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Urban ecology
 
 
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Urban ecology is the subfield of ecology
Ecology

Ecology is the science study of the distribution and Abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their nature environment ....
 which deals with the interaction of plants, animals and humans with each other and with their environment in urban
Urban area

An urban area is an area with an increased Population density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be city, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlet ....
 or urbanizing settings. Analysis of urban settings in the context of ecosystem ecology
Ecosystem ecology

Ecosystem ecology is the integrated study of Life and abiotic components of ecosystems and their interactions within an ecosystem framework. This science examines how ecosystems work and relates this to their components such as chemicals, bedrock, soil, plants, and animals....
 (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
Ecology

Ecology is the science study of the distribution and Abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their nature environment ....
 conditions.






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Encyclopedia


Urban ecology is the subfield of ecology
Ecology

Ecology is the science study of the distribution and Abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their nature environment ....
 which deals with the interaction of plants, animals and humans with each other and with their environment in urban
Urban area

An urban area is an area with an increased Population density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be city, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlet ....
 or urbanizing settings. Analysis of urban settings in the context of ecosystem ecology
Ecosystem ecology

Ecosystem ecology is the integrated study of Life and abiotic components of ecosystems and their interactions within an ecosystem framework. This science examines how ecosystems work and relates this to their components such as chemicals, bedrock, soil, plants, and animals....
 (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
Ecology

Ecology is the science study of the distribution and Abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their nature environment ....
 conditions. Emphasis may be placed on planning communities via design and building materials in order to promote a healthy and biodiverse urban ecosystem
Urban ecosystem

Urban ecosystems are the city, towns, and urban strips constructed by humans.This is the growth in the urban population and the supporting built infrastructure has impacted on both urban environments and also on areas which surround urban areas....
.

Overview

By 2030 it is estimated that 60% of the global population will live in a metropolitan setting.

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
Hydrology

Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water throughout the Earth, and thus addresses both the hydrologic cycle and water resources....
 by increasing storm water runoff and can contribute to higher urban temperatures by storing heat energy and acting as an artificial heat sink
Heat sink

A heat sink is an environment or object that absorbs and dissipates heat from another object using thermal contact . Heat sinks are used in a wide range of applications wherever efficient heat dissipation is required; major examples include refrigeration, heat engines, Thermal management of electronic devices and systems and lasers....
.

Urban ecology does not necessarily make value judgments about whether urban environments are 'good' or 'bad'. Some species of animals such rats
Rat

Rats are various medium sized, long-tailed rodents of the Family Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus....
, pigeons
Feral Pigeon

Feral pigeons, also called city doves, city pigeons or street pigeons, are derived from domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild....
, and cockroaches
Cockroach

Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria. This name derives from the Latin word for "cockroach", blatta.There are about 4,000 species of cockroach, of which 30 species are associated with human habitations and about four species are well known as pest s....
, 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.

See also

  • Vertical farming
    Vertical farming

    Vertical farming is a proposal to conduct large-scale agriculture in Urban area high-rises or "farmscrapers". Using recycled resources and greenhouse methods such as hydroponics, these buildings would produce fruit, vegetables, edible mushrooms and algae year-round....


External links

- book Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology