Australia's Biodiversity (#262 in Issues In Society Series)

Publisher Description

Biodiversity is usually explored at three levels which work together to create the complexity of life on our planet ¿ genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. It is estimated that there are 13.6 million species of plants, animals and micro-organisms on Earth. Australia has about one million of these ¿ over 7% of the world's total and more than twice the number of species in Europe and North America combined. As a developed nation, Australia has a special responsibility for biodiversity conservation and management. Of global concern are the environmental threats of loss of habitat and loss of species caused by greenhouse pollution, climate change, extinction and overpopulation. Current biodiversity conservation practice clearly acknowledges that it is far more efficient to conserve whole ecosystems which encompass biodiversity at all levels, rather than focus on a few highly visible and popular species in isolation. What are the features of Australia's biodiversity and what are we currently doing to conserve it for future generations? Can we achieve ecological sustainability? Chapter 1: Understanding Biodiversity Chapter 2: Biodiversity Conservation Glossary; Facts and Figures; Additional Resources; Index