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A marbled geckoUrban Ecology

Urban ecology is about the nature in cities: the extant biodiversity and how people interact with it. People benefit from contact with the natural environment, and urban areas provide important habitat for local wildlife species. However, typically, as the human population of a city increases, so does the area of hard surfaces (like pavement and rooftops), decreasing the space available for urban greenspace and biodiversity.

While urban environments are highly modified for human habitation, they still include important remnants of native vegetation, wildlife corridors (along waterways, railways and highways), and habitat in recreational parks, along streets, and in residential gardens. Notably, both public and private spaces provide places for nature, both local and introduced. And while the environment is changed, it may still provide habitat. For example, brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) are numerous in many Australian cities but are becoming uncommon in regional areas.

A brushtail possum

Urban areas are where many people experience the natural environment and develop a relationship with nature, necessary to generate positive environmental attitudes. Such attitudes provoke awareness and support of local environmental issues, like catchment health, and for conservation more broadly, including endangered species and non-urban conservation areas. Tourism also plays an important role in advancing environmental awareness in and around cities. Biological and geological features, like migrating birds and mountain ranges, can be drawcards for local, national, and international tourists.

Cities can be centres for conservation efforts. The concentration of human and material resources in cities enable research and practical conservation to be carried out in universities, zoological and botanical gardens, government agencies, and private organisations. For example, The Adelaide Zoo is involved in captive breeding programs for endangered and vulnerable animals. In one such program, brush-tail rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata penicillata) were cross-fostered by yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus) to increase their captive population and enable some re-introduction into the wild.

Natural and built environments in close proximity can be problematic. Large trees can create structural damage to buildings through moving soils and falling branches. Large groups of animals can also be a problem, like flocks of Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) near airports that damage aircraft and delay flights. There are also health concerns when natural and urban environments coexist. Wild animals can catch diseases from domesticated pets, such as toxoplasmosis spread by cats (Felis catus). Conversely, people are susceptible to zoonoses, animal diseases that can infect humans, such as Q-fever. However, understanding these concerns and ensuring sensible planning mitigates these problems. Further, the risks posed by not incorporating biodiversity into urban environments far outweigh any concerns it presents.

Urban ecology research at the Barbara Hardy Institute is focussed on the sustainability of cities, the conservation of biodiversity and the maintenance of the natural processes that sustain life. We are investigating the health benefits of living in diverse natural environments. And our work is underpinned by community participation and education, including our Citizen Science program.

A bluetongue lizardUseful resources

For further information, please contact Chris Daniels

Key projects

Key Barbara Hardy Institute projects within this research capability include:

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