ScienceAsia 15 (1989): 231-235 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1989.15.231

PRIORITIES FOR BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH

WARREN Y. BROCKELMAN

ABSTRACT: The word "biodiversity" has become a major focus of international conservation efforts during the last few years. The most visible event which initiated the current world-wide concern was the "National Forum on Biodiversity", a large meeting held in Washington D.e. in 1986 under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. The major outcome of the meeting was the book Biodiversity, edited by E.O. Wilson (1988), which contains a wide selection of brief but informative articles by many eminent scientists. These events are stimulating increased support from the U.S. Government for international conservation efforts and renewed efforts by many other agencies and governments including, we hope, Thailand. The Biology Section of the Science Society, chaired by Prof. Aksorn Sripleng of Kasetsart University, devoted its October meeting last year in Chiang Mai to the topic of "Biodiversity: Inventory and Values". Support was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development and Wildlife Conservation International in New York. This seminar attracted more than 400 participants and featured talks by at least 20 Thai experts on various groups of organisms. The opening address was given by Prof. Dr. Sanga Sabhasri, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Energy, who has provided enthusiastic support for the SST's efforts to promote education and research on this topic. The proceedings of the meeting will be published in their entirety in a'special publication of the SST. The contributions of three eminent foreign participants are expected to be published in this journal. These were Prof. Peter S. Ashton of Harvard University, Prof. Stephen P. Hubbell of Princeton University and Prof. David S. Woodruff of the University .of California at San Diego. All of these biologists are active in research on biodiversity in Southeast Asia. What is so special or urgent about conservation of "biodiversity"? Why do we even need this special term ?

Download PDF

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Received 14 February 1990