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A systematic review of urban ecological resilience: Emerging frontiers in process-oriented metabolic research

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  • Gao, Yining
  • Zhang, Yan
  • Xu, Dongxiao

Abstract

Under the dual pressures of climate change and intensified socioeconomic activities, enhancing the resilience of vulnerable urban ecosystems has become critical for sustainable development. Originating from ecological resilience theory, urban ecological resilience has progressively evolved toward dynamic, composite, and process-oriented dimensions. While current research focuses on its conceptual framework, assessment methodologies, and mechanism analysis of urban ecological resilience, a systematic synthesis of the leading and popular research topics is lacking. Therefore, grounded in ecological resilience theory, this study systematizes the conceptual development of urban ecological resilience through holisticand process-oriented lenses, while critically reviewing contemporary evaluation approaches, operational mechanisms, and resilience enhancement paths derived from empirical cases. We find that the conceptual evolution of urban ecological resilience aligns with Kuhn's paradigm cycle, where paradigm shifts have facilitated the development of dimensional frameworks for resilience quantification and mechanism analysis. Future research should prioritize process-oriented approaches in the evaluation and mechanism analysis of urban ecological resilience and systematically integrate resilience metrics into ecological risk assessment frameworks. Such advancements will enable the transition from passive resilience responses to proactive, process-based regulation paradigms.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Yining & Zhang, Yan & Xu, Dongxiao, 2025. "A systematic review of urban ecological resilience: Emerging frontiers in process-oriented metabolic research," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 510(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:510:y:2025:i:c:s0304380025003059
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111319
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