Biodiversity: Books / DVDs of interest

Within this handbook, carefully commissioned original contributions from acknowledged experts in the field address the new concepts and their applications, identify knowledge gaps and provide authoritative recommendations.

Steven C. Stearns - Edward P. Bass Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University""Spicer combines his broad understanding of biodiversity with a passion to preseve it. I recommend it to anyone concerned about biodiversity."Ahmed Djoghlaf - Assistant Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme and Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biodiversity"A stimulating, authoritative and deeply rewarding read that makes you think about the natural world in a novel way."Randal Keynes - great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin and author of 'Annie's Box: Charles Darwin, His daughter and Human Evolution.'"This is science for the general reader at its very best - clear, committed, fascinating and laser-focused on the crisis we face."

Which aspects of biodiversity are of value to the poor?
Does the relationship between biodiversity and poverty differ according to particular ecological conditions?
How do different conservation interventions vary in their poverty impacts?
How do distributional and institutional issues affect the poverty impacts of interventions?
How do broader issues such as climate change and the global economic system affect the biodiversity - poverty relationship at different scales?

As the impacts of anthropogenic activities increase in both magnitude and extent, biodiversity is coming under increasing pressure. Scientists and policy makers are frequently hampered by a lack of information on biological systems, particularly information relating to long-term trends. Such information is crucial to developing an understanding as to how biodiversity may respond to global environmental change. Knowledge gaps make it very difficult to develop effective policies and legislation to reduce and reverse biodiversity loss.

Biological Diversity provides an up-to-date, authoritative review of the methods of measuring and assessing biological diversity, together with their application. The book's emphasis is on quantifying the variety, abundance, and occurrence of taxa, and on providing objective and clear guidance for both scientists and managers. This is a fast-moving field and one that is the focus of intense research interest. However the rapid development of new methods, the inconsistent and sometimes confusing application of old ones, and the lack of consensus in the literature about the best approach, means that there is a real need for a current synthesis.

Review
'This book addresses the economic, institutional and social challenges facing scientists and policy makers in conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services that are critical for sustaining human well-being and development' CTA Spore 'What is refreshing is that although there are some examples from Europe and North America, most chapters focus on case studies from underdeveloped countries like Laos, Kenya, India, Philippines and Cameroon.' David Walton, British Ecological Society, 2010.

This book uses permaculture ideas to recommend practical approaches that can be used by government planners, extension workers and aid organizations alike. Written in accessible language and with a clear structure of chapters, the book explains a set of tactical approaches to environmental sustainability in regard to land care, local agriculture and food security in the South African villages. The tone throughout is optimistic and upbeat. People and their meaningful interaction with the land is the starting point for strategies and planning principles that address sustainable food and fuel production in the villages, to enhance the quality of life for the rural poor.

Starred Review. In 1992, the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School agreed to coordinate a massive, international scientific effort under the direction of Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist and author Chivian (Critical Condition: Human Health and the Environment) to catalog "what was known about how other species contribute to human health." The result of that extraordinary collaboration, involving more than 100 contributors, is this thorough volume, an invaluable resource for policy makers and a fascinating exploration for general readers of their hyper-connected biosphere. Species diversity, it turns out, acts as a kind of insurance policy for humans, by buffering stresses to the environment. The "mosaic of ecosystems" provide "services" (food, timber, air and water purification, waste decomposition, climate regulation) necessary for life that, due to their complexity and scale, are almost impossible to substitute. Naturally, the system is robust but vulnerable: the vultures of southern Asia, for instance, are threatened with extinction because their natural diet-carrion-has been poisoned with medicine routinely prescribed for livestock and humans. Another "service" contributed by the ecosystem is the highly useful E. coli bacteria, used in biomedical research to develop new medications and provide insight into Alzheimer's and other diseases. This book represents a landmark addition to our understanding of our ecological heritage, and the importance of preserving it. 175 color illus.