Urbanization constitutes one of the main driving processes of the global ecosystem. Once established, urban development imposes severe changes in the soil usage, which will have effects on future developments and regional surroundings. Cities are complex ecosystems, made up by a mixture of native and exotic (introduced) biodiversity, whose ecology has a close interdependence with the human/social component. Because of this, the analysis and understanding of patterns and processes that occur inside cities constitutes a key tool for current and future design under a framework of sustainable development.

Neotropical cities host rich biodiversity, made up of native and exotic species. These species, as a whole, provide a variety of valuable ecosystem services. In this context, understanding the interrelations between society and biodiversity in these urban ecosystems constitutes a key challenge for one of the most biodiverse regions of the planet. Advances are required not only to close the knowledge and experience gap between South America and Europe or North America, but also, and even more imperative, to lay the groundwork for the promotion of sustainable and integrated development of the region.

The objective of this Research Topic is to evidence the main lines of research in biodiversity and urban ecology in Neotropical cities. We are interested in including case studies and revisions that show the state of the discipline in the region, focusing on biodiversity both outside and inside the cities. We hope to stimulate current and future research in the Neotropical region that contributes to the development and implementation of environmentally sustainable policies in these cities.

We welcome articles focused on the following research themes in Neotropical cities:
1. Distribution patterns and abundance of urban biodiversity
2. Interspecific interactions inside cities
3. Effects of exotic species in urban ecosystems
4. Ecological and evolutionary processes in cities
5. Citizen science in the development of urban ecology

Submit your idea

Impact

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Participating Journals

Impact