Call for papers for a PLOS ONE Collection

In collaboration with our team of Guest Editors, PLOS ONE is calling for submissions spanning the intersection of ecological, climatological, and sociological patterns and processes within urban systems. Urbanisation is a key aspect of anthropogenic global change in the 21st century, and understanding its impacts is a critical challenge for contemporary science.

Urban ecosystems occur at the nexus between urbanisation, microclimate, natural resources, organisms and human societies, and PLOS ONE recognises the significance of research that makes connections across these dynamic and complex systems. From the effects of urbanisation on the ecology of urban biota to the social benefits of urban biodiversity, and from the influence of the built environment on global climate change to innovation in microclimatic monitoring, this call for papers aims to bring together diverse perspectives on the physical, biological and social functioning of urban ecosystems.

We particularly welcome primary research submissions that span the interface between urban climate, biogeochemistry, ecology and sociology, contributions which report analyses of long-term datasets or monitoring projects, manuscripts which compare effects across various cities or urban environments, and papers which incorporate innovative methodologies.

Articles must be submitted by 12 July 2019 and accepted submissions will be published in an Urban Ecosystems Collection in late 2019.

Example topics:
- Physiological, ecological and behavioural adjustments of species for living in cities.
- The role of cities as a source of invasive species and/or wildlife diseases.
- The intersection of social and ecological phenomena in the urban context.
- Ecological consequences of habitat fragmentation and replacement by urban habitats.
- Comparative studies along the urbanization gradient and/or across different urban locations.
- Urban environmental education and societal benefits of urban biodiversity for urban residents.
- The impact of urban climate on urban ecology.
- Atmospheric changes in urban environments and their effect on larger-scale processes of climate, meteorology and ecology.
- Environmental disaster risk preparedness and/or risk reduction in urban settings.
- Resource management for urban environments.
- Urban planning strategies aimed to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
- The effect of urban greenspace on urban climate and ecology.
- Long-term studies on urban ecology or urban climate.