Key Topics In Conservation Biology 2

Following the much acclaimed success of the first volume ofKey Topics in Conservation Biology, this entirely new secondvolume addresses an innovative array of key topics in contemporaryconservation biology. Written by an internationally renownedteam of authors, Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2 addsto the still topical foundations laid in the first volume(published in 2007) by exploring a further 25 cutting-edge issuesin modern biodiversity conservation, including controversialsubjects such as setting conservation priorities, balancing thefocus on species and ecosystems, and financial mechanisms to valuebiodiversity and pay for its conservation. Other chapters, settingthe framework for conservation, address the sociology andphilosophy of peoples’ relation with Nature and its impact onhealth, and such challenging practical issues as wildlife trade andconflict between people and carnivores. As a new development, thissecond volume of Key Topics includes chapters on major ecosystems,such as forests, islands and both fresh and marine waters, alongwith case studies of the conservation of major taxa: plants,butterflies, birds and mammals. A further selection of topicsconsider how to safeguard the future through monitoring, reserveplanning, corridors and connectivity, together with approaches toreintroduction and re-wilding, along with managing wildlifedisease. A final chapter, by the editors, synthesises thinking onthe relationship between biodiversity conservation and humandevelopment. Each topic is explored by a team of top international experts,assembled to bring their own cross-cutting knowledge to apenetrating synthesis of the issues from both theoretical andpractical perspectives. The interdisciplinary nature of biodiversity conservation isreflected throughout the book. Each essay examines the fundamentalprinciples of the topic, the methodologies involved and, crucially,the human dimension. In this way, Key Topics in ConservationBiology 2, like its sister volume, Key Topics in ConservationBiology, embraces issues from cutting-edge ecological scienceto policy, environmental economics, governance, ethics, and thepractical issues of implementation. Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2 will, like itssister volume, be a valuable resource in universities and colleges,government departments, and conservation agencies. It is aimedparticularly at senior undergraduate and graduate students inconservation biology and wildlife management and wider ecologicaland environmental subjects, and those taking Masters degrees in anyfield relevant to conservation and the environment. Conservationpractitioners, policy-makers, and the wider general public eager tounderstand more about important environmental issues will also findthis book invaluable.

Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa comprehensively explores the challenges and potential solutions to key conservation issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. Easy to read, this lucid and accessible textbook includes fifteen chapters that cover a full range of conservation topics, including threats to biodiversity, environmental laws, and protected areas management, as well as related topics such as sustainability, poverty, and human-wildlife conflict. This rich resource also includes a background discussion of what conservation biology is, a wide range of theoretical approaches to the subject, and concrete examples of conservation practice in specific African contexts. Strategies are outlined to protect biodiversity whilst promoting economic development in the region. Boxes covering specific themes written by scientists who live and work throughout the region are included in each chapter, together with recommended readings and suggested discussion topics. Each chapter also includes an extensive bibliography. Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa provides the most up-to-date study in the field. It is an essential resource, available on-line without charge, for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a handy guide for professionals working to stop the rapid loss of biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

'Marine Conservation Biology' brings together leading experts from around the world to apply the lessons and thinking of conservation biology to marine issues. The contributors cover what is threatening marine biodiversity and what humans can do to recover the biological integrity of the world's oceans.

Conservation Biology for All provides cutting-edge but basic conservation science to a global readership. A series of authoritative chapters have been written by the top names in conservation biology with the principal aim of disseminating cutting-edge conservation knowledge as widely as possible. Important topics such as balancing conversion and human needs, climate change, conservation planning, designing and analyzing conservation research, ecosystem services, endangered species management, extinctions, fire, habitat loss, and invasive species are covered. Numerous textboxes describing additional relevant material or case studies are also included. The global biodiversity crisis is now unstoppable; what can be saved in the developing world will require an educated constituency in both the developing and developed world. Habitat loss is particularly acute in developing countries, which is of special concern because it tends to be these locations where the greatest species diversity and richest centres of endemism are to be found. Sadly, developing world conservation scientists have found it difficult to access an authoritative textbook, which is particularly ironic since it is these countries where the potential benefits of knowledge application are greatest. There is now an urgent need to educate the next generation of scientists in developing countries, so that they are in a better position to protect their natural resources.

As anthropogenic environmental changes spread and intensify across the planet, conservation biologists have to analyze dynamics at large spatial and temporal scales. Ecological and evolutionary processes are then closely intertwined. In particular, evolutionary responses to anthropogenic environmental change can be so fast and pronounced that conservation biology can no longer afford to ignore them. To tackle this challenge, areas of conservation biology that are disparate ought to be integrated into a unified framework. Bringing together conservation genetics, demography, and ecology, this book introduces evolutionary conservation biology as an integrative approach to managing species in conjunction with ecological interactions and evolutionary processes. Which characteristics of species and which features of environmental change foster or hinder evolutionary responses in ecological systems? How do such responses affect population viability, community dynamics, and ecosystem functioning? Under which conditions will evolutionary responses ameliorate, rather than worsen, the impact of environmental change?

This important new book addresses key topics in contemporary conservation biology. Written by an internationally renowned team of authors, Key Topics in Conservation Biology explores cutting-edge issues in modern biodiversity conservation, including controversial subjects such as rarity and prioritization, conflict between people and wildlife, the human aspect of conservation, the relevance of animal welfare, and the role of nongovernment organizations. Key Topics also tackles the management of wildlife diseases, and examines the impact of bushmeat extraction and the role of hunting in the conservationist's toolbox. Other essays explore basic tools of conservation biology, such as computer modeling, conservation genetics, metapopulation processes, and the ingenious use of hi-tech equipment. Each topic is explored by three top international experts, assembled to bring their cross-cutting knowledge to a penetrating synthesis of the issues from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The interdisciplinary nature of biodiversity conservation is reflected throughout the book. Each essay examines the fundamental principles of the topic, the methodologies involved and, crucially, the human dimension. In this way, Key Topics in Conservation Biology embraces the issues from cutting-edge ecological science to policy, environmental economics, governance, ethics, and the practical issues of implementation. Key Topics in Conservation Biology will be a valuable resource in universities and colleges, government departments, and conservation agencies. It is aimed particularly at senior undergraduate and graduate students in conservation biology and wildlife management, and those taking Masters degrees in any field relevant to conservation. Conservation practitioners, policy-makers, and the wider general public eager to understand more about important environmental issues will also find this book invaluable.

Fred Van Dyke’s new textbook, Conservation Biology: Foundations, Concepts, Applications, 2nd Edition, represents a major new text for anyone interested in conservation. Drawing on his vast experience, Van Dyke’s organizational clarity and readable style make this book an invaluable resource for students in conservation around the globe. Presenting key information and well-selected examples, this student-friendly volume carefully integrates the science of conservation biology with its implications for ethics, law, policy and economics.