This volume provides an enlightening and pragmatic approach to preserving biological diversity by gathering a wide range of peer-reviewed scientific content from biodiversity researchers and conservators from around the world. It brings comprehensive knowledge and information on the present status of conservation of biological diversity including floral, faunal, and microbial diversity. A detailed account of recent trends in conservation and applications under changing climate conditions, focusing mainly on agriculturally and industrially important microbes and their sustainable utilization, is presented as well. Over the past five decades, extensive research work has been done on many aspects of biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of biological resources. This book examines this crucial issue. Chapters discuss biodiversity concepts, benefits, and values for economic and sustainable development; explores applications and strategies for biodiversity preservation; and considers the role of biodiversity conservation in public awareness services and cultural significance. The volume also examines the process of evolution and the future of biodiversity in conjunction with climate change factors, with special reference to infectious diseases.

This volume reviews, for the first time, the broad range of issues that affect the welfare of commercially farmed ratites. Although ratites incorporate several families of flightless birds this book focuses on the most commonly farmed ratites, the ostrich, emu and rhea. The readers are taken on a journey through all sectors of the industry, which include breeding, incubation, hatching, brooding, rearing, growth, transport and processing, with an emphasis on husbandry and management protocols that can impact bird welfare and health. Also discussed is the structure and sensory innervation of the skin and digits of the birds, and the potential welfare implications of industry practices on these structures. Each chapter in this volume focuses on a particular aspect of the commercial farming of ratites with contributing authors from a broad range of disciplines.

'A must read for all wildlife lovers' Dominic Dyer Foxes, buzzards, crows, badgers, weasels, seals, kites - Britain and Ireland's predators are impressive and diverse and they capture our collective imagination. But many consider them to our competition, even our enemies. The problem is that predators eat what we farm or use for sport. From foxes and ravens attacking new-born lambs to weasels eating game-bird chicks, predators compete with us, putting them directly into the firing line. Farming, fishing, sport and leisure industries want to see numbers of predators reduced, and conservation organisations also worry that predators are threatening some endangered species. Other people, though, will go to great lengths to protect them from any harm. This clashing of worlds can be intense. So, what do we do? One of the greatest challenges facing conservation today is how, when and where to control predators. It is a highly charged debate. Mary Colwell travels across the UK and Ireland to encounter the predators face to face. She watches their lives in the wild and discovers how they fit into the landscape. She talks to the scientists studying them and the wildlife lovers who want to protect them. She also meets the people who want to control them to protect their livelihoods or sporting interests. In this even-handed exploration of the issues, Mary provides a thoughtful and reasoned analysis of the debates surrounding our bittersweet relationship with predators.

This work is about the first manatee ever conceived and born in captivity. The pregnancy was long (about 13 months), the mother was huge (over 900 pounds), and baby Lorelei was regarded by Zeiller and his coworkers at the Miami Seaquarium as a truly blessed event. Even one addition to the dwindling number of this endangered species was reason to rejoice. Zeiller's knowledge of the history and plight of this docile sea mammal is based on his work at the Seaquarium, where he helped develop the only extant breeding herd of manatees (including Lorelei's parents, Romeo and Juliet), the only gene pool of the animal in captivity at that time. With more than 100 photographs that help to document his personal experiences, Zeiller describes ""mercy"" missions with the Mermaid Rescue Squad to liberate animals caught in drainage ditches or to care for animals injured by boat propellers. He relates his efforts and adventures with Captain Jacques Cousteau to return ""Sewer Sam"" to the freedom of Crystal River. In uncomplicated language he presents scientific information on the habitat, distribution, physiology, and feeding and breeding habits of the manatee and its relatives. Manatees are nearing extinction not because of public insensitivity, he believes, but because of a lack of knowledge. His intention throughout the book is to increase public awareness of the crises. ""Destroying or saving 60,000,000 years of evolution is in our hands"", he writes. And, from the Epilogue: ""We have named Lorelei's son (Juliet's grandson) Hugh.

Conservation of plant resources is often focused on seed banks and botanical gardens. However, the two authors of this volume present a comprehensive conservation strategy that complements this "ex-situ" approach with practical guidance on "in-situ" management and conservation of plant resources. The book aims to facilitate better management of protected areas and to illustrate new approaches to conservation of plants within their landscapes. It draws on concepts from forestry, the agricultural sciences, anthropology, ethnology and ethnobotany and should be useful to practitioners, academics and policy-makers.

James Lowen narrates a year-long quest to see Britain's rarest and more remarkable moths. Although mostly unseen by us, moths are everywhere. And their capacity to delight astounds. Inspired by a revelatory encounter with a Poplar Hawk-moth - a huge, velvety-winged wonder wrapped in silver - James Lowen embarks on a year-long quest to celebrate the joy of Britain's rarest and most remarkable moths. By hiking up mountains, wading through marshes and roaming by night amid ancient woodlands, James follows the trails of both Victorian collectors and present-day conservationists. Seeking to understand why they and many ordinary folk love what the general public purports to hate, his investigations reveal a heady world of criminality and controversy, derring-do and determination. From Cornwall to the Cairngorms, James explores British landscapes to coax these much-maligned creatures out from the cover of darkness and into the light. Moths are revealed to be attractive, astonishing and approachable; capable of migratory feats and camouflage mastery, moths have much to tell us on the state of the nation's wild and not-so-wild habitats. As a counterweight to his travels, James and his young daughter track the seasons through a kaleidoscope of moth species living innocently yet covertly in their suburban garden. Without even leaving home, they bond over a shared joy in the uncommon beauty of common creatures, for perhaps the greatest virtue of moths, we learn, is their accessibility. Moths may be everywhere, but above all, they are here. Quite unexpectedly, no animals may be better placed to inspire the environmentalists of the future.

Across Russia's easternmost shores and through the territories of the Inupiat and Yupik in Alaska, Bathsheba Demuth reveals how, over 150 years, people turned ecological wealth in a remote region into economic growth and state power. Beginning in the 1840s, capitalism and then communism, with their ideas of progress, transformed the area around the Bering Strait into a historical experiment in remaking ecosystems. Rendered even more urgent in a warming climate, Floating Coast is a profoundly resonant tale of the impact that human needs and ambitions have brought (and will continue to bring) to a finite planet. * Shortlisted for the The Pushkin House Book Prize 2020.

Across the continental United States, one can identify 20 distinct forest cover types. Most of these are to be found on federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Those responsible for the management of trees that form the 20 different cover types and the diversity of forest wildlife that reside in them must have a solid grounding in concepts of forest management, especially silviculture, as well as concepts of wildlife management, in order to integrate both as part of any effective natural resource management plan. Forest Wildlife Ecology and Habitat Management provides both foresters and wildlife biologists responsible for managing forest resources with an integrated understanding of the relationship between forests and wildlife. Based on David Patton's 50 years of experience as a forester and wildlife biologist, the book shows readers how to look at forests as ecological systems and wildlife as part of the energy flow and nutrient cycling process within those systems. He offers readers a fundamental understanding of the natural processes that occur in a forest taking into consideration vegetation, water, and the natural effects of climate and time. He then provides a biological perspective on wildlife, discussing reproduction, behavior, feeding habits, and mobility. He also discusses the various influences on forests and wildlife by both natural and human-caused events. Covering those forest types included in the U.S. National Atlas, and associating over 1,100 wildlife species with 20 major forest types in 48 states, Professor Patton provides recommendations for ways to restore and maintain wildlife habitat by direct and indirect coordination. Towards this end, the author - Evaluates various approaches to integrate forestry and wildlife management Offers a number of practical management strategies, emphasizing a progressive holistic approach

The remarkable story of Grant Fowlds, a conservationist who has dedicated his life to saving the last rhinos, vividly told with the help of Graham Spence, co-author of the bestselling The Elephant Whisperer. 'A terrific read . . . an outstanding book!' Gary Player and Vivienne Player 'A truly heart-wrenching story, but a must-read for all who value our wild animals and their right to roam free. Grant Fowlds is a Zulu in a white skin and loves the people who hold the key to animal conservation. This is an intriguing true story that sends a clear message to the rest of the world.' Phil Liggett 'Exceptionally readable - a fluid and captivating story . . . a swashbuckling tale.' Dr Dave Cooper, Rhinos Without Borders veterinarian, and Debbie Cooper of iSimangaliso Wetland Park 'A rollicking true-life adventure that celebrates rhinos and people' Guy Rogers, Daily Herald 'Truly awe-inspiring . . . Read this book. You will get a sense of Africa like never before, from a true African soul.' David S. Lee, Limbani in the blockbuster movie Black Panther 'An excellent read . . . both sobering and uplifting' Moira Smith, General Manager Africa & Middle East, Goway Travel What would drive a man to 'smuggle' rhino horn back into Africa at great risk to himself? This is just one of the situations Grant Fowlds has put himself in as part of his ongoing fight against poaching, in order to prove a link between southern Africa and the illicit, lucrative trade in rhino horn in Vietnam. Shavings of rhino horn are sold as a snake-oil 'cure' for colds or impotence, but a rhino's horn has no magical, medicinal properties. It is for this that rhinoceroses are being killed at an escalating rate that puts the survival of the species in jeopardy. This corrupt, illegal war on wildlife has brought an iconic animal to the brink of extinction. Growing up on a farm in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Grant developed a deep love of nature, turning his back on hunting to focus on saving wildlife of all kinds and the environment that sustains both them and us. He is a passionate conservationist who puts himself on the front line of protecting rhinos in the wild - right now, against armed poachers; but in the longer term, too, through his work with schoolchildren, communities and policymakers. We are most grateful to photographer Gerhard van der Westhuizen for the use of his stunning photograph on the cover of the book.

Beneath the coastal waters of the world lie thousands of artificial reefs. Some are old and retired freighters and ships that once plied the oceans of the world but now serve as habitats for marine life. Others are newer reefs that have been designed and built for specific applications. With the field of aquatic habitat technology continually growing, this book responds to the global need for a compendium of consistent and reliable practices with which to evaluate how well artificial reefs meet their objectives.

Artificial Reef Evaluation With Application to Natural Marine Habitats is a comprehensive guide to the methods used to document the performance of artificial reefs in coastal and oceanic waters. It is the first volume to combine the essential disciplines required for proper evaluation, including engineering, economics, biology, and statistics.

This work covers the design of reef studies, multi-disciplinary methods of investigation, data analysis, and examples of applying the methods to reefs built for different purposes. Further, the methods examined in this book apply to other benthic marine habitats, such as coral reefs or "live bottoms", thus expanding the book's relevance to a wider audience and enhancing research efforts in the field of artificial habitat technology.

This book reviews what is known about the behaviour and population ecology of a popular shorebird, from a scientific conservation perspective. The plight of this bird highlights the many conflicts of interest in coastal zones, between human activities such as shellfishing, land reclamation, barrage construction, and industrial pollution, and the needs of wildlife for food and suitable habitats. As well as detailing Oystercatcher natural history - including the well-known specialization in feeding technique shown by individuals - the authors use their field studies of individual variations in behaviour to produce population models. This novel approach provides tools for predicting how populations will respond to the many environmental changes to which the coastal zone is subject. It thus can play a role in coastal management schemes that seek to balance the needs of people and wildlife, and suggests that the same methods can be applied in other situtations. The volume contains fifteen well-integrated chapters by an international team of contributors, and is fully referenced.

Upland Habitats presents a comprehensive illustrated guide to the habits wildlife and conservation of Britains last wilderness areas. These include: heather moors, sheep walk deer forest, blanket bogs, montane and sub-montane forests. The book examines the unique characteristics of uplands and the ecological processes and historical events that have shaped them since the end of the last glaciaton. Among the key conservation and management issues explored in are:
* modern agricultural practices and economics
* habitat degradation through overgrazing
* commercial forest plantations
* the persecution of wildlife
* recreation in the uplands
* the funding of upland farming.

Contents:
1. Introduction, Impacts of physical factors, Ecological aspects, Geographical influences 2. The Ecology of Urban Habitats, Terrestrial Urban Habitats, Aquatic Urban Habitats 3. Managment and Conservation, Pollution, Noxious Species, Habitat Management 4. Case Studies, Reclaiming Limestone Quarry Faces in Derbyshire, Ecological Parks in London, Habitat initiatives in Merseyside, The Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow, A Stormwater Retention Basin in the West Midlands, Coastal Habitats in Cardiff 5. Practical Work, Experimental Design, Health and Safety, Distribution of Pavement Plants, Flora of Urban Wasteland, Distribution fo Tar-spot Fungus on Sycamore Trees Colonisation of Stones by Invertebrate Animals, Distribution of Grey Squirrel Dreys, Vigilance Behaviour in Mallards

In 1989 the international community banned the international trade in elephant ivory; three years later the ban was renewed. Dr. Harland believes the ivory ban is the most controversial--and most misunderstood--piece of international wildlife law ever made. His book, Killing Game, seeks to unravel some of the misunderstandings, and it attempts to determine if international law can be an effective tool for the conservation of wildlife and if international law has served the African elephant well. Part I is an extended investigation of how and why international law is used so badly by the conservation community, and how it could be used better. Here Dr. Harland focuses on the problem of which laws are complied with and which are not; in the process he shows the importance of factors of compliance in determining the degree to which laws will be followed. In Part II he examines the status of the African elephant in international law in light of these factors. This book will be of interest to those involved in formulating international law, as well as the conservation community in general.

Attitudes to "nature" and the countryside are fickle. The conservation movement has achieved limited success in 100 years of campaigning, yet membership has never been greater. Can conservationists now shake off their insular, disunited and negative image and attain an influence which matches the size of their movement? This volume charts the conservation movement from its beginnings in Victorian coffee houses to its current societies which boast memberships in the millions. A history of the British movement, the oldest in the world, this text offers an insight into the campaign for countryside access and protection - from battles against pesticides, pollution, genetic engineering, farming and forestry, to legislation for the protection of birds, fish stocks, and freedom to walk the mountains.

Attitudes to "nature" and the countryside are fickle. The conservation movement has achieved limited success in 100 years of campaigning, yet membership has never been greater. Can conservationists now shake off their insular, disunited and negative image and attain an influence which matches the size of their movement? This volume charts the conservation movement from its beginnings in Victorian coffee houses to its current societies which boast memberships in the millions. A history of the British movement, the oldest in the world, this text offers an insight into the campaign for countryside access and protection - from battles against pesticides, pollution, genetic engineering, farming and forestry, to legislation for the protection of birds, fish stocks, and freedom to walk the mountains.

Population genomics has provided unprecedented opportunities to unravel the mysteries of marine organisms in the oceans' depths. The world's oceans, which make up 70% of our planet, encompass diverse habitats and host numerous unexplored populations and species. Population genomics studies of marine organisms are rapidly emerging and have the potential to transform our understanding of marine populations, species, and ecosystems, providing insights into how these organisms are evolving and how they respond to different stimuli and environments. This knowledge is critical for understanding the fundamental aspects of marine life, how marine organisms will respond to environmental changes, and how we can better protect and preserve marine biodiversity and resources. This book brings together leading experts in the field to address critical aspects of fundamental and applied research in marine species and share their research and insights crucial for understanding marine ecosystem diversity and function. It also discusses the challenges, opportunities and future perspectives of marine population genomics.

First Published in 1996 Can wildlife utilization become a sustainable alternative means of land usage? This anthropological study reveals the intricate web of socio-cultural forces at play in wildlife management in Africa, shedding light on many issues central to the management of natural resources around the world. Based on two years of fieldwork in a remote part of the Zambezi valley, where buffalos and elephants compete with foragers and stream-bank cultivators and where safari operators, spirit mediums and wildlife committees exert conflicting rights over natural resources, this book charts the progress of Zimbabwe's experiment in the use of wildlife for the benefit of local communities through the Communal Areas Management Program for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE). CAMPFIRE aims to redirect control and benefits of state-run wildlife management through local community-based wildlife utilization common property regimes. Focusing on the cultural and political dynamics associated with wildlife use, Hasler's book describes the village context, where conflicting and ambiguous rights, and vested interests in natural resources from ward, district, national and global levels, result in a confusion of jurisdictions concerning use, ownership and access to wildlife.

Within a generation, the wilderness of Zululand, with its spectacular array of mammals, birds and plants, came near to extinction. This is the saga of that decline and of the heroic and successful attempt, through establishing game reserves and enforcing environmental protection policies, to save one of Africa's surviving environmental gems. Enough elephant tusks to fill a thousand ox wagons - that's how much ivory alone was shipped out of Durban bay between the 1820s and the 1880s. It amounted to at least a million kilograms, or a thousand tons, of ivory and represented the slaughter of 20 000 elephant. Piles of elephant tusks were then a common sight at the dockside in Port Natal. But that was not all - rhino horn; buck horn; buffalo, hippo and wildebeest hide; lion, leopard and wildcat skin; as well as live wild animals, all were exported, much coming from the last surviving great African kingdom in southern Africa, Zululand. The three pillars of the Zululand and Maputaland wilderness were the wild game, the avifauna, particularly game birds, and the indigenous forests. This title charts both the onslaught on them and the efforts made to preserve them from the destruction that seemed imminent and inevitable. But the title also tells the story of the local African population and their attitudes; it looks at the white and African hunters who pursued the game; and it traces the foundation in the 1890s of the first Zululand game reserves and their struggle for survival against all the odds. Had not the pioneers of Zululand conservation embarked on this early conservation movement, the Zululand wilderness with its tremendous diversity of fauna and flora would have disappeared completely - and with it one of Africa's brightest jewels.

The relentless loss of biodiversity is among the greatest problems facing the world today. The third edition of this established textbook provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the essential background, concepts, and tools required to understand how genetics can be used to conserve species, reduce threat of extinction, and manage species of ecological or commercial importance. This edition is thoroughly revised to reflect the major contribution of genomics to conservation of populations and species. It includes two new chapters: "Genetic Monitoring" and a final "Conservation Genetics in Practice" chapter that addresses the role of science and policy in conservation genetics. New genomic techniques and statistical analyses are crucial tools for the conservation geneticist. This accessible and authoritative textbook provides an essential toolkit grounded in population genetics theory, coupled with basic and applied research examples from plants, animals, and microbes. The book examines genetic and phenotypic variation in natural populations, the principles and mechanisms of evolutionary change, evolutionary response to anthropogenic change, and applications in conservation and management. Conservation and the Genomics of Populations helps demystify genetics and genomics for conservation practitioners and early career scientists, so that population genetic theory and new genomic data can help raise the bar in conserving biodiversity in the most critical 20 year period in the history of life on Earth. It is aimed at a global market of applied population geneticists, conservation practitioners, and natural resource managers working for wildlife and habitat management agencies. It will be of particular relevance and use to upper undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in conservation biology, conservation genetics, and wildlife management.

Trees and humans essentially want the same thing - to live good, happy, purposeful lives and to flourish. We are inextricably bound. Trees provide us with the necessities of life - they clean the air we breathe, fill us with awe as we walk through forests and provide timber for the houses we live in, yet there are deeper reasons for our arboreal admiration that go beyond utility and beauty. Tree Glee looks at the psychology behind our fascination with trees, examining exactly how they comfort, restore and revitalise us and what we can learn from the wisdom of woodlands to improve our own wellbeing. It explores the importance of trees in our leafy suburbs and urban landscapes, sharing magical stories of remarkable ancient trees across the globe and inviting readers to reflect on their own personal 'treestory'. Featuring captivating photos and with chapters on forest bathing and nature therapy, woodland wellbeing and tree mythology Tree Glee explores how by deepening our appreciation and connection to trees and by celebrating and protecting them, we can flourish together.

Very few individuals can truthfully say that their work impacts every person on earth. Forrest Galante is one of them. As a wildlife biologist and conservationist, Galante devotes his life to studying, rediscovering, and protecting our planet's amazing lifeforms. Part memoir, part biological adventure, Still Alive celebrates the beauty and determined resiliency of our world, as well as the brave conservationists fighting to save it. In his debut book, Galante takes readers on an exhilarating journey to the most remote and dangerous corners of the world. He recounts miraculous rediscoveries of species that were thought to be extinct and invites readers into his wild life: from his upbringing amidst civil unrest in Zimbabwe to his many globetrotting adventures, including suspenseful run-ins with drug cartels, witch doctors, and vengeful government officials. He shares all of the life-threatening bites, fights, falls, and jungle illnesses. He also investigates the connection between wildlife mistreatment and human safety, particularly in relation to COVID-19. Still Alive is much more than just a can't-put-down adventure story bursting with man-eating crocodiles, long-forgotten species rediscovered, and near-death experiences. It is an impassioned, informative, and undeniably inspiring examination of the importance of wildlife conservation today and how every individual can make a difference.

Beavers are represented by two extant species, the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) and the North American beaver (Castor canadensis); each has played a significant role in human history and dominated wetland ecology in the northern hemisphere. Their behaviour and ecology both fascinate and perhaps even infuriate, but seemingly never fail to amaze. Both species have followed similar histories from relentless persecution to the verge of extinction (largely through hunting), followed by their subsequent recovery and active restoration which is viewed by many as a major conservation success story. Beavers have now been reintroduced throughout Europe and North America, demonstrating that their role as a keystone engineer is now widely recognised with proven abilities to increase the complexity and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. What animals other than humans can simultaneously act as engineers, forest workers, carpenters, masons, creators of habitats, and nature managers? Over the last 20 years, there has been a huge increase in the number of scientific papers published on these remarkable creatures, and an authoritative synthesis is now timely. This accessible text goes beyond their natural history to describe the impacts on humans, conflict mitigation, animal husbandry, management, and conservation. Beavers: Ecology, Behaviour, Conservation, and Management is an accessible reference for a broad audience of professional academics (especially carnivore and mammalian biologists), researchers and graduate students, governmental and non-governmental wildlife bodies, and amateur natural historians intrigued by these wild animals and the extraordinary processes of nature they exemplify.