Doug Tallamy on exotic invasive plants

"We have planted Kousa dogwood

(Cornus kousa), a species from China

that supports no insect herbivores,

instead of our native flowering

dogwood (Cornus florida) that supports

one hundred and seventeen species of

moths and butterflies alone. On

hundreds of thousands of acres we

have planted goldenraintree

(Koelreuteria paniculata) from China, a

tree that supports one caterpillar

species, instead of a variety of our

beautiful oaks, and we have lost the

chance to grow five hundred and

thirty-four species of caterpillars, all of

them nutritious bird food. My own

research has shown that native

ornamentals support twenty-nine times

more biodiversity than do alien

ornamentals. Further, it's unnerving to

learn that eighty-two percent of the

woody invasives in our country are

escapees of the horticultural industry."

reprinted from the Wild

Ones Journal Vol. 22, No. 2.

Urban Ecology: Science of Cities

"How does nature work in our human-created city, suburb, and exurb/peri-urb? Indeed how is ecology - including its urban water, soil, air, plant, and animal foundations - spatially entwined with this great human enterprise? And how can we improve urban areas for both nature and people? Urban Ecology: Science of Cities explores the entire urban area: from streets, lawns, and parks to riversides, sewer systems, and industrial sites. The book presents models, patterns, and examples from hundreds of cities worldwide. Numerous illustrations enrich the presentation. Cities are analyzed, not as ecologically bad or good, but as places with concentrated rather than dispersed people. Urban ecology principles, traditionally adapted from natural-area ecology, now increasingly emerge from the distinctive features of cities. Spatial patterns and flows, linking organisms, built structures, and the physical environment highlight a treasure chest of useful principles. This pioneering interdisciplinary book opens up frontiers of insight, as a valuable source and text for undergraduates, graduates, researchers, professionals, and others with a thirst for solutions to growing urban problems."

Request for submissions: New Forms of Urban Agriculture: An Urban Ecology Perspective

We invite you to make a contribution to a new book

Background and Purpose of the Book

The absence of reliable empirical data on the scale and impact of UA on urban resources is a serious gap in our understanding of the viability and sustainability of UA and may also explain urban planner’s reluctance to embrace the concept. The conception of UA as being necessarily integrated in urban systems has sparked attention from researchers for the multifunctionality and post-productive attitude of New Forms of Urban Agriculture (NFUA). The current volume intends to discuss the critical perspectives related to the actual and potential role of urban and peri urban agriculture in the developing and the developed world, where forms, adaptations, and debates around UA vary distinctively. See attached abstract for more detail.

Invitation for Chapters

The primary purpose of the book is to provide new empirical evidence evaluating, investigating and exploring urban agriculture using the perspective of urban ecology divided into five categories: land, water, waste, labor, and fauna.

An abstract of 150-200 words is due 31-October-2019. Approved contributors are expected to submit a full manuscript by 15-December-2019. Please send abstracts or any questions to akijac@nus.edu.sg.

Please feel free to recommend other contributors! Additional material and guidance is available on request. Warm regards and thanks.