An Introduction to Conservation Biology

New coauthor Anna Sher joins longtime author Richard Primack in creating a book that combines the readability of Primack's A Primer of Conservation Biology with the depth and coverage of his larger textbook, Essentials of Conservation Biology. The result is a book well suited for a wide range of undergraduate courses, as both a primary text for conservation biology courses and a supplement for ecological and environmental science courses.Using the chapter framework of the current Primer as a springboard, the authors have added three chapters focused on population biology conservation tools (Chapter 7), restoration ecology (Chapter 10), and the future of conservation (Chapter 12). Sustainable development, ex situ conservation, and other key topics have been expanded and updated with hundreds of new examples, explanations, citations, and figures to enhance learning and excitement for the subject. Mining her experience teaching conservation biology with Dr. Primack's texts for over a decade, Dr. Sher fine-tunes the presentation of difficult concepts, particularly in economics and politics. Coverage of recent conservation biology events in the news--such as the poaching of Cecil the lion, the first papal encyclical on the environment, and the international Paris Accord on climate change--keeps the content fresh and current.The book's twelve chapters (see Contents) focus successively on biological diversity and its value; threats to biological diversity; conservation at the population and species levels; protecting, managing and restoring ecosystems; and sustainable development. Each chapter begins with general ideas and principles, beautifully illustrated in full color with diverse examples from the current literature. Chapters end with summaries, an annotated list of suggested readings, discussion questions, and extensive summary statements in the text margins, as study aids. Throughout, the authors maintain a focus on the active role that scientists, local people, conservation organizations, government, and the general public play in protecting biodiversity, even while providing for human needs.RESOURCESFor InstructorsInstructor's Resource Library This resource includes all figures (line-art illustrations and photographs) and tables from the textbook, provided as both high- and low-resolution JPEGs. All have been formatted and optimized for excellent projection quality. Also included are ready-to-use PowerPoint slides of all figures and tables.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1. Defining Conservation Biology The New Science of Conservation Biology The roots of conservation biology A new science is born The interdisciplinary approach: A case study with sea turtles The Ethical Principles of Conservation Biology Looking to the Future Summary Chapter 2. What Is Biodiversity? Species Diversity What is a species? Measuring species diversity Genetic Diversity Ecosystem Diversity What are communities and ecosystems? Species interactions within ecosystems Food chains and food webs Keystone species and resources Ecosystem dynamics Biodiversity Worldwide How many species exist worldwide? Where is the world's biodiversity found? The distribution of species Summary Chapter 3. The Value of Biodiversity Ecological and Environmental Economics Cost-benefit analysis Financing conservation What are species worth? Ecosystem services Economic Use Values Direct use values Consumptive use value Productive use value Indirect use values Ecosystem productivity Water and soil protection Climate regulation Species relationships and environmental monitors Amenity value Educational and scientific value Multiple uses of a single resource: A case study The Long-Term View: Option Value Existence Value Environmental Ethics Ethical values of biodiversity Deep ecology Summary Chapter 4. Threats to Biodiversity Human Population Growth and Its Impact Habitat Destruction Tropical rain forests Other threatened habitats Desertification Habitat Fragmentation Threats posed by habitat fragmentation Edge effects Environmental Degradation and Pollution Pesticide pollution Water pollution Air pollution Global Climate Change Ocean acidification, warming, and rising sea level The overall effect of global warming Overexploitation International wildlife trade Commercial harvesting Invasive Species Threats posed by invasive species Invasive species on oceanic islands Invasive species in aquatic habitats The ability of species to become invasive Control of invasive species GMOs and conservation biology Disease A Concluding Remark Summary Chapter 5. Extinction Is Forever The Meaning of "Extinct" The current, human-caused mass extinction Local extinctions Extinction rates in aquatic environments Measuring Extinction Background extinction rates Extinction rate predictions and the island biogeography model Extinction rates and habitat loss Vulnerability to Extinction Problems of Small Populations Loss of genetic diversity Consequences of reduced genetic diversity Factors that determine effective population size Other factors that affect the persistence of small populations Demographic stochasticity Environmental stochasticity and catastrophes The extinction vortex Summary Chapter 6. Conserving Populations and Species Applied Population Biology Methods for studying populations Population viability analysis (PVA) Metapopulations Long-term monitoring Conservation Categories Prioritization: What Should Be Protected? Legal Protection of Species National laws International agreements to protect species Summary Chapter 7. Bringing Species Back from the Brink Establishing and Reinforcing Populations Considerations for animal programs Behavioral ecology of released animals Establishing plant populations The status of new populations Ex Situ Conservation Strategies Zoos Aquariums Botanical gardens Seed banks Can Technology Bring Back Extinct Species? Summary Chapter 8. Protected Areas Establishment and Classification of Protected Areas Marine protected areas (MPAs) The effectiveness of protected areas Measuring effectiveness: Gap analysis Designing Protected Areas Protected area size and characteristics Networks of Protected Areas Habitat corridors Landscape Ecology and Park Design Managing Protected Areas Managing sites Monitoring sites Management and people Zoning as a solution to conflicting demands Biosphere reserves Challenges to Park Management Poaching Trophy hunting Human-animal conflict Degradation Climate change Funding and personnel Summary Chapter 9. Conservation Outside Protected Areas The Value of Unprotected Habitat Military land Unprotected forests Unprotected grasslands Unprotected waters Land that is undesirable to humans Private land Conservation in Urban and Other Human-Dominated Areas Other human-dominated landscapes Ecosystem Management Working with Local People Biosphere reserves In situ agricultural conservation Extractive reserves Community-based initiatives Payments for ecosystem services Evaluating conservation initiatives that involve traditional societies Case Studies: Namibia and Kenya Summary Chapter 10. Restoration Ecology Where to Start? Restoration in Urban Areas Restoration Using Organisms Moving Targets of Restoration Restoration of Some Major Communities Wetlands Aquatic systems Prairies and farmlands Tropical dry forest in Costa Rica The Future of Restoration Ecology Summary Chapter 11. The Challenges of Sustainable Development Sustainable Development at the Local Level Local and regional conservation regulations Land trusts and related strategies Enforcement and public benefits Conservation at the National Level International Approaches to Sustainable Development International Earth summits International agreements that protect habitat Funding for Conservation The World Bank and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) Environmental trust funds Debt-for-nature swaps How effective is conservation funding? Summary Chapter 12. An Agenda for the Future Ongoing Problems and Possible Solutions The Role of Conservation Biologists Challenges for conservation biologists Achieving the agenda Summary Appendix: Selected Environmental Organizations and Sources of Information Glossary Chapter Opening Photograph Credits Bibliography Index About the Author

About the Author :
Richard B. Primack is a Professor in the Biology Department at Boston University. He received his B.A. at Harvard University in 1972 and his Ph.D. at Duke University in 1976, and then was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Canterbury and Harvard University. He has served as a visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong, Tokyo University, and the Northeast Forestry University in China, and has been awarded Bullard and Putnam Fellowships from Harvard University, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and Humboldt Fellowship from the German government. Dr. Primack was President of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, and is currently Editor-in-Chief of the journal Biological Conservation. Thirty-four foreign-language editions of his conservation biology textbooks (the Essentials and the shorter Primer of Conservation Biology) have been produced, with local coauthors. He is an author of rain forest books, most recently Tropical Rain Forests: An Ecological and Biogeographical Comparison (with Richard Corlett). Dr. Primack' s research interests include: climate change biology; the loss of species in protected areas; tropical ecology; and conservation education. He has recently completed a popular book about the impacts of climate change, titled Walden Warming: Climate Change Comes to Thoreau's Woods. Anna Sher is a Professor of Biology at the University of Denver, where she has taught Conservation Biology since 2003. She held a joint position as the Director of Research at Denver Botanic Gardens from 2003-2010. Dr. Sher has published books and articles for academic, trade, and popular audiences on various topics within conservation biology, including restoration ecology, rare plant conservation, and climate change. She is one of the foremost experts on the ecology of invasive Tamarix trees and was the lead editor of the book Tamarix: A Case Study of Ecological Change in the American West (Oxford University Press, 2013). Dr. Sher received her Ph.D. in Biology at the University of New Mexico in 1998, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Davis and as a Fulbright Scholar in Israel. She has also led scientific study-abroad programs in East Africa, and is a contributing science writer for the Huffington Post blog.