Urban Ecology

Urban ecology is the study of the urban ecosystem as an ecological unit that is part of the larger global ecosystem; it is also known as the ecology of cities and towns. Urban ecology examines the relationships between the urban and natural systems and interactions among the biotic components—including humans. It also involves the study of the urban ecosystem's impact on other ecosystems, seeking to understand relationships with the rural system, particularly transfers of matter and energy and the complementary functions the surrounding space provides. The relationship with the global system derives from the contribution of the city to global environmental change and the use of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.

As an interdisciplinary field of study, there is a debate among fields regarding an identifiable ...