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) hopes to result in healthier, better managed communities. Studying the factors which allow wild plants and animals to survive (and sometimes thrive) in built environments can also create more livable spaces.
Urban ecology also involves the study of the effects of urban development patterns on ecological conditions. Emphasis is also placed on planning communities with environmentally sustainable methods via design and building materials in order to promote a healthy and biodiverse urban ecosystem.
Overview
Presently, 58% of the U.S. population lives in urban areas; 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 or water, and biological factors, such as plants and microbes, take place in all environments, including cities. By concentrating humans and the resources they consume, metropolitan areas alter soil drainage, water flow, and light availability. Urban ecologists think of how architecture, such as sidewalks and rooftops, impacts the way rainwater is received and transported and the way garbage dumps and sewage plants centralize waste products.
Urban Animals
Some species of animals have been able to survive or thrive in a non-natural urban setting. These include rats, Feral Pigeons, and cockroaches.
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