The most recent revolution to transform the world is the rapid growth of urban centers. This book informatively and entertainingly treats the city and urban environments as an ecosystem with habitats that are every bit as interesting as any in the South Pacific, South America or Africa. Designed as a guide to identifying urban animals and organisms, it creates a clear understanding and appreciation of urban areas. Parallels to other environments and ecosystems are drawn, then the uniqueness of the urban habitats is explained. Topics covered include viruses, bacteria and fungi; plants; insects and non- insect vertebrates; fish; amphibians; birds and mammals. A special section also discusses how to maintain and improve urban natural systems.