of urbanization and/or urban sprawl: e.g.,

urban/suburban areas contain ~54% of the world’s people on ~2.8% of the Earth’s

land (excludes Antarctica, which is ~8.9% of Earth’s land)

Economic growth, efficient resource use and sustainability, better advancements like in education, medical, social. Reduction of wildlife stress, uses less energy, less land

11. Describe two disadvantages of urbanization and/or urban sprawl: e.g., urban

populations consume ~75% of all resources and produce ~75% of the world’s

pollution & wastes, lack of vegetation, a lot of heat

12. Provide three reasons why many cities are labeled as “unsustainable”:

Landloss (fragmentation, increase water use/ runoff and flooding, more energy/gases, less economic benefits

13. Briefly describe “urban sprawl”:

Growth of low dense development on the edges of city

14. Describe two potentially detrimental impacts of urban sprawl.15. Propose / Identify two major drivers of / reasons for urban sprawl in the USA.

16. Three major urban trends (noted in Section 10.5):

A. Percentage of the Global population that lives in urban areas continues to

increase, and is projected to go from about 4 billion in 2016 to ~6.6 billion in

2050. (USA specifically, the urban population was ~ 5% in 1800 and was ~82%

in 2016)

B. The number and size of urban areas is increasing: in 2015, there were ~30

megacities (10+ million folks)

C. Poverty is increasingly becoming urbanized, especially in developing countries

(U.N. estimate that at least 1 million people live in slums and shantytowns of

most major cities in less developed countries)

17. Megacity defined?

urban area with a population of 10 million or more people

18. Be familiar with global megacity-examples, as illustrated in Figure 10.22. Megacity

sample list: Tokyo-Yokohama, Jakarta, Manila, Delhi, Seoul-Incheon, Karachi,

Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou-Foshan, New York City-Newark, Sao Paulo, Mexico

City

19. Describe the major contributing factors to the urban heat island effect.

Human heat generation, like cars and factories

20. Propose three approaches to mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Using rail systems, buses, bicycles. High speed trains

21. Identify and briefly describe the most widely used approach to controlling land use.

Zoning- parcels of land are allocated to residential commercial or mix

22. Describe two potential drawbacks to this most widely used approach to controlling

land use (from #21).

Fragmentation and encouraging urban sprawl

23. Briefly describe “smart growth”, and be familiar with “tools” that might enhance

smart growth, including those representing the following categories or focal areas:

Smart Growth is an urban planning approach that focuses on sustainable, efficient, and equitable development. 

Tools:Limits and Regulations, Zoning, Planning, Protection, Taxes & Tax Breaks, Revitalization and New Growth

24. Be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of each of the following

transportation methods as they relate to urban areas: Buses, Rail Mass Transit, High-

Speed (“Rapid”) Rail

25. Fredrick Law Olmsted, often considered the founder of American landscape architecture.

Key Contributions:

1. Central Park (New York City): Olmsted, along with his partner Calvert Vaux, won the 1858 design competition for Central Park, creating an 843-acre urban oasis that provides psychological and physiological relief from the stresses of city life.

2. Palos Verdes Peninsula Design: Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., his son, continued his legacy in the 1920s, designing parts of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, including the Malaga Cove Plaza and associated entry areas.

26. A. Be familiar with what is meant by “the fall line”, as it applies to “water and

rock”. That is, geologically speaking, why does the fall line occur where it does?

Geological boundary where harder, erosion-resistant rock of an upland region meets softer, sedimentary rock of a coastal plain. This transition often creates a series of waterfalls or rapids along rivers.

26.B. Many of the world’s oldest cities emerged and were developed along rivers.

Biogeographically speaking, how does the fall line RELATE to populations of

people?

It can provide transportation, economical benefits, Urban development, and water power

27. Historically, “it” was the “solution to pollution” in urban areas and elsewhere;

with education and increased awareness about natural systems and sustainability, “it”

became a less widely employed approach (1-word; eight letters); the Lake Erie case

study serves as a prime example of this flawed approach (as the passage of time

typically confirms) to waste management and doing business. You may recall Lake

Erie was “declared dead” in 1970; - much of the land around Lake Erie is either

agricultural or urban, with 17 metropolitan areas, including Cleveland, Buffalo,

Toledo, and Detroit (while not directly on the Lake front, the Detroit River flows

south/southwest for about 28 miles directly into Lake Erie). “It” is (was) ________.

Dilution

28. Briefly describe / define a “greenbelt” in the context of urban and suburban areas.

greenbelt is a designated area of open, undeveloped land around an urban or suburban area

29. Briefly describe the USGBC, to include what the “alphabet soup” stands for, and

the focal point(s) / mission of this non-profit organization.

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit organization that focuses on advancing sustainable building practices and promoting environmentally responsible, resource-efficient construction. Its mission is to lead the transformation of the building industry towards sustainability through green building programs, advocacy, and education.

30. Briefly describe LEED, to include what the “alphabet soup” stands for, and the

focal point(s) / goals of this global, green-program.

LEED is a globally recognized certification program for green buildings, established by the U.S. Green Building Council. The alphabet soup stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED focuses on promoting sustainable building practices by evaluating the environmental performance of a building in areas like energy efficiency, water use, air quality, and material selection. Its goals are to reduce environmental impact, improve occupant health and comfort, and lower operating costs.

31. Based on information shared in Design e2, The Green Apple, buildings use

approximately what percent of the world’s energy?

The Green Apple, buildings use approximately 40% of the world’s energy. This highlights the significant environmental impact of the building sector, making sustainable building practices essential for reducing global energy consumption and promoting sustainability.