First used in 1980, "biodiversity" often describes the abundance, variety, and genetic constitution of native animals and plants, and has been linked with politics and environmental technology. Although the 1986 National forum on biodiversity brought issues of biodiversity to the fore, the inescapable need to know more about the diversity of life on Earth continues to remain unmet. In recent years, biodiversity has influenced important scientific considerations, international agreements, conventions, conservation initiatives, political debates, and socio-economic implications. Knowledge derived from the study of biodiversity will affect the quality of life enjoyed in the future by influencing decision-making processes and aiding new discoveries. The science of biodiversity has become the science of our future. Our awareness of the loss of biodiversity has brought a long overdue appreciation of the magnitude of our loss and a determination to develop the tools to protect our future. "The Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, 2/e" has been updated to provide a timely study of the dimensions of diversity. It examines the services biodiversity provides, and the measures in which to protect it. Major themes of the work include the evolution of biodiversity, systems for classifying and defining biodiversity, ecological patterns and theories of biodiversity, and an assessment of contemporary patterns and trends in biodiversity. This Revised edition includes over 100 new articles and 226 updated articles covering this multidisciplinary field - from evolution to habits to economics. The editors for this second edition are all well respected, instantly recognizable academics operating at the top of their respective fields in biodiversity research. Readers can be assured that they are reading material that has been meticulously checked and reviewed by experts. Approximately 1,000 figures and tables complement the text, and more than 3,000 glossary entries explain key terms.