We study the relationship between human eco-processes and urbanization in a typical urbanization sample zone (TUSZ) in the southwestern fringe of downtown Shanghai. A data set consisting of land use/land cover (created using three Landsat5 TM images of the area for 1987, 1995, and 2003) and additional socioeconomic statistics is created. To analyze the spatial-temporal dynamics of human ecological accommodation and consumption for the entire TUSZ and its urban and rural portions, we develop two new indices in this paper: human ecological quality index (IHEQ) and human ecological fluctuation index (IHEF). Several interesting conclusions about the human eco-processes in our study area can be made. First, in 1987, when the urbanization in Shanghai was in the industrialization stage, regional human ecological quality was low, mainly due to a policy that concentrated on production consumption and economic value but ignored life consumption and environmental and social values. During this period of time, a great difference of IHEQ between the urban and rural portions can be observed. Second, from 1987 to 2003, a dramatic increase of IHEQ can be observed. The IHEF value, however, was low and the fluctuation in the urban portion was stronger than in rural areas. Third, IHEF value reaches the highest during the period from 1995 to 2003, suggesting an improved human ecological quality. Fourth, the period from 1995 to 2003 also saw a relatively low IHEQ with an IHEF value that was 70 times higher than previous stages. This implies that human ecology fluctuates dramatically, with high instability, reflecting an incompatible relationship between human being and environment, and a sustainable improvement of human ecological quality faces severe pressure. Finally, eco-processes suggest that human beings are compelled to adapt to the environmental change (including nature, society and economics). With the development of urbanization, suburban and rural residents will need to gradually accept an urban life style, and their ecological quality may improve synchronously. The difference between urban and rural areas will disappear when IHEQ for the rural areas reaches a threshold. Rural residents are subsequently forced to become a part of the urban system due to the environmental change.