ABSTRACT
Biodiversity, broadly the term that describes the variety of life, is variably distributed across the Earth. Cities, of course, also present an opportunity for informed and compact living which can be to the benefit of biodiversity. In established older cities there is, more likely, a need for management interventions focused on restoring biodiversity. New cities may present more opportunity for conservation of original biodiversity, while older cities may be better aligned to the incorporation of plans that address the management of established novel ecosystems. The units of biodiversity can be anything from genes to ecosystems, but species tend to be the most common unit of measurement. Tying biodiversity, or associated biodiversity metrics or proxies, irrefutably to ecosystem functioning in its various guises is an ongoing and highly valuable area of research. All biodiversity is impacted by the urbanization process and ensuing urban form.
