Biological diversity : the coexistence of species on changing landscapes (Paper
The Coexistence of Species

The key to preserving and managing biodiversity is understanding which processes are important at different scales, and how changes affect different components of biodiversity. In this book, existing theories on diversity are synthesised into a logical framework. Global and landscape-scale patterns of biodiversity are described in the first section. In the second, the spatial and temporal dynamics of diversity are emphasised. The third section develops an integrated set of mechanistic explanations for diversity patterns at the levels of population, community, ecosystem and landscape. Finally, case studies examine diversity patterns in marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the effects of biological invasions. The book concludes with a discussion of the economics of preserving biological diversity. This book will interest research workers and students of ecology, biology and conservation.

1. Introduction, Part I. Raw Materials and Tools: 2. General patterns of species diversity, 3. The assessment of species diversity, Part II. Theories of Species Diversity: Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium: 4. Equilibrium processes and the maintenance of landscape-scale species diversity, 5. Non-equilibrium processes and the maintenance of local species diversity, Part III. Mechanisms that Regulate Biological Diversity at Various Spatial and Temporal Scales: 6. Diversity within populations, 7. Individual properties and the structure of communities and ecosystems, 8. Landscape patterns: disturbance and diversity, 9. Landscape patterns: succession and temporal change, 10. Landscape patterns: gradients and zonation, Part IV. Case Studies: Patterns and Hypotheses: 11. Case studies: endemism and invasions, 12. Case studies: species diversity in marine ecosystems, 13. Case studies: species diversity in fire-influenced ecosystems, 14. Case studies: species diversity in tropical rain forests, 15. Concluding comments: the economics of biological diversity.