Urban areas are among the fastest growing landscapes on Earth. Once seen mainly as drivers of biodiversity loss, cities are now recognized as complex socio-ecological systems that can harbor significant biodiversity and deliver essential ecosystem services to people. Yet, urban biodiversity remains underexplored compared to other ecosystems, with persistent blind spots in how biodiversity is studied, modeled, and valued by society.
Traditional ecological approaches often struggle to capture the unique dynamics of cities: extreme levels of habitat loss and fragmentation, rapidly shifting land use, and the interplay of ecological and social processes. Knowledge gaps remain around how species adapt to urban areas, how biodiversity contributes to human well-being, and how to scale insights from local case studies into broader conservation frameworks. Moreover, taxonomic biases, limited long-term monitoring, and insufficient integration of social and cultural aspects continue to limit our understanding.
This session highlights novel methods, concepts, and models that expand the frontiers of urban biodiversity research. We welcome contributions that may include:
- Innovative tools for studying urban biodiversity (e.g., predictive biodiversity modelling, eDNA, AI-assisted monitoring, remote sensing, citizen science).
- Urban eco-evolutionary processes and their socio-ecological drivers.
- Integration of social and cultural dimensions of biodiversity in cities.
- Case studies that identify overlooked aspects of urban biodiversity.
By addressing blind spots with new approaches, this session aims to advance a more comprehensive understanding of urban biodiversity and promote resilient, biodiverse cities that support human well-being (Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 12).