Cities and the Environment (CATE)

Cities and the Environment publishes peer-reviewed scholarship on the research, education, and practice related to the broad field of urban ecology. We encourage submissions of well-written, relevant articles across many article types.

This is an open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.

We held the inaugural Cities and the Environment Symposium on November 20, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA, USA! Read the recap here, and check back in late 2026 for a special issue showcasing symposium proceedings.

Current Issue

Volume 19, Issue 1 (2026)View issue

Current Issue

    • Article18 March 2026

      Assessment of Residents’ Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Climate Change Issues in Ibadan South West Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria

      Samson Olanrewaju, Samuel Oyeniyi, Sola Atoyebi, Modupeola Okubena, Chinedu Abazu, Emeka Adibe
      This study examines residents’ knowledge, attitude, and behavioural responses to the impacts of climate change in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria. It evaluates residents’ awareness of climate change, analyses their behavioural responses to climate change impact, and identifies household characteristics that influence knowledge, attitude, and perception of climate change in the area. The study utilised a mixed-methods research approach, using such instruments as questionnaire administration and interviews. The study employed a multistage sampling technique where a total of seven (7) Enumeration Areas (EAs) were selected, and 206 questionnaires were administered to residents of the area. These selected respondents were also interviewed to gain a more personal understanding of their knowledge and perception. The data collected were analysed using descriptive analytical tools, including percentages and chi-square. Interviews were summarized and analysed thematically. The study revealed that 92% of the respondents are aware of climate change. The causes and evidence of climate change are significant across enumeration areas for bush burning, poor sanitation, fuel wood consumption, and settlement expansion, with p-values of 15.507 and 23.686, respectively. It, therefore, among others, recommended that governments at all levels, in collaboration with land sectors (public and private), should educate citizens on the increasing effect of climate change on the immediate environment. 
    • Article18 March 2026

      The Impact of Dams on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Diversity in the Bronx River

      Jayda Smith, Bobby Habig
      It is well-documented that dams can have negative effects on fish diversity. What is less known is the impact of urban dams on other aquatic organisms, specifically macroinvertebrates. Dams might create a mosaic of habitat patches in which above dam habitats exhibit differences in water chemistry and physical properties compared to below dam habitats, resulting in differences in macroinvertebrate diversity between these two habitats. Alternatively, the impacts of urbanization might overwhelm the impacts of dams resulting in biotic homogenization where both above dam and below dam habitats are dominated by a few of the same pollution-sensitive taxa or invasive species. One place to test these ideas is in New York City’s only freshwater river: the Bronx River. In this investigation, our objectives were to conduct a biological assessment profile of the Bronx River and to assess differences in macroinvertebrate diversity, water chemistry, and physical properties of habitats situated immediately above and below the nine dams located on the Bronx River. The study yielded several key results. First, above dam habitats exhibited greater river depth, smaller substrate size, lower water velocity, and lower pH than below dam habitats. Second, consistent with historical studies, biological assessment profiles of the Bronx River ranged from severely impacted to moderately impacted. Third, regression analyses revealed that habitats immediately downstream of a dam exhibited higher biological assessment profile scores, macroinvertebrate family richness, macroinvertebrate abundance, and EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) abundance than habitats immediately upstream of a dam. Finally, two invasive species, the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and the rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus), were abundant throughout the Bronx River. Our results suggest that the dams of the Bronx River create a mosaic of habitat patches comprised of lentic, pond-like ecosystems above dams and lotic, free-flowing ecosystems below dams with higher richness and abundance in sampling locations below dams.
    • Article18 March 2026

      Laughing Doves Use Human Structures in Fragmented Habitats to Improve Breeding Success

      Humphrey Ankuor, Ziblim Imoro, Timothy Aikins
      The effects of urbanisation on our natural environment have led to a significant shift in ecosystem structure and processes, posing threats to many wildlife species. However other species adapts to urban settings exploiting food and nesting opportunities that humans provide. This study identified and mapped Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis nests in human structures and trees within in an urban setting. The study characterised the nesting site selection, nest materials choices, and breeding success in human structures and trees. The results show that majority (107 nests, 86%) of the Laughing Dove nests were in human structures with only 14% (16 nests) on trees. Approximately 75% of the clutch contain two eggs. A total of 127 chicks were recorded, with 120 chicks successfully fledging. The probabilities of finding eggs, hatching, and fledging in nests on human structures were significantly higher than in nests on trees.  Our results indicates that Laughing Doves prefer to nest in human made structures compared to trees in natural habitats. The higher fledging success in human-structures compared to trees suggests that such structures provide a stable nesting habitat for urban birds compared to trees. By incorporating sheltered ledges or cavities in human-made structures and managing human structure maintenance and vegetation pruning activities to coincide with off breeding cycles of birds would be crucial to enhancing the survival of Laughing Doves and other urban species that utilize urban habitats. 
    • Article18 March 2026

      Examining the Association Between Awareness of Soil Ecosystem Services and Yard Management in a Highly Urbanized and Tropical Watershed

      Luis Selles, Elvia Melendez_Ackerman
      Residential soil should be viewed as vital elements for sustainable cities. Of concern is that residents can be managing residential green spaces without a clear understanding of soil benefits. We performed 275 surveys in the Rio Piedras Watershed, Puerto Rico to evaluate: (1) the level of residents’ awareness about the contribution of soils to ecosystem services, and (2) the association between yard management practices with household socioeconomics and the level of residents’ awareness regarding residential soil ecosystem services. Results showed that residents were significantly less aware of the importance of soil ecosystem services in their yards compared to that of soil from all land uses. Also, awareness about soil ecosystem services was not associated with variation in yard management practices but some household socio-economic variables were. Household annual income was negatively correlated with fertilizer and pesticide application frequencies. Home ownership was positively correlated with the frequency of pesticide application and resident’s locality influenced the likelihood of fertilizer application. Likewise, the likelihood of paving residential yards increased with years living on the property and was also influenced by the residents’ locality. While results may indicate a disconnect between environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviors, metrics of awareness may also reflect differences in perceptions and values rooted in unexplored social behaviors and values.

Most Popular Articles

  • Article
    20 November 2008

    Urban Principles for Ecological Landscape Design and Maintenance: Scientific Fundamentals

    Mary Cadenasso, Steward Pickett
    Urban ecology is a rapidly developing scientific discipline with great relevance to sustainable city design and management. Though several frameworks have been proposed in the last 10 years, urban ecology, as yet, has no complete, mature theory. There are, however, general principles emerging that may facilitate the development of such a theory. In the meantime, these principles can serve as useful guides for ecological landscape design and maintenance. This paper aims to use the principles to conceptually frame a series of papers to follow in this special issue. The main ecological principles concerning cities are that: 1) Cities are ecosystems; 2) Cities are spatially heterogeneous; 3) Cities are dynamic; 4) Human and natural processes interact in cities; and 5) Ecological processes are still at work and are important in cities. The first three principles address the structure of cities and the change in structure through time. The remaining two principles focus on ecological processes in cities. We briefly summarize each of these principles and their roots in the ecological and design fields. Each principle points to ecological functions that can be translated into ecosystem services. Application of these principles to ecological landscape design and maintenance is discussed.
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  • Article
    17 December 2009

    Can green roofs provide habitat for urban bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)?

    Sheila Colla, Erin Willis, Laurence Packer
    Increasing urbanization of many regions of the world has resulted in the decline of suitable habitat for wild flora and fauna. Green roofs have been suggested as a potential avenue to provide patches of good-quality habitat in highly developed regions. In this study, we surveyed green roofs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for bee diversity and abundance to determine their potential as quality habitats in an urban area for these important pollinators. By comparing various biodiversity measures between green roofs and ground-level sites, we show that green roofs provide habitat to many bee species. Implications for pollinator conservation and urban agricultural production are discussed.
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  • Article
    31 January 2011

    Urban Environmental Education From a Social-Ecological Perspective: Conceptual Framework for Civic Ecology Education

    Keith Tidball, Marianne Krasny
    A variety of environmental education practices are emerging to address the needs of an increasingly urban population. Drawing from social-ecological systems and social learning theory, we propose a conceptual framework to stimulate research questions in urban environmental education. More specifically, our conceptual framework focuses on environmental education programs that are nested within and linked to community-based stewardship or civic ecology practices, such as community forestry, streamside restoration, and community gardening. It suggests ways in which educational programs, stewardship practice, and other social-ecological system components and processes interact through feedback loops and other mechanisms, as well as means by which urban environmental education might lead to local ecosystem services and human and community well-being. Human and community outcomes may in turn result in pressure to change environmental policies.
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  • Article
    23 December 2009

    Ecology of Urban Bees: A Review of Current Knowledge and Directions for Future Study

    J. Hernandez, G. Frankie, R. Thorp
    Urban bee ecology is an emerging field that holds promise for advancing knowledge of bee community dynamics and promoting bee conservation. Published studies of bee communities in urban and suburban habitats are fewer than those documenting bees in agricultural and wildland settings. As land lost to urbanization is predicted to increase in coming years the necessity of studying urban bee populations is growing. We reviewed 59 publications on urban bee ecology with the following goals, to assess current knowledge, to highlight areas in need of further research, and to suggest applications of study findings to bee conservation. Methodological variation between studies was discussed in the context of data interpretation. Identified trends in urban areas included the following, negative correlation between bee species richness and urban development, cavity-nesters increase in abundance in urban habitats, and floral specialists are scarce. Future directions for studying urban bee ecology include incorporation of landscape-scale assessments, conducting manipulative experiments and actively designing urban bee habitats. We include descriptions of plant and habitat management techniques derived from our research in northern and southern California urban habitats to promote development of bee-friendly habitats.
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  • Article
    20 November 2008

    Ecological Impacts of Replacing Traditional Roofs with Green Roofs in Two Urban Areas

    Tim Carter, Colleen Butler
    Urban land cover is dominated by impervious surface that degrades both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems relative to predevelopment conditions. There are significant opportunities for designers of urban landscapes to use alternative land covers that have multiple functions, benefiting both human and nonhuman components of the urban ecosystem. Vegetated (green) roofs are one form of alternative land cover that has shown the potential to provide a variety of ecological benefits in urban areas. We evaluated how stormwater retention, building energy and temperature, and rooftop habitat are influenced by the use of green roofs using test plots in Georgia and Massachusetts. Green roofs were shown to recreate part of the predevelopment hydrology through increasing interception, stormwater storage, evaporation and transpiration on the rooftop and worked extremely well for small storm events. Temperature reductions were found on the green rooftop as compared to an asphalt surface, although other roof technologies that minimize temperatures, such as lighter colored membranes, provide similar benefits. Novel habitat was created on the rooftop, although the extent of this habitat was limited in part by plant survivability and the need for additional water inputs for diverse plant communities to survive. Despite the challenges, the green roof benefits reported here suggest that green roofs can be used effectively as a multifunctional land cover in urban areas.
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  • Article
    18 December 2009

    Community Gardens as Contexts for Science, Stewardship,and Civic Action Learning

    Marianne Krasny, Keith Tidball
    Community gardens are heterogeneous environments that integrate environmental restoration, community activism, social interactions, cultural expression, and food security. As such, they provide a context for learning that addresses multiple societal goals, including a populace that is scientifically literate, practices environmental stewardship, and participates in civic life. Several theories are useful in describing the learning that occurs in community gardens, including those focusing on learning as acquisition of content by individuals, learning as interaction with other individuals and the environment and as increasingly skilled levels of participation in a community of practice, and social learning among groups of stakeholders leading to concerted action to enhance natural resources. In this paper, we use preliminary evidence from the Garden Mosaics intergenerational education program to suggest the potential for community gardens to foster multiple types of learning.
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