Urbanization and the Ecosystem

Paper Summary:

As the world's population has grown, it has become increasingly concentrated in large urban areas. The extent to which urbanization impacts the ecosystems of these cities is an important, emerging area of study. Access to nature is vital to the physical, mental, emotional, and social health of humans and their communities. This paper examines how increasing urbanization is depriving current and future generations of exposure to functional, productive, green space; contributing to rising crime, violence, social alienation, poverty, and hunger; and other individual and community-level dysfunctions. This paper examines the effects of urbanization on Chicago, an older developed city.

From the Paper:

"The rapid development of land for urban uses is the main threat to the remaining unprotected natural lands of Chicago, and in some cases it is causing serious degradation of protected lands, too (Chicago Wilderness, 1999). Development affects natural communities in a variety of ways. Urban development increases the number of paved surfaces, which changes the natural flow of water across the landscape (because the water is not absorbed). This changes the structure of wetlands, streams and rivers, and reduces water quality by allowing more silt and chemical pollutants to pollute the city's bodies of waters. Sprawling development reduces air quality because it forces residents to drive more than they might in well-planned communities. The more time people spend in their cars, the more air pollution they produce. Sprawling development also breaks natural areas into small fragments, threatening animals that can only breed successfully in large continuous habitats."

More papers on Urbanization and the Ecosystem:

• Term Paper # 119475 : "Urban Pests and the Environment"
• Research Paper # 129380 : "Impact of Urban Culture on Science and Technology"
• Research Paper # 99264 : "Urban Culture and Innovation"

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