Biocultural diversity (BCD), denoting the ‘inextricable link’ between biological and cultural diversity, has traditionally highlighted the coevolution between highly biodiverse regions and the ethnic–linguistic diversity of indigenous communities. Recently, European researchers have relaunched BCD as a conceptual foundation for urban greenspace planning capable of overcoming challenges of the ecosystem services paradigm. However, the methodological foundation for this particular approach to ‘urban BCD’ is still in its infancy, obscuring precisely how the framework is an advancement for studying different urban residents’ experience of and connectedness to nature and biodiversity. In this paper, we further develop the urban BCD concept by using the culturally and biologically diverse city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as a ‘critical case’. First, we employ qualitative field methods to investigate manifestations of human–nature relationships in the favela (informal settlement) of Rocinha and the neighbouring Tijuca Forest. Second, we reflect on how the urban BCD framework and methodology emphasise i) interrelationships, ii) varied group values and iii) participation, and iv) are sensitising and reflexive. Our findings challenge the ‘usual’ narrative about favelas as places of environmental degradation and disaster risk, revealing BCD and nature connectedness that are as related to popular culture, fitness ideals and citizen-building, as to traditional livelihoods and spiritual beliefs. Departing from interrelationships, BCD can portray aspects that a narrow focus on ‘services’ and ‘disservices’ cannot, but attention should be paid to how operationalisation risks perpetuating ecosystem services thinking. Nevertheless, we identify promising avenues for its use in highly diverse cities with unequal access to natural areas.

生物文化多样性（BCD）表示生物多样性和文化多样性之间的“不可分割的联系”，传统上强调了高度生物多样性地区与土著社区的族裔语言多样性之间的共同演变。最近，欧洲研究人员重新启动了BCD，将其作为城市绿地规划的概念基础，能够克服生态系统服务范式的挑战。但是，这种针对“城市BCD”的特殊方法的方法论基础仍处于起步阶段，这恰恰掩盖了该框架是研究不同城市居民对自然和生物多样性的体验和联系的一种进步。在本文中，我们通过将具有文化和生物多样性的巴西里约热内卢市作为“关键案例”，进一步发展城市BCD概念。首先，我们采用定性现场方法研究Rocinha和邻近的Tijuca森林的贫民窟（非正式住区）中人与自然的关系。其次，我们反思城市BCD框架和方法如何强调i）相互关系，ii）不同的群体价值和iii）参与以及iv）敏锐和反身。我们的发现挑战了关于贫民窟的“通常”叙述作为环境退化和灾害风险的场所，揭示了BCD和自然之间的联系，这些联系与流行文化，健身理想和公民建设以及传统生计和精神信仰有关。与相互关系不同，BCD可以描绘出狭focus关注“服务”和“损害”的方面，但是应该注意可操作性如何使生态系统服务思想永存。然而，我们发现在自然环境不平等的高度多样化的城市中使用它的前景广阔。