biodiversity threatened, City growth destroys natural areas flowing with new and endangered animal and plant life. No matter how small, each species plays an important role in how the Earth works. Without this variation in life, humans suffer. Biodiversity protects water and soil from contamination, stores and recycles nutrients, breaks down and absorbs pollutants and helps areas to recover faster from disasters. Biodiversity also provides people with medicine, food and air. Urbanization limits our access to these resources.