CSIRO’s new book, Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia, is jam-packed with the latest scientific knowledge about Australia’s biodiversity, so of course the Atlas of Living Australia is a key feature.

Front cover of CSIRO's new book 'Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia'The book, which is available free from www.csiro.au/biodiversitybook, describes the ancient origins and unique features of Australia’s plants, animals and ecosystems, and looks at how they are currently tracking. It highlights indigenous perspectives on biodiversity and describes how Australia’s biodiversity interacts with agriculture, the resources sector, cities and with our changing global environment. The book also identifies practical solutions for managing Australia’s globally unique natural assets, including the invaluable role of the ALA.

A number of case studies throughout the book demonstrate the use of the ALA. One case study highlights how the ALA is being used to predict future trends in Australian biodiversity by providing information on the location and conservation status of Australia’s species. Others describe how the ALA is guiding revegetation under a changing climate, and how it is assisting in the design of Australia’s National Reserve System. Lastly, the ALA’s ‘Explore your area’ function provides a great example of how readers of the book can get to know the biodiversity in their neighbourhood.

The ALA is also a key part of the interactive eBook version of the book. Every species mentioned in the book links to the relevant species page on the ALA, greatly increasing the amount of information available to readers with a simple click on the screen. The eBook also contains links to videos with the book’s authors, animations, articles and further reading items.

For your free copy of the book, head to www.csiro.au/biodiversitybook.