Corals and coral reefs are seriously degraded in most tropical seas. Most of the damage is due to over-exploitation and the use of destructive fishing methods. This collection of essays presents a number of case studies on the economic analysis of coral reefs.

Foreword By Bill This is an unusual and valuable book in many respects. Its author, of course, is an economist — but not one devoted to the prevailing theology of his profession. Economists mostly work with the dedication of beavers or bees toward the great goals of More. Growth, expansion, and acceleration are the sacred words of their creed. And they have been enormously successful; their faith has spread around the world, crowding out all other creeds. And yet there is always something rather, well, dismal about the field. This comes, I think, from its disciples' firm determination to wall off certain questions. For instance, "What makes for happiness?" Or "How do I figure out what I want from life?" They can answer these only by pointing to our consumer behavior. We must want what we buy. But they must sense the tautological absurdity of that line of argument. Now comes James Eggert, one of a small school of economists who has begun to think outside the box. And it is curious that he soon delves deeply into a concept long used by his tribe: value. In his essay "Meadowlark Economics," Eggert inscribes it — marvelously — with real meaning, instead of the stale and transactional definition to be found in the front of the Econ textbooks. The meadowlark's "song is pleasing, his color and swoop-of-flight enchanting." Suddenly we are using good old nouns and adjectives, the sweet and solid Anglo-Saxon words instead of the ponderous Latinate syllables of the professional journal. These things are a form of wealth and are valuable, he insists. And if you assign them a value in your heart, then you are in a position to begin to assess both the positives and the negatives of economic growth. The so-called "efficiency," for instance, of the modern farm, which leaves no room for the meadowlarks to nest and fledge their young — is but one of many examples... Eggert's book will be of great use to all who read it. But it would be especially helpful — though subversive — to give it to anyone you know who is an economist. It will help them see, among other things, that grasping onto the conventional economic orthodoxy not only shows a certain blindness but can also, unfortunately, turn out to be tragic. From Kirkus Reviews This collection of thoughtful essays weaves together economic and ecological issues. While Eggert is an economist by trade, he is struck by the relationship between economics and ecology. "I believe these two households are becoming more interdependent," he writes, "and their futures more and more intimately linked." Indeed, each of the 21 elegantly written essays in this revised collection, has a strong eco-conscious component. The unusual title is derived from the author's concern over the Midwest's loss of meadowlarks; somewhat esoterically, he translates this occurrence into "meadowlark values," suggesting that a "meadowlark economist" must "seriously try and incorporate an ecological consciousness and ecological values along with market thinking and market values." Eggert's essays are as soaring and aspirational as they are instructional and practical. For example, in "What's Wrong with Capitalism?" he notes there is "a destructive quality in capitalism that often violates the ecological laws that can and should ensure life's beauty, balance, health and long-term continuity." ... In perhaps his most novel essay," Wal-Mart Pond," Eggert cleverly combines ecology and economy by imagining a conversation with Henry Thoreau ... His final essay, "Quartet," is most worthy of contemplation: "what is our part in the ‘music' of the cosmos, what is our role in the harmony of nature's variations on a theme?" ... At times poetic and philosophical, even as the author remains firmly planted on terra firma.

In recent years, there has been a marked proliferation in the literature on economic approaches to ecosystem management, which has created a subsequent need for real understanding of the scope and the limits of the economic approaches to ecosystems and

Increasing interest in marine biology and its relevance to environmental issues creates a demand for authoritative reviews of recent research. Oceanography and Marine Biology has addressed this demand for nearly 40 years. This annual review considers basics of marine research, special topics, and emerging new areas. Regarding the marine sciences as a unified field, the text features contributors who are actively engaged in biological, chemical, geological, and physical aspects of marine science. This edition includes a full color insert and covers such topics as the ecological status of the Great Barrier Reef, the effects of coral bleaching on fisheries, and the biology of octopus larvae.

It is now widely agreed that the climate is changing, global resources are diminishing and biodiversity is suffering. Developing countries – many of them considered by the World Tourism Organization to be 'Top Emerging Tourism Destinations' (UNWTO, 2009) – are already suffering the full frontal effect of environmental degradation. The challenge for developing countries is a triple-edged sword, how can economic prosperity be achieved without the perpetual depletion of nature’s reserves, the destruction of rural habitat and the dislocation of traditional societies? Many emerging nations are looking increasingly to the tourism industry as the motor for economic development, with hospitality businesses at the forefront. This book uses twenty-five case studies to demonstrate how it is possible to create income and stimulate regional socio-economic development by using sustainable hospitality and tourism attractions. These case studies focus on issues such as the protection of indigenous cultures as a source of touristic curiosity; the preservation of the environment and the protection of endangered species – such as the plight of turtles in Sri Lanka or butterflies in Costa Rica to encourage tourism. Some cases cover government supported projects, for example, the green parks venture and regional tourism development in the Philippines, an archaeological park initiative in Honduras and the diversity of nature tourism in St. Vincent. Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism as Motors for Development is designed to give students, academics and practitioners a guide for best practices of sustainable hospitality operations in developing countries. Based on case studies, it provides a road map of how to achieve the goals of sustainability giving benchmark examples. The book not only taps into a contemporary business subject, but aims to provide readers with a better understanding of how sustainable theories can be put into practice in hospitality and tourism industries in developing countries.

"The international community has committed itself to achieve, by 2010, a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, and national levels. Yet, despite growing awareness, and major efforts in all countries, the latest evidence indicates that biodiversity continues to be lost at a terrifying pace, resulting in what some call the greatest mass extinction since dinosaurs roamed the planet, 65 million years ago. A range of methods have been developed to value ecosystems, and the services they provide, as well as the costs of conservation. The methods available are increasingly sensitive, and robust, but they are often incorrectly used. One reason is poor understanding of the purposes of valuation and what questions it can, or cannot, answer. As a result, decision makers may get misleading guidance on the value of ecosystems, and their conservation. In this context, the Bank, IUCN-The World Conservation Union, and the Nature Conservancy have worked together to clarify the aims and uses of economic valuation, focusing on the types of questions that valuation can answer, and the type of valuation that is best suited to each purpose. How Much is an Ecosystem Worth? is the result of that cooperation. It aims to provide guidance on how economic valuation can be used to address specific, policy-relevant questions about nature conservation."