About

Marina Alberti is the Director of the Urban Ecology Research Lab and a Professor in the Department of Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington. She also serves as the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Built Environments and is a member of the Steering Committee of EarthLab. Under her leadership, the Urban Ecology Research Lab brings together an interdisciplinary team of students and researchers from the College of the Built Environment, the University of Washington, and the global research community. The lab focuses on urban ecology and includes PhD, post-doctoral, and masters students from both the University of Washington and abroad. Since its establishment in 1999, the lab has graduated 22 alumni who are now teaching and working worldwide.

Research topics

• Geography
• Ecology
• Biology
• Sociology
• Political Science
• Environmental planning
• Environmental science
• Social Science
• Environmental resource management
• Economic geography
• Regional science
• Forestry
• Civil engineering
• Agroforestry
• Engineering
• Evolutionary biology

Selected publications

• Evolving nature-based solutions for urban resilience

  Science · 2026-05-14

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Despite growing investments in nature-based solutions for urban resilience, their design often overlooks a fundamental biological process: evolution. Populations of organisms that sustain nature-based solutions are dynamic and can evolve over time. Rapid evolutionary changes, driven by urban environmental stressors, such as pollution, climate extremes, and habitat fragmentation, can reshape species' traits, alter interactions, and shift ecosystem functions. We synthesize evidence of evolutionary change across systems that serve as nature-based solutions in urban contexts and show how evolutionary processes can enhance or undermine their performance. We propose four testable hypotheses linking evolutionary dynamics to nature-based solutions and outline design strategies to maintain adaptive potential. Integrating evolution into nature-based solutions is essential to ensure long-term and efficient functionality under accelerating environmental change.

  PublisherDOI

• Urban landscape heterogeneity disaggregates the legacy of redlining on land surface temperature

  Landscape and Urban Planning · 2025-05-16 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  • Integrating redlining data with micro-scale development captures urban landscape heterogeneity. • Urban landscape heterogeneity reveals disaggregated patterns of temperature inequality. • Tree canopy cooling varies by redlining legacy, development level, and urban context. • Non-linear canopy cooling thresholds highlight the need for strategic tree planting. • Tree planting initiatives should consider micro-landscape diversity for climate equity. The lingering effects of redlining are linked to contemporary heat inequities observed across US cities. Residential security maps created by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) have been widely used to analyze neighborhood-level disparities in land surface temperatures. However, the use of aggregated spatial units often fails to capture internal landscape heterogeneity and the heat vulnerabilities associated with redlining. In this study, we introduced urban landscape heterogeneity by incorporating granular development levels captured at different resolutions within HOLC-graded neighborhoods. This approach combined Landsat-based National Land Cover Database (NLCD) data, Sentinel-based WorldCover land cover data, and HOLC map layers. We examined the role of urban landscape heterogeneity in revealing additional patterns of heat inequities beyond those explained by redlining-based macro spatial units, using grouped boxplots and mixed-effects models across three major cities in the Northeastern US: Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By accounting for urban landscape heterogeneity, our findings revealed that: (1) the well-documented trend of higher land surface temperatures in lower HOLC grades becomes systematically fragmented, (2) statistical models show improved performance in estimating land surface temperature, and (3) the cooling effect of tree canopy exhibits a varying, non-linear threshold pattern. These results highlight the need to consider micro-scale landscape dimensions to better understand the persistent, unequal distribution of temperatures associated with redlining. Municipal and community-led tree planting initiatives should consider comprehensive landscape characteristics to develop spatially targeted heat mitigation strategies and promote equitable climate outcomes.

  PublisherDOI

• Legacy effects of religion, politics and war on urban evolutionary biology

  Nature Cities · 2025-07-02 · 6 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Optimizing Urban Greenspace Landscapes to Mitigate Population Exposure to Extreme Heat in 21st Century Chinese Cities

  Environmental Science & Technology · 2025-03-11 · 9 citations

  article

  Urban greenspace (UGS) is a crucial nature-based solution for mitigating increasing human exposure to extreme heat, but its long-term potential has been poorly quantified. We used high spatial-temporal resolution data sets of urban land cover and population grid in combination with an urban climate model, machine learning, and land use simulation model to assess the impact of UGS on population exposure to extreme (high-heat exposure, HHE) and its potential spatial optimization strategies. Results showed that the UGS and HHE have a strong spatiotemporal dynamic coupling in 21st century Chinese cities. Moreover, UGS shrinkage increased the HHE by 0.58-1.15 °C, while UGS expansion mitigated it by 0.72-1.26 °C, both stronger in the SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. Different from common impressions, spatial relationships, rather than quantities of UGS, are more influential (1.3-1.8 times) on HHE. Our solutions suggest that simply enhancing the spatial dynamic connectivity between patches can mitigate HHE by 9.1-21.1%, especially for the eastern and central cities. Our results provide an example of how to improve climate adaptation in urban ecological space designs and strongly promote research on optimal spatial patterns for future robust urban heat mitigation.

  PublisherDOI

• The effects of urbanization on species interactions

  Nature Cities · 2025-07-29 · 7 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• P-76 Multidimensional characterization of erectile dysfunction in young man living with HIV: a cross-sectional study

  Poster · 2024-06-01

  articleOpen access

  <h3>Background</h3> Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent concern among young men living with HIV (yMLWH). We conducted a cross-sectional study to comprehensively characterize ED in yMLWH, considering metabolic, hormonal, vascular, and psychological factors. <h3>Methods</h3> This is a monocentric cross-sectional study in which we enrolled yMLWH attending our Unit of Infectious Diseases in Brescia. Inclusion criteria were a HIV-infection and age between 18 and 50 years old. All yMLWH from June 2023 to December 2023 were asked for symptoms of ED during the routinary follow up visits. In case of referred ED, the severity and its psychological aspects were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and the Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction (SIEDY). Metabolic and hormonal assays were performed, and the Score2 was used to assess the cardiovascular risk. Additionally, a dynamic penile color-doppler echography (dpCDE) performed by an Endocrinology and Andrology Specialist was employed to evaluate functional and structural vascular issues contributing to ED. <h3>Results</h3> In the study period, 310 yMLWH were assessed for eligibility, 50 (50/310, 16.1%) were enrolled with a median age of 45.5 (range 29–50) years old, a median Body Mass Index of 25.9 (range 17.7–39.1), and a median Score2 of 2.5% (range 1%-5.5%). Comorbidities were absent in 32 (64%) yMLWH, while 10 (20%) and 9 (18%) were receiving treatment for arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia, respectively. All yMLWH were virologically suppressed with a median CD4/CD8 ratio of 0.75 (range 0.27–2.23). Twenty-four (48%) taking a dolutegravir-based dual regimen. According to the IIEF-5, severe ED was observed in 14 yMLWH (28%), while 35 (70%) were identified with a psychological etiology for their ED based on the SIEDY scale 3. As regards dpCDE, 17 (34%) yMLWH exhibit a suboptimal/delayed R-ICI (response to intracavernous injection). Evaluation of penile artery flow indicated that 15 (30%) yMLWH had frankly pathological peak systolic velocity (PSV) values bilaterally or unilaterally, reaching 28 (46%) with age-related PSV pathological scores. As regards structural vascular abnormalities, 43 (86%) yMLWH exhibit elevated intima-media thickness (IMT) bilaterally or unilaterally, and 30 (60%) display at least one significant arterial anastomosis that could contribute to erectile potency reduction. <h3>Conclusions</h3> ED in YMLWH has a multifactorial etiology. No ED was solely explained based on hormonal levels, rather, substantial functional or structural vascular alterations were observed in nearly all enrolled yMLWH. Clinicians should recognize that relying solely on validated questionnaires to assess erectile dysfunction in yMLWH may obscure early signs of vascular impairment. Given the potential predictive value of ED for major cardiovascular events within specific populations, all yMLWH were instructed to undergo a carotid artery echocardiogram and treadmill test.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Interactions between climate change and urbanization will shape the future of biodiversity

  Nature Climate Change · 2024-04-26 · 76 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Online toolkits for collaborative and inclusive global research in urban evolutionary ecology

  Ecology and Evolution · 2024-06-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Urban evolutionary ecology is inherently interdisciplinary. Moreover, it is a field with global significance. However, bringing researchers and resources together across fields and countries is challenging. Therefore, an online collaborative research hub, where common methods and best practices are shared among scientists from diverse geographic, ethnic, and career backgrounds would make research focused on urban evolutionary ecology more inclusive. Here, we describe a freely available online research hub for toolkits that facilitate global research in urban evolutionary ecology. We provide rationales and descriptions of toolkits for: (1) decolonizing urban evolutionary ecology; (2) identifying and fostering international collaborative partnerships; (3) common methods and freely-available datasets for trait mapping across cities; (4) common methods and freely-available datasets for cross-city evolutionary ecology experiments; and (5) best practices and freely available resources for public outreach and communication of research findings in urban evolutionary ecology. We outline how the toolkits can be accessed, archived, and modified over time in order to sustain long-term global research that will advance our understanding of urban evolutionary ecology.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editorial: Shaping the future: urban resilience and socio-ecological systems through time

  Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution · 2024-03-26 · 1 citations

  editorialOpen accessSenior author

  EDITORIAL article Front. Ecol. Evol., 26 March 2024Sec. Urban Ecology Volume 12 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1392723

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Urban landscape affects scaling of transportation carbon emissions across geographic scales

  Sustainable Cities and Society · 2024-07-14 · 21 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• BE/CNH: Urban Landscape Patterns: Complex Dynamics and Emergent Properties

  NSF · $1.4M · 2005–2010

• RCN: Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics in an Urban Planet: Underlying Mechanisms and Ecosystem Feedbacks

  NSF · $499k · 2018–2025

Frequent coauthors

• Petia Radeva

  37 shared

• Simone Balocco

  Universitat de Barcelona

  35 shared

• Carlo Gatta

  23 shared

• John M. Marzluff

  University of Washington

  22 shared

• Charles L. Redman

  21 shared

• Francesco Ciompi

  Radboud University Medical Center

  21 shared

• Oriol Pujol

  21 shared

• Carl Folke

  Stockholm University

  20 shared

Labs

• Urban Ecology Research LabPI

Education

• Ph.D

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• PhD, Urban Studies and Planning

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology