PARENT SESSION
Symposium 11: Digging Deeper or Scratching the Surface? Exploring Ecological Theories in Urban Soils.
Organized by: M Pavao-Zuckerman and L Byrne
Wednesday, August 4, 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM, Oregon Ballroom 203.
Urban soil ecology as a focal point for environmental and sustainability education.
JOHNSON, E.1, CATLEY, K.2, 1 Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA2 Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
ABSTRACT- Direct experience with the natural world is an essential element of environmental education and a key to developing a stewardship ethic. However, providing this experience is particularly challenging in urban environments where people often consider nature only occurs outside the city and urban biota are perceived in negative or hostile terms. Considering 80 percent of the United States population lives in or near urban areas, we need to find ways to make the natural world relevant and accessible to this audience if we are to successfully educate a public who can make informed decisions about environmental and sustainability issues. Here we report on the effectiveness of educational efforts towards achieving this goal in a variety of formal and informal settings. Soil and litter systems are an important, although under-utilized resource for urban environmental education. Soils are accessible; are all around us, even in empty lots. Soil and leaf litter communities can be an effective point of entry into all levels of ecology, from species ecology and taxonomy to nutrient cycling at ecosystem levels. Soil and litter taxa are also intrinsically interesting, with discoveries of new species regularly being made in urban areas. By studying urban soil systems, city dwellers can develop an enhanced sense of place - an appreciation of the natural world and their connection to it. The direct link between their local soil and litter systems to ecosystems at global scales also strengthens this worldview, laying the groundwork for more effective environmental and sustainability education.
Key words: biodiversity, leaf litter