Biodiversity research and training program in Thailand

Abstract

Biological diversity is the variety of life forms - microorganisms, plants, and animals including humans - at all levels of organization from genes to populations, species, ecological communities and ecosystems. Such diversity of life is a legacy of evolutionary processes. Tropical forests, including those occurring in Thailand, are rich in biological diversity. They are essential bioresources for human survival and wellbeing in terms of food, medicines, clothing and housing. These bioresources also provide us with novel genetic materials for development of modern biotechnology. Thai people have made use of these bioresources for their traditional ways of living for millennia. However, Thailand has lost innumerable life forms as a large percentage of tropical forest has been destroyed by human activities during the past four decades. Such loss of biodiversity is likely to have tremendous effects - often unpredictable - on the productive lives of all living things including ourselves. A basic knowledge of these living things is needed in order to facilitate conservation and management and to better understand how to use biological resources in a sustainable manner. Therefore, the Special Program for Biodiversity Research and Training (BRT) was established in November, 1995, under the joint sponsorship of TRF and BIOTEC, to support basic research in tropical biology as well as studies on policy development and management of biodiversity in Thailand.