When people think of ecology, they usually imagine studies out
in the country. The next thing they think of is studies
involving the relationship of plants and animals to one another.
They also imagine studies that show how organisms relate to the
physical environment -- air, water, and soil. People and cities
usually don't come to mind when ecology is mentioned. But
ecologists now realize that it is important to understand cities
and suburbs, because about three quarters of the people in the
United States live in metropolitan areas. More people are also
moving to cities throughout the world. So ecologists want to
know how organisms and environments in and around cities are
affected by the buildings and paved surfaces, the things that
people do, and the new environments that cities create. To do
that ecologists have to work with other researchers who
understand people. That means more than just knowing how many
people there are in an area. Understanding the urban environment
requires that we understand how pe