This book provides an up to date review of the methods of measuring and assessing biological diversity, together with their application.

During the last ten years the enormous global loss of biodiversity has received remarkable attention. Among the numerous approaches undertaken to stop or lessen this process, access and benefit-sharing (ABS), a market-based approach, has emerged as among the most prominent. In theory, ABS turns biodiversity and genetic resources from an open access good to a private good and creates a market for genetic resources. It internalizes the resources’ positive externalities by pricing the commercial values for research and development and makes users pay for it. Users’ benefits are shared with the resource holders and set incentives for the sustainable use and the conservation of biodiversity. Carmen Richerzhagen, however, finds that in practice there are significant questions about the effectiveness of the approach in the protection of biodiversity and about the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the commercialization. Utilizing the empirical findings of three case studies of biodiversity-providing countries - Costa Rica, the Philippines and Ethiopia - and one case study of a community of user countries, the European Union (EU), Richerzhagen examines the effectiveness of ABS through the realization of its own objectives.

This accessible and timely book provides a comprehensive overview of how to measure biodiversity. The book highlights new developments, including innovative approaches to measuring taxonomic distinctness and estimating species richness, and evaluates these alongside traditional methods such as species abundance distributions, and diversity and evenness statistics. Helps the reader quantify and interpret patterns of ecological diversity, focusing on the measurement and estimation of species richness and abundance. Explores the concept of ecological diversity, bringing new perspectives to a field beset by contradictory views and advice. Discussion spans issues such as the meaning of community in the context of ecological diversity, scales of diversity and distribution of diversity among taxa Highlights advances in measurement paying particular attention to new techniques such as species richness estimation, application of measures of diversity to conservation and environmental management and addressing sampling issues Includes worked examples of key methods in helping people to understand the techniques and use available computer packages more effectively

The most species-rich regions of the globe, the tropics, are economically the poorest. How can biologists work toward effective protection for endangered species in countries hungry for food and basic resources? And why should local people in those countries trust the advice of scientists from wealthier countries, who have broken their promises in the past and have typically shown little respect for the cultural values of others?

Covers the full spectrum of legal mechanisms available for conserving biodiversity. Part 1 discusses the scope of state powers to conserve wild species and habitats, legal mechanisms for controlling taking, procedures for listing species in need of conservation measures, mechanisms for controlling trade and the challenges of enforcement. Part 2 covers area-based conservation at local and national level, as well as in transfrontier protected areas and areas beyond national jurisdiction. It discusses public ownership, voluntary agreements, and regulatory measures and looks at a number of innovative instruments, planning controls, incentives and disincentives.

Conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of genetic resources have been priority issues for a number of countries and international organisations over the past decade. We have begun to realise that the rapid rate of development at all costs has generated forces that are threatening to destroy the very substratum of life on Earth.Biological diversity is the building block of the myriad life forms on our planet and our defence against global climate changes. Wider acceptance of this truth has given an impetus to the need for further work at political and scientific levels. However, little information is available on how to study, use and conserve our biological and genetic resources.The Commonwealth Science Council's programme on biological diversity and genetic resources attempts to redress this imbalance. Launched in 1986, this programme recognises that good policies for conservation of our genetic resources require not only public investment by a systematic approach for institutionalising the key process of such conservation. The programme supports the development of appropriate courses, documents and training materials for capacity building at the local level.This book discusses the programme and aims to contribute significantly towards establishing relevant mechanisms and developing practical action plans for conserving and sustainably using our rapidly vanishing biological diversity.