INTRODUCTION

It is known that we inhabit a finite world with limited natural resources. It is also accepted that we share the Earth with a myriad of other plants and animals and that biodiversity is not only important to recognise, but also to understand and conserve. The biosphere – the area where all life on Earth resides – is a relatively thin layer on the surface of the Earth, containing the oceans, freshwater terrestrial areas and the atmosphere. All life takes place within this space.