Genourbanology as the basis for stable biodiversity and ecosystem conservation under global urbanization

The methodological, theoretical, and practical substantiation of genourbanology (the synthesis of population genetics and system ecology), a new independent promising scientific and practical direction, is given. Three conditions that are necessary and sufficient for distinguishing this scientific field were determined. The objective of genourbanology is to reveal the genetic parameters and patterns for the conservation of stability and restoration of ecosystems of anthropogenic landscapes (urbanized ones in particular). The subject of this science is the gene pool of populations of the complex of species of living organisms (biodiversity) of urban and reference natural ecosystems. The main method for determining the main parameters of stability of the genetic basis of ecosystems is a comparative assessment of the state of the gene pool of urban and standard natural populations using the same loci of various polymorphic characters. Genourbanology uses a complex ecological-genetic approach to conserving biodiversity (namely, methodology, concepts, strategy, and technology). This approach has been tested in specially protected nature conservation urban areas of Moscow. The experience in using this approach testifies to the efficiency of maintenance and restoration of population genetic diversity in anthropogenically transformed ecosystems.