The study looked at how different species of animals and plants change as you move along a river in an urban area. They found that aquatic animals are more affected by how close they are to each other in the river, while land animals and plants are more influenced by the environment around them. Birds and some plants are still affected by how close they are in the river, even when you take the environment into account. Overall, being connected along the river is important for both water and land animals and plants.