Rethinking urban wilderness: Status, hotspots, and prospects of ecosystem services.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Urban Planning
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Urban wilderness (UW) integrates natural elements with human management in cities.
• Urban wilderness ecosystem services (UWESs) are crucial for sustainable urban development.
• Assessing UWES status, changes, and trends is complex but vital for ecological research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the scientific literature on urban wilderness ecosystem services (UWESs) published between 2000 and 2022.
• To understand the research lineages, hotspots, and trends in UWESs.
• To provide a reference for demonstrating the value and application of UWESs.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of scientific literature.
• Literature review covering the period 2000-2022.
• Identification of research phases, hotspots, and trends.

Main Results:

• Research on UWESs shows two phases: initial exploration (2000-2011) and rapid growth (2012-2022).
• Publication numbers demonstrate a continuous upward trend.
• Key research hotspots include UWs vs. greenfield ecosystems, spatio-temporal dynamics, ecosystem service valuation, and links to human health.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights trends towards harmonious human-nature coexistence.
• Emphasis is placed on spatio-temporal dynamics, multidisciplinary integration, and human health connections.
• Findings support the practical application and value demonstration of UWESs in urban wilderness contexts.