In the new edition of this highly successful book, Malcolm Hunter and new co-author James Gibbs offer a thorough introduction to the fascinating and important field of conservation biology, focusing on what can be done to maintain biodiversity through management of ecosystems and populations.
* Starting with a succinct look at conservation and biodiversity, this book progresses to contend with some of the subject's most complex topics, such as mass extinctions, ecosystem degradation, and over exploitation.
* Discusses social, political, and economic aspects of conservation biology.
* Thoroughly revised with over six hundred new references and web links to many of the organizations involved in conservation biology, striking photographs and maps.
Artwork from the book is available to instructors online at www.blackwellpublishing.com/hunter and by request on CD-ROM.
Autorentext
Malcolm Hunter??is the Libra Professor of Conservation Biology and Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Maine, Orono. He is also the former President of the Society for Conservation Biology.
James Gibbs??is Associate Professor of Environmental and Forest Biology at the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
James Gibbs, Malcolm Hunter, and Eleanor Sterling are the authors of the forthcoming new edition of Problem Solving in Conservation Biology (Blackwell, 2007).
Klappentext
"This new edition continues to be an excellent choice for undergraduate courses in conservation biology, notable for its well-honed organization of concepts and its clear prose."
Professor Thomas L. Fleischner, Prescott College
"This is an excellent text that provides a clear, lucid, and comprehensive summary of approaches used in biological conservation. it should inspire a new generation of conservation biologists."
Dr Tim Coulson, Imperial College London
"My goal is to expose the concepts of conservation biology to the broadest possible student audience. For its combination of accessible writing with rigorous, updated content, Fundamentals of Conservation Biology is matchless."
Professor Travis Knowles, Francis Marion University
The conservation of biodiversity is one of the most important issues facing the world today. In the new edition of this highly successful book, Malcolm Hunter and new coauthor James Gibbs offer a thorough introduction to the fascinating and important field of conservation biology, focusing on what can be done to maintain biodiversity through management of ecosystems and populations.
Starting with a succinct look at conservation and biodiversity, this book goes on to contend with some of the subject's most complex topics, such as mass extinctions, ecosystem degradation, and over exploitation. Discussions of the social, political, and economic aspects of conservation biology issues are both interwoven throughout the text and addressed independently in their own chapters. This new edition has been thoroughly revised with more than 750 new references, web links to many of the organizations involved in conservation biology, and striking full-color figures, photographs, and maps. Hunter and Gibbs have created a context in which the principles of conservation biology can be readily understood and applied to managing real world populations and ecosystems. Artwork from the book is available to instructors at www.blackwellpublishing.com/hunter.
Inhalt
Full Contents vii
List of Case Studies xi
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvi
PART I Biodiversity and Its Importance 3
1 Conservation and Conservation Biology 4
2 What Is Biodiversity? 22
3 Species Diversity 34
4 Ecosystem Diversity 65
5 Genetic Diversity 86
PART II Threats to Biodiversity 113
6 Mass Extinctions and Global Change 114
7 Extinction Processes 130
8 Ecosystem Degradation and Loss 150
9 Overexploitation 184
10 Invasive Exotics 205
PART III Maintaining Biodiversity 225
11 Protecting Ecosystems 226
12 Managing Ecosystems 252
13 Managing Populations 281
14 Zoos and Gardens 310
PART IV The Human Factors 329
15 Social Factors 330
16 Economics 346
17 Politics and Action 372
Epilogue 392
Glossary 394
Literature Cited and Author Index 405
Species Index 476
Subject Index 486