The ecological concept of disturbance has scarcely been applied in urban systems except in the erroneous but commonplace assumption that urbanization itself is a disturbance and cities are therefore perennially distur...The ecological concept of disturbance has scarcely been applied in urban systems except in the erroneous but commonplace assumption that urbanization itself is a disturbance and cities are therefore perennially disturbed systems.We evaluate the usefulness of the concept in urban ecology by exploring how a recent conceptual framework for disturbance(Peters et al.2011,Ecosphere,2,art 81)applies to these social-ecological-technological systems(SETS).Case studies,especially from the Long-Term Ecological Research sites of Baltimore and Phoenix,are presented to show the applicability of the framework for disturbances to different elements of these systems at different scales.We find that the framework is easily adapted to urban SETS and that incorporating social and technological drivers and responders can contribute additional insights to disturbance research beyond urban systems.展开更多
基金We acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation via the following grants:Long-Term Ecological Research Program for work in Baltimore(DEB-1027188)and Phoenix(DEB-1026865)the Urban Resilience to Extreme Weather-related Events Sustainability Research Network(URExSRN,SES-1444755)+2 种基金Urban Sustainability Research Coordination Network(RCN-1140070)Innovative Urban Transitions and Aridregion Hydro-sustainability(EPSCoR IIA-1301792)and Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystem Services(EPSCoR IIA-1208732).
文摘The ecological concept of disturbance has scarcely been applied in urban systems except in the erroneous but commonplace assumption that urbanization itself is a disturbance and cities are therefore perennially disturbed systems.We evaluate the usefulness of the concept in urban ecology by exploring how a recent conceptual framework for disturbance(Peters et al.2011,Ecosphere,2,art 81)applies to these social-ecological-technological systems(SETS).Case studies,especially from the Long-Term Ecological Research sites of Baltimore and Phoenix,are presented to show the applicability of the framework for disturbances to different elements of these systems at different scales.We find that the framework is easily adapted to urban SETS and that incorporating social and technological drivers and responders can contribute additional insights to disturbance research beyond urban systems.
