As in other areas of conservation, the crucial question concerning plant biodiversity isn't whether to conserve but how best to conserve diversity at the different levels of biological organization--the gene, the species and the community. Conservation biology is faced with several controversial issues, such as the dichotomy between the preservation of individual species versus a broader focus on the environment, the relative importance to give to endangered species, the design and management of reserves, and the drive for increasing agricultural productivity through plant improvement versus...