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236 R.N. Kharwar and G. StrobelCertainly, one of the major problems facing the future of endophyte biologyand natural-product discovery is the rapidly diminishing rainforests,which hold the greatest possible resource for acquiring novel microorganismsand their products. The total land mass of the world that currently supportsrainforests is about equal to the area of the USA (Mittermeier et al.,1999). Each year, an area the size of Vermont or greater is lost to clearing, harvesting,fire, agricultural development, mining or other human-orientedactivities (Mittermeier et al., 1999). Presently, it is estimated that only a smallfraction (10–20%) of what were the original rainforests existing 1000–2000years ago are currently present on the earth (Mittermeier et al., 1999). Theadvent of major negative pressures on them from these human-related activitiesappears to be eliminating entire mega-life forms at an alarming rate. Fewhave ever expressed information or opinions about what is happening to thepotential loss of microbial diversity as entire plant species disappear. It canonly be guessed that this microbial diversity loss is also happening, perhapswith the same frequency as the loss of mega-life forms, especially since certainmicroorganisms may have developed unique symbiotic relationshipswith their plant hosts. Thus, when a plant species disappears, so too does itsentire suite of associated endophytes. Consequently all of the capabilities thatthe endophytes might possess to provide natural products with medicinalpotential are also lost. Multi-step processes are needed now to secure informationand life forms before they continue to be lost. Areas of the planet thatrepresent unique places housing biodiversity need immediate preservation.Countries need to establish information bases of their biodiversity and at thesame time begin to make national collections of microorganisms that live inthese areas. Endophytes are only one example of a life form source that holdsenormous promise to impact many aspects of human existence. The problemof the loss of biodiversity should be one of concern to the entire world.AcknowledgementsThe authors express appreciation to the NSF, USDA, NIH, the R&C Board ofthe State of Montana and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station forproviding financial support for some of the work reviewed in this report.RNK expresses his sincere thanks to DST, New Delhi, for financialassistance.ReferencesAmna, T., Khajuria, R.K., Puri, S.C., Verma, V.and Qazi, G.N. (2006) Determination andquantification of Camptothecin in anendo phytic fungus by liquid chromatography-positivemode electrospray ionizationtandem mass spectrometry.Current Science 91, 208–211.Anke, H., Weber, R.W., Heil, N., Pauls, S.,Teinert, M., Pauluat, T., Kuenzel, E.,Huth, F., Eckard, P. and Kappe, R. (2003)Antifungal compounds from endophyticfungi. Interscience Conference on AntimicrobialAgents and Chemotherapy. 43,Sep 14–17, 2003; abstract no. F-1236.