Urban ecology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urban ecology is the subfield of ecology which deals with the interaction of plants, animals and humans with each other and with their environment in urban or urbanizing settings. Analysis of urban settings in the context of ecosystem ecology (looking at the cycling of matter and the flow of energy through the ecosystem) may ultimately help us to design healthier, better managed communities.
Urban ecology also involves the study of the effects of urban development patterns on ecological conditions. Emphasis may be placed on planning communities via design and building materials in order to promote a healthy and biodiverse urban ecosystem.
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[edit] Overview
By 2030 it is estimated that 60% of the global population will live in a metropolitan setting.[1]
Interactions between non-living factors, such as sunlight and water, and biological factors, such as plants and microbes, take place in all environments including cities. Concentrating humans and the resources they consume in metropolitan areas alters such things as soil drainage, water flow, and light availability. For example, sidewalks and rooftops can change an area's hydrology by increasing storm water runoff and can contribute to higher urban temperatures by storing heat energy and acting as an artificial heat sink.
Urban ecology does not necessarily make value judgments about whether urban environments are 'good' or 'bad'. Some species of animals such rats, pigeons, and cockroaches, for example, are able to survive and thrive in a non-natural urban setting. Attempting to understand the factors that make some species successful in urban environments while others perish is a common topic of research.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Davis, Mike (2006). Planet of Slums. London: Verso. ISBN 1844670228.
[edit] External links
- Urban Ecology Agency of Barcelona
- Urban Ecology Pop-Culture E-zine
- Baltimore Ecosystem Study
- Safari 7, Urban Ecology Podcasts
- Central Arizona - Phoenix LTER
- Principles of Ecological Design- book
- Ecological Urban Design - Archinode Studio
- ARCUE Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology
- Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, WI
- Urban Ecology Research Laboratory at the University of Washington
- Los Angeles: A History of the Future
- Urban Ecology Institute (Newton, MA)
- Center for Urban Restoration Ecology
- BioCity@UniSA research centre
