The current rate and magnitude of biodiversity loss is so great that we are in the midst of the Earth's sixth mass extinction (Turvey and Crees, 2019). The unsustainable consumption of resources by humans is directly and indirectly responsible for losses to not only the taxonomic, but also the functional, phylogenetic, and genetic dimensions of biodiversity (MA, 2005). Because of the consistent causal relationships between human activities and biodiversity loss, a prevailing paradigm has been that human societal development is diametrically opposed to biodiversity conservation.

However, recent work, summarized in the latest Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report, indicates that the United Nations’ (UN) global sustainable development goals (UN, 2015) can be addressed while simultaneously conserving biodiversity (IPBES, 2019). To realize these win–win scenarios, business‐as‐usual practices need a transformational overhaul to more sustainable activities that are biodiversity friendly, yet this IPBES report implies that biodiversity and human development need not always be at odds. Furthermore, the report indicates that reaching sustainable development goals may be undermined by the erosion of biodiversity (IPBES, 2019). Meaning, biodiversity—explicitly a diversity of life forms—is essential for the efficiency in resource production and waste removal that is the foundation of sustainable development. Under this paradigm, biodiversity shifts from a casualty of human development to an essential ingredient in the sustainable development of human societies. From a conservation standpoint especially, it is appealing to view biodiversity as a savior for humankind; however, major research questions remain regarding how and under what circumstances biodiversity contributes to sustainability.

In this essay, I assert that the mechanistic links between biodiversity and sustainability need to be explored, especially in the context of urban landscapes. Due to high human population densities and resource demands, urban landscapes are a critical location for researching sustainable development solutions that fulfill societal needs without overexploiting resources (Elmqvist et al., 2019). Yet, studies investigating the contribution of biodiversity to sustainability in urban landscapes are scant, possibly due to a perception of cities as being species‐poor (Lepczyk et al., 2017). By exploring biodiversity–sustainability relationships in the unique conditions presented by urban landscapes, we can get closer to reaching the UN's global sustainable development goals.

当前生物多样性丧失的速度和程度如此之大，以至于我们正处于地球第六次大规模灭绝之中（Turvey和Crees，2019年）。人类不可持续地消耗资源不仅直接造成生物多样性的分类，而且造成生物多样性的功能，系统发育和遗传方面的损失（MA，2005）。由于人类活动与生物多样性丧失之间始终存在因果关系，因此一种流行的范例是，人类社会发展与生物多样性保护截然相反。

但是，最新的政府间科学政策平台生物多样性和生态系统服务（IPBES）报告中总结的最新工作表明，可以在保护生物多样性的同时实现联合国（UN）的全球可持续发展目标（UN，2015）。 IPBES，2019年）。为了实现这些双赢的情景，一切照旧的做法需要进行一次彻底的改革，以进行更加可持续的，有利于生物多样性的活动，但是该IPBES报告暗示，生物多样性和人类发展不一定总是矛盾的。此外，该报告指出，生物多样性受到侵蚀可能会破坏实现可持续发展目标的目标（IPBES，2019）。意思是，生物多样性-明确地是多种生命形式-对于资源生产和废物清除的效率至关重要，这是可持续发展的基础。在这种范式下，生物多样性从人类发展的伤亡转变为人类社会可持续发展的重要组成部分。特别是从保护的角度来看，将生物多样性视为人类的救世主是有吸引力的。然而，关于生物多样性如何以及在何种情况下有助于可持续发展仍存在主要研究问题。

在本文中，我认为需要探索生物多样性与可持续性之间的机械联系，尤其是在城市景观的背景下。由于人口密度高和资源需求高，城市景观是研究满足社会需求而又不会过度开发资源的可持续发展解决方案的重要场所（Elmqvist et al。，2019）。然而，关于城市景观中生物多样性对可持续发展的贡献的研究很少，这可能是由于人们认为城市物种贫乏（Lepczyk et al。，2017）。通过在城市景观所呈现的独特条件下探索生物多样性与可持续性之间的关系，我们可以更接近实现联合国的全球可持续发展目标。