A review of ecological consequences of emerging counter-urbanisation
- 1School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- 2WorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- 3Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
Abstract
Global narratives emphasise an increasingly urban world, yet the emerging parallel dynamics of counter-urbanisation, the population redistribution from higher- to lower-density settlements, is reshaping human–ecological relations. However, existing evidence on the ecological consequences associated with counter-urbanisation remains fragmented and lacks a unified framework to reconcile the diverse risks and opportunities. This review develops a framework for assessing these effects through two primary mechanisms: landscape pathways, involving the physical modification of landscapes through settlements and infrastructure development, and lifestyle pathways, reflecting changes in human presence, mobility, recreation, and consumption that do not directly alter land cover. By linking these pathways to different landscape contexts and relocation motivations, the review provides an ecological interpretation of counter-urbanisation. The framework can thereby inform policies that manage trade-offs, realise potential benefits and limit emerging pressures in an increasingly mobile world. Author summary: It is widely recognised that the world is becoming more urban, yet growing numbers of people are also moving from cities to rural and suburban areas, a trend commonly described as counter-urbanisation. While the ecological impacts of city growth are well documented, the ecological consequences of this outward population movement and redistribution remain poorly understood. In this review, we show that these effects are neither consistently beneficial nor harmful, but arise through connected pathways: physical landscape transformations, such as new housing, roads, and farming changes, and lifestyle shifts, including commuting, recreation, and consumption. The outcomes depend strongly on who moves, why they move and the characteristics of the environment that receive them. We bring this evidence together in a framework that links relocation motivations and the local landscape context to changes in habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Our work provides an ecological interpretation of counter-urbanisation and a practical framework for assessing and managing its complex ecological consequences.
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BibTeX
@article{duan2026review,
title = {{A review of ecological consequences of emerging counter-urbanisation}},
author = {Qianwen Duan and Shengjie Lai and Alessandro Sorichetta and Felix Eigenbrod},
journal = {PLOS Ecosystems},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pesy.0000030},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pesy.0000030},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A review of ecological consequences of emerging counter-urbanisation
AU - Qianwen Duan
AU - Shengjie Lai
AU - Alessandro Sorichetta
AU - Felix Eigenbrod
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - PLOS Ecosystems
DO - 10.1371/journal.pesy.0000030
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pesy.0000030
AB - Global narratives emphasise an increasingly urban world, yet the emerging parallel dynamics of counter-urbanisation, the population redistribution from higher- to lower-density settlements, is reshaping human–ecological relations. However, existing evidence on the ecological consequences associated with counter-urbanisation remains fragmented and lacks a unified framework to reconcile the diverse risks and opportunities. This review develops a framework for assessing these effects through two primary mechanisms: landscape pathways, involving the physical modification of landscapes through settlements and infrastructure development, and lifestyle pathways, reflecting changes in human presence, mobility, recreation, and consumption that do not directly alter land cover. By linking these pathways to different landscape contexts and relocation motivations, the review provides an ecological interpretation of counter-urbanisation. The framework can thereby inform policies that manage trade-offs, realise potential benefits and limit emerging pressures in an increasingly mobile world. Author summary: It is widely recognised that the world is becoming more urban, yet growing numbers of people are also moving from cities to rural and suburban areas, a trend commonly described as counter-urbanisation. While the ecological impacts of city growth are well documented, the ecological consequences of this outward population movement and redistribution remain poorly understood. In this review, we show that these effects are neither consistently beneficial nor harmful, but arise through connected pathways: physical landscape transformations, such as new housing, roads, and farming changes, and lifestyle shifts, including commuting, recreation, and consumption. The outcomes depend strongly on who moves, why they move and the characteristics of the environment that receive them. We bring this evidence together in a framework that links relocation motivations and the local landscape context to changes in habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Our work provides an ecological interpretation of counter-urbanisation and a practical framework for assessing and managing its complex ecological consequences.
SN - 3070-8141
ER -