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Perspectives on Biodiversity. Valuing Its Role in an Everchanging World,
National Research Council. National Academy Press, 1999. 168 p., $37 paper.
The National Research Council's Commission on Life Sciences was charged with examining "how current scientific knowledge about the economic and noneconomic value of biodiversity can best be applied in management of biological resources." The result is a useful book that, in addition to covering biodiversity value, is an excellent primer on biodiversity in general. After the brief introduction, the second chapter effectively reviews facets of biodiversity, including measures of diversity, endemism and diversity across space, biologically based ranking and rating methods, and a host of other natural science aspects. The next chapter...