This series of topic books is suitable for students studying a wide range of biological subjects at advanced level, or as part of a vocational course. The series brings together topics that are now part of A-level courses, but which are seldom covered in sufficient depth in traditional textbooks. Biodiversity, first published in 1997, studies the great diversity of organisms which occur on Earth. It addresses how global diversity has evolved and how it is monitored. The text also considers how biodiversity can be maintained under present day threats such as global climate change, pollution and increasing human populations.