Journal article
A Theory of City Biogeography and the Origin of Urban Species
Frontiers in conservation science, v 3, 761449
11 Mar 2022
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Many of the choices humans make with regard to infrastructure, urban planning and other phenomena have impacts that will last thousands of years. This can readily be seen in modern cities in which contemporary streets run along street grids that were laid out thousands of years prior or even in which ancient viaducts still play a role. However, rarely do evolutionary biologists explicitly consider the future of life likely to be associated with the decisions we are making today. Here, we consider the evolutionary future of species in cities with a focus on the origin of lineages and species. We do so by adjusting evolutionary predictions from the theory of island biogeography so as to correspond to the unique features of cities as islands. Specifically, the species endemic to cities tend to be associated with the gray habitats in cities. Those habitats tend to be dominated by human bodies, pet bodies and stored food. It is among such species where the origin of new lineages is most likely, although most research on evolution in cities has focused on green habitats. We conclude by considering a range of scenarios for the far future and their implications for the origin of lineages and species.
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Details
- Title
- A Theory of City Biogeography and the Origin of Urban Species
- Creators
- Robert R. Dunn - University of CopenhagenJoseph Robert Burger - University of KentuckyElizabeth J. Carlen - Washington University in St. LouisAmanda M. Koltz - Washington University in St. LouisJessica E. Light - Texas A&M UniversityRyan A. Martin - Case Western Reserve UniversityJason Munshi-South - Fordham UniversityLauren M. Nichols - North Carolina State UniversityEdward L. Vargo - Texas A&M UniversitySenay Yitbarek - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillYuhao Zhao - East China Normal UniversityAngelica Cibrian-Jaramillo - Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in conservation science, v 3, 761449
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media Sa
- Number of pages
- 18
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001004294000001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85133714503
- Other Identifier
- 991021904448504721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Ecology
- Environmental Sciences