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Science Friday > Archives > 2003 > June
> June 27, 2003:
Hour Two: Urban Ecology
Landscapes modified by human civilization are rapidly becoming the
most common ecosystem on Earth. As once pristine natural areas disappear
and cities, farms, and suburbs rise in their wake, ecologists are
taking a closer look at how nature responds to development -- and
they're coming up with some surprising results.
Is there more to the urban ecosystem than rats, cockroaches, and
flu viruses? And how do humans fit into the picture from an ecologist's
point of view? In this hour, we'll take a look at the field of urban
ecology. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255
(3-4 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).
Guests:
Fred Koontz
Director, New York Bioscape Initiative
Executive Vice President, Wildlife
Trust
New York, New York
Marina Alberti
Director, Urban Ecology
Research Laboratory
Associate Professor of Urban
Design and Planning
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington
Nancy Grimm
Co-Director, Central Arizona - Phoenix
Long Term Ecological Study
Professor of Biology
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona
Sylvia Earle
Explorer in Residence
National Geographic Society
Washington, DC
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
The
Center for Urban Ecology - U.S. National Park Service - National Capital
Region
Urban
Ecology, Nature in an Urban Setting
Urban
Biodiversity
The
Ecological Cities Project Website
NATURE:
The Wild Side of New York
Science
News Online (4/4/98): Ecologists Go to Town
Central Park BioBlitz
This segment produced by Adrian MacDonald
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