Wildlife population dynamics in urban landscapes

Abstract

Species occur in urban landscapes under a wide range of conditions and densities, but knowing only the pattern of occurrence provides limited information about species-specific relationships with urbanization. Identifying the specific ways in which urban and non-urban wildlife populations differ and the underlying reasons for those differences is a challenging and complex task. After all, the response of a species to urbanization may be the consequence of wide variety of factors, including life history, behavioral, and physiological attributes that promote avoidance, tolerance, or preference for urban systems. The literature suggests that species that respond negatively to development tend to be habitat specialists, migratory, and/or sensitive to a wide range of human activities and disturbance, whereas species that respond positively are often generalists, omnivorous, multi-brooded, and behaviorally flexible. In this chapter we examine how urbanization affects population structure and demography of species occupying both urban and non-urban landscapes.