In the first SEEP workshop urban evolutionary ecologists discussed collaborations with the network of Long Term Ecological Research Stations (LTER) to integrate human socio-cultural dynamics in studies of urban ecology and evolution. The field of urban evolution has only recently begun to incorporate the social dynamics of urban communities as an important covariate shaping ecology... Continue Reading →
Social-Ecological Frameworks and What the Future May Hold
“There are ecologists in urban areas, and then there are urban ecologists” - Dr. Chris Schell This point made by my advisor (Dr. Christopher Schell) creates a clear distinction that there are urban ecologists who do not fully integrate social processes (nor the full human, e.g., perceptions, culture) in their studies. And there are urban... Continue Reading →
How Do We Begin To Center Environmental Justice in Urban Ecology Research?
How Do We Begin To Center Environmental Justice in Urban Ecology Research?How Do We Begin To Center Environmental Justice in Urban Ecology Research? Urban ecology has many definitions depending on who you ask. An urban planner or a sociologist may define urban ecology as "the study of the ways that human and ecological systems evolve... Continue Reading →
Incorporating Human Society into Urban Ecology
Urban habitats and landscapes are considerably different from their rural and natural counterparts. Rural and natural habitats experience diluted human effects (e.g., disturbance, low pollution), while urban areas and urban wildlife endure more significant impacts from humans. When we think about the influence of cities and urbanization, we typically think of more "direct" impacts such... Continue Reading →