This publication considers what is involved in ensuring that biodiversity contributes to improved food security. It summarizes the major challenges expected over the next 40 years and offers a perspective on the fundamental changes needed to ensure that biodiversity contributes to sustainable and productive systems.

This is the third volume in the new multi-volume set, Global Biodiversity. Each volume in this series covers the biodiversity of a selection of nations in particular regions of the world. The volumes discuss and summarize the available information on both wild and cultivated plants, wild and domesticated animals, and the variety of microbes of the different nations. This volume looks at the biodiversity of selected countries of Africa, providing a rich resource of biodiversity information on countries in different parts of Africa, including: Libya, Morocco, and Egypt in North Africa countries on the east coast, including Gabon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Togo, Senegal land-locked countries, including Burkina Faso and Zambia, countries on the west coast, including Sudan, Tanzania and South Africa With chapters written by research scientists and conservationists, the book covers geographical status, ecosystem diversity, species diversity, genetic diversity, and conservation efforts in each selected country. The authors provide statistical data on plants, animals, and microbes of that country along with genetic diversity with the focus on crop plants/cultivated plants and domesticated animals and their wild relatives. Endangered plants and animals and protected areas are discussed. Other volumes in this series include coverage of selected countries in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Australia.

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. This book explores the gap between global commitments to biodiversity conservation, and local action to track biodiversity change and implement conservation action. High profile international political commitments to improve biodiversity conservation, such as the targets set by the Convention on Biological Diversity, require innovative and rapid responses from both science and policy. This multi-disciplinary perspective highlights barriers to conservation and offers novel solutions to evaluating trends in biodiversity at multiple scales.

The term "biodiversity" or "biological diversity" describes the variety of living beings on Earth encompassing microorganisms, plants, animals, and ecosystems, such as coral reefs, forests, and deserts. In fact, it also represents a wealth of biological resources available to us. Today, instead of exploring and preserving its unmapped biodiversity, mankind has gone away from mother nature, conquering the domain through relentless exploitation. This has resulted in an ecological imbalance and thereby has posed serious threat to biodiversity. Declining biodiversity is, therefore, a concern for countless reasons. Biodiversity’s wealth of genetic information can be conserved by storing biological material from endangered species. Cell lines, gametes, and embryos are preserved so that in case a species becomes extinct or there is a need to increase the population of the species, then cloning and artificial reproductive techniques can be used to revive and reproduce the said species. The present volume discusses the biodiversity of specific animal groups, such as cnidarians and fish, as well as potential risks to and methods for conserving some of them. The following important aspects are addressed: 1. The importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem balance for sustainability 2. The emerging role of biodiversity as a source of important materials, pharmaceuticals, food, and so on as such or through genetic manipulation to meet the contemporary and future challenges 3. The impact of environment degradation on biodiversity and conservation in a changing environment 4. Conventional and emerging biotechnological techniques to conserve biodiversity The book is intended for academics, scientists, and naturalists working in the fields of biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and biomedical sciences.

A magnificently illustrated and superbly written guide to the unique and simply astounding biodiversity of Singapore.

Debate about how best to ensure the preservation of agricultural biodiversity is caught in a counter-productive polemic between proponents and critics of market-based instruments and agricultural modernization. However, it is argued in this book that neither position does justice to the range of strategies that farmers use to manage agrobiodiversity and other livelihood assets as they adapt to changing social, economic, and environmental circumstances.

‘Biodiversity’ at its simplest, refers to the variety of species inhabiting Planet Earth. It is essential to the well-being of the planet. There is now a scientific consensus around the current ongoing crisis in biodiversity arising from both climate change and human activities. Experts believe we are in the middle of a mass extinction of biodiversity with devastating consequences for our planet. Accounting for Biodiversity explores the need for companies to actively protect, conserve and improve biodiversity within their sphere of operation. The 14 chapters written by a selected team of experts investigate the ways in which companies are embracing their responsibility through a variety of biodiversity initiatives and innovative models designed to improve the recording, reporting and valuing of biodiversity. Global case studies look at biodiversity accounting in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and South America. Overall, this book provides a comprehensive set of reflections on accounting for biodiversity and recommendations for the future. This book is essential reading for all those interested in the contribution that accounting can make to the preservation of biodiversity. As we see increasing awareness of the importance of sustainability and ecological responsibility in business activity it is relevant and should prove informative to students, managers, accountants and those in business more generally. It is also important for all those interested in conserving biodiversity.