Contents -- Editor's Foreword -- 1 Introduction -- 2 A Planet Full Of Life -- Recording Biodiversity -- What Is Biodiversity? -- Species And Diversity Of Species -- How Many Species Live On The Earth? -- Tropical Species Richness -- The Ecology Of Diversity -- The Development Of Species Variety -- Does Warmth Create Species Richness? -- Species Richness Over Long Periods (Evolution) -- Origins Of Species Diversity In Recent Geological History -- The Purpose Of Species Diversity -- 3 Living Diversity -- Living In Populations -- Living In Geographical Space -- Living With Competition -- 4 Dying And Dying Out -- Death Carries Life Forward -- Local And Regional Extinction -- Species Extinction -- 5 Endangering Diversity -- Loss Of Land Area -- Loss Of Special Habitats -- Overfertilization -- Threats Posed By Alien Species -- Persecution -- 6 Rescuing Biodiversity -- Cities: The Great Unplanned Experiment -- Nature Reserves: Islands Of Refuge? -- Remarkable Successes -- Why Protection? -- A Future For Biodiversity - Or No Future? -- Glossary -- References.