A non-profit organization with the goal of recording a complete inventory of all species on Earth within 25 years.

Biology, ecology, habitat, and status of rare, threatened and endangered species of mammals and information on their native countries: biodiversity, ecosystems, population, and land use.

Searchable database of citations on natural populations of animals, plants, and microbes.

Outlines what biodiversity is, and the three levels at which it is usually defined: genetic, species and ecosystem.

Introductory documents on understanding and conserving biodiversity.

Explores the economic dimensions of the global biodiversity agenda as reflected in the work of IUCN and the various biodiversity conventions, notably the Convention on Biological Diversity.

What is biodiversity, what threatens it, why is it important, and what are ecologists doing to better understand it? From Ecological Society of America. [PDF file]

Presents answers to common questions about biodiversity.

Comprehensive information on 25 of the world's biologically richest and most threatened ecosystems.

National Academy of Sciences report (1996) addresses new strategies and techniques for quantifying, understanding, and protecting biodiversity. Full text online.

Links to sites about urban biodiversity.

A branch library of the California Academy of Sciences specializing in information on biodiversity. Bibiographies, links to news and educator resources

Full text online of UNEP-WCMC series of project results.

Overview of some theoretical basics of biodiversity

Personally maintained website with information and links about several aspects of biodiversity: biological, ecological, physical, chemical, social (e.g., population growth), economical and juridical. Some links in Dutch language or of particular relevance to Netherlands.

Biological diversity: theory, patterns, ecological zones, species distributions, conservation issues, and legislation, with an emphasis on Canada. Bilingual: english/fran?ais.

International collaborative project with the goal of providing accurate scientific information and predictive models of the status of biodiversity and sustainability of the use of the Earth's biotic resources, and to build a world-wide capacity for the science of biodiversity.

Supports international conservation activities. Documents on methodology, working with NGOs, governments, communities; news, publications, photo gallery.

The Canadian Museum of Nature's quarterly magazine. Covered Canadian and international biodiversity news in science, politics, education, community and individual initiatives between 1991 and 1999.

The Global Diversity Foundation documents, monitors and promotes agricultural, biological and cultural diversity around the world, particularly through training and research.

Provides an overview of the extent to which industry in the developed world relies on the biodiversity of the developing world. (FTP site).

Overview and definitions.

Introductory notes.

Links to articles on biodiversity and species extinction.

Background papers from the World Resources Institute on social and political dimensions of environmental policy-making.

Research papers (PDF files) and project summaries related to economic and policy aspects of biodiversity protection. Topics include ecosystem valuation, endangered species laws, and habitat conservation.

Project to provide indexing and links for all known species as the baseline dataset for studies of global biodiversity.

Different definitions used by resource managers and ecologists.

An introduction to meanings associated with the term biodiversity.

Overview and definitions

Interactive maps of biodiversity and human impacts from the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.