The Mediterranean Region

Jacques BLONDEL is emeritus Director of research at the Center of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CNRS) in Montpellier, France. He is involved in studies on biogeography, community ecology and population biology at various scales of space and time, using birds as study models. He has published extensively on these fields in the last 45 years. He has been deeply involved in conservation biology in France and the EU, including serving as President of the European Ornithologists' Union and the 24th International Congress of Ornithology and as President of the Scientific Commission of the French Institute for Biodiversity. He is also member of the Scientific Committee of the Natural Patrimony and Biodiversity of the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development. James ARONSON is a researcher at the Center of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CNRS) in Montpellier, France and head of the Restoration Ecology group at the Missouri Botanical Garden, USA. He works on the restoration of degraded ecosystems in many parts of the world. He is editor of the book series "Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration", published by the Society for Ecological Restoration International and Island Press. Jean-Yves BODIOU is Assistant Professor at the Laboratoire Arago in Banyuls-sur-mer, France. He works on the marine Meiobenthos, particularly the Harpacticoid Copepods. He teaches Marine Biology and Ecology of the Benthos. For 25 years he served as curator of the public aquarium of Banyuls-sur-mer. Gilles BOEUF is Professor at the University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6 (UPMC), France. He is presently the head of the combined Laboratory UPMC/CNRS "Models in Cellular and Evolutive Biology" at the Oceanological Observatory, located involved in studies on environmental physiology, comparative endocrinology, ocean living resources and marine biodiversity. He mainly works on fish, as models. He has published extensively on these fields over the last 33 years. He is deeply involved in comparative physiology and biodiversity studies, including serving as President of the Scientific Committee of the National Museum of Natural History and member of the Scientific Committee of the Natural Patrimony and Biodiversity of the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development.

Foreword ; Preface ; 1. Setting the Scene ; 2. Determinants of Present-Day Biodiversity ; 3. Present-Day Terrestrial Biodiversity ; 4. Present-Day Marine Biodiversity ; 5. Scales of Observation ; 6. A Patchwork of Habitats ; 7. Populations, Species, and Community Variations ; 8. Life Histories and Terrestrial Ecosystem Functioning ; 9. Life in the Sea ; 10. Humans as Sculptors of Mediterranean Landscapes ; 11. Biodiversity Downs and Ups ; 12. Biodiversity and Global Change ; 13. Challenges for the Future ; Glossary ; References ; Index