The present brochure, published by the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) of DIVERSITAS, Institute of Botany, University of Basel with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), has been prepared as a contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity 2010 and the Conference of Parties of the CBD (COP10) in Japan in October 2010. In this volume, recognizing mountains as cradles and refuges of organismic diversity and as a key to conservation in a changing world, the authors highlight the role and importance of mountain biodiversity for the whole of humanity. With its attractive photographs, the publication also intends to sensitize its readers to the beauty of diversity. The ultimate goal and hope, is that it may contribute to trigger the necessary changes both in attitude and behaviour that will be required to secure mountain biodiversity and its genetic resources for future generations.
