Urban Socio-Ecological Systems: An Urban Ecology, Urban Sociology and Urban Geography Perspective

• In Event: 095 - Section on Community and Urban Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 13. Urban Environments

Abstract

Urban areas are hot spots of complex and dynamic interactions between society and ecosystems. Studies on cities, however, have not always been capable of capturing the coupled socio-ecological nature of urban environments. To address this gap, we examine the ways urban ecology, urban sociology and urban geography have defined, developed and implemented research on urban environments. We discuss how these literatures set the foundations and explicitly advance urban studies in the lens of urban socio-ecological systems. By bringing these literatures together we create a common ground between scholarships and foster cross-fertilization between researchers working on cities. A better understanding of the commonalities and differences of these disciplines in approaching urban environments is the first step toward opening up corridors for new lines of discussions that better encompass the role played by urban socio-ecological systems in shaping environmental changes and long-term sustainability.

Authors

• Beatrice Fanny Frank, Oklahoma State University

• Beth Schaefer Caniglia, Oklahoma State University