Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Introduction Human survival is dependent on biodiversity; that is, the diverse range of organisms inhabiting the planet. 1 This is because they affect ecosystem processes and functions, and therefore ecosystem services. 2,3 The drivers and feedback mechanisms between biodiversity and ecosystem services are complex, non-linear and can be synergistic, 4 but it is clear that species diversity can affect ecosystem processes and services. 5 Ecosystem services are the beneits that humans derive, either directly or indirectly from the functions of ecosystems. 6 The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 7 estimates that more than 60% of global ecosystem services are degraded or unsustainably managed. This, along with the fact that there is a positively reinforcing feedback loop between biodiversity loss and climate change, 5,8 is why biodiversity loss is an urgent issue for humans to address. 9 At the same time that global biodiversity loss has accelerated, 10 humanity has become an urbanised species. More than half of all people now live in cities, and this proportaion is rapidly increaing. 11 This has three important biodiversity-human relationship impications. Firstly, cities must be taken into account in terms of the large negative impact they have on biodiversity. 12 Secondly, because people are dependant on ecsystem services, which in part are supported by biodiversity, the abundance or lack of urban biodiversity directly impacts the majority of humans. 13 Finally, as urbanisation increases, cities become more dense, and pressure on urban green spaces occurs, there is a risk that urban populations will experience negative psychologcal impacts due to a ‘extinction of nature experience’. 14,15 The impact of cities on biodiversity Although cities only account for approximately 3% of the Earth’s surface, 16 they are often located at important ecosystem junctions or in areas of high pre-development biodiversity. 9 This is another factor determining the high impact cities have on biodiversity, and why high levels of biodiversity can be found in many cities, though in a much altered state. 12 Urban areas, with their highly transformed landscapes and rapid human-caused changes to local ecosystems are accepted as a major driver of biodiversity change. 17 Key anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity change are generally summarised as: i. Land-use and land cover change, including urbanisation, 18‒20 ii. Climate change, 21,22 iii. Nitrogen deposition and acid rain, 23 and iv. The introduction of invasive species to ecosystems (biotic exchange). 5,24,25 Cities contribute to each of these drivers (Figure 1). The impact of biodiversity on people in cities Just as people impact biodiversity, so too does biodiversity loss impact on people in terms of increased climate changes, decreased resilience to changes, and reduced quality or quantity of ecosystem services. Conversely, increased urban biodiversity can have positive consequences in cities. 13 Biodiversity-human interactions can be complex and indirect particularly in urban settings, 8 and the biodiversity-human impacts ield of enquiry is still developing. 14,26 Despite this, research indicates that urban biodiversity has clear impacts on: a. Human physical health, 27,28 b. Human psychological health, 29,30 c. Societal and cultural health, 14,31 and d. Economic health and stability. 25,32 Figure 2 illustrates some of these relationships. Incorporation of biodiversity into cities through ecosystem services provision Ecosystems services analysis (ESA) is a means by which the concept of ecosystem services is speciically applied to urban areas. ESA was developed to quantitatively measure past and current ecosystem services provision on a given site (predominantly cities) in order to compare these igures and determine site speciic design or policy goals that are based on the healthy ecological functioning of the site. 33 The impetus behind developing ESA was that one way to reduce or to reverse the negative ecological impact of the built environment may be to create or re-design cities so that they provide, integrate with, or support ecosystem services, and therefore reduce pressure on both local and distant ecosystems and biodiversity pressures. Biodiversity Int J. 2018;2(4):357‒360. 357 © 2018 Zari. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially. The importance of urban biodiversity – an ecosystem services approach Volume 2 Issue 4 - 2018 Maibritt Pedersen Zari School of Architecture,Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Correspondence: Maibritt Pedersen Zari, School of Architecture,Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, CBD, Wellington 6011, New Zealand, Tel +64 4 4636901, Email maibritt.pedersen@vuw.ac.nz Received: July 19, 2018 | Published: August 07, 2018 Abstract Background: Biodiversity loss is an urgent global problem that is both caused by and has impacts on humans. Because most humans now live in cities there is a need to understand how cities impact biodiversity and how urban biodiversity impacts people. Ways of integrating biodiversity concerns into urban planning and architectural design are urgently needed. This mini review communicates the basis of a developing design and policy making strategy for urban environments that is based on an ecosystem services model. Keywords: urban biodiversity, ecosystem services, regenerative design, cities, habitat provision Biodiversity International Journal Mini Review Open Access