Measuring biodiversity
Paul Williams
Global biodiversity value: a map showing the distribution of some of the most highly valued terrestrial biodiversity world-wide, with red for high biodiversity and blue for low biodiversity.
Quantifying biodiversity is a philosophical issue because biodiversity can be seen as encompassing the entire and irreducible complexity of life. Paul Williams of The Natural History Museum, London, evaluates a number of theoretical approaches to measuring biodiversity and introduces Worldmap, unique computer software developed at the museum, which offers an alternative solution to this important problem.
Measuring biodiversity PDF (30.2 KB)
In World War II the Museum was used as a secret base to develop new gadgets for allied spies, including an exploding rat!