Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, United States
Background/Question/Methods How can knowledge of urban ecology contribute to 4DEE? The science of ecology focused on environments that lacked human habitation or construction for most of its history to date. However, the early explorations of cities and towns as ecological subjects that began soon after World War II have by now grown into a major area of ecological inquiry. As such, urban ecological science also provides support and fodder for education. At the same time urban ecology has been growing, the very characteristics of urban habitats and ecosystems have also been rapidly changing. If ecological education comes to appreciate these changes in the subject of study, its theory and practice may be enhanced.
Results/Conclusions Key urban characteristics that can support 4DEE include: 1) urban areas (inclusive of cities, suburbs, towns, and interspersed rural and wild lands) are coproduced human-ecological systems; 2) biologically mediated transformations, interactions, and evolution are important components of urban systems; 3) urban systems exist as regional mosaics in which biological, physical, social, and technological connections are embedded; 4) urban regional systems are increasing their share of the world’s human population, and their global footprint, demanding attention as educational resources, locations of environmental concern of ever larger numbers of people, and venues for linking concerns of justice and equity with environment. The growing attention of the science of ecology and the praxis of ecological education to the urban realm writ large continues to be an important opportunity and duty.
