Understanding Urban Ecosystems: A New Frontier for Science and Education [Hardcover]

Nowhere on Earth is the challenge for ecological understandinggreater, and yet more urgent, than in those parts of the globe wherehuman activity is most intense - cities. People need to understand howcities work as ecological systems so they can take control of thevital links between human actions and environmental quality, and workfor an ecologically and economically sustainable future. An ecosystemapproach integrates biological, physical and social factors andembraces historical and geographical dimensions, providing our besthope for coping with the complexity of cities.This book is a first of its kind effort to bring together leaders inthe biological, physical and social dimensions of urban ecosystemresearch with leading education researchers, administrators andpractitioners, to show how an understanding of urban ecosystems isvital for urban dwellers to grasp the fundamentals of ecological andenvironmental science, and to understand their own environment.Nowhere on Earth is the challenge for ecological understanding greater, and yet more urgent, than in those parts of the globe where human activity is most intense - cities. People need to understand how cities work as ecological systems so they can take control of the vital links between human actions and environmental quality, and work for an ecologically and economically sustainable future. An ecosystem approach integrates biological, physical and social factors and embraces historical and geographical dimensions, providing our best hope for coping with the complexity of cities. This book is the first of its kind to bring together leaders in the biological, physical and social dimensions of urban ecosystem research with leading education researchers, administrators and practitioners, to show how an understanding of urban ecosystems is vital for urban dwellers to grasp the fundamentals of ecological and environmental science, and to understand their own environment.Introduction: Ecosystem understanding is a key l³°