Urban Ecosystems Humans in the Environment

The Human Element Until the 19th century, American Bison roamed the Great Plains by the millions, providing invaluable resources for Native Americans. Europeans exploited the resource in an unsustainable manner, seeing Bison as a source of income. Bison reduced to a fraction of one percent of their prior numbers. Values, knowledge, technology and social systems of Europeans were inappropriate for sustainable interaction with the Great Plains ecosystem.

Interesting Urban Ecosystems Centralia PA is a ghost town due to an underground coal fire that has smoldered since 1962 and produces carbon monoxide, etc. 500 dogs live in the subways of Moscow begging for scraps from passengers. They’ve learned to ride the subway on their own. Kansas City’s subtropolis has 90 percent of the world’s underground office space. Dharavi is a slum of Mumbai where there is a toilet for every 60 people and everybody uses the local creek.

Characteristics of U.E.s Organized by humans ✴t✴t✴t✴traffic ✴p✴p✴p✴parks and natural areas ✴c✴c✴c✴community activity areas Many plants and animals are domesticated Dominated by human-made structures ✴h✴h✴h✴housing (single family, high-rise, apartments) ✴s✴s✴s✴shopping centers and commercial ✴o✴o✴o✴offices and industrial Basis for human civilization Cities of the industrial age are very difficult to sustain

Inputs and Outputs people material s technolo gy services food energy water air people goods technology services noise waste water air pollution solid waste

Abiotic Elements of the U.E. buildings (industrial, residential, commercial) buildings (industrial, residential, commercial) streets, roads & parking lots streets, roads & parking lots streams & sewage systems streams & sewage systems energy & communication distribution systems energy & communication distribution systems artificial light artificial light noise noise

Biotic Elements of the U.E. people people domesticated animals domesticated animals “wild” animals “wild” animals native plants native plants non-native plants non-native plants microorganisms microorganisms

What is Nature worth? The Natural Capital Project

Key Question How should we live in the watershed so that it can continue to provide essential resources and services? How should we live in the watershed so that it can continue to provide essential resources and services?

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