From Assessing to Conserving Biodiversity
From Assessing to Conserving Biodiversity

Author: Elena Casetta

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-06-17

Total Pages: 455

ISBN-13: 3030109917

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This open access book features essays written by philosophers, biologists, ecologists and conservation scientists facing the current biodiversity crisis. Despite increasing communication, accelerating policy and management responses, and notwithstanding improving ecosystem assessment and endangered species knowledge, conserving biodiversity continues to be more a concern than an accomplished task. Why is it so?The overexploitation of natural resources by our species is a frequently recognised factor, while the short-term economic interests of governments and stakeholders typically clash with the burdens that implementing conservation actions imply. But this is not the whole story. This book develops a different perspective on the problem by exploring the conceptual challenges and practical defiance posed by conserving biodiversity, namely: on the one hand, the difficulties in defining what biodiversity is and characterizing that “thing” to which the word ‘biodiversity’ refers to; on the other hand, the reasons why assessing biodiversity and putting in place effective conservation actions is arduous.

From Assessing to Conserving Biodiversity
From Assessing to Conserving Biodiversity

Author: Davide Vecchi

Publisher:

Published: 2020-10-08

Total Pages: 454

ISBN-13: 9781013272820

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This open access book features essays written by philosophers, biologists, ecologists and conservation scientists facing the current biodiversity crisis. Despite increasing communication, accelerating policy and management responses, and notwithstanding improving ecosystem assessment and endangered species knowledge, conserving biodiversity continues to be more a concern than an accomplished task. Why is it so? The overexploitation of natural resources by our species is a frequently recognised factor, while the short-term economic interests of governments and stakeholders typically clash with the burdens that implementing conservation actions imply. But this is not the whole story. This book develops a different perspective on the problem by exploring the conceptual challenges and practical defiance posed by conserving biodiversity, namely: on the one hand, the difficulties in defining what biodiversity is and characterizing that "thing" to which the word 'biodiversity' refers to; on the other hand, the reasons why assessing biodiversity and putting in place effective conservation actions is arduous.; Features essays that are explicitly critical of the species approach to biodiversity Presents bio-philosophical perspectives on the interaction between biodiversity's units, levels, and scales Serves as an interdisciplinary contribution to the emergent field of biodiversity studies This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

Global Biodiversity Assessment
Global Biodiversity Assessment

Author: Vernon H. Heywood

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1995-11-09

Total Pages: 1152

ISBN-13: 9780521564038

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The survival of the Earth's biological resources is under threat from rapidly expanding human populations that are degrading the environment at an accelerating rate. Despite the increased awareness of the importance of biological diversity, the scientific foundations on which to plan conservation and development policies are still being developed. The Global Biodiversity Assessment represents an unparalleled attempt to provide an independent scientific analysis of the current issues. It assesses the present state of knowledge, identifies gaps in understanding and draws attention to those issues where scientists have reached a consensus as well as those where uncertainty has led to conflicting viewpoints and a need for further research. The Assessment provides an unprecedented source of information for decision-makers, officials, scientists and others interested in the future of the planet.

Still Counting
Still Counting

Author: Rapid Assessment Program (Conservation International)

Publisher: Conservation International

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781934151440

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"This exciting book outlines the inception, history, and achievements of Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) over its first two decades, 1990-2010. The philosophy and methodology of RAP, its major goals and results, and the "feet-in-the-mud" attitude that has made the program so effective are featured. The book profiles nearly 80 expeditions to some of the most remote but often highly threatened sites around the world, highlighting the impacts of RAP surveys in relation to the establishment and improvement of protected areas, the discovery of species new to science, scientific capacity building, spatial planning for conservation, and enhancing human well-being"--Cover.

Plant Biodiversity
Plant Biodiversity

Author: Abid A Ansari

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2016-12-23

Total Pages: 630

ISBN-13: 1780646941

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Results of regular monitoring of the species diversity and structure of plant communities is used by conservation biologists to help understand impacts of perturbations caused by humans and other environmental factors on ecosystems worldwide. Changes in plant communities can, for example, be a reflection of increased levels of pollution, a response to long-term climate change, or the result of shifts in land-use practices by the human population. This book presents a series of essays on the application of plant biodiversity monitoring and assessment to help prevent species extinction, ecosystem collapse, and solve problems in biodiversity conservation. It has been written by a large international team of researchers and uses case studies and examples from all over the world, and from a broad range of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The book is aimed at any graduate students and researchers with a strong interest in plant biodiversity monitoring and assessment, plant community ecology, biodiversity conservation, and the environmental impacts of human activities on ecosystems.

Perspectives on Biodiversity
Perspectives on Biodiversity

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-10-01

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 030906581X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Resource-management decisions, especially in the area of protecting and maintaining biodiversity, are usually incremental, limited in time by the ability to forecast conditions and human needs, and the result of tradeoffs between conservation and other management goals. The individual decisions may not have a major effect but can have a cumulative major effect. Perspectives on Biodiversity reviews current understanding of the value of biodiversity and the methods that are useful in assessing that value in particular circumstances. It recommends and details a list of components-including diversity of species, genetic variability within and among species, distribution of species across the ecosystem, the aesthetic satisfaction derived from diversity, and the duty to preserve and protect biodiversity. The book also recommends that more information about the role of biodiversity in sustaining natural resources be gathered and summarized in ways useful to managers. Acknowledging that decisions about biodiversity are necessarily qualitative and change over time because of the nonmarket nature of so many of the values, the committee recommends periodic reviews of management decisions.

Biological Diversity
Biological Diversity

Author: Anne E. Magurran

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2010-11-19

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 0191576840

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Biological Diversity provides an up to date, authoritative review of the methods of measuring and assessing biological diversity, together with their application. The book's emphasis is on quantifying the variety, abundance, and occurrence of taxa, and on providing objective and clear guidance for both scientists and managers. This is a fast-moving field and one that is the focus of intense research interest. However the rapid development of new methods, the inconsistent and sometimes confusing application of old ones, and the lack of consensus in the literature about the best approach, means that there is a real need for a current synthesis. Biological Diversity covers fundamental measurement issues such as sampling, re-examines familiar diversity metrics (including species richness, diversity statistics, and estimates of spatial and temporal turnover), discusses species abundance distributions and how best to fit them, explores species occurrence and the spatial structure of biodiversity, and investigates alternative approaches used to assess trait, phylogenetic, and genetic diversity. The final section of the book turns to a selection of contemporary challenges such as measuring microbial diversity, evaluating the impact of disturbance, assessing biodiversity in managed landscapes, measuring diversity in the imperfect fossil record, and using species density estimates in management and conservation.

Biodiversity
Biodiversity

Author: D. J. Perlman

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2009-07-01

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1444313541

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Biodiversity has become a buzzword in the environmental movement and in science, and is increasingly being taught in university degree courses. This new text is designed as a primer, giving non-specialists an introduction to the historical context, current debates, and ongoing research in this subject.

Evaluation and Assessment for Conservation
Evaluation and Assessment for Conservation

Author: Ian Spellerberg

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-11-11

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 9401123020

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Most politicians have jumped on the conservation bandwagon, and nobody running for public office these days can afford to take an overtly anti environment stand. The fascination that children have for nature, the gen erous donations people make to conservation organizations, the votes cast for 'Green Parties,' the continuing popularity of zoos and wildlife films, and the strong sales of books about the environment all provide evidence to politicians that the general public supports the idea of conservation. Conservation has become a major issue for governments. No longer is it necessary for conservationists to campaign for getting the cause on the agenda: it is already there, at least as a talking point. The issue now is how to convert this generalized interest into real action. And among the many priorities competing for attention, how is a govern ment (or a private organization) to decide wh at to do first? From a very limited budget - for budgets will always be limited - what is the package of activities that is most likely to lead to the results that the public wants? lan Spellerberg attempts to address these questions which are at the he art of modern conservation action. It is relatively easy to prescribe useful activities that will benefit both the environment and the public at large.