Dr. Matthew Chidozie Ogwu is an environmental scientist and Assistant Professor of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University, USA. He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Seoul National University, with research training spanning microbial ecology, environmental toxicology, biodiversity conservation, and food–environment interactions. His scholarship focuses on contaminant pathways in food systems, soil and water quality,exposure assessment, and human health risks, with particular emphasis on trace metals, agro-food contamination, and sustainability in the Global South. He has led and collaborated on funded research projects across North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, integrating scientific evidence with regulatory and policy perspectives. His interdisciplinary work advances resilient, safe, and sustainable food systems through applied research, risk assessment, and evidence-based mitigation strategies.

• Part I: Foundations- Pattern and Scale1. Introduction: why a theoretical synthesis for biodiversity?2. Species–area relationships and early biogeographic models3. Latitudinal and elevational diversity gradients4. Island biogeography: immigration–extinction dynamics and extensionsPart II: Community Assembly and Coexistence Mechanisms5. Niche theory from Grinnell and Elton to Hutchinson6. Disturbance, predation, competition, and resource heterogeneity7. Neutral theory of biodiversity: assumptions, evidence, and synthesis8. Keystone species and functional diversityPart III: Spatial Dynamics and Scaling Up9. Metapopulation theory10. Metacommunity theory11. Source–sink dynamics, edge effects, and habitat configuration12. Diversification dynamics and regional species poolsPart IV: Evolutionary and Functional Dimensions13. Red Queen dynamics and coevolutionary processes14. Biodiversity–ecosystem function and multifunctionality15. Insurance, stability, and resiliencePart V: Integration, Applications, and Future Directions16. Phylogenetic diversity and macroecological scaling17. Biodiversity, climate change, and ecosystem services18. Emerging frontiers: eDNA, remote sensing, and AI19. From theory to conservation planning and policy20. Future directions: translational biodiversity science