The novelty of the book is a strong focus on perception, perspectives and prediction by scientists with profound insight into the ecology of ecosystems or into human demands and activity. The challenge is to bridge from empirical data and the knowledge of the past to the possibilities of the performance in the future. We assume that there is scope for more cooperation between the fields of ecology and practical philosophy or other social sciences in organising ecosystems and shaping the cultural future of humankind, and that such collaboration should be accorded considerably more priority. This book deals with environmental processes seen within a framework of the nature of ecosystems and human cultures. The future of the environment, the development of ecosystems and effective nature conservation management are the essentials of this book. Human nature and culture, and in particular their interactions, are interpreted as a set of rules and as given. The aim is not only to assess the significance of human influence on species composition and biodiversity but also to weigh up the subsequent potentials for action. In this book we will analyze the problems independently of one another, even if they are interconnected. This book focuses on perspectives and prognoses for the impacts of anthropogenic activity on ecosystems and thus on species conservation. Its goal is to improve assessments of the impacts of human activity on the environment. We are aware that prognoses have very often proven to be false. It is difficult to impossible to be able to predict with precision how evolution and ecosystems will change in future under anthropogenic influence. This strengthens our resolve to attempt to retain the highest possible degree of scientific integrity and professionalism and not to shy away from expressing the uncertainty of our own ideas and prognoses. We venture prognoses in this book and we will fail. However, we hope that we will be wrong on the right side.

This volume does not aim at merely adding to the vast and increasing number of individual publications on `biodiversity'. Rather it is our objective to investigate biodiversity on the previously little studied coenosis and landscape levels. Phytosociological and animal-ecological fields are considered, as well as theoretical approaches to biodiversity and aspects of its application in nature and landscape protection and preservation. Since biodiversity has so far been predominantly studied in the Anglo-American area, it seemed to be of value to discuss this complex topic from a central and southern European viewpoint, based on data gathered in these regions, and thus to promote a global discussion.

How will biodiversity loss affect ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services, and human well-being? In an age of accelerating biodiversity loss, this timely and critical volume summarizes recent advances in biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research and explores the economics of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The book starts by summarizing the development of the basic science and provides a meta-analysis that quantitatively tests several biodiversity and ecosystem functioning hypotheses. It then describes the natural science foundations of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning research including: quantifying functional diversity, the development of the field into a predictive science, the effects of stability and complexity, methods to quantify mechanisms by which diversity affects functioning, the importance of trophic structure, microbial ecology, and spatial dynamics. Finally, the book takes research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning further than it has ever gone into the human dimension, describing the most pressing environmental challenges that face humanity and the effects of diversity on: climate change mitigation, restoration of degraded habitats, managed ecosystems, pollination, disease, and biological invasions. However, what makes this volume truly unique are the chapters that consider the economic perspective. These include a synthesis of the economics of ecosystem services and biodiversity, and the options open to policy-makers to address the failure of markets to account for the loss of ecosystem services; an examination of the challenges of valuing ecosystem services and, hence, to understanding the human consequences of decisions that neglect these services; and an examination of the ways in which economists are currently incorporating biodiversity and ecosystem functioning research into decision models for the conservation and management of biodiversity. A final section describes new advances in ecoinformatics that will help transform this field into a globally predictive science, and summarizes the advancements and future directions of the field. The ultimate conclusion is that biodiversity is an essential element of any strategy for sustainable development.

Rapid depletion and degradation of species in diverse ecosystems and the implications of this for human welfare have the cause for increasing concern. Biodiversity or variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes of which they are a part, is essential for ensuring the basic ecological services and resources necessary for sustaining human welfare. The loss of biodiversity is therefore, considered one of the most serious problem threatening the world today. An understanding of the ecological implications of the increasing loss of bodiversity, not to mention of the economic implications, has therefore, became vital. A biodiversity loss is irreversible. A calls for increased caution in our efforts to convert and exploit natural resources. Some minimal level of biodiversity is necessary to main ecological functioning, which in turn is necessary for generating the biological resources on which human welfare depends. Needless to emphasive that substantial biodiversity loss occurs due to forest clearing and degradation, leading to the need for assessing biodiversity in different ecosystems. Keeping these aspects in mind, the present volume highlights biodiversity in different cropping systems besides that the impact of cold and hot deserts. Selection of the topics in the various chapters is essentially because of the experience of the authors in the field of biodiversity.

Increasing domination of ecosystems by humans is steadily transforming them into depauperate systems. How will this loss of biodiversity affect the functioning and stability of natural and managed ecosystems? This work provides comprehensive coverage of empirical and theoretical research.

Quantitative models are increasingly being used to assess the impact of socioeconomic development pathways on biodiversity and environmental services. Regardless of the scenario, the decline of biodiversity will continue throughout the 21st century. Land-use changes drive biodiversity changes in terrestrial systems, while overfishing drives changes in marine systems, and climate change affects all realms. The loss of habitats will lead to local population decreases, and global extinctions will occur at unpredictable rates due to the lag between environmental changes and their effects. To address this, we need to focus more on the relationship between the decline of ecosystem services and the position of species responsible for that function in the trophic hierarchy. Perspectives on Global Biodiversity Scenarios and Environmental Services in the 21st Century makes biodiversity scenarios understandable, relevant, and valuable to stakeholders by using effective language and focused communication techniques. Instead of merely showing the potential effects of global change on biodiversity, scenarios should consider the feedback connecting environmental forces. Biodiversity provides numerous essential environmental services crucial to human well-being both now and in the future. The climate is a critical component of ecosystem functioning and directly and indirectly affects human health. The target audience includes biology and environmental science students and faculty, scientists, social workers who generate and collaborate on biodiversity scenarios, policymakers, and corporations with a basic science understanding.

The current world biodiversity consists of an inestimable amount of living forms, that at all levels, from genes to biomes, from individuals to populations, from species to communities, are in constant pursuit of the best strategies to react to the natural and anthropic environmental changes. The arrangement of new and dynamic ecosystems balanced by the formation and the vanishing of species, is the direct consequence of these changes. This book contains comprehensive overviews and original studies focused on ecological and ecosystem functioning studies, hazards and conservation management, assessment of environmental variables affecting species diversity, also considering species richness and distribution, in order to identify the best management strategies to face and solve the conservation problems.

This book presents a comprehensive overview and analysis of mangrove ecological processes, structure, and function at the local, biogeographic, and global scales and how these properties interact to provide key ecosystem services to society. The analysis is based on an international collaborative effort that focuses on regions and countries holding the largest mangrove resources and encompasses the major biogeographic and socio-economic settings of mangrove distribution. Given the economic and ecological importance of mangrove wetlands at the global scale, the chapters aim to integrate ecological and socio-economic perspectives on mangrove function and management using a system-level hierarchical analysis framework. The book explores the nexus between mangrove ecology and the capacity for ecosystem services, with an emphasis on thresholds, multiple stressors, and local conditions that determine this capacity. The interdisciplinary approach and illustrative study cases included in the book will provide valuable resources in data, information, and knowledge about the current status of one of the most productive coastal ecosystem in the world.

The world relies on very few crop and animal species for agriculture and to supply its food needs. In recent decades, there has been increased appreciation of the risk this implies for food security and quality, especially in times of environmental change. As a result, agricultural biodiversity has moved to the top of research and policy agendas. This Handbook presents a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge of agricultural biodiversity in a series of specially commissioned chapters. It draws on multiple disciplines including plant and animal genetics, ecology, crop and animal science, food studies and nutrition, as well as social science subjects which explore the socio-economic, cultural, institutional, legal and policy aspects of agricultural biodiversity. It focuses not only on the core requirements to deliver a sustainable agriculture and food supply, but also highlights the additional ecosystem services provided by a diverse and resilient agricultural landscape and farming practices. The book provides an indispensable reference textbook for a wide range of courses in agriculture, ecology, biodiversity conservation and environmental studies.