Research on the impact and mechanism of digital economy on China's urban green total factor productivity.

Green and sustainable development is unstoppable. The digital economy has driven great changes in production methods and has become a key strength in reshaping global economic structure and achieving sustainable development. Cities are both the mainstay of economic growth and the main source of various environmental pollution problems. Therefore, studying the relationship between urban digital economy and urban green total factor productivity is of great significance. Based on panel data from 252 cities in China 2011-2019, a two-way fixed effects model was used to examine the impact of urban digital economy on urban green total factor productivity. The empirical results indicate that: (1) Urban digital economy has a significant positive impact on urban green total factor productivity. (2) Urban technological-innovation-level and human-capital-structure of play a mediating role in the impact. (3) This impact has regional heterogeneity and resource-based type heterogeneity. The research conclusions are not only valuable supplements to previous research, but also providing reliable instructions for implementing a flexible digital economy policy.

Urban green space, human heat perception and sleep quality: a repeated cross-sectional study.

Urban heat poses significant challenges to public health, as exposure to high temperatures is associated to heat stress, resulting in heat strain, sleep deprivation, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. As the frequency of heat waves is increasing due to global warming, urban green spaces are often proposed as a nature-based solution to mitigate urban heat stress. This study investigated the impact of urban green space on perceived heat stress and sleep quality, using questionnaires and detailed land cover data. We surveyed 584 respondents during four heat and four control events in the summers of 2021 and 2022, assessing perceived heat stress, sleep quality, and mental health. Using structural equation models, this study analysed the influence of both tree cover and grass and shrub cover on perceived heat stress and sleep quality, while controlling for risk and vulnerability factors. The outcomes revealed that during heat events, enhanced tree cover was associated with reduced heat stress (B = -0.484, 95% CI [-0.693, -0.275], p = 0.001), while increased grass and shrub cover was associated with both reduced heat stress (B = -0. 361 [-0.529, -0.193], p = 0.000) and improved sleep quality (B = -0. 241 [-0.399, -0.083], p = 0.003). Conversely, during control events, stress indicators were more strongly associated with individual vulnerability factors rather than surrounding green space. These results emphasize the importance of combining trees with lower vegetation in urban planning to mitigate heat-related stress and enhance sleep quality, thereby improving overall well-being during heat events.

Local environment perceived in daily life and urban green and blue space visits: Uncovering key factors for different age groups to access ecosystem services.

Inequality in access to green and blue spaces is a major issue in the field of environmental justice. Various factors significantly influence visitations to these spaces, including residential, commuting, and shopping areas. However, studies have mainly focused on residential environments. Analyzing the coupling of environmental and socioeconomic factors, including age, income, and childhood experience, and examining the direct and indirect effects of these factors for different age groups are needed to better understand the detailed context of inequalities in access to ecosystem services. We conducted a questionnaire survey and analysis to address these needs in an urban setting. The results demonstrate that several land use categories (i.e., agricultural lands in residential areas, grasslands near shopping areas, and deciduous forests near commuting destinations) positively correlated with visitation frequency, suggesting the lack thereof may be the cause of access inequalities. In particular, the perimeter per unit area of some land cover types, which shows the complexity of the form of each land cover category, was found to be a significant factor. We identified inequality in nature experience to be the key factor correlated with inequality in nature visits among the young age group. For the middle-aged and old age groups, nature-relatedness was positively correlated with visitation frequency. Proper design of the local environment, such as through land use planning, can be an effective measure for all age groups. For instance, long-bordered green areas in the Monsoon Asian region are an attractive traditional landscape, with high accessibility and a comfortable thermal environment. The key factors for each age group should be considered in spatial design and inclusive information-sharing to reduce inequality in access to ecosystem services.

Dog swimming and ectoparasiticide water contamination in urban conservation areas: A case study on Hampstead Heath, London.

Widespread occurrence of two ectoparasiticide compounds in the aquatic environment, imidacloprid and fipronil, have prompted concerns about their potential environmental impacts. However, very little focus has been placed on water bodies in urban green spaces used for dog swimming. In this study, occurrence of both substances on Hampstead Heath, London, was compared in ponds with (n = 3) and without dog swimming activity (n = 3), as well as connecting streams above, between, and below these ponds (n = 6). Imidacloprid and fipronil were detected at main swimming points in dog swimming ponds at mean concentrations of 309 ±â€¯104 ng/L and 32 ±â€¯13 ng/L, respectively, indicating a high environmental risk in all samples. Measured concentrations in ponds not accessible for dog swimming were either below the limits of detection or limits of quantification for both chemicals. Across all ponds, there was a strong positive correlation between measured dog swimming activities and concentrations of imidacloprid (R2 = 0.91) and fipronil (R2 = 0.79). Some contamination was detected in connecting streams between ponds. A wider chemical analysis for the presence of urban waste water chemical residue signatures indicated minimal contamination, including in source waters. A survey of visitors who allow their dogs to swim in the sampled ponds confirmed frequent use of products containing imidacloprid and fipronil. In total, 86 % of 101 dog owners were unaware of the potential environmental impacts of products, and 94 % indicated that protecting nature would be an important consideration when selecting products. Besides the current practice of limiting dog access to ponds, information collected on product use and dog swimming practices identified additional opportunities to reduce contamination. We suggest that more cooperation between industry, regulators, veterinarians, green space managers, and the public can reduce risks to urban biodiversity while maintaining recreational benefits for dog owners and dogs.

Urban Green Space and Perinatal Health Inequities in the United States: A Literature Review.

Access to urban green space has been linked to positive health outcomes including enhanced perinatal health. The purpose of this article was to review, summarize, and synthesize what is known about the relationship between urban green space and perinatal health and outline implications for practice, policy, education, and research. Nineteen articles were included in this state-of-the-science review. Overall, it was found that limited access to green space is significantly related to adverse birth outcomes. These findings present an important opportunity for childbirth educators and other clinicians involved in the provision of prenatal and reproductive health care. Through education and intervention, poor perinatal outcomes may be mitigated. Clinical screening and education about the importance of access to and use of urban green space during pregnancy should be an essential component of preconception counseling and antenatal screening for at-risk populations. Policy makers should be made aware of these findings so that impactful change can be made in order to reduce disparities and promote health equity.

Working hours influence preferences of residents for micro features of small urban green spaces.

This study investigates whether duration of working hours affect residents' preferences for the micro-features of Small Urban Green Spaces (SUGS), and explores differences across genders and visitation purposes. Little is known about this subject, yet it is crucial for creating more equitable green spaces. In phase 1, participants (n = 209; 30.9 ± 6.73 years, 59.3%male) were categorized by average daily working hours (0-8 h, 8-10 h, 10 h+), and rated 41 micro-feature images on their importance for visiting SUGS. Phase 2 included the top ten features ranked from phase 1, with participants (n = 256; 30.8 ± 5.12 years, 35.2% female) completing the Kano model survey to identify and explain the importance of features and different types of needs. Findings reveal a clear trend: extended work hours pivot resident preferences towards green space attributes promoting physical activity. For residents of 0-8 h valued aesthetic elements like sculptures and vegetation, while lighting became paramount for those with 8-10 h, and for those working over 10 h prioritized facilities for active engagement, such as playground equipment and slow runway. These distinctions provide valuable guidance for designing SUGS with diverse feature combinations that cater to the needs of residential areas with varying socio-economic backgrounds and occupational lifestyles, thereby enhancing urban livability.

Influence of habitat management and selected environmental parameters on the ground-living communities of harvestmen (Opiliones) in the historical park in Rusovce (Slovakia).

City parks serve as valuable refuges for invertebrates in the urban environment, which are constantly exposed to human influence caused by management practices in the parks. Many harvestman species are suitable bioindicators for monitoring ecological change; however, their effective use in environmental assessment necessitates to expand the insufficient knowledge of ecological environmental specificities of their communities. We studied the diversity and dynamics of harvestman (Opiliones) communities in the historical park in Rusovce, situated in the southwestern part of Bratislava (Slovakia). Seven study sites were investigated, representing areas subjected to different management practices. The research was conducted from March 2019 to April 2020, using pitfall traps. We evaluated the impact of microclimatic variables (soil and air temperature), environmental characteristics (plant diversity and cover of vegetation layers, age of forest stands, thickness of the litter layer), and management practices on the structure of harvestman communities. The study revealed the response of specific harvestman species to temperature variations, emphasizing the importance of microclimatic conditions. Environmental variables, such as the richness of plant species in the shrub layer, the cover of the herb and shrub vegetation layers, and the age of the forest stands, were identified as key factors that influence the dispersal of harvestman species. Furthermore, management practices, especially the presence of monoculture tree plantations, significantly affected the species composition of harvestmen. Examining the sensitivity of Opiliones, important bioindicators, to these factors is crucial for implementing effective conservation strategies in urban green spaces and anthropogenically influenced ecosystems.

Recycled waste substrates: A systematic review.

The growing interest in utilizing recycled waste substrates (RWS) in ecosystem services and environmental remediation aligns with the "waste to wealth" concept and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the promising potential of RWS, research gaps remain due to a lack of comprehensive reviews on their production and applications. This systematic review attempts to synthesize and critically assess the scientific footprint of RWS through robust methodology and thorough investigation. Characterization of scientific literature, network analysis, and systematic review were conducted on articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on 140 articles selected by the rigorous article screening process executed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. The findings map the scientific literature and research themes in RWS. Around 66 % of studies in RWS used a multiple research approach, primarily experiments with case studies. Key research topics identified include (A) Technical domains - types of wastes and recycling techniques in RWS production and parameters influencing the substrate quality; (B) Application domains: environmental remediation of soil and agriculture and horticulture. The use of RWS in urban green infrastructure, particularly for green roofs and vegetative walls, and the potential for LCA studies on RWS production and applications emerge as promising areas for future research. This systematic review also presents a conceptual framework model (CFM) on RWS research, encapsulating the state-of-the-art themes, risks, limitations and constraints, and future research avenues.

Relationship between urban green space and mental health in older adults: mediating role of relative deprivation, physical activity, and social trust.

Introduction: The importance of improving older adults' mental health is increasing worldwide with the rapid development of the aging process. Green space is an important part of the urban built environment, demonstrates a deep connection with the mental health of older adults, and its internal mechanisms have been widely studied. This study analyzed the influence of urban green spaces on the mental health of older adults via three factors: relative deprivation, physical activity, and social trust. Methods: Based on the 2018 China Labor Dynamics Survey, a multi-level structural equation model was used to explore the mediating roles of relative deprivation, physical activity, social trust in urban green spaces, and the mental health of older adults. Results: Urban green space was positively correlated with the mental health of older adults. Relative deprivation and physical activities played a mediating role between urban green space and the mental health of older adults. Discussion: An increase in urban green spaces can help increase the number of older adults obtaining green space resources, and help them maintain good mental health. Secondly, older adults with a relatively homogeneous environment have more equal opportunities to obtain urban green space resources, which helps to reduce the comparison of older adults in access to green space resources and reduce the adverse impact of relative deprivation on their mental health. Additionally, increasing urban green spaces can encourage older adults to engage in physical activities and improve their mental health. Finally, we suggest improving the accessibility, fairness, and quality of green spaces, paying attention to the psychological needs of older adults, encouraging older adults to engage in physical activities in green spaces, and taking various measures to enhance the positive role of green space on the mental health of older adults.

Urbanization alters the relative importance of local and landscape factors affecting plant communities in the Tokyo megacity.

Plant communities are impacted by local factors (related to environmental filtering) and landscape factors (related to dispersal limitation). While many studies have shown that the relative importance of these factors in understanding plant community dynamics due to urbanization, little is known about how they are altered by urbanization-a significant threat to biodiversity. This study evaluates the relative importance of local environmental (local factors), landscape, and spatial (landscape factors) variables that influence plant communities in 34 urban green spaces comprising two different habitats (forests and grasslands) along the urban-rural gradients in the Tokyo megacity, Japan. To continuously assess the relative importance of each factor along the urban-rural gradients, we extracted 1000 landscapes within a certain range that contained several sites. Subsequently, the relative importance of each factor and urbanization rate (proportion of artificial built-up area) were estimated for each landscape. Our study found that the relative importance of both local and landscape factors decreased, while that of local factor for native species in forest habitats and that of landscape factors for native species in grassland habitats increased. Collectively, these findings suggest that city size and habitat characteristics must be considered when predicting changes in plant communities caused by urbanization.

Comparison of Festuca glauca 'Uchte' and Festuca amethystina 'Walberla' Varieties in a Simulated Extensive Roof Garden Environment.

One of the most effective means of increasing urban green areas is the establishment of roof gardens. They have many positive properties and ecological functions, such as filling empty spaces with plants, protecting buildings, dust retention and air cleaning. In the case of extensive constructions, mostly Sedum species are used, planted as carpet-like "grass" sods or by installing modular units as plugs; however, with the use of other plant genera, the efficiency of ecological services could be increased by expanding the diversity. Festuca taxa have good drought resistance, and these plants tolerate temperature alterations well. Their application would increase the biodiversity, quality and decorative value of roof gardens. Experiments were carried out on nursery benches imitating a roof garden, with the use of modular elements intended for Sedum species, which facilitate the establishment of green roofs. In our trial, varieties of two European native species, Festuca glauca Vill. 'Uchte' and F. amethystina L. 'Walberla', were investigated. In order to find and determine the differences between the cultivars and the effects of the media (leaf mold and rhyolite tuff), we drew inferences after morphological (height, circumference, root weight, fresh and dry weight) and physiological tests (peroxidase and proline enzyme activity). We concluded that F. glauca 'Uchte' is recommended for roof garden conditions, planted in modular elements. Although the specimens were smaller in the medium containing fewer organic components than in the version with larger amounts, they were less exposed to the effects of drought stress. This can be a key factor for survival in extreme roof gardens or even urban conditions for all plants.

Insects in temperate urban parks face stronger selection pressure from the cold than the heat.

Urban areas experience higher temperatures compared to rural areas and as such, are increasingly considered places of acclimatization and adaptation to warming. Small ectotherms, such as insects, whose body temperature rises with habitat temperature, are directly affected by temperature changes. Thus, warming could have a profound effect on insect behavior and physiology. To test if the urban heat island effect drives higher thermal tolerance and activity changes, we used globally distributed and abundant insects-ants. We measured the heat and cold tolerance of 14 ant species distributed across urban and peri-urban areas. As thermal traits are often correlated with ant foraging, we measured foraging activity during three consecutive years across eight sites. Contrary to our prediction, ants exposed to the urban heat island effect did not have a higher heat tolerance than peri-urban ants. Instead, cold tolerance varied across habitats, with ants from the cooler, peri-urban habitats being able to tolerate lower temperatures. We recorded the same pattern of invariant heat and higher cold tolerance for ants in the canopy, compared to ground nesting ants. Ant activity was almost 10 times higher in urban sites and best predicted by cold, not heat tolerance. These unexpected results suggest that we need to rethink predictions about urban heat islands increasing insect heat tolerance in urban habitats, as cold tolerance might be a more plastic or adaptable trait, particularly in the temperate zone.

Utilizing regression model to characterize the impact of urban green space features on the subjective well-being of older adults.

Based on the background of rapid global ageing, research exploring urban green spaces and the subjective well-being of urban residents has become one of the key research interests. However, the evidence for assessing the real benefits of urban green spaces on the subjective well-being of older adults by comprehensively examining the features of urban green spaces is limited. We surveyed older urban green space users (n = 536) aged 60 years and older in Nanjing, China, and evaluated the impacts of spatial, green, and grey features of urban green spaces on older people's overall satisfaction with urban green spaces and subjective well-being. The results of the multiple linear regression model showed a strong association between the three types of urban green space features, overall satisfaction with urban green space, and subjective well-being of older adults. The study results indicated that the grey feature of urban green spaces emerged as the most influential factor (p = 0.004) among the three features of urban green spaces in relation to their effect on the subjective well-being of older adults. This implies that it is essential to focus on the importance of grey s of urban green spaces in the planning and design of urban green spaces for older adults' use of different urban green spaces and their sense of well-being. These results contribute to the development of healthy ageing policies and age-friendly urban green space management strategies in rapid ageing countries around the world.

Assessment of air pollution removal by urban trees based on the i-Tree Eco Model: The case of Tehran, Iran.

Air quality concerns have become increasingly serious in metropolises such as Tehran (Iran) in recent years. This study aims to assess the contribution of urban trees in Tehran toward mitigating air pollution and to evaluate the economic value of this ecosystem service using the i-Tree Eco model. To accomplish this objective, we utilized Tehran's original land use map, identifying five distinct land use categories: commercial and industrial, parks and urban forests, residential areas, roads and transportation, and urban services. Field data necessary for this analysis were collected from 316 designated plots, each with a radius of 11.3 m, and subsequently analyzed using the i-Tree Eco model. The locations of these plots were determined using the stratified sampling method. The results illustrate that Tehran's urban trees removed 1286.4 tons of pollutants in 2020. Specifically, the annual rates of air pollution removal were found to be 134.8 tons for CO; 299.7 tons for NO2; 270.3 tons for O3; 0.7 tons for PM2.5; 489.4 tons for PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter size between 2.5 and 10 µm); and 91.5 tons for SO2, with an associated monetary value of US$1 536 619. However, despite this significant removal capacity, the impact remains relatively small compared with the total amount of pollution emitted in 2020, accounting for only 0.17%. This is attributed to the high emissions rate and low per capita green space in the city. These findings could serve as a foundation for future research and urban planning initiatives aimed at enhancing green spaces in urban areas, thereby promoting sustainable urban development. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-11. © 2024 SETAC.

Which dimensions of nature contact in Urban Green Spaces most significantly contribute to mental wellbeing? A multidimensional analysis in Brazilian metropolitan cities.

BACKGROUND: Urban environments pose challenges to mental health, an issue that Urban Green Spaces (UGS) can potentially mitigate. While the benefits of nature contact for mental wellbeing are recognized, a multidimensional analysis remains unexplored. PURPOSE: This study aims to fill this gap by examining the association between nature contact within UGS and mental health. It underscores the importance of considering multiple dimensions of nature engagement-such as naturalness, intensity, duration, frequency, and infrastructure-in enhancing psychological wellbeing. METHOD: A comprehensive analysis, including canonical correlation, multivariate analyses of variance, and Fisher discriminant analysis, was applied to survey data from several Brazilian metropolitan cities to assess how different aspects of nature contact influence mental health. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings reveal association between these dimensions and mental wellbeing indicators, highlighting the importance of a multidimensional perspective. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results advocate for incorporating diverse aspects of nature contact in UGS design and policy-making to enhance urban dwellers' mental health. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Further research should focus on longitudinal studies and explore the mediating effects of socio-demographic factors. Additionally, expanding research to include other developing countries will provide valuable comparative insights.

The impact and spatial spillover effect of traditional culture on urban green innovation: Empirical evidence from China.

The issues of resource scarcity and environmental pollution has become huge challenges that all of humanity faces together. To resolve the issue, promoting urban green innovation capacity is important. This study uses 189 prefecture-level cities and above in China from 2011 to 2020 as samples, and empirically test the impact and spatial spillover effect of traditional culture on urban green innovation. This study finds that: (1) Traditional culture can improve the local green innovation and positively impact the green innovation in neighboring cities by radiation effect, and the conclusion remains valid after robustness tests; (2) Talent flow and data flow negatively moderate the positive impact of traditional culture on green innovation in local cities. In addition, from a dynamic perspective, traditional culture has a negative impact on green innovation in neighboring cities because of the siphon effect; (3) The spatial spillover effect of traditional culture on urban green innovation shows distinct heterogeneity due to the different regions and whether it is a low-carbon pilot city. This study verifies the important value of Chinese traditional culture in urban sustainable development, which is of great significance for the protection and inheritance of traditional culture and the improvement of urban green innovation.

Feasibility and effectiveness of a 24-weeks outdoor exercise program on the physical and mental health of persons with schizophrenia.

Outdoor exercise can be a novelty and effective therapeutic strategy to achieve positive physical and mental health outcomes in persons with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a 24-weeks outdoor exercise program in the physical and mental health of persons with schizophrenia. Fifty-two outpatients with schizophrenia were conveniently assigned to a 24-weeks walking/jogging combined with cycling outdoor program (n = 23, male = 14) or control group (n = 29, male = 20). Demographic and clinical measures were collected. Physical health was evaluated using anthropometric measures, 6 min walk test, Eurofit and accelerometer. Mental health was evaluated using self-esteem, motivation for exercise and quality of life questionnaires. Attendance rate to the outdoor program was 92 %. The exercise program significantly decreased participant's body mass index and improved functional exercise capacity and balance. No effects were reported in the self-esteem, motivation for physical activity and quality of life. Significant decreases were found in abdominal strength, hand grip and self-esteem levels of the control group. The outdoor exercise combining walking/jogging and cycling was an effective intervention to decrease body mass index and to improve physical fitness. It can be suggested as a therapeutic approach with an important impact on the management of schizophrenia.

Assessing allergy risk from ornamental trees in a city: Integrating open access remote sensing data with pollen measurements.

Platanus sp. pl. (plane trees) are common ornamental tree in Poland that produces a large amount of wind-transported pollen, which contains proteins that induce allergy symptoms. Allergy sufferers can limit their contact with pollen by avoiding places with high pollen concentrations, which are restricted mainly to areas close to plane trees. Their location is thus important, but creating a detailed street tree inventory is expensive and time-consuming. However, high-resolution remote sensing data provide an opportunity to detect the location of specific plants. But acquiring high-resolution spatial data of good quality also incurs costs and requires regular updates. Therefore, this study explored the potential of using open access remote sensing data to detect plane trees in the highly urbanized environment of Poznan (western Poland). Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) was used to detect training treetops, which were subsequently marked as young plane trees, mature plane trees, other trees or artefacts. Spectral and spatial variables were extracted from circular buffers (r = 1 m) around the treetops to minimize the influence of shadows and crown overlap. A random forest machine learning algorithm was applied to assess the importance of variables and classify the treetops within a radius of 6.2 km around the functioning pollen monitoring station. The model performed well during 10-fold cross-validation (overall accuracy ≈ 92%). The predicted Platanus sp. pl. locations, aggregated according to 16 wind directions, were significantly correlated with the hourly pollen concentrations. Based on the correlation values, we established a threshold of prediction confidence, which allowed us to reduce the fraction of false-positive predictions. We proposed the spatially continuous index of airborne pollen exposure probability, which can be useful for allergy sufferers. The results showed that open-access geodata in Poland can be applied to recognize major local sources of plane pollen.

How does new urbanization affect urban green total factor productivity? A perspective based on coordinated development.

China's new urbanization strategy serves as a key instrument for achieving sustainable development goals in urban areas. However, a consensus on how and whether new urbanization affects urban green total factor productivity (GTFP) has yet to be reached. This analysis targets 276 prefecture-level and above cities, using panel data from 2011 to 2019 to assess the impact of the new urbanization pilot policy (NUPP) on GTFP. The research findings demonstrate that implementing China's NUPP has significantly enhanced urban GTFP. Furthermore, the population-land-industry coupling coordination degree (PLICCD), as well as the industry-environment-economy coupling coordination degree (IEECCD), play crucial facilitating roles in the aforementioned enhancement effects. The results remain robust even after employing PSM-staggered difference-in-differences (DID) estimation and excluding other policy interferences. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis, based on urban characteristics, reveals that the NUPP significantly enhances GTFP in resource-based, non-resource-based, industrial, non-intensive compactness, and non-expansionary urbanization cities. Finally, the paper offers three policy recommendations. First, new urbanization initiatives should be more actively promoted in China and other developing countries. Second, the construction of new urbanization plans should focus on the coordinated development of "population-land-industry" and "industry-environment-economy." Third, the government should implement new urbanization initiatives tailored to the specific characteristics of different cities. This study provides valuable insights for the general public, policymakers, and scholars to better understand the potential of coordinating the development of population, land, industry, the environment, and the economy to improve GTFP. Moreover, it offers a broad perspective for evaluating sustainable urban development.

Impact of Plant-Microbe Interactions with a Focus on Poorly Investigated Urban Ecosystems-A Review.

The urbanization process, which began with the Industrial Revolution, has undergone a considerable increase over the past few decades. Urbanization strongly affects ecological processes, often deleteriously, because it is associated with a decrease in green spaces (areas of land covered by vegetation), loss of natural habitats, increased rates of species extinction, a greater prevalence of invasive and exotic species, and anthropogenic pollutant accumulation. In urban environments, green spaces play a key role by providing many ecological benefits and contributing to human psychophysical well-being. It is known that interactions between plants and microorganisms that occur in the rhizosphere are of paramount importance for plant health, soil fertility, and the correct functioning of plant ecosystems. The growing diffusion of DNA sequencing technologies and "omics" analyses has provided increasing information about the composition, structure, and function of the rhizomicrobiota. However, despite the considerable amount of data on rhizosphere communities and their interactions with plants in natural/rural contexts, current knowledge on microbial communities associated with plant roots in urban soils is still very scarce. The present review discusses both plant-microbe dynamics and factors that drive the composition of the rhizomicrobiota in poorly investigated urban settings and the potential use of beneficial microbes as an innovative biological tool to face the challenges that anthropized environments and climate change impose. Unravelling urban biodiversity will contribute to green space management, preservation, and development and, ultimately, to public health and safety.