A roadmap for urban evolutionary ecology

Today’s world is one of unprecedented environmental change. Cities, one of the leading causes of such change, are the fastest growing ecosystems on Earth. Over half of all humans now live in urban habitats, making understanding how cities influence the ecology and evolution of species of central importance. In our Perspective article, we provide a roadmap of urban evolutionary ecology. We begin by recounting a brief history of the field of urban ecology and the development of urban evolution. We follow by synthesizing current research in urban evolutionary ecology and identifying six important, yet unresolved questions that need to be addressed. We conclude our Perspective piece by considering the application of urban evolutionary ecology to urban planning and design, conservation, pest management, and opportunities for advancing education and public engagement.

Congratulations to Lilian Ruth Rivkin (PhD candidate), James Santangelo (PhD candidate) and Lindsay Miles (post doc) from Johnson Lab!