Southern California, recognized as a major center of biodiversity, contains some of the most diverse habitats of any landscape in North America. The ever-expanding human population of the region desires land, water, resources, and recreation, creating conflict with the habitat requirements of many rare species. Managing resources in a way that maximizes biodiversity in remaining habitats, while providing opportunities for other appropriate uses of the land, presents a formidable challenge, requiring coordination between scientists and resource managers. The papers in this proceedings volume reflect the breadth of issues facing the science and management communities in southern California, ranging from the threats of fire, air pollution, grazing, exotic species invasion, and habitat loss on native habitats and sensitive species, including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, to the role of mycorrhizal fungi as indicators of biological change.