The study of urbanization covers many
problems of adaptation in wildlife; e.g., increased competition
within and between species where food distribution is patchy,
and also the formation of new social networks among individuals
and probably a rearrangement of (sub-) population structure.
The theoretical frameworks and methods of behavioral ecology can
certainly lead us towards novel insights in the field of urban ecology
and the development of novel alternatives for the management
and conservation of species in urban environments. For instance,
individual-based approaches can enable us to connect individual
behavior to population and community ecology from a theoretical
point of view. Hypotheses and predictions can then be tested in the
field and the lab while also taking into account the consequences
for the long-term dynamics of populations in different urban contexts.
We call for new interdisciplinary collaborations between
urban ecologists and animal behavioral ecologists. This can be a
productive endeavor that will bring novel insights for disease ecology,
landscape genetics, wildlife management, and certainly urban
ecology.