Metropole Ecology

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

An increasing part of Earth’s terrestrial surface is taken up by urban and peri-urban land use, forming large agglomerates known as metropoles such as Tokyo, Shanghai, Delhi, Mexico City, São Paulo, New York, London and Paris. These intensively-used areas are dynamic ecosystems with distinct properties, hosting particular species and communities, but also creating nuisances e.g. through invasive species or human-wildlife conflicts. At the same time, metropolitan ecosystems are pivotal in supporting human well-being, as over half of the global human population lives in cities, facing challenges related to e.g. air quality, heat, storm water, and space for leisure. Urban ecosystems can provide services to address some of these challenges.

In this course we use an interdisciplinary approach to understand specific challenges and opportunities of an urbanizing world for biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and people. Specifically, we will learn about 1) the opportunities and challenges of the urban environment for biodiversity and human-wildlife interactions; 2) the environmental challenges associated with urbanization and human well-being, and the role of ecosystems and their services in addressing these challenges.

Study materials

Literature

• See canvas for all study materials

Objectives

• Describe how the built-up environment is distinct from other environments and provide concrete examples of effects thereof on flora/fauna species composition, ecosystem processes, and people’s well-being.
•  Explain the mechanisms that influence which species establish themselves successfully in urban contexts and which do not.
• Describe different types of human-wildlife interactions, understand how animal ecology influences interactions, and formulate solutions to address conflicts.
•  Explain the role urban ecosystems play in people’s well-being in different socio-economic and biophysical contexts.
• Illustrate how metropoles directly and indirectly affect land use and biodiversity in other areas.
• Apply an interdisciplinary approach in addressing metropolitan environmental and ecological challenges and identify actions required to create biodiversity- and adaptation-friendly cities and towns for the future.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Supervision/feedback meeting

Lectures are designed to convey and discuss fundamental processes and insight from (ongoing) research. Lectures are often accompanied with structured group discussions.

Excursions are designed for further developing knowledge of local developments in urban ecology and skills to teach each other on site.

Computer sessions provide technical training in analytical methods and quantitative skills to better understand processes studied in the course

Presentations are used to communicate and discuss research and concepts synthesized from scientific publications.

Self-study is used to prepare group assignments, study the required literature and prepare for discussions as well as the exam.

Learning activities

Attendance

Additional requirements for this course:

Please see canvas for more information. The biodiversity excursion is mandatory and requires a bicycle. Students are responsible for arranging a bicycle. All practical exercises and presentation sessions are mandatory.

Assessment

The exam is worth 70% of the final grade. A 5.5 is the minimal cut-off score for the exam. 
The megacity assignment is worth 30% of the final grade. A 5.5 is the minimal cut-off for the megacity assignment.

There are several mandatory assignments (pass/fail).

See the course syllabus for more details about grading

Assignments

See canvas for more details.

Most assignments are group assignments, all students will be assigned in advance to a group.

The exam is individual work.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Contact information

Coordinator

• prof. dr. Judy Shamoun-Baranes

Judy Shamoun-Baranes

Phone: +31 (0)20 525 7436

E-mail: J.Z.Shamoun-Baranes@uva.nl

Science Park 904,  Kamernummer: C4.209

1098 XH Amsterdam

Pierre Chopin

e-mail: p.g.b.chopin@vu.nl