One observation is that in any city (those I know) you have humans, of course, but you also have many animals.
Statistics of humans start with population data (for instance demographics) and continue with behavioural data, observed as how humans behave socially or asocially in the smart city environment.
There is however an additional case of life in a smart city: animals. First, animals considered to be "companions" (some of them being "stray", after escaping or being "wild" anyway) in particular gogs and cats. Others like birds flying freely in the sky of the city, could be very different ones: pigeons, sea-gulls, etc. Then you have rats and mice, and insects.
What can be gained from observing these animals about:
-air quality?
[Paris has an ongoing project with bees living on the roof of Tour Montparnasse, one of the tallest skyscrapers of the city. If the population of bees is stable or grows, the air quality is likely to be good. If not, then one has a concern]
-climate/temperature and humidity
-spread of diseases
sampling from stray cats and dogs? foxes (case of Greater London area)
sampling from domestic animals?
Would there be an interest to observe animals rather than humans or vice-versa, for a deeper understanding of the smart city's parameters?
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE your view and experience
adding fishes and algs in rivers and ponds of the city
Dear Renaud Di Francesco
This is an interesting and comprehensive question. I will answer for now on bioindication issues. There are insects in cities that are under the influence of the same conditions as humans. The absence or presence of a species may indicate the quality of the ecological conditions. I have a small article
Article Use of Population Indicators of Beetle (Coleoptera, Silphida...
Regards, Pushkin Sergey Viktorovich
I fully agree that Big data regarding Life in a smart city should be included all aspects of Humans and animals data, ecology and climate, seismic, geology, hydrography etc.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Zoology
- Invertebrate Zoology
- Arthropods
- Insects