1. Introduction: From Urban Nature Studies to Ecosystem Services

A main goal of ecological research is to recognize problems that are connected to anthropogenic uses of nature, and to figure out solutions for a better development and a higher quality of life for humans (Haber 1993). From Carl Troll’s landscape ecology developed the branch of urban ecology, which Leser characterized as “a landscape ecological field par excellence” (Troll 1973; Leser 1997, 2008; Reichholf 2007). Urban ecology is the study of ecosystems that includes humans living in cities and urbanizing landscapes (Marzluff et al. 2008). Alberti et al. (2003) defined urban ecology as the “study of ecosystems that includes humans living in cities and urbanizing landscapes. It investigates ecosystem services which are closely linked to patterns of urban development”. The interdisciplinary concept of urban ecology covers multiple branches of science which deal with the linkages and relationships between biotic communities and their abiotic environment as well as between urban nature, city dwellers and urban planners (Sukopp and Trepl 1995). Urban ecology has a long history of research, especially in Europe (Sukopp 2002). However, as an independent branch of science, urban ecology is a comparably young discipline. Only 40 years ago, researchers began to investigate urban agglomerations more in detail from an ecological point of view (Sukopp 1973). It has been shown that the specific environmental conditions in urban settings compared with rural areas give rise to very specific ecological systems and particular species combinations.