EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Urban Habitat

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Explanation:  Quick, where do you see any wildlife habitat in this view of Minneapolis, Minnesota?  

The answer is ... it's everywhere.  

And it depends on what you mean by "wildlife."

This view is of the Minneapolis downtown urban core in the distance.  In the foreground are three large lakes; from left to right, they are Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, and large Lake Calhoun.  Each is within, or ringed by, a greenbelt of trees and other vegetation.

Also present are tree-lined highways and a golf course.

And many buildings and other structures.

All of this adds up to diverse habitat for wildlife species that tolerate or that even thrive with human existence.  Such species are called human commensals, and include a wide array of spiders, insects, birds, mammals, and more, such as cellar spiders, termites, butterflies, house sparrows and European starlings, house mice, opossums, and raccoons.  Yes, not all commensals are welcome co-inhabitants, and life can be challenging for more-desirable native species.  

More and more, the study of urban wildlife is prompting architecture, such as green roofs, designed to provide habitat for wildlife of value and interest.  And several non-government organizations are promoting ways that homeowners can provide wildlife habitat in urban settings.  For instance, the National Wildlife Federation provides a program for yards, greenspaces, and even container gardens to become Certified Wildlife Habitats.   And The Xerces Society has many resources for conserving or restoring habitat for pollinators such as butterflies, native bees, and other species.