Biodiversity

<p>The term biodiversity or biological diversity describes the variety of living beings on Earth encompassing microorganisms plants animals and ecosystems such as coral reefs forests and deserts. In fact it also represents a wealth of biological resources available to us. </p><p>Today instead of exploring and preserving its unmapped biodiversity mankind has gone away from mother nature conquering the domain through relentless exploitation. This has resulted in an ecological imbalance and thereby has posed serious threat to biodiversity. </p><p>Declining biodiversity is therefore a concern for countless reasons. Biodiversity's wealth of genetic information can be conserved by storing biological material from endangered species. Cell lines gametes and embryos are preserved so that in case a species becomes extinct or there is a need to increase the population of the species then cloning and artificial reproductive techniques can be used to revive and reproduce the said species. </p><p>The present volume discusses the biodiversity of specific animal groups such as cnidarians and fish as well as potential risks to and methods for conserving some of them. </p><p>The following important aspects are addressed: </p><p>1. The importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem balance for sustainability </p><p>2. The emerging role of biodiversity as a source of important materials pharmaceuticals food and so on as such or through genetic manipulation to meet the contemporary and future challenges </p><p>3. The impact of environment degradation on biodiversity and conservation in a changing environment </p><p>4. Conventional and emerging biotechnological techniques to conserve biodiversity </p><p>The book is intended for academics scientists and naturalists working in the fields of biology biochemistry biophysics and biomedical sciences.</p>