heat island effect, definition of

An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and micro-organisms in an area functioning together with all the non-living physical factors of the environment.

Wikipedia Entry

Note: Just be clear, an ecosystem by definition does include 'us' and what we do, we all inhabit the same set of systems. Therefore be careful of ecosystem analysis's done without consideration of what impact (both in the good and bad sense) humans have made. There are very few ecosystems that we do not engage with over the longer term.

• GAF creates innovative cooling solutions for overheated cities
  With climate change ramping up and an El Nino weather pattern in effect for the western hemisphere, heat island effect has become a real problem for cities sweltering under the summer sun...
• LEED Platinum UCSB student housing harnesses Californias coastal climate
  The University of California Santa Barbara boasts not only a beautiful campus near the ocean, but also recently completed student housing that’s been certified LEED Platinum...
• Giant ski slope to top green-roofed civic center in Beijing
  The next time you visit Beijing you may want to get your sled ready. China’s ever-evolving capital will soon be home to a stunning new civic center topped with an artificial snow-covered slope perfect for skiing and sledding. Designed by architect Andrew...
• Moffett Place High Garden is a one of Silicon Valley’s largest rooftop parks
  The park is one of the central amenities to the Moffett Place campus recently leased to Google as the 2nd largest office project under construction in Silicon Valley...
• Moffett Place High Garden is a lush rooftop park that replaces an underused parking deck in Silicon Valley
  The park is one of the central amenities to the Moffett Place campus recently leased to Google as the 2nd largest office project under construction in Silicon Valley...
• MVRDV to transform a shopping mall into a lush lagoon and beach in Taiwan
  MVRDV won the bid for the transformation of the Tainan Axis together with The Urbanist Collaborative and LLJ Architects. Located along Haian Road, the project will replace the deteriorated China-Town Mall that was built next to a canal in 1983. Though...
• INFOGRAPHIC: How urbanization affects the environment
  Urbanization has fostered greater conveniences, cross-cultural collaborations, and ideas exchange—but what about its costs? The humane wildlife removal service Gotcha Wildlife explores urbanization’s negative impact on the environment with an that
• New Study Shows White Roofs are Three Times More Effective than Green Roofs at Fighting Climate Change
  Although having a garden on the roof of your house might look great, a lot of evidence suggests that roofs painted white are much better for the environment...
• New Study Shows White Roofs are Three Times More Efficient than Green Roofs
  Although having a garden on the roof of your house might look great, a lot of evidence suggests that roofs painted white are much better for the environment...
• Green-Roofed World Green Center in Chile Aims To Reshape the Capital’s Cityscape
  The architects conceived the “unused” space of the project as public space or infrastructure that connects urban commuters and draws them towards “server spaces” such as art galleries, convention centers and concert halls...