OOS 37-4 - Reinforcing nature-based solutions through spectral trait monitoring

Nature based solutions (NbS) are a central approach to improve the human living environment in cities. But in fact, many urban ecosystems are limited in their ability to provide ecosystem services and support the implementation of further NbS. Meaning, that we currently do not know how to effectively build resilience around nature-based solution in cities in the face of resource scarcity, global change, and uncertainty. A pathway towards inverting this situation, is to monitor functional diversity and functioning of urban ecosystems, and communicating the findings in forms that formal- and informal actors can act upon. This can be achieved by digital tools serving as binding entities in social-ecological systems if appropriately used and designed. The talk presents such a tool, combining risk (share in elderly population) and density in population with the spectral traits-framework (Wellmann et al. 2023, Ambio). Spectral traits, are those vegetation traits, that can be recorded through remote sensing techniques. Traits are morphological and physiological features measurable at the individual level. The goal of the tool is to portray social-ecological indicators in relation to each other and based on this, allow stakeholders to choose between different adaptation goals. This way, traits can contribute towards informing stakeholders about the urban environment, be an evidence basis for participatory planning, and could spur involvement. This could be in the form of citizen science for which we need to find languages and concepts that both the untrained human eye and the satellite sensor up in space can contribute towards. This way, remotely sensed spectral traits can help to link actors and strengthen locally adapted management to ultimately reinforce nature-based solutions towards a more resilient state.