A new study analysing the impact of urbanisation on biodiversity has found that protecting green spaces and restoring plant species in cities could allow developed areas to retain their flora and fauna. The work, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, gathered lists of plants in 110 cities and lists of birds found in 54 cities from around the world. “We were interested in plants and birds that were found in all parts of the city – from buildings, roads, vacant lots, brownfields, managed green spaces, and natural green spaces – to understand how cities support biodiversity as a whole”, Dr Myla Aronson, study co-author and research scientist from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, told BBC News.