Books in the Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation series

This important new book by Colin Reynolds covers the adaptations, physiology and population dynamics of phytoplankton communities. It provides basic information on composition, morphology and physiology of the main phyletic groups represented in marine and freshwater systems and in addition reviews recent advances in community ecology.

This book examines the ways in which we find meanings in nature which can act to constrain us, and looks at science and culture, including environmental psychology, literature, poetry and art, seeking to open up the range of reasons why we should conserve nature while improving human welfare.

Interactions, between competitors, predators and their prey form the foundations of community structure. This book investigates the roles parasites play in influencing these interactions, both detrimental and beneficial. This comprehensive guide is of relevance to academics, practitioners and graduates in biodiversity, conservation and population management, and animal and human health.

In the face of ever-declining biodiversity, zoos have a major role to play in species conservation. Written by professionals involved in in situ conservation and restoration projects internationally, this is a critical assessment of the contribution of zoos to species conservation through evidence amassed from a wide range of sources. The first part outlines the biodiversity context within which zoos should operate, introducing the origins and global spread of zoos and exploring animal collection composition. The second part focuses on the basic elements of keeping viable captive animal populations. It considers the consequences of captivity on animals, the genetics of captive populations and the performance of zoos in captive breeding. The final part examines ways in which zoos can make a significant difference to conservation now and in the future. Bridging the gap between pure science and applied conservation, this is an ideal resource for both conservation biologists and zoo professionals.

Our living environment continuously changes in space and time. This book explains how to capture and assess these changes through the relevant statistical framework. It is a useful guide to students, teachers and researchers in the fields of biology, ecology and environmental science. Codes on the accompanying CD-ROM aid analyses.

Native only to the California Channel Islands, the island fox is the smallest canid in North America. Populations on four of the islands were threatened to extinction in the 1990s due to human-mediated predation and disease. This is the first account of the natural history and ecology of the island fox, illustrating both the vulnerability of island ecosystems and the efficacy of cooperative conservation measures. It explains in detail the intense conservation actions required to recover fox populations, such as captive breeding and reintroduction, and large-scale ecosystem manipulation. These actions were successful due in large part to extraordinary collaboration among the scientists, managers and public advocates involved in the recovery effort. The book also examines the role of some aspects of island fox biology, characteristic of the 'island syndrome', in facilitating their recovery, including high productivity and an apparent adaptation to periodic genetic bottlenecks.

In the face of decreasing biodiversity and ongoing global changes, maintaining ecosystem functioning is seen both as a means to preserve biological diversity as well as for safeguarding human well-being by securing the services ecosystems provide. The concept today is prominent in many fields of ecology and conservation biology, such as biodiversity research, ecosystem management, or restoration ecology. Although the idea of ecosystem functioning is important, the concept itself remains rather vague and elusive. This book provides a novel analysis and integrated synthesis of different approaches to conceptualising and assessing ecosystem functioning. It links the natural sciences with methodologies from philosophy and the social sciences, and introduces a new methodology for a clearer and more efficient application of ecosystem functioning concepts in practice. Special emphasis is laid on the social dimensions of the concept and the ways it influences research practice. Several case studies relate theoretical analyses to practical application.

A comprehensive summary of species distribution modeling, the methods used for spatial prediction of species distributions, along with a framework for mapping species distributions using ecological theory, statistical models of distribution and spatial data. Providing practical guidelines to students, researchers and practitioners in a broad range of environmental sciences.

Using the Tumut Fragmentation Study, and other relevant research, David Lindenmayer provides an overview of the relationships between landscape change, habitat fragmentation and biodiversity conservation. Drawing on key lessons throughout, he highlights how important new insights can be generated from integrating demographic, genetic and modelling research.

Human induced development activities are introduced with insufficient attention to their consequences for our living environment, even in cases where environmental assessments have been carried out. This apparent lack of attention to biodiversity in environmental assessment is rooted in the difficulties we have in adequately addressing biodiversity within the scope, time frame and budget allocated for assessments. This book provides a conceptual background and practical approaches to overcome these difficulties. It integrates the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, its ecosystem approach, and the conceptual framework of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment into a comprehensive approach to biodiversity in environmental assessment. It highlights the need to consider the value of biodiversity based on its use by each stakeholder, addresses the importance of both social and economic development to reach the Millennium Development Goals, and provides insights into ways to balance present and future needs.

The authors explore the relationships between bird populations and agricultural management, illustrating these with case studies of sixteen species set in the context of historical change in agriculture and bird communities in Britain. They conclude by looking forward to future challenges for conservation of bird populations in agricultural habitats.

Insects are the most diverse and abundant animals that share our world, and conservation initiatives are increasingly being implemented globally, to safeguard the wealth of individual species. This book provides sufficient background information, illustrated by examples, to enable more confident and efficient progress for conservation of these ecologically indispensable animals.

The idea that nature is in balance and is only occasionally disrupted by external influences is a central concept in biology. However, much evidence contradicts this assumption. Using evidence from fossil history, studies of plant and animal populations and communities, this book shows that nonequilibrium is more widespread than equilibrium.

This book deals with basic spatial population processes, detailing how a number of fundamental problems relating to the abundance and distribution of organisms can be addressed, for example the effect of environmental variability. It aims to bring together analytical population dynamics, random processes and community structure into a common framework.

Aldemaro Romero critically examines current knowledge of cave biology, emphasizing evolution, ecology and conservation. He challenges the conventional wisdom regarding the biology of caves, and highlights urgent questions that should be addressed in order to get a more complete understanding of caves as ecosystems.

Compares methods used for evaluating rivers and lakes for conservation, primarily in the UK and US, but also in countries such as Sweden, Australia and South Africa. Includes a chapter on developing countries, to examine the role of social and economic conditions in conservation ethics.

A comprehensive guide to conducting environmental risk assessments for students, researchers and professionals in ecology, conservation and resource management. Coverage includes the philosophy of uncertainty and human objectivity in risky situations. Consideration is also given to how both subjective beliefs and technical analysis can be used to make informed decisions.

This 2003 book focuses on introduced plant species: where they come from, their impacts on native vegetation and ecosystems and the potential for their control. Aimed at advanced students and land managers, it contains practical explanations, case studies and an introduction to basic techniques for evaluating the impacts of invasive plants.

This account deals with problems and approaches to invertebrate conservation in highly managed agricultural ecosystems, and how to promote biodiversity without compromising agricultural production. It draws attention to the significant functional importance of invertebrates in agriculture and in ecosystem functions, and the importance of conserving them in the wider landscape.

Fossils document the existence of trees and wood-associated organisms from almost 400 million years ago, and today there are between 400,000 and 1 million wood-inhabiting species in the world. This is the first book to synthesise the natural history and conservation needs of wood-inhabiting organisms. Presenting a thorough introduction to biodiversity in decaying wood, the book studies the rich diversity of fungi, insects and vertebrates that depend upon dead wood. It describes the functional diversity of these organisms and their specific habitat requirements in terms of host trees, decay phases, tree dimensions, microhabitats and the surrounding environment. Recognising the threats posed by timber extraction and forest management, the authors also present management options for protecting and maintaining the diversity of these species in forests as well as in agricultural landscapes and urban parks.

This book equips students, early career researchers and those new to soil ecology with an introduction to the soil fauna, their contributions to ecosystem function, and the mechanisms that structure soil fauna assemblages. More experienced soil ecologists can use the book as an essential compendium on soil fauna ecology.

Field studies form the backbone of research, teaching, policy and advisory work. For the first time, a single textbook provides an overview of the diversity, impacts and importance of field work. The authors capture the spirit of enjoying fieldwork, and the many benefits it brings to society.

Despite their often dangerous and unpredictable nature, landslides provide fascinating templates for studying how soil organisms, plants and animals respond to such destruction. The emerging field of landslide ecology helps us understand these responses, aiding slope stabilisation and restoration and contributing to the progress made in geological approaches to landslide prediction and mitigation. Summarising the growing body of literature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilising, and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. It explores nutrient cycling; soil development; and how soil organisms disperse, colonise and interact in what is often an inhospitable environment. Recognising the role that these processes play in providing solutions to the problem of unstable slopes, the authors present ecological approaches as useful, economical and resilient supplements to landslide management.

Intended for readers interested in ecology conservation and natural history, this book describes the threats humans pose to freshwater animals, making them more endangered than their land and sea counterparts. The consequences of human activities on freshwater ecosystems, and how to mitigate them, is a recurring theme.

The species-area relationship is a fundamental but poorly understood pattern and building block within biogeography and ecology. It is covered within ecology, biogeography and conservation courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. This book combines reviews of key concepts and theory with novel cutting-edge theoretical and applied research.

Compares methods used for evaluating rivers and lakes for conservation, primarily in the UK and US, but also in countries such as Sweden, Australia and South Africa. Includes a chapter on developing countries, to examine the role of social and economic conditions in conservation ethics.

Joint Species Distribution Modelling is for graduate students and researchers interested in analysing data on community ecology and placing their results in the context of modern ecological theory. With the help of example R-scripts, readers will learn how to conduct and interpret statistical analyses.

Ecology and Conservation of Forest Birds is a unique review of current understanding of the relationships between forest birds and their changing environments, with a particular focus on the non-tropical parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Major conservation issues include forest management, climate change, and altered disturbance regimes.