Introduction.
1 Brief history of a concept: why be concerned with
biological diversity?
1.1 What does ?biodiversity refer to?
1.2 The origins of the Convention on Biological Diversity and
what is at stake.
1.3 What is changing?
2 Biological diversity: what do we know?
2.1 The classification of living organisms ? underlying
principles.
2.2 The inventory of species.
2.3 Systematics, computer technology and the internet.
2.4 measuring biological diversity.
2.5 The geographic distribution of biological diversity.
3 The mechanisms at work in the diversification of
life.
3.1 What is life?
3.2 Origins and dynamics of intra- and interspecific genetic
diversity.
3.3 How are species born?
3.4 Extinctions.
3.5 Adaptation: a fundamental property of living organisms.
3.6 Major stages in the diversification of the living world.
3.7 Is the evolution of life predetermined?
4 The species richness of natural communities as a result of
e quilibrium/non-equilibrium processes.
4.1 Theories of equilibrium based on interspecific
relationships.
4.2 Theories of succession.
4.3 The dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems and the role of
disturbances.
4.4 Spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability.
4.5 Are ecological communities governed by niche-assembly or
dispersal- assembly rules?
5 Biological diversity and the functioning of ecological
systems.
5.1 Biological diversity: a dynamic system.
5.2 The ecosystem approach.
5.3 Functions of species within ecosystems.
5.4 Hypotheses on the role of species in ecosystem
functioning.
5.5 Neighbourhood relationships between species.
5.6 Food webs and trophic chains.
5.7 The diversity of species and biological production.
5.8 Biological diversity and the ?stability? of
ecosystems.
5.9 The role of biological diversity in biochemical cycles.
5.10 The role of biological communities.
5.11 Biological diversity and the dynamics of the biosphere
6 The dynamics of biological diversity and the consequences
of human activities.
6.1 Paleoenvironments and biological diversity.
6.2 Humankind and the erosion of biological diversity.
6.3 Human activities and the dynamics of biological
diversity
7 The dynamics of biological diversity and implications for
human health.
7.1 The complexity of host?parasite relationships.
7.2 Emerging pathologies.
7.3 Environmental change, biological diversity and human
health.
7.4 The growing virulence of viral diseases.
7.5 Adaptive strategies of pathogenic agents and their
vectors.
7.6 Substances of medical interest and biological diversity
8 Genetic resources and biotechnology.
8.1 The domestication of nature: an old story.
8.2 Genetic diversity and domestication: creating and selecting
?useful? species.
8.3 The management and diversity of genetic resources.
8.4 The biotechnological revolution and genetically modified
organisms.
8.5 Property rights and the commercialization of living
things.
8.6 Patents on life: an open debate
9 ?Useful? nature: the value and use of
biological diversity.
9.1 Benefits and services provided by ecosystems.
9.2 Theoretical bases for assessing the economic value of
biological diversity.
9.3 Putting a price on biological diversity.
9.4 Uses for biological diversity.
A conclusion of sorts.
References and further reading.
Index.
