urban environments Flashcards
define function
the dominant industry activity (i.e. mining or financial centre) OR the dominant use of a building (i.e. bank or restaurant)
define land use
the dominant pattern of use for an area or district of a settlement (i.e. a commercial zone or a residential zone), it can also be substituted for function for buildings
define site
The physical and human characteristics of a location. It can be used in reference to a entire settlement or specific function
define situation
Describes the location of a settlement in relation to important physical features, communication routes as well as other settlements and so locates it within a regional context
define urbanization
the movement of people to a town or city
what decreases as a city grows in size?
its frequency
what does central place theory suggest?
how urban places grow in importance due to their centrality and connectivity to urban places around them (towns that have better connections to other towns develop as the dominant city)
define bid-rent value
The prices of land to rent normally per meter squared a year
define CBD
Central Business District - the centre of commercial activity in an urban place
define gentrification
The modernization of a neighbourhood through in migration of wealthier individuals and enterprises
where does deindustrialization primarily occur? why?
closure of industries in HICs caused by the global shift
define global shift
The movement of manufacturing from HIC cities to NEE and LIC city/low-cost labour countries
define nodality
The degree of connectivity of a place through transport routes
define rural-urban fringe (RUF)
The margin of an urban place where it meets the countryside
how does bid rent value shift in relation to the CBD?
The rent of land rises with proximity to the CBD and falls with distance from it
why is manufacturing mainly done far from the CBD?
Manufacturing needs more space than a bar for example and so it’s too expensive to locate in the CBD.
what are two things nodality heightens?
bid rent value and commercial activity
define informal economy
This economy is not regulated by the government and does contribute taxation to government revenue. It is therefore diverse, especially in terms of its demographic, including both children and the elderly.
what is the difference in location of wealth housing between HICs and LICs
in HICs, wealth often increases with distance from the CBD while in LICs wealth often decreases with distance from the CBD
why might re-urbanization occur? x3
regeneration of inner city areas, new housing schemes AND/OR cleaner air/green space
example of a european city with a thriving inner city
amsterdam
what 2 processes occur with suburbanization?
out migration of middle income residents AND in migration of immigrants to fill important low-pay sector work in the city
why may cities become segregated as a result of suburbanization?
less diversity of socio-economic groups and the separation of ethnic groups
drivers of segregation x5
suburbanization, deindustrialization, immigrant pops, discriminating urban policies AND gentrification/regeneration
how does deindustrialization contribute to segregation?
higher levels of unemployment/poverty
how do immigrant populations contribute to segregation?
ethnic groups tend to cluster together
how do discriminating urban policies contribute to segregation?
policies make certain ethnic groups struggle to integrate into society (access to education, employment, housing, etc.)
how does gentrification/regeneration contribute to segregation?
higher rent drives out low income groups, concentrating them elsewhere
things people living in newer informal settlements (not slums) do not have access to x4
bank accounts, formal employment, water services AND electricity services
define centrifugal population movement
the movement of people away from the metropolitan area
define satellite towns
settlements set within the countryside with very limited functions and services. People commute from satellite towns to major urban places for work and services
push factors of suburbanization x6
declining industry, crime, poor education, lack of housing, poor transport, noise/pollution
pull factors of suburbanization x7
more housing, better environment (parks), better transport, leisure opportunities, better education, quieter/cleaner, less crime
define centripetal population movement
movements of people in the direction of the centre of the urban area
define ribbon developments
tongue-shaped growths of urban area that spread out along main roads
causes of deindustrialization x5
lack of raw materials, restructuring economy away from manufacturing, the global shift, relocation to peripheries of cities AND closure of large employers leads to unemployment and thus reduced spending and less jobs
consequences of deindustrialization x2
social deprivation (poverty & social issues) AND isolating industrial communities
define albedo
The amount of solar radiation reflected back into the atmosphere from a surface or material
define anthropogenic heat
Atmospheric heat generated by human activity
define urban boundary layer
The layer of atmosphere in contact with or influenced by the height of the built-up environment within the city
define rural boundary layer
The layer of atmosphere in contact with the earth’s surface outside the city boundary
define urban canopy layer
The layer of the atmosphere below the height level of buildings in the city
define urban plume
The extension of the Urban Boundary Layer downwind of the city boundary
define urban heat island effect
The process by which the metropolitan area becomes significantly warmer than the surrounding countryside
define venturi effect
The process of increased wind speed through a combination of restricted airflow (canyoning) and a drop in air pressure
define urban canyoning
An increase in wind speed due to the restriction of airflow within closed narrow streets
why may cities see greater rainfall patterns?
as a result of increasednucleiin the air caused by congestion and construction that produces pollutants. Increases in nuclei speed up the process ofwater droplet formation
when is photochemical smog produced?
when sunlight reacts withnitrogen oxidesand at least onevolatile organic compound (VOC)in the atmosphere
when does temperature inversion occur?
when layers of the atmosphere above the surface layer are warmer than the canopy layer
define temperature inversion
acts like a barrier preventing air below containing pollutants from rising
what types of cities are most vulnerable to photochemical smog?
low lying cities in valleys
how do urban management schemes work to reduce the UHIE x2
increasing green and blue space AND planning cities to allow airflow to cool the city
purpose of lining roads with trees x3
to filter the air and trapping pollutants in the tree while it waits for rainfall to wash it away into drains, reduces noise from traffic AND/OR increase biodiversity
causes of air pollution in new delhi x4
diesel based vehicles, burning waste/crop residue/coal, construction AND road dust
where is traffic congestion most concentrated in cities? x2
along arterial roads AND nodal points
define arterial road
A high capacity road that carries longer-distance flows between important centers of activity
what is the traffic congestion limit before growth is no longer occuring?
35-37 hours per commuter (in a year)
example of a first-order cost of traffic congestion
the cost of the time spent sitting in traffic
example of a second-order cost of traffic congestion
costs in regional job growth and productivity
why is some traffic congestion considered good for cities?
it shows that there is lots of economic activity
health impacts of children who live near congested roads x2
much more likely to develop brain, cardiovascular and respiratory issues (leukemia/cancer/asthma/dementia) AND birthing issues (still birth/prematurity/low birth weight/organ damage/deformation)
define urban system growth
the construction of new infrastructure, power and water lines, improved sewage provision and the provision of services.
characteristics of a socially deprived neighborhood x5
high crime, deindustrialization, out-migration, urban decay AND lack of investment
how is social deprivation measured?
by people’s access to services and opportunities that enable them to get on, and to prosper.
social deprivation is often an _____________ cycle
intergenerational
examples of signs of social deprivation (list a few)
poor education, crime, unemployment, decay, poverty, etc
ways to manage social deprivation x
safe/affordable/mixed housing, improved education, job creation, improved mobility (connection/transport), more public spaces (parks)
what are the two main drivers of urban growth?
natural increase AND rural-to-urban migration
what are the biggest threats to the economy and security of a city? x2
unsustainable population growth AND pressure on city services
define city resilience
the ability to bounce back and recover from an adverse event
what are some examples of risks cities face? x6
natural disasters, climate change, poverty, inequality, segregation AND city fragility
when does city fragility occur?
when the city’ssocial contractstarts to unravel. This happenswhen there is an imbalance between the expectations of the city authorities and citizens
where is the highest concentration of fragile cities found? why?
The cities most exposed to this fragility can be found in Asia and Africa where rapid population growth occurs at a faster rate than the cities’ ability to industrialize and this risks the cities’ ability to keep up with vital services
what does the urban ecological footprint measure?
the consumption of natural resources of a city
what factors influence someone’s ecological footprint? x3
size of house, amount of consumption they make AND distances they travel
define smart city
cities that have deployed or are currently piloting the integration of information, communications and technology (ICT) solutions across three or more different functional areas of a city. (functions of a city might include mobility and transport, energy and sustainability, physical infrastructure, governance, and safety and security)
examples of smart city technologies (list a few)
smart lighting, waste management, smart parking, forest fire detection, water quality, electromagnetic levels, intelligent shopping, etc.
advantages of smart cities x8
deal with congestion, waste management, energy management, efficiently allocate resources, improve quality of life, handle growing populations, manage water AND more sustainable transport
