1994/07/29 by John L. Harper, David L. Hawksworth · 3 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Social Sciences · Environmental Science · #Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution #Environmental, Ecological, and Cultural Studies #Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
paper · doi:10.1098/rstb.1994.0081
openalex publication_date 1994/07/29 · openalex created_date 2016/07/22 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
In introducing a series of 11 papers on the measurement and estimation of biodiversity, eight crucial questions are posed: What is 'biodiversity'? Is biodiversity just the number of species in an area? If biodiversity is more than the number of species how can it be measured? Are all species of equal weight? Should biodiversity measures include infraspecific genetic variance? Do some species contribute more than others to the biodiversity of an area? Are there useful indicators of areas where biodiversity is high? And can the extent of biodiversity in taxonomic groups be estimated by extrapolation? In addition, the modern concept of biological diversity is attributed to Elliot R. Norse and his colleagues.