Abstract
The global explosion in human population has placed extraordinary pressures on the earth’s resources. The result has been a rate of species extinction rivaling that seen during the demise of the dinosaurs. It is a dual-tiered disaster. Not only is the sheer number of species on the planet (biodiversity) being drastically reduced, but the well-being of extant populations is being compromised by relentless exploitation, fragmentation, and pollution of natural ecosystems. The crisis is not going unchallenged, and there are a host of treatises arguing for a wake-up call—that much more attention be given to preserving nature. Perhaps the most eloquent (and alarming) is E.O. Wilson’s recent book, The Diversity of Life, that documents the impact of global ecosystem destruction, predicting extinction for perhaps 20% of all existing species within the next 30 years (1). In addition to enriching the soil and providing the very air we breathe, ecosystems conceal a wealth of new information on still undeveloped pharmaceuticals, crops, alternative food sources, timber, fibers, petroleum substitutes, and other potential amenities. For these reasons, he convincingly declares that “biological diversity is the key to the maintenance of the world as we know it.” Wilson, like many others, makes a plea for developing systematic action plans that will provide stewardship for the earth’s resources.
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© 1994 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.
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Wildt, D.E. (1994). Endangered Species Spermatozoa: Diversity, Research, and Conservation. In: Bartke, A. (eds) Function of Somatic Cells in the Testis. Serono Symposia, USA. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2638-3_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2638-3_1
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