97th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America

Biodiversity, is generally thought of by most as the number and variety of organisms on earth. Few include the other two aspects of the more comprehensive definition which requires the inclusion and consideration of both genetics and ecosystems. All three aspects are essential for the broadest consideration of life on earth. Species population declines and mass extinctions have always been part of the natural process; however, observations made over the last few decades have made it clear that these dynamics are quite out of the ordinary. Moreover, it now appears that one species, Homo sapiens, is at the center of these changes and massive alteration to natural ecosystems is being felt around the world. Thus, at no other time in human history has it become more important than the present to better understand and sustain the ecosystems in which we live. To preserve biological diversity (ecosystems, species, and genes) we need to focus on informed, sustainable utilization at the landscape scale.