University of Oregon Challenges of Managing Biodiversity in Urban Areas Paper Aronson et al. 2017 give their take on the major challenges to managing biodi

University of Oregon Challenges of Managing Biodiversity in Urban Areas Paper Aronson et al. 2017 give their take on the major challenges to managing biodiversity in urban green space. What do you find to be their most compelling points and why? What do you find to be least compelling and why? If you were to use their arguments to convince your oldest, most conservative relative that urban biodiversity was something to aim for, do you think they would be convinced? Why or why not? LA 441/541 • Principles of Applied Ecology • Bart Johnson • University of Oregon
READING ASSIGNMENT
Urban Ecosystems – Emerging Directions
The Big Idea: What are the new and emerging ways in which ecological understanding is
changing how we design and manage cities?
Class Preparation: Read all assigned readings and consider the accompanying questions.
Reading Assignment
The written assignment is required for all students.
Aronson, M. F. J., C. A. Lepczyk, K. L. Evans, M. A. Goddard, S. B. Lerman, J. S. MacIvor, C. H.
Nilon, and T. Vargo. 2017. Biodiversity in the city: key challenges for urban green space
management. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15:189-196.
Pickett, S. T. A., M.L. Cadenasso, D. L. Childers, M. J. Mcdonnell & W. Zhou. 2016. Evolution
and future of urban ecological science: ecology in, of, and for the city, Ecosystem Health
and Sustainability, 2:7, e01229, https://doi.org/10.1002/ehs2.1229
Optional background:
Pickett, S. T. A., M. L. Cadenasso, and J. M. Grove. 2004. Resilient cities: meaning, models,
and metaphor for integrating the ecological, socio-economic, and planning realms.
Landscape and Urban Planning 69:369-384.
Childers, D. L., M. L. Cadenasso, J. M. Grove, V. Marshall, B. McGrath, and S. T. A. Pickett.
2015. An Ecology for Cities: A Transformational Nexus of Design and Ecology to
Advance Climate Change Resilience and Urban Sustainability. Sustainability 7:37743791.
Briefly address the following questions. Use bulleted comments, diagrams and lists as appropriate.
All Students
a) Aronson et al. 2017 give their take on the major challenges to managing biodiversity in
urban green space. What do you find to be their most compelling points and why? What
do you find to be least compelling and why? If you were to use their arguments to
convince your oldest, most conservative relative that urban biodiversity was something
to aim for, do you think they would be convinced? Why or why not?
Grad Students only (undergrads 5 pts optional)
b) Steward Pickett and colleagues in the Baltimore Urban LTER have written a set of
papers with an evolving conceptualization of urban ecosystems that has led to their
proposal for a progression from an ecology in cities to an ecology of cities to an
ecology for cities. Use the most recent paper (Pickett et al. 2016) (the others are
optional) as the basis for an ~1/2 page essay on how this conceptual shift may or
may not lead to real change in the design, planning and retrofits of the cities of the
future.
Additional papers on urban ecosystems are included in a Canvas subfolder for anyone
interested. I have many more available upon request.

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