Al igual que en el resto del planeta, Colombia está sufriendo un importante flujo migratorio desde el medio rural a las ciudades, aspecto que se ha intensificado por el conflicto armado. Este incremento de la superficie urbana está generando importantes transformaciones en sus territorios adyacentes,que mantiene ecosistemas y comunidades biológicas de gran valor ecológico. Aunado a esto, la población se enfrenta a situaciones de riesgo por fenómenos de remoción en masa, inundación, entreotros, ya que están ubicadas en zonas de ladera o cercanas a fuentes de agua. As in the rest of the planet, Colombia is undergoing an important migratory flow from rural areas to the cities, an aspect that has been intensified by the armed conflict. This growth in the urban area is generating significant transformations in their adjacent territories, which maintain ecosystems and biological communities of great ecological value. Also, the population is facing situations of risk by phenomena like mass removal and floods, among others, as they are located in hilly areas or close to water sources.Although major efforts are being made to reduce the demand for resources and their residues, the degradation of bordering ecosystems continues to increase with the consequent loss of biodiversity and the high probability of materialization of risk situations for the population. This article seeks to describe the parameters of a line of research that defines the city as a socioecosystem, as an alternative that allows you to make risk management.