This is an article collection published in Ecological Processes.
Edited by: Yuyu Zhou, Gang Chen, Weiqi Zhou
Population growth and its need for economic development have caused unprecedented land cover and land use change (LCLUC), exerting a profound impact on urban systems. Urbanization, one major form of LCLUCs, has drawn increasing attention for its significant role in changing the ecological processes in the urban domain. Particularly over the past several decades, the world has experienced fast urbanization, and this trend is expected to continue for decades to come. There is a growing need, from both the academic and policy-making communities, for science-based information and evidences to improve our understanding of urban ecological processes, and to inform the development of best management practices.
This special issue invites original manuscripts on the most recent research and advancement in methodologies and findings to improve the understanding of urban ecological processes across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Potential topics on urban ecological processes include, but are not limited to:
- Urban climate (e.g., patterns, causes, and effects of urban heat island)
- Urban biogeochemistry (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions), urban soils (e.g., carbon and nitrogen dynamics)
- Urban hydrology (e.g., stormwater management)
- Urban biota (e.g., urban forests and invasive species)
- Interactions between anthropogenic activities and the physical environments