The interdisciplinary field concerned with the study of ecological processes within urban environments and between urban areas and their surrounding regions. It examines how cities function as complex ecosystems, encompassing interactions between living organisms, the built environment, and socio-economic factors. For example, this field might analyze the effects of urban sprawl on biodiversity, the role of green spaces in mitigating the urban heat island effect, or the impact of social inequalities on access to environmental resources within a city.
This area of study is important because it offers insights into managing and designing more sustainable and resilient cities. Understanding the ecological dynamics of urban areas is crucial for addressing challenges such as pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. Historically, the focus of ecology was primarily on natural, undisturbed environments. However, as urbanization intensified, the need to understand and manage the ecological consequences within human-dominated landscapes became increasingly apparent. This led to the development of this field, recognizing cities not just as built environments, but as unique and vital ecosystems.
