Less concern is generally exhibited with the diverse biologic hazards discussed in this volume, probably because of the more diffuse nature of many of those hazards discussed, and their seemingly lower impact to life, limb, or infrastructure.

Many volumes are written about the various point-source vectors of disease, contagion, and pandemics because of the insidious nature of that group of medical hazards. Knowing more about the nature of such generalized biohazards is an obvious need in the community of experts concerned about hazards, risks, and disasters. The possible disruptions of the biological communities of the planet upon which humanity depends absolutely for the continuation of its own existence are most serious situations that can exert great controls on future economies.

The chapters presented in this volume are reflective not of such vector-based biohazards, but of the greater and more widespread or more generalized threats caused by the diversity of insect plagues and swarms, blooms of poisonous algae, direct animal threats, degradation of land, deforestation, desertification, ecological impacts of climate change, and even strikes upon the Earth by comets and asteroids that would so devastate life if they were large enough. The standard biohazard symbol is meant to be evocative of danger, and was designed to be memorable but meaningless so that people could be taught what it meant.

Biohazard 5 mobile edition