Biodiversity

by Goldstein, Natalie

• ISBN13: 9780816082421
• ISBN10: 0816082421
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-06-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Biodiversity reveals the important role each of these life forms plays in its ecosystem as well as the irreversible and extensive consequences that would result from a massive loss of biodiversity. It explores the ecological and evolutionary processes, how these processes depend on the cohabitation of a wide range of life forms within an ecosystem, and how the existence of these diverse organisms maintains a crucial stability in the natural world. Beginning with an introduction to biodiversity, this new volume discusses its importance and history, the difficulties in maintaining it, and past and current efforts to protect ecosystems from greater destruction. It examines five specific case studies, including the United States, Indonesia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and Costa Rica, describing the current status and history of biodiversity, obstacles, and conservation efforts in the country at hand.

Author Biography

Natalie Goldstein has written numerous books for the educational market, including textbooks and teacher's guides for middle school and encyclopedias for high school. She is the author of Globalization and Free Trade and Global Warming in the Global Issues series. Foreword author Julie L. Lockwood is director of the graduate program in ecology and evolution and associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources at Rutgers University. She has published widely and is the coauthor of Avian Invasions: The Ecology and Evolution of Exotic Birds (Oxford University Press) and Invasion Ecology (Blackwell Publishing).

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
List of Maps, Tables, and Graphs	p. xi
List of Acronyms	p. xiii
At Issue
Introduction	p. 3
What Is Biodiversity	p. 5
Extinction	p. 18
The Sixth Mass Extinction	p. 25
Causes of Current Biodiversity Loss	p. 29
Is Conservation (or Preservation) Possible?	p. 52
Conclusion	p. 58
Focus on the United States	p. 67
Historical Background	p. 68
The Rise of Conservation	p. 74
Current Situation: Threats to U.S. Biodiversity	p. 90
Counterstrategies	p. 98
Global Perspectives	p. 105
Indonesia	p. 105
New Zealand	p. 112
Madagascar	p. 119
Costa Rica	p. 129
Primary Sources
United States Documents	p. 143
International Documents	p. 191
International	p. 191
Indonesia	p. 212
New Zealand	p. 214
Madagascar	p. 216
Costa Rica	p. 218
Research Tools
How to Research Biodiversity	p. 223
Book Research	p. 224
Periodicals Research	p. 224
Internet Searches	p. 226
Assessing Information	p. 229
Legal Issues	p. 232
Facts and Figures	p. 235
General	p. 235
United States	p. 248
Global Perspectives	p. 252
Key Players A to Z	p. 257
Organizations and Agencies	p. 267
Annotated Bibliography	p. 283
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology	p. 283
Biodiversity and Climate Change	p. 289
Endangered Species	p. 291
Evolution	p. 293
Extinction	p. 295
Invasive Species	p. 297
Nonprint Resources	p. 299
Web Sites and Documents	p. 303
Chronology	p. 311
Evolution of Life on Earth	p. 311
Historical Chronology	p. 316
Glossary	p. 325
Index	p. 331
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Human expansion and interference have detrimental effects as civilizations continue to encroach on previously undisturbed habitats. As a result, many species of animals and plants must struggle to survive.
Biodiversity reveals the important role each of these life forms plays in its ecosystem as well as the irreversible and extensive consequences that would result from a massive loss of biodiversity. It explores the ecological and evolutionary processes, how these processes depend on the cohabitation of a wide range of life forms within an ecosystem, and how the existence of these diverse organisms maintains a crucial stability in the natural world. Beginning with an introduction to biodiversity, this new volume discusses its importance and history, the difficulties in maintaining it, and past and current efforts to protect ecosystems from greater destruction. It examines five specific case studies, including the United States, Indonesia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and Costa Rica, describing the current status and history of biodiversity, obstacles, and conservation efforts in the country at hand.