Biodiversity

The term "biodiversity" is a short form of "biological diversity" that gained widespread currency in the 1980s. The establishment of the American "National Forum on BioDiversity" in 1986 played a major role in this context. Its modern spelling was introduced by Edward O. Wilson in 1988.

The term and concept of biodiversity bore a normative character from the beginning, especially at the environmental protection conferences of the UNCED; they do not describe a solely scientific phenomenon but, moreover, encompass the environmental and political appeal of their conservation. The goal of establishing this concept was to underline the political necessity of protection and conservation measures as well as to unify the different and partly contradicting scientific approaches to the variability among living organisms by way of the broader concept of biodiversity. Biodiversity, thus, has to be understood always as both a biological and a normative, protection-oriented concept. 

On the concept of biodiversity:

Piechocki, R. (2007): "Biodiversität" – Zur Entstehung und Tragweite eines neuen Schlüsselbegriffs. In: Potthast, Thomas (Bearb.): Biodiversität - Schlüsselbegriff des Naturschutzes im 21. Jahrhundert. (Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt, 48). Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, 11–24.

General literature on biodiversity (selection):

Eser, Uta (2003): Biodiversität zwischen Wissenschaft, Politik und Ethik. In: Bobbert, Monika / Düwell, Marcus / Jax, Kurt (Hg.): Umwelt - Ethik - Recht. Tübingen, Basel: Francke Verlag, 160–181.

Hamilton, Lawrence S. (Hg.) (1993): Ethics, Religion and Biodiversity. Relations between Conservation and Cultural Values. Cambridge: White Horse Press. 

Janich, Peter / Gutmann, Mathias / Prieß, Kathrin (2001): Biodiversität. Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen und gesellschaftliche Relevanz. (Wissenschaftsethik und Technikfolgenabschätzung; Bd. 10). Berlin u.a.: Springer.

Lanzerath, Dirk / Mutke, Jens / Barthlott, Wilhelm / Baumgärtner, Stefan / Becker, Christian / Spranger, Tade M. (2008): Biodiversität. Ethik in den Biowissenschaften - Sachstandsberichte des DRZE, Bd.5. Freiburg i. Br.: Karl Alber. 

Oksanen, Markku / Pietarinen, Juhani (eds.) (2004): Philosophy and Biodiversity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Potthast, Thomas. (Bearb.) (2007): Biodiversität - Schlüsselbegriff des Naturschutzes im 21. Jahrhundert. (Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt, 48). Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz.

Shiva, Vandana (2001): Biodiversität. Plädoyer für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung. Bern: Haupt.

Streit, Bruno (2007): Was ist Biodiversität? Erforschung, Schutz und Wert biologischer Vielfalt. München: Beck. 

Wilson, Edward O. (1988) (Hg.): Biodiversity. Washington: National Academy Press.
 
 

 
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