This is an up-to-date and comprehensive look at the increasingly important subject of population management and conservation. Drawing on case studies of previous extinctions and near-extinctions, the authors discuss current theories for why species are driven into decline and how these declines can be reversed. Set in a real-world context of economics, legislation and treaties, this book is very much a practical guide for conservation action. An eminently practical book discussing the theory and practice of conservation as it is in the real world rather than in an imaginary ideal scenario. A synthesis of the very important contribution Graeme Caughley made to the science of conservation biology.

• • • John Harper • • • Nature conservation has changed from an idealistic philosophy to a serious technology. Ecology, the science that underpins the technol ogy of conservation, is still too immature to provide all the wisdom that it must. It is arguable that the desire to conserve nature will in itself force the discipline of ecology to identify fundamental prob lems in its scientific goals and methods. In return, ecologists may be able to offer some insights that make conservation more practicable (Harper 1987). The idea that nature (species or communities) is worth preserv ing rests on several fundamental arguments, particularly the argu ment of nostalgia and the argument of human benefit and need. Nostalgia, of course, is a powerful emotion. With some notable ex ceptions, there is usually a feeling of dismay at a change in the sta tus quo, whether it be the loss of a place in the country for walking or rambling, the loss of a painting or architectural monument, or that one will never again have the chance to see a particular species of bird or plant.

The goal of this book is to provide practical, intelligible, and intuitive explanations of population modelling to empirical ecologists and conservation biologists. Modelling methods that do not require large amounts of data (typically unavailable for endangered species) are emphasised. As such, the book is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students interested in quantitative conservation biology, managers charged with preserving endangered species, and, in short, for any conservation biologist or ecologist seeking to better understand the analysis and modelling of population data.

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.

FUNDAMENTALS OF CONSERVATION BIOLOGY “This book is about hope in the face of forces that would degrade our world. This book is about the rich tapestry of life that shares our world now and about how we can maintain it, sometimes in places that we protect and set aside, more often in places where we share the lands and waters with a wide range of other species.” For more than 30 years, Fundamentals of Conservation Biology has been a valued mainstay of the literature, serving both to introduce new students to this ever-changing topic, and to provide an essential resource for academics and researchers working in the discipline. In the decade since the publication of the third edition, concerns about humanity’s efforts to conserve the natural world have only grown deeper, as new threats to biodiversity continue to emerge. This fourth edition has taken into account a vast new literature, and boasts nearly a thousand new references as a result. By embracing new theory and practice and documenting many examples of both conservation successes and the hard lessons of real-world “wicked” environmental problems, Fundamentals of Conservation Biology remains a vital resource for biologists, conservationists, ecologists, environmentalists, and others.

The conservation of biodiversity has profound implications for managing natural resources with the need for scientific information as a foundation for management decisions increasing dramatically. The_ intent of this book is to look beyond the theory of biodiversity to_ the principles, practices, and policies needed for its conservation. Its objectives are to provide the scientific basis for understanding biodiversity, document case examples of theory and concepts applied at differing scales, and examine policies that affect its conservation.