Step by step guide to becoming an urban ecologist

Urban ecology is the scientific study of the relation of living organisms with each other and their surroundings in the context of an urban environment. The urban environment refers to environments dominated by high-density residential and commercial buildings, paved surfaces, and other urban-related factors that create a unique landscape dissimilar to most previously studied environments in the field of ecology.

Urban ecology is a recent field of study compared to ecology as a whole. The methods and studies of urban ecology are similar to and comprise a subset of ecology. The study of urban ecology carries increasing importance because, more than 50% of the world’s population today is living in urban areas. At the same time, it is estimated that within the next forty years, two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in expanding urban centers. The ecological processes in the urban environment are comparable to those outside the urban context. However, the types of urban habitats and the species that inhabit them are poorly documented. Often, explanations for phenomena examined in the urban setting as well as predicting changes because of urbanization are the center for scientific research.

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What does an urban ecologist do?

Urban ecologists study the trees, rivers, wildlife and open spaces found in cities to understand the extent of those resources and the way they are affected by pollution, over-development and other pressures. The term is also applied to the sum of societal relations with nature, and the restoration of non-human nature in cities.

Urban ecology is a new branch of environmental studies that seeks to understand the natural systems of urban areas and the threats that face them. Following are some example of activities that urban ecologists are interested in.

Ecology and evolution of organisms that happen to live within city boundaries
Understand the impact of biological, political, economic, and cultural ecology of Homo sapiens in urban settings
Understand cities as emergent phenomena of coupled human and natural processes with implications for evolution and survival of our own and other species
Study of urban ecosystems typically focus on ecosystem-level processes like nutrient cycling and energy flow
Human factors are not isolated from other biotic or abiotic factors – together, as coupled human-natural systems; they both drive and are affected by the patterns and processes they create

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What kind of skills are required?

An interest in preserving and protecting the environment is important, along with a natural curiosity and a desire to solve problems. As in most scientific disciplines, a firm grasp of scientific methodology can be a valuable asset.

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