The ecology of urban walls includes a variety of life, from ferns and figs, to paper wasps, stingless bees, and two-tailed spiders
Human civilization has evolved rapidly and so too has its most fundamental architectural unit, the wall. From humble walls that gave our ancestors shelter, to ones that reach for the sky in modern cities, we’ve built walls visible from space, and dams that break the flow of mighty rivers. With over six billion people estimated to live in urban spaces by 2050, the dominance of walls in our city landscapes will only grow. Is there any non-human life in these seemingly mundane landscapes? Delightfully, yes! Let us enter the fascinating world of wall ecology.
A vast diversity of life has adapted to urban landscapes including walls. Four broad factors seem to play a key role in shaping the combinations and permutations of life forms that live comfortably on walls: the material used to make the wall; the microclimate and moisture around it; the nutrients available; and the surrounding ecology. Each combination of factors creates its own unique assemblage of life on walls. Here’s a glimpse of some of the incredible and quirky biodiversity of life on walled surfaces in Bangalore city.
Life on the Vertical: Exploring Nature on City Walls | RoundGlass | Sustain
Human civilization has evolved rapidly and so too has its most fundamental architectural unit, the wall. From humble walls that gave our ancestors shelter, to ones that reach for the sky in modern cities, we’ve built walls visible from space, and dams that break the flow of mighty rivers. With over six billion people estimated to live in urban spaces by 2050, the dominance of walls in our city landscapes will only grow. Is there any non-human life in these seemingly mundane landscapes? Delightfully, yes! Let us enter the fascinating world of wall ecology.
A vast diversity of life has adapted to urban landscapes including walls. Four broad factors seem to play a key role in shaping the combinations and permutations of life forms that live comfortably on walls: the material used to make the wall; the microclimate and moisture around it; the nutrients available; and the surrounding ecology. Each combination of factors creates its own unique assemblage of life on walls. Here’s a glimpse of some of the incredible and quirky biodiversity of life on walled surfaces in Bangalore city.
Life on the Vertical: Exploring Nature on City Walls | RoundGlass | Sustain