Foreword / Edward O. Wilson --

Prologue / Kofi Annan --

1: What Is Biodiversity? / Stuart L. Pimm, Maria Alice S Alves, Eric Chivian, Aaron Bernstein --

Determining rates of species extinction --

Secondary extinctions --

Loss of populations and genes --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

2: How Is Biodiversity Threatened By Human Activity? / Eric Chivian and Aaron Bernstein --

Habitat loss : on land --

Habitat loss : in the oceans --

Habitat loss : fresh water --

Overexploitation --

Introduced species --

Infectious diseases --

Pollution --

Ultraviolet radiation --

War and conflict --

Global climate change --

Suggested readings --

3: Ecosystem Services / Jerry Melillo and Osvaldo Sala --

Character of ecosystem services --

Economic value of ecosystem services --

Threats to ecosystem services --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

4: Medicines From Nature / David J Newman, John Kilama, Aaron Bernstein and Eric Chivian --

Why natural medicines? --

History of natural products as medicines --

Role of traditional medicine in drug discovery --

South American Indigenous medicines --

Review of some medicines derived from nature --

Herbal medicines in industrialized countries --

Potential medicines in food --

Natural products as insecticides and fungicides --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

5: Biodiversity And Biomedical Research / Eric Chivian, Aaron Bernstein, and Joshua P. Rosenthal --

Brief history of biomedical research --

Role of animals and microbes in biomedical research --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

6: Threatened Groups Of Organisms Valuable To Medicine / Eric Chivian and Aaron Bernstein --

Amphibians --

Bears --

Primates --

Gymnosperms --

Cone snails --

Sharks --

Horseshoe crabs --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

7: Ecosystem Disturbance, Biodiversity Loss, And Human Infectious Disease / David H. Molyneux, Richard S. Ostfeld, Aaron Bernstein and Eric Chivian --

Ecosystem disturbances and their effects on infectious diseases --

Vector, pathogen, and host diversity and human infectious disease --

Biological controls --

Species exploitation and the consumption of bushmeat --

Climate change and its effects on infectious diseases --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

8: Biodiversity And Food Production / Daniel Hillel and Cynthia Rosenzweig --

Historical background --

Agriculture --

Livestock production --

Food from aquatic systems --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

9: Genetically Modified Foods And Organic Farming / Eric Chivian and Aaron Bernstein --

Genetically modified foods --

Organic farming --

Integrated farming --

Conclusion --

Suggested readings --

10: What Individuals Can Do To Help Conserve Biodiversity / Jeffrey A McNeely, Eleanor Sterling and Kalemani Jo Mulongoy --

What are we doing to our planet? --

Why do we consume so much? --

How can we conserve biodiversity? --

Some collective actions that have made a difference --

Individuals who have made a difference --

Ten things we all can do that can help conserve biodiversity --

Suggested readings --

Appendix A: Co-sponsors of sustaining life : how human health depends on biodiversity --

Appendix B: Treaties, conventions, and intergovernmental organizations for the conservation of biodiversity --

Appendix C: Nongovernmental organizations working to conserve biodiversity.