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A large urban microclimate does not only affect temperature, but also rainfall, snowfall, air pressure and wind, the concentration of polluted air, and how long that air remains in the city. [9] [10] [11] These climatological transformations increase selection pressure on species living in urban areas, driving evolutionary changes. [12]
Synurbization refers to the effects of urbanization on the adaptation of wildlife, and how animals that live in urban environments versus nature environments differ. [1] Urbanization, in terms of ecology, means developmental changes to the environment. These changes are often in benefit to humans.
The study of urban ecology carries increasing importance because more than 50% of the world's population today lives in urban areas. [5] It is also estimated that within the next 40 years, two-thirds of the world's population will be living in expanding urban centers. [ 6 ]
Urban wildlife can be found at any latitude that supports human dwellings - the list of animals that will venture into urbanized human settlements to forage on horticultures or to scavenge from trash runs from monkeys in the tropics to polar bears in the Arctic. Different types of urban areas support different kinds of wildlife.
The diversity of species and genes in ecological communities affects the functioning of these communities. These ecological effects of biodiversity in turn are affected by both climate change through enhanced greenhouse gases, aerosols and loss of land cover [citation needed], and biological diversity, causing a rapid loss of biodiversity and extinctions of species and local populations.
Species that relocate seasonally can do so more safely and effectively when it does not interfere with human development barriers. Due to the continuous expansion of urban landscapes, current research is looking at green roofs being possible vectors of habitat corridors. A recent study has found that green roofs are beneficial in connecting the ...
Many [quantify] people value the complexity of the natural world and express concern at the loss of natural habitats and of animal or plant species worldwide. [53] Probably the most profound impact that habitat destruction has on people is the loss of many valuable ecosystem services.
In contrast, urban environments can also provide limitations for certain dispersal strategies. Human influence through urbanization greatly affects the layout of landscapes, which leads to the limitation of dispersal strategies for many organisms. These changes have largely been exhibited through pollinator-flowering plant relationships.