The concept of biodiversity should be an expression of life which includes variability of all life forms and their organization and interrelationships from the molecular to the biosphere level, which includes cultural diversity. Biodiversity includes all forms of life and all areas that are home to natural and domesticated life forms. The threats to biodiversity are threats to all components of it; hence fragmented treatment of biodiversity must be rejected. Biodiversity is a concept which occurs at the balance between the spiritual understanding that, life is one and the scientific understanding that the diversity of life is interconnected. Biodiversity and its decline; Understanding biodiversity; Taxonomic diversity; Ecological restoration; Phylogeny and historical reconstruction; Information management for biodiversity; Tropical sustainable development; Taxonomic preparedness; Butterfly diversity; Biodiversity in Neotropical primates; Evolution of bowerbirds; Human-caused extinction of birds; Multiple environmental stresses; Rapid gene discovery technology; Assessment of character sets from gene sequences; Tropical forest beetles; Resources in living collection; Establishing research; Museums and research collections; Convention on biodiversity etc. are the themes under which authoritative information is gathered. This book will prove a dependable reference tool to academics, policy planners, administrators and various NGO's working in the field.

In the field of biotechnology there is a seamless flow of basic research becoming directly applicable to humankind. Considering the enormous biodiversity and biological wealth in this country, basic research and modern biology, product oriented research for new generation of vaccines, diagnostics, recombinant products and other byproducts specially the eco-friendly technologies would be the priority agenda for the next millennium. An integrated biotechnological approach has been adopted for biodiversity conservation, germplasm characterization, and treatment of industrial effluent, waste treatment and conversion to useful products.

A veritable mine of information, this work contains vivid description of a numbe4 of vital issues like-biotech process development; biotech facilities; waste water treatment; control of industrial pollution; control of air pollution; Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (1979); principles of pollution control etc. The contents will enrich the basic knowledge of readers in many dimensions.

Pollution can be defined as an undesirable change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the air, water, or land that can harmfully affect health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms. Not only does that according to this definition pollution not have to cause physical harm.

Environmental pollution in its present state is classified in this book. Along with a general introduction, air pollution; water pollution; noise pollution; marine pollution; nuclear pollution; etc. are the contents which present a competent analysis of these issues.

Ecology is the study of the inter-relationships within ecosystems. The environment devoted crop plants is the agro ecosystem, where both animals and plants in the area are directly or indirectly influenced by each other. Ecosystems are not closed systems because there is always an interflow of matter and energy between adjacent ecosystems. The principle of the ecosystem has also brought forth very clearly that the 'whole' is more than the 'sum of its parts'. The interdependence of the organism and the environment must provide the minimum requirements and nothing that is lethal.

Well-researched and informative readings are compiled in this book. General introduction; Community ecology; Community structure; Niche concept; Community development; Ecosystem ecology; Man and environment etc. are the major themes elaborately explained.