Table of Contents
Editor's Foreword vii
1 Introduction 1
2 A Planet Full Of Life 7
Recording Biodiversity 7
What Is Biodiversity? 11
Species And Diversity Of Species 12
How Many Species Live On The Earth? 18
Tropical Species Richness 21
The Ecology Of Diversity 25
The Development Of Species Variety 31
Does Warmth Create Species Richness? 39
Species Richness Over Long Periods (Evolution) 43
Origins Of Species Diversity In Recent Geological History 46
The Purpose Of Species Diversity 52
3 Living Diversity 57
Living In Populations 57
Living In Geographical Space 64
Living With Competition 67
4 Dying And Dying Out 74
Death Carries Life Forward 74
Local And Regional Extinction 80
Species Extinction 87
5 Endangering Diversity 94
Loss Of Land Area 94
Loss Of Special Habitats 104
Overfertilization 109
Threats Posed By Alien Species 113
Persecution 121
6 Rescuing Biodiversity 127
Cities: The Great Unplanned Experiment 127
Nature Reserves: Islands Of Refuge? 134
Remarkable Successes 140
Why Protection? 154
A Future For Biodiversity - Or No Future? 165
Glossary 171
References 180
