ABSTRACT

Biodiversity may refer to the diversity of genes, species or ecosystems in general. These varying concepts of biodiversity occasionally lead to conflicts among researchers and policy makers, as each of them require a customized type of protection strategy. This book addresses the questions surrounding the merits of conserving an existing situation, evolutionary development or the intentional substitution of one genome, species or ecosystem for another. Any practical steps towards the protection of biodiversity demand a definition of that which is to be protected and, in turn, the motivations for protecting biodiversity. Is biodiversity a necessary model which is also useful, or does it carry intrinsic value? Debates like this are particularly complex when interested parties address it from different conceptual and moral perspectives. Comprised of three parts, each complemented by a short introductory paragraph, this collection presents a variety of approaches to this challenge.

The chapters cover the perspectives of environmental scientists with expertise in evolutionary, environmental biology, systematic zoology and botany, as well as those of researchers with expertise in philosophy, ethics, politics, law and economics. This combination facilitates a truly interdisciplinary debate by highlighting hitherto unacknowledged implications that inform current academic and political debates on biodiversity and its protection. The book should be of interest to students and researchers of environment studies, biodiversity, environmental philosophy, ethics and management.

chapter |17 pages

Biodiversity as an ethical concept

An introduction

part I|128 pages

Concepts and values

chapter 1|16 pages

The necessity for biodiversity research

We are responsible for the quality of life of coming generations

chapter 3|18 pages

Biodiversity

A methodological reconstruction of some fundamental misperception

chapter 4|26 pages

Framing biodiversity

The case of ‘invasive alien species'

chapter 5|21 pages

Community-level biodiversity

An inquiry into the ecological and cultural background and practical consequences of opposing concepts

chapter 6|12 pages

Ethics of nature and biodiversity

chapter 7|15 pages

The values of biodiversity

Philosophical considerations connecting theory and practice

part III|106 pages

Challenges and chances

chapter 13|25 pages

Biodiversity hotspots

Concepts, applications and challenges

chapter 14|17 pages

Whose biodiversity is it?

Challenges in managing migratory species

chapter 15|13 pages

Facing the biodiversity challenge

Plant endemism as an appropriate biodiversity indicator

chapter 17|13 pages

Nature's chemical treasure trove

Biodiversity and pharmaceuticals