Ecological and human influences on urban green spaces

• Grant number: 25/02585-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: May 03, 2025
• End date: November 02, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Isabel Alves dos Santos
• Grantee: Amanda Fernandes Pereira Machado
• Supervisor: Monika Egerer
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephan (TUM), Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/17943-7 - Ecology of native bee interactions in urban environments: insights for decision-making, BP.DR

Abstract

Bees' populations are threatened globally by urbanization, which fragments habitats, increases pollution and reduces biodiversity. Urban green spaces (e.g., parks) can provide critical refuge for pollinators and mitigate some aspects of the negative effects of urbanization. To conserve effectively in these areas, we will need to merge ecological strategies with sustainable urban planning and engagement with the community. We aim to explore the multiplicity of interactions between urban green space environmental management and pollinator conservation in the context of biodiversity governance, leading to a better understanding of potential pathways to biodiversity-friendly cities. This project will be conducted as a research internship at the Urban Productive Ecosystems research group at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. It will also comprise a literature review on urban sustainability strategies, an analysis of citizen involvement in urban green management, and a comparative approach of green areas in Munich, Germany, and São Paulo, Brazil. The research will make use of biodiversity assessments, as well as social science methodologies. Through the identification of best practices and alternative solutions, this research seeks to contribute to urban planning policies that both promote the habitat of pollinators and strive for a balance between ecological and socio-economic needs. The results will inform the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, and 15 - Life on land) and will guide understanding of the governance aspects of resilient, biodiverse urban spaces.