Urbanization and Global Trends in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Chapter uri icon

abstract

  • 2013, Springer Netherlands. All rights reserved. This chapter introduces patterns of urbanization, biodiversity, and ecosystem services at the global scale. Underpinning the goals of the chapter is the notion that cities are inextricably linked to the biophysical world, although these linkages are increasingly diffi cult to clearly identify. The chapter starts by introducing the idea that cities both impact and depend upon the biophysical environment. We go on to discuss how urbanization is both the cause of societal or environmental problems and the solution to many problems, depending on the time-scale and scope of the analysis. Finally, we provide a global overview of cities relationships with two key facets of the environment: biodiversity and freshwater ecosystem services.

author list (cited authors)

  • McDonald, R. I., Marcotullio, P. J., & Gneralp, B.

citation count

  • 127

complete list of authors

  • McDonald, Robert I||Marcotullio, Peter J||Güneralp, Burak

editor list (cited editors)

  • Elmqvist, T., Fragkias, M., Goodness, J., Güneralp, B., Marcotullio, P. J., McDonald, R. I., ... Wilkinson, C.

Book Title

  • Urbanization, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities

publication date

  • September 2013