The Biology Of Urban Environments

Download or read book Ecology of Urban Environments written by Kirsten M. Parris and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-03-02 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides an accessible introduction to urban ecology, using established ecological theory to identify generalities in the complexity of urban environments. Examines the bio-physical processes of urbanization and how these influence the dynamics of urban populations, communities and ecosystems Explores the ecology of humans in cities Discusses practical strategies for conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services in urban environments Includes case studies with questions to improve retention and understanding

Download or read book Urban Evolutionary Biology written by Marta Szulkin and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban Evolutionary Biology fills an important knowledge gap on wild organismal evolution in the urban environment, whilst offering a novel exploration of the fast-growing new field of evolutionary research. The growing rate of urbanization and the maturation of urban study systems worldwide means interest in the urban environment as an agent of evolutionary change is rapidly increasing. We are presently witnessing the emergence of a new field of research in evolutionary biology. Despite its rapid global expansion, the urban environment has until now been a largely neglected study site among evolutionary biologists. With its conspicuously altered ecological dynamics, it stands in stark contrast to the natural environments traditionally used as cornerstones for evolutionary ecology research. Urbanization can offer a great range of new opportunities to test for rapid evolutionary processes as a consequence of human activity, both because of replicate contexts for hypothesis testing, but also because cities are characterized by an array of easily quantifiable environmental axes of variation and thus testable agents of selection. Thanks to a wide possible breadth of inference (in terms of taxa) that may be studied, and a great variety of analytical methods, urban evolution has the potential to stand at a fascinating multi-disciplinary crossroad, enriching the field of evolutionary biology with emergent yet incredibly potent new research themes where the urban habitat is key. Urban Evolutionary Biology is an advanced textbook suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers studying the genetics, evolutionary biology, and ecology of urban environments. It is also highly relevant to urban ecologists and urban wildlife practitioners.

Download or read book Constructed Climates written by Will Wilson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2011-02-28 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study demonstrates the value of urban green. Focusing specifically on the role of vegetation and trees, the book shows the costs and benefits reaped from urban open spaces, from cooler temperatures to better quality ground water - and why it all matters. While a work of science, the book does not ignore the social component: it looks at low-income areas that have poor vegetation, and shows how enhancing these areas through the planting of community gardens and trees can alleviate social ills.

Download or read book Sustainable Urban Environments written by Ellen M. van Bueren and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-09-15 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The urban environment – buildings, cities and infrastructure – represents one of the most important contributors to climate change, while at the same time holding the key to a more sustainable way of living. The transformation from traditional to sustainable systems requires interdisciplinary knowledge of the re-design, construction, operation and maintenance of the built environment. Sustainable Urban Environments: An Ecosystem Approach presents fundamental knowledge of the built environment. Approaching the topic from an ecosystems perspective, it shows the reader how to combine diverse practical elements into sustainable solutions for future buildings and cities. You’ll learn to connect problems and solutions at different spatial scales, from urban ecology to material, water and energy use, from urban transport to livability and health. The authors introduce and explore a variety of governance tools that support the transformation process, and show how they can help overcome institutional barriers. The book concludes with an account of promising perspectives for achieving a sustainable built environment in industrialized countries. Offering a unique overview and understanding of the most pressing challenges in the built environment, Sustainable Urban Environments helps the reader grasp opportunities for integration of knowledge and technologies in the design, construction and management of the built environment. Students and practitioners who are eager to look beyond their own fields of interest will appreciate this book because of its depth and breadth of coverage.

Download or read book The Biology of Urban Environments written by Philip James and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-06-28 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do plants, animals, and humans manage to survive and adapt to the urban environment? This book provides a comprehensive coverage of biological matters related to urban environments presenting both the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings, and practical examples required to understand and address the challenges presented by this novel environment. The Biology of Urban Environments focusses on urban denizens: species (both domesticated and non-domesticated) that live for all or part of their life cycle in towns and cities. The biology of household plants and companion animals is discussed alongside that of species that have become feral or have not been domesticated. Temporal and spatial distribution patterns are set out and generalizations are made while exceptions are also discussed. The various strategies used and the genotypic, phenotypic, and behavioural adaptions of plants and animals in the face of the challenges presented by urban environments are explained. The final two chapters contain a discussion of the impacts of urban environments on human biology and suggestions on how this understanding might be used to address the increasing human health burden associated with illnesses that are characteristic of urbanites in the early twenty-first century.

Download or read book Urban Ecology written by Richard T. T. Forman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-02-13 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first richly illustrated worldwide portrayal of urban ecology, tying together organisms, built structures, and the physical environment around cities.

Download or read book Urban Ecology written by Pedro Barbose and published by CABI. This book was released on 2020-11-04 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today, 55% of the world's human population lives in urban areas. By 2030, up to 90% of the global human population will live in cities and the global population is expected to increase by 68% by 2050. Although land cover categorized as "urban" is a relatively small fraction of the total surface of the Earth, urban areas are major driving forces in global environmental change, habitat loss, threats to biodiversity, and the loss of terrestrial carbon stored in vegetation biomass. These and many other factors highlight the need to understand the broad-scale impacts of urban expansion as it effects the ecological interactions between humans, wildlife and plant communities. The book stresses the importance of understanding ecological forces and ecosystem services in urban areas and the integration of ecological concepts in urban planning and design. The creation of urban green spaces is critical to the future of urban areas, enhancing human social organization, human health and quality of life.