Includes bibliographical references and index.

The biodiversity controversy : an overview / Tom Arrandale -- Biodiversity helps humans appreciate the gifts of life / Frank Carpenter -- Biodiversity is important to human welfare / International Union for Conservation of Nature -- Mass species extinction poses a serious threat / Jerry Coyne and Hopi E. Hoekstra -- Mass species extinction is exaggerated / Peter Foster -- Biodiversity loss in the world's oceans threatens human well-being / Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea -- Exaggerated claims of biodiversity loss lead to poor solutions / Bjørn Lomborg -- Global warming threatens biodiversity / David A. Fahrenthold -- Global warming does not threaten biodiversity / Daniel B. Botkin -- Bioprospecting poses a threat to biodiversity and indigenous populations / Vandana Shiva -- A middle ground should be sought in bioprospecting / David A. Dickson -- A focus on at-risk biodiverse regions will reduce biodiversity loss / Yasemin Erboy -- Religious leaders should be concerned about biodiversity / Edward O. Wilson.