The urban system: Social drivers

Abstract

This chapter explores how social, economic, and demographic factors influence wildlife in urban ecosystems. Recognizing that cities can be viewed as ecosystems where there is interaction among social and ecological subsystems was a key development in the management of urban ecosystems (see Chap. 3). The focus on cities as linked social and ecological systems has led to several different perspectives on how socioeconomic and demographic factors drive ecosystem processes in cities and ultimately impact wildlife conservation and management. Ecologists, managers, and others dealing with natural resources in cities bring unique approaches and perspectives to understanding social drivers of urban wildlife ecology. The goal of this chapter is to provide background information on the use of sociology in understanding the spatial form of cities, human behavior, wildlife habitat structure, and patterns of species richness.