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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 to understanding cities.- Why is understanding urban ecosystems an important frontier for education and educators?- The role of understanding urban ecosystems in community development.- Why is understanding urban ecosystems important to people concerned about environmental justice?- Why is a developing a broad understanding of urban ecosystems important to science and scientists?- Natural ecosystems in cities - a model for cities as ecosystems.- An ecosystem approach to understanding cities: familiar foundations and uncharted frontiers.
