Preface

Humanity, together with its global society, culture, and economy, is only a part of the earth's biosphere as a complex ecological system. The existence of humanity depends on the functioning of the biosphere (e.g., climate regulation, self-purification, ecosystem services) and the health of ecosystems. The state of ecosystems is determined not only by the biomass contained in them and their biological activity and productivity but also by the functional redundancy that results in reliability and a high degree of biodiversity. Maintaining the biodiversity of ecosystems (and ultimately our planet) is in the common interest of people worldwide. However, the conservation of biodiversity requires not only national parks, protected species, and conservation biological efforts, but also our economy, our political life, the organization of our cities, and the way we operate agriculture. The success of these efforts depends on the basic and applied research outlined in this book. It discusses a variety of topics, including abiotic factors that affect biodiversity, conservation and sustainability efforts, and urban and agricultural ecosystems. Chapters include case studies to illustrate special methodical problems and research approaches in the field.

This book is useful for researchers, lecturers, students, and other interested readers who would like to get some insight into the biodiversity research of human-influenced ecosystems.

> **Levente Hufnagel** Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Ecotheology, John Wesley Theological College, Budapest, Hungary

Section 1
