Urban ecosystems are the cities, towns,

and urban strips constructed by humans.

This is the growth in the urban population

and the supporting built infrastructure
has affected both urban environments and
also on areas which surround urban areas.
These include semi or 'peri-urban'
environments that fringe cities as well as
agricultural and natural landscapes.
Scientists are now developing ways to measure and
understand the effects of urbanization on human
and environmental health.

By considering urban areas as part of a broader

ecological system, scientists can investigate how
urban landscapes function and how they affect
other landscapes with which they interact. In this
context, urban environments are affected by their
surrounding environment but also affect that
environment. Knowing this may provide clues as to
which alternative development options will lead to
the best overall environmental outcome.
CSE's urban ecosystem research is focused
on:
•Understanding how cities work as ecological
system
•Developing sustainable approaches to
development of city fringe areas that reduce
negative impact on surrounding environments
•Developing approaches to urban design that
provide for health and opportunity for citizens.
When people think of ecology, they
usually imagine studies out in the country.
The next thing they think of is studies
involving the relationship of plants and
animals to one another. They also imagine
studies that show how organisms relate to
the physical environment -- air, water, and
soil. People and cities usually don't come
to mind when ecology is mentioned.
ECONOMIC VALUES Direct or indirect monetary
values provided by urban
ecosystems, e.g. avoided
costs for air pollution
reduction by technical
solutions or property
damage by
natural barriers to
environmental extremes.

ECOLOGICAL VALUES Environmental outputs, which

have value for humans, e.g. air
purification,
carbon storage and
sequestration, water filtration,
genetic diversity
SOCIO-CULTURAL VALUES Moral, spiritual, aesthetic, ethic,
and values associated to urban
biodiversity and
ecosystem services, including
emotional, affective and symbolic
views attached
to urban nature, as well as local
ecological knowledge.
HEALTH VALUES Health benefits obtained from urban
green spaces, consisting of reduction of
air
pollution, as well as improved water
quality, and mental health.

INSURANCE VALUES The contribution of green infrastructure

and ecosystem services to increased
resilience and reduced vulnerability to
shocks, such as flooding and landslides.