In 1925, sociologists Robert Park and Ernest Burgess developed a foundational theory of urban ecology that parallels urban expansion with processes found in natural ecosystems.

Their work, primarily based on the city of Chicago, introduced the concept that cities are organized into "natural areas" and concentric zones governed by competition and social interaction. 

More broadly, human ecology “ is defined as the study of the form and development of communities within human populations, focusing on aggregate units rather than individuals. It emphasizes a systemic approach to demographic phenomena, analyzing population dynamics in relation to social institutions and spatial-temporal contexts. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/human-ecology

[TK: Explanatory copy]