The notion of Endangerment stands at the heart of a network of concepts, values and practices dealing with objects and beings considered threatened by extinction, and with the procedures aimed at preserving them. Usually animated by a sense of urgency and citizenship, identifying endangered entities involves evaluating an impending threat and opens the way for preservation strategies. Endangerment, Biodiversity and Culture looks at some of the fundamental ways in which this process involves science, but also more than science: not only data and knowledge and institutions, but also affects and values. Focusing on an "endangerment sensibility," it encapsulates tensions between the normative and the utilitarian, the natural and the cultural. The chapters situate that specifically modern sensibility in historical perspective, and examine central aspects of its recent and present forms.This timely volume offers the most cutting-edge insights into the Environmental Humanities for researchers working in Environmental Studies, History, Anthropology, Sociology and Science and Technology Studies.

Based on more than 1.8 million records, this Atlas provides the most up-to-date information on the current distributions of both terrestrial and marine mammals in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Many changes over time, such as the rapid invasion of the grey squirrel, the recovery of the pine marten and the decline of the water vole, are readily apparent from the detailed maps. Fully illustrated with photographs, detailed information is provided for 84 species, including descriptions of their ecology and identification, together with graphs showing the seasonal distribution of records. Data are also presented for feral species, vagrants, and cetaceans that have only ever been found as strandings. The Atlas will be an invaluable source of information to mammal enthusiasts, professional ecologists, and policy makers.

This textbook provides a comprehensive, reliable and practical guide to the dissection and parasitological examination of marine fish and cephalopods. The first part provides a general introduction, presenting basic information on: parasitology, ecology of the marine environment, history and methods of fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the ecology of marine fish and cephalopods and the impact of parasites on hosts. In turn, the second part provides general information on the morphology and anatomy of marine fish and cephalopods using the example of abundant morphotypes (including e.g. habitus photos of the body cavity and internal organs). The third part covers the relevant parasitic groups, their ecology (e.g. lifecycles, transmission), related diseases, and detection. The fourth part, a comprehensive methods section, provides essential protocols and applications of common dissection methods (for roundfish, flatfish and cephalopods) and stomach content analyses, as well as parasite preservation, preparation and molecular identification. Basic calculations of the most common infection and ecological parameters are also introduced. The book's fifth and final part provides information on health risks associated with fish and cephalopod consumption, as well as the prevention of human infection through the correct handling and processing of fish samples. The appendix provides e.g. blank sheets for recording fish dissections and parasitological examinations.

Allin's handbook provides a masterful survey of the parks and the systems whereby they came into being and are managed (or in some cases mismanaged) today. . . . Throughout spaceship earth' there is an audience for this fine book in public and academic libraries. "Wilson Library Bulletin"

This volume fills an important gap in the national parks literature by providing a unique comparative exploration of global parks preservation. Written by a group of distinguished contributors--each an expert in his or her area of coverage--the handbook describes and evaluates the national parks and nature preserves in 25 nations and one regional cluster. The nations selected range from some of the wealthiest and most technologically sophisticated in the world to some of the least developed, and they represent the regional diversity to be found within each of six continents--Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America--as well as a number of Pacific island nations. Each chapter is written to a common outline and addresses the history of park preservation in that country, the natural values associated with parks and preserves, and the legal and administrative structures charged with park protection.

The editor's introduction sets the stage for the chapters that follow by discussing the national park concept and its historical implementation first in individual nations and later by means of international agreements and institutions. Of the 27 chapters that follow, 24 deal comprehensively with the parks and reserves of a single nation and one treats the nine nations of French-speaking west Africa. Two chapters address the diverse systems of nature preservation which have been established in the United States. One focuses on the traditional national parks while the other examines the recently established wilderness areas. Within each chapter a section on history describes the major events associated with park preservation. A section on the parks and reserves themselves describes the geological, historical, archaeological, biological, ecological, aesthetic, or recreational values designated for protection. A third section evaluates the agencies charged with park protection and the pressures and constraints under which they operate. Each chapter also includes notes and a select bibliography. An important acquisition for library collections dealing with conservation, this handbook will also be an invaluable reference source for scholars and researchers in the field. Numerous tables and figures enhance the text.

This book describes in fascinating detail the wildlife, wild places and wild personalities that occupied Angola’s conservation landscape through four decades of war and a decade of peace. Intrigues, assassinations, corruption, greed and incompetence ? during the colonial era, through the horrific war and most especially throughout the crony-capitalist kleptocracy of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos ? have resulted in the extinction of most of its formerly abundant wildlife populations and the decay and erosion of a once endless Eden. This is the first book to integrate the political, economic and environmental threads that account for the post-colonial tragedy of one of Africa’s most biologically diverse countries. A corrupt government has robbed the country of its vast oil and diamond wealth, of its environmental health, of its morality and of its soul. It was not always so. The author was appointed ecologist to Angola’s National Parks in 1971. But the vast open spaces, peaceful stillness and tropical luxuriance that he found during the four years they spent exploring and developing the country’s wildlife reserves was not to last. The powder keg of anger against centuries of colonial exploitation ? of slavery, of forced labour and of an abusive system of penal settlement ? could not be contained. Bloody nationalist uprisings led to the abandonment of Angola by Portugal and the transition from random guerrilla skirmishes with a colonial army into a brutal civil war that cost over one million lives. Despite its scarred history, the author believes the country can still rebuild its national parks and save much of its wildlife and wilderness. But this can only happen if the current ageing autocracy makes space for a new generation of Angolan conservationists.

Originally published in 1974, Waterfowl and Wetlands analyses waterfowl hunting patterns in the late sixties in the hopes of protecting waterfowl resources such as wetlands. Wetlands are obviously an important resource for migratory waterfowl however they are often drained for agricultural purposes which can have dramatic effects on waterfowl population. This study aims to explore the issues surrounding waterfowl and wetlands in an attempt to determine their value to hunters, farmers and the general public. This study will be of interest to students of Environmental Studies.

'If you thought butterflies were special, the clear intelligible science in this superb page-turner will make you realise they're ultra-special' - MATTHEW OATES This new addition to the British Wildlife Collection is a unique take on butterfly behaviour and ecology, written by the former Chief Executive of Butterfly Conservation, Martin Warren. It explores the secret lives of our British species (also drawing on comparative examples from continental Europe), revealing how they have become adapted to survive in such a highly competitive natural world. Combining personal anecdote with the latest discoveries in the scientific literature, this book covers everything from why we love butterflies and their life-cycle from egg to adult, to their struggle for survival in a world of predators and parasites and the miracle of migration. The final chapters explore how butterflies are recorded, the change in their ranges and abundance during the 20th and 21st centuries, and the significance of managing habitats at a landscape scale, concluding with a passionate plea for why we must act now to reverse butterfly declines. Insightful, inspiring and a joy to read, Butterflies is the culmination of a lifetime of careful research into what makes these beautiful insects tick and how and why we must conserve them.

- provides the first comprehensive overview of the history, theory and current practices of rewilding - edited by founding members of IUCN Rewilding Task Force (RTF) who have practiced and written about rewilding for many years - presents interdisciplinary chapters which address case studies from across the globe - will be appropriate for students, researchers, academics and practitioners

In her wise and elegant new book, Jane Goodall blends her experience in nature with her enthusiasm for botany to give readers a deeper understanding of the world around us. Long before her work with chimpanzees, Goodall's passion for the natural world sprouted in the backyard of her childhood home in England, where she climbed her beech tree and made elderberry wine with her grandmother. The garden her family began then, she continues to enjoy today. SEEDS OF HOPE takes us from England to Goodall's home-away-from-home in Africa, deep inside the Gombe forest, where she and the chimpanzees are enchanted by the fig and plum trees they encounter. She introduces us to botanists around the world, as well as places where hope for plants can be found, such as The Millennium Seed Bank, where one billion seeds are preserved. She shows us the secret world of plants with all their mysteries and potential for healing our bodies as well as Planet Earth. Looking at the world as an adventurer, scientist, and devotee of sustainable foods and gardening-and setting forth simple goals we can all take to protect the plants around us-Jane Goodall delivers an enlightening story of the wonders we can find in our own backyards.

Howler monkeys (genus Alouatta) comprise 12 species of leaf-eating New World monkeys that range from southern Mexico through northern Argentina. This genus is the most widespread of any New World primate and can be found to inhabit a range of forest types from undisturbed rainforest to severely anthropogenically-impacted forest fragments. Although there have been many studies on individual species of howler monkeys, this book is the first comprehensive volume that places information on howler behavior and biology within a theoretical framework of ecological and social adaptability. This is the first of two companion volumes devoted to the genus Alouatta. This volume: * Provides new and original empirical and theoretical research on howler monkeys * Presents evolutionary and adaptive explanations for the ecological success of howler monkeys * Examines howler behavior and ecology within a comparative framework These goals are achieved in a collection of chapters written by a distinguished group of scientists on the evolutionary history, paleontology, taxonomy, genetics, morphology, physiology, and anatomy of howlers. The volume also contains chapters on howlers as vectors of infectious diseases, ethnoprimatology, and conservation.

In Never Home Alone, biologist Rob Dunn takes us to the edge of biology's latest frontier: our own homes. Every house is a wilderness -- from the Egyptian meal moths in our kitchen cupboards and the yeast in a sourdough starter, to the camel crickets living in the basement, to the thousands of species of insects, bacteria, fungi, and plants live literally under our noses. Our reaction, too often, is to sterilize. As we do, we unwittingly cultivate an entirely new playground for evolution. Unfortunately, this means that we have created a range of new parasites, from antibiotic-resistant microbes to nearly impossible to kill cockroaches, to threaten ourselves with, and destroyed helpful housemates. If we're not careful, the "healthier" we try to make our homes, the more likely we'll be putting our own health at risk. A rich natural history and a thrilling scientific investigation, Never Home Alone shows us that if are to truly thrive in our homes, we must learn to welcome the unknown guests that have been there the whole time.

This synopsis covers evidence for the effects of conservation interventions for native farmland wildlife. It is restricted to evidence captured on the website www.conservationevidence.com. It includes papers published in the journal Conservation Evidence, evidence summarized on our database and systematic reviews collated by the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. It is the thrid volume in the series Synopses of Conservation Evidence. Evidence was collected from all European countries west of Russia, but not those south of France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Romania. A list of interventions to conserve wildlife on farmland was developed collaboratively by a team of thirteen experts. A number of interventions that are not currently agri-environment options were added during this process, such as 'Provide nest boxes for bees (solitary or bumblebees)' and 'Implement food labelling schemes relating to biodiversity-friendly farming'. Interventions relating to the creation or management of habitats not considered commercial farmland (such as lowland heath, salt marsh and farm woodland) were removed. The list of interventions was organized into categories based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifications of direct threats and conservation actions. Interventions that fall under the threat category 'Agriculture' are grouped by farming system, with separate sections for interventions that apply to arable or livestock farms, or across all farming types.

The key aim of this book is to explore the global conservation and management of sharks. There has been a rapid decline in populations of many shark species, while new science has emerged of the critical role they play in marine ecosystems. However, the authors show that conservation law and policy have been slow to develop, with only a small number of iconic species being protected worldwide. The increase in fishing impact - primarily through shark finning and by-catch - has led to shark conservation receiving greater international attention in recent years. The book explores our current knowledge and status of the law and science in relation to sharks with a particular focus on improving frameworks for their conservation and management. Recent trends are analysed, including shark finning bans that have been put in place in several countries, the widening number of nations establishing shark sanctuaries and the growth of shark-based tourism. The efficacy of current listing processes for endangered species and fisheries regulations is also examined. Tourism is explored as an alternative to fishing and the risks and impacts associated with this industry are analysed. Contributors include leading authorities from universities and conservation organizations in North America, Europe and Australia. A common theme is to emphasise the importance of collaborative governance between various interest groups and the need for inter-disciplinary research and management approaches that are necessary to address the decline in sharks.

The book presents a collection of large-scale network-modeling studies on coastal systems in Latin America. It includes a novel description of the functioning of coastal complex ecosystems and also predicts how natural and human-made disturbances percolate through the networks. Coastal areas belong to the most populated ecosystems around the globe, and are massively influenced by human impacts such as shipping, mining, fisheries, tourism, pollution and human settlements. Even though many of these activities have facilitated socio-economic development, they have also caused a significant deterioration in natural populations, communities and ecosystems worldwide. Covering coastal marine ecosystems of Latin America such as the NE and SE Pacific, NW Atlantic and Caribbean areas, it discusses the construction of quantitative (Ecopath-Ecosim-Ecospace and Centrality of Node Sets) and semi-quantitative (Loop Analysis) multispecies trophic-network models to describe and assess the impacts of natural and human interventions like pelagic and benthic fishing as well as natural events such as El Nino, and La Nina. The book also features steady state (and/or near moving equilibrium) and dynamical models to support the management of exploited organisms, and applies and quantifies macroscopic indices, based on Ascendency (Ulanowicz) and Local Stability (Levins Loop Analysis). Further, it discusses the determination of the Keystone Species Complex Index, which is a holistic extension of the classical concept of Keystone Species (Paine), offering novel strategies for conservation monitoring and management.

Marine and coastal resources provide millions of people with their livelihoods, such as fishing and tourism, and a range of critical additional 'ecosystem services', from biodiversity and culture to carbon storage and flood protection. Yet across the world, these resources are fast-diminishing under the weight of pollution, land clearance, coastal development, overfishing, natural disasters and climate change. This book shows how economic instruments can be used to incentivize the conservation of marine and coastal resources. It is shown that traditional approaches to halt the decline focus on regulating against destructive practices, but to little effect. A more successful strategy could be to establish schemes such as payments for ecosystem services (PES), or incorporate an element of financial incentives into existing regulatory mechanisms. Examples, both terrestrial and marine, from across the world suggest that PES can work to protect both livelihoods and environments. But to succeed, it is shown that these schemes must be underpinned by robust research, clear property rights, sound governance structures, equitable benefit sharing, and sustainable finance. Case studies are included from south and east Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia. The book explores the prospects and challenges, and draws lessons from PES and PES-like programmes from across the globe.

Wolves are controversial figures worldwide and much effort has focused on how to conserve them while addressing public concerns. With its solitary habits and fruit-eating diet, the endangered maned wolf roams the South American grasslands and swamps, playing a vital part in maintaining biodiversity hotspots. Compared to the grey wolf, little is known about its relationship with local people and the environment and the reasons for its decline, making research about this unique species an urgent concern. Ecology and Conservation of the Maned Wolf: Multidisciplinary Perspectives gathers the work of leading researchers from diverse disciplines and countries, covering up-to-date research on the biology, ecology, and conservation of the maned wolf. It presents innovative insights that can benefit conservation strategies and offers perspectives for the future of the species. The book is divided into three parts. Part I explains the general issues concerning the maned wolf: population viability, the relationship between maned wolves and people, and the management of captive maned wolves. It also reviews current aspects of species biology, including conservation genetics, feeding ecology, social structure and reproduction, and conservation medicine. Part II contains case studies that present knowledge gathered from conservation programs and field research in all countries where the species is currently found-Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Part III offers perspectives from diverse fields of research, exploring the challenges and opportunities connecting maned wolf conservation efforts with those of its habitat and of other endangered species. This includes education and communication tools, the application of human dimensions research to maned wolf conservation, ethnoconservation perspectives, and the ecological and socioeconomic challenges to the conservation of the cerrado habitat.

Among the deep-sea marine invertebrates, pycnogonids and crustaceans represent ecologically important and most diverse groups of species. Yet both are still poorly understood. Sampling and exploring operations off the west and east coast of the Americas has significantly increased in the last two decades. However such operations are very costly and limited in number and frequency. In countries like Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, the United States of America, and El Salvador a large effort has been made to explore the deep-sea resources and the rich diversity of the communities, resulting in a better understanding of the natural ecosystems on both coasts of America. Pycnogonids and many groups of deep-sea crustaceans have been intensively studied, from the smallest animals, like the mostly unknown benthic copepods to the largest decapods. This book presents new and updated information on various groups of deep-sea pycnogonids and crustaceans occurring off the American continent. Offering a valuable reference resource for scientists interested in this fascinating fauna, it includes review papers and new data on the deep-sea communities occurring off the USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Brazil and Argentina, as well as in larger areas in both the East Pacific and the West Atlantic. As such it covers most of the current deep-water research in Latin America.

Tober considers the activities of nonprofit organizations that attempt to influence public policy dealing with wildlife. The author favors those organizations interested in preserving such wildlife, rather than those that foster hunting or that assess the value of wildlife in the context of economic development. Tober provides sketches of the makeup of the various organizations covered, the constituents they serve, their budgets, and the means they use to influence public policy. The author focuses particularly on the late 1970s and the 1980s, and uses the controversies over preserving the California condor and the bobcat as case studies. "Choice"

Our relationship with the millions of other species with which we share this earth is institutionalized by many organizations, some of which seek to influence policy in the wildlife arena. Wildlife and the Public Interest is a study of this complex wildlife industry, examining the structure, conduct, and performance of those involved. It studies the extreme complexity of the policy process with regard to the relationship between humans and wildlife. A special focus in this book is on the role of nonprofit organizations that have come to dominate large segments of the industry. Students and scholars of public policy, or environmental and resource policy, as well as the general reader interested in this important topic, will find Wildlife and the Public Interest an invaluable resource.

The book begins with a characterization of current wildlife policy. Further chapters discuss the wildlife industry; What is wildlife? How do we interact with it? What sort of organizations exist in the interest of wildlife? Two current case studies--of the evolution of the controversial captive breeding program for the California Condor and of the regulation of harvest and export of the bobcat--explore the complexities of policy making and the range of nonprofit activity. Finally, the book examines the community of nonprofit organizations in an interorganizational setting.

The National Vegetation Classification (NVC) has become the standard classification used for describing vegetation in Britain. It is a 'phytosociological' classification, classifying vegetation solely on the basis of the plant species of which it is composed. The NVC breaks down each broad vegetation type into communities. Many of these communities contain two or more sub-communities, in a few cases further divided into variants. The second volume of British Plant Communities (Rodwell, 1991) provides a detailed account of 38 mire communities and 22 heath communities, with information on their composition, structure and distribution. The summary descriptions here are derived directly from the full accounts prepared by John Rodwell but are in no way a substitute for them. Rather they are intended as an aide-memoire to assist surveyors in the field or for anyone else wishing to familiarise themselves with the overall scheme of classification for mires and heaths. This is a reprint edition (with no amendments) of ISBN 1-86107-526-X.

This book brings together scientific evidence and experience relevant to the practical conservation of wild birds. The authors worked with an international group of bird experts and conservationists to develop a global list of interventions that could benefit wild birds. For each intervention, the book summarises studies captured by the Conservation Evidence project, where that intervention has been tested and its effects on birds quantified. The result is a thorough guide to what is known, or not known, about the effectiveness of bird conservation actions throughout the world. The preparation of this synopsis was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and Arcadia.

Tropical coral reefs are important ecosystems. They are economically important to coastal communities living in predominantly developing countries, and also provide shoreline protection, catalyse land formation enabling human habitation, act as a carbon sink and are a repository for genetic and species diversity rivalling rainforests. In the face of mounting man-made pressure from pollution, climate change and over-exploitation, these ecosystems increasingly need action to be taken to ensure their conservation and long term sustainable development. International Environmental Law and the Conservation of Coral Reefs breaks new ground by providing the first in-depth account of the ways in which multilateral environmental treaty regimes are seeking to encourage and improve the conservation of tropical coral reef ecosystems. In so doing, the work aims to raise the profile of such activities in order to reinforce their status on the environmental agenda. The book also has wider implications for international environmental law, arguing that sectorial legal action, provided it remains co-ordinated through a global forum that recognises and reflects the inter-connections between all elements of the natural environment, is the most effective way for international law to enhance the conservation of certain habitats. This book will be invaluable to environmental lawyers, legal researchers, marine conservationists and other stakeholders in coral reefs.

Ivory is big business, and in some parts of Africa elephants have been hunted almost to extinction in the quest for it. The losses to African economies have been catastrophic. Now there is an international ban on the trade and conservation is. the principal goal. This should be a matter for rejoicing, but nothing is quite so simple. The authors of this book have looked at the overall statistics, including those for countries where the elephant population is stable. They have considered the multiplicity of economic and social functions fulfilled by ensuring that elephant herds survive, tourism, a variety of ecological purpose. and, finally, as a source of ivory. They show how the careful management of elephants as a resource can best serve African interests. This book is at the cutting edge of economic thinking and provides a model for the consideration of the difficult relationship between people and wildlife. Originally published in 19990

The stingless bees are the most diverse group of highly social bees and are key species in our planet's tropical and subtropical regions, where they thrive. In Mexico, the management of stingless bees dates back centuries, and they were an essential part of the culture and cosmogony of native peoples like the Maya. In recent decades a vast amount of information has been gathered on stingless bees worldwide. This book summarizes various aspects of the biology and management of stingless bees, with special emphasis on the Mexican species and the traditions behind their cultivation. Much of the information presented here was produced by the author and the team of researchers at the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan in the course of three decades of working with these insects. Given the breadth of its coverage, the book offers an equally valuable reference guide for academics, students and beekeepers alike.

In this book, the authors examine the governance of marine protected areas (MPA), and in particular they compare two different forms of governance - co-management (CM) and adaptive co-management (ACM). CM is characterized by the decentralization of the decision-making process, incorporating the governed as well as the government. ACM is characterized by the dynamic process whereby co-management decision-making is made continuously responsive to the changing ecological and socio-economic circumstances of the MPA. The authors carry out a comprehensive critical analysis of CM and ACM before applying these concepts to the case study of the Cayos Cochinos Marine Protected Area off Honduras to assess two successive management cycles, 2004-9 and 2008-13. The area was designated as an MPA in 1993, a governmental decision which was met with resentment by local communities. CM was introduced in 2004 to involve these local stakeholders in the decision-making process, but achieved limited success. In an attempt to deal with these deficiencies, ACM was adopted in the second management plan in 2008, but whereas the position of the local communities improved, it tipped the scales too far away from conservation. A third management plan is currently being prepared that promises to strike a better balance between ecological and socio-economic objectives. A central theme of the book is to examine how far the CCMPA adhered to the principles of CM and ACM respectively in its first two management plans.

A comprehensive handbook covering all aspects of the conservation of Barn Owls. Written by the Barn Owl Trust, this book includes in-depth information on Barn Owl survey techniques, relevant ecology, Barn Owls and the law, mortality, habitat management, use of nest boxes and barn Owl rehabilitation. Essential reading for ecologists, planners, land managers and ornithologists.