A new study conducted by biologists out of the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) suggests that urban environments are altering the way plant life evolves.

The study, published [March 17] in peer-reviewed journal Science, reports that humans are constantly re-shaping the environment by building cities, which changes the way life evolves.

According to the study, the Global Urban Evolution Project analyzed white clover plant data collected by 287 scientists in 160 cities, and their surrounding rural area, across 26 countries, including in Toronto, Tokyo, Melbourne and Munich.

The scientists say they found the “clearest evidence yet” that humans in general, and more specifically the cities they build, are a “dominant force” driving the evolution of life across the world.

Scientists say the data can be used to develop strategies to better conserve rare species and help them adapt to urban environments.

Scientists note the findings can also aid in how to prevent unwanted pests and diseases from adapting to human environments.

However, the authors say this study is just the beginning.

By collecting more than 110,000 clover samples from cities and their nearby rural areas across the world, scientists have sequenced more than 2,500 clover genomes, creating a “massive dataset” that can be studied for years to come.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here.