Research and Biodiversity Proceedings go on-line
The proceedings of an electronic conference on research and biodiversity are now available on-line at: URL: http://www.gencat.es/mediamb/biodiv/proceed.htm From here the proceedings can be downloaded in pdf format. The publication includes the main conclusions and comments gathered during the first electronic conference on this topic, which aimed to identify the needs and priorities of biodiversity research in a European context. The major concerns emerging from the conference are outlined in the report and included the following questions: - What are the causes, the rate and the extent of biodiversity loss? - What are the critical thresholds for loss of biodiversity, the relative importance of different species, and the feasible options for both the monetary and non-monetary valuation of biodiversity? - How can society meet the twin objectives of biodiversity preservation and economic utilization? - What are the trends and scenarios in the evolution of the biological biodiversity and its interactions with the other ecosystem factors including the human element? Several hundred contributions to the electronic conference are compiled in this report which, the conference coordinators hope, will continue to spark debate.