The complexity of urban ecosystem is not only reflected in the compounding relationship between human and nature, but also in their spatial heterogeneity. Different from the traditional ecosystems with internal relative homogeneity, the elements (such as buildings, vegetation and water bodies) making up urban ecosystem have great spatial variations in type, density, human disturbance intensity and socio-economic ecological function, resulting in the highly spatial heterogeneity within urban ecosystem. Urban spatial heterogeneity are generally analyzed by methodologies of landscape pattern index and patch classification method. Urban spatial heterogeneity is characterized by both the urban-rural gradient of component, structures, processes, functions and services of urban ecosystem, and the fragmentation of various urban units with different biophysical and social-economic properties, i.e, spatial patch pattern. So both paradigms of urban-rural gradient and hierarchical patch dynamic are proposed for investigating urban spatial heterogeneity. The study will provide an important methodological basis for the study of spatial heterogeneity within urban ecosystems and the guidance for urban planning and management.