The increasing loss of biodiversity through the deterioration of nature and eradication of animal and plant species by man has threatening and, in part, obvious consequences. Ecologists and population biologists deal with various aspects of the topic. In particular, the meaning of biodiversity for the functioning of an ecosystem is treated.

Section A: Ecosystem Function.- 1 Biological Diversity and Terrestrial Ecosystem Biogeochemistry.- 2 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Agricultural Systems.- 3 Biodiversity and Interactions Within Pelagic Nutrient Cycling and Productivity.- Section B: Functional Groups.- 4 Functional Groups of Microorganisms.- 5 Plant Traits and Adaptive Strategies: Their Role in Ecosystem Function.- 6 Scaling from Species to Vegetation: The Usefulness of Functional Groups.- Section C: Species Interaction.- 7 Evolution of Functional Groups in Basidiomycetes (Fungi).- 8 The Role of Parasites in Plant Populations and Communities.- 9 Plant-Microbe Mutualisms and Community Structure.- 10 The Evolution of Interactions and Diversity in Plant- Insect Systems: The Urophora-Eurytoma Food Web in Galls on Palearctic Cardueae.- Section D: Community Interactions.- 11 Keystone Species.- 12 Redundancy in Ecosystems.- 13 How Many Species Are Required for a Functional Ecosystem?.- 14 Rare and Common Plants in Ecosystems, with Special Reference to the South-west Australian Flora.- 15 Community Diversity and Succession: The Roles of Competition, Dispersal, and Habitat Modification.- Section E: Ecosystem Integrity.- 16 Biodiversity and the Balance of Nature.- 17 Biodiversity and Function of Grazing Ecosystems.- 18 Resource Supply and Disturbance as Controls over Present and Future Plant Diversity.- 19 Ecosystem Stability, Competition, and Nutrient Cycling.- 20 Modelling Biodiversity: Latitudinal Gradient of Forest Species Diversity.- 21 Functional Aspects of Landscape Diversity: A Bavarian Example.- Section F: Industrial Analogy and Policy.- 22 Biodiversity Issues in Computing: A Study of Networked Computer Viruses.- 23 Biodiversity and Policy Decisions.- 24 Ecosystem Function of Biodiversity: A Summary.- Species Index.