Nowhere on Earth is the challenge for ecological understandinggreater, and yet more urgent, than in those parts of the globe wherehuman activity is most intense - cities. People need to understand howcities work as ecological systems so they can take control of thevital links between human actions and environmental quality, and workfor an ecologically and economically sustainable future. An ecosystemapproach integrates biological, physical and social factors andembraces historical and geographical dimensions, providing our besthope for coping with the complexity of cities.This book is a first of its kind effort to bring together leaders inthe biological, physical and social dimensions of urban ecosystemresearch with leading education researchers, administrators andpractitioners, to show how an understanding of urban ecosystems isvital for urban dwellers to grasp the fundamentals of ecological andenvironmental science, and to understand their own environment.

Nowhere on Earth is the challenge for ecological understandinggreater, and yet more urgent, than in those parts of the globe wherehuman activity is most intense - cities. This book is a first of itskind effort to bring together leaders in the biological, physical andsocial dimensions of urban ecosystem research with leading educationresearchers, administrators and practitioners, to show how anunderstanding of urban ecosystems is vital for urban dwellers to graspthe fundamentals of ecological and environmental science and tounderstand their own environment.

Introduction: Ecosystem Understanding Is a Key to Understanding Cities.- Introduction: Ecosystem Understanding Is a Key to Understanding Cities.- The Importance of Understanding Urban Ecosystems: Themes.- Why Is Understanding Urban Ecosystems an Important Frontier for Education and Educators?.- The Role of Understanding Urban Ecosystems in Community Development.- Why Is Understanding Urban Ecosystems Important to People Concerned About Environmental Justice?.- Why Is Developing a Broad Understanding of Urban Ecosystems Important to Science and Scientists?.- Foundations and Frontiers from the Natural and Social Sciences: Themes.- Natural Ecosystems in Cities: A Model for Cities as Ecosystems.- An Ecosystem Approach to Understanding Cities: Familiar Foundations and Uncharted Frontiers.- Understanding Urban Ecosystems: An Ecological Economics Perspective.- Social Science Concepts and Frameworks for Understanding Urban Ecosystems.- The Future of Urban Ecosystem Education from a Social Scientist's Perspective: The Value of Involving the People You Are Studying in Your Work.- A Social Ecology Approach to Understanding Urban Ecosystems and Landscapes.- The Historical Dimension of Urban Ecology: Frameworks and Concepts.- Urban Ecosystems, City Planning, and Environmental Education: Literature, Precedents, Key Concepts, and Prospects.- A Human Ecology Model for the Tianjin Urban Ecosystem: Integrating Human Ecology, Ecosystem Science, and Philosophical Views into an Urban Eco-Complex Study.- Foundations and Frontiers from Education Theory and Practice: Themes.- Psychological and Ecological Perspectives on the Development of Systems Thinking.- Toward Ecology Literacy: Contributions from Project 2061 Science Literacy Reform Tools.- An Interdisciplinary Approach to UrbanEcosystems.- Children for Cities and Cities for Children: Learning to Know and Care About Urban Ecosystems.- "Ecological Thinking" as a Tool for Understanding Urban Ecosystems: A Model from Israel.- Systems Thinking and Urban Ecosystem Education.- Approaches to Urban Ecosystem Education in Chicago: Perspectives and Processes from an Environmental Educator.- "Campus Ecology" Curriculum as a Means to Teach Urban Environmental Literacy.- Ecosystem Management Education: Teaching and Learning Principles and Applications with Problem-Based Learning.- Using the Development of an Environmental Management System to Develop and Promote a More Holistic Understanding of Urban Ecosystems in Durban, South Africa.- Visions for the Future of Urban Ecosystem Education: Themes.- Urban Ecosystems and the Twenty-First Century-A Global Imperative.- Out the Door and Down the Street-Enhancing Play, Community, and Work Environments as If Adulthood Mattered.- Integrating Urban Ecosystem Education into Educational Reform.- The Contribution of Urban Ecosystem Education to the Development of Sustainable Communities and Cities.- Perspectives on the Future of Urban Ecosystem Education: A Summary of Cary Conference VIII.- Urban Ecosystem Education in the Coming Decade: What Is Possible and How Can We Get There?.