Deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate in many parts of the world, causing destruction of natural habitat and fragmentation of what remains. Nowhere is this problem more pressing than in the Amazon rainforest, which is rapidly vanishing in the face of enormous pressure from humans to exploit it. This book presents the results of the longest-running and most comprehensive study of forest fragmentation ever undertaken, the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) in central Amazonia, the only experimental study of tropical forest fragmentation in which baseline data are available before isolation from continuous forest took place.

A joint project of Brazil's National Institute for Research in Amazonia and the U.S. Smithsonian Institution, the BDFFP has investigated the many effects that habitat fragmentation has on plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. The book provides an overview of the BDFFP, reports on its case studies, looks at forest ecology and tree genetics, and considers what issues are involved in establishing conservation and management guidelines.

Tree Kangaroos: Science and Conservation, a volume in the Biodiversity of the World: Conservation from Genes to Landscapes series, provides an overview of tree kangaroo species and their relationship with humans. This exciting, interdisciplinary work on tree kangaroo science and conservation is divided into six major sections: (1) tree kangaroo evolution, genetics, taxonomy, ecology, behavior, and conservation status; (2) current and emerging threats to the species; (3) conservation programs in Australia and New Guinea with an emphasis on the human aspect of conservation; (4) the role of zoos in conservation solutions; (5) techniques and technologies to study this elusive marsupial; and (6) what is needed to keep tree kangaroos and their landscapes healthy in the future. The series on Biodiversity of the World: Conservation from Genes to Landscapes includes titles focused on specific species or taxa across disciplinary boundaries and spatial scales-from genes to landscapes. Volumes are edited and written by prominent scholars and practitioners to illuminate and advance biodiversity science and conservation.

Devoted to birds and wildlife since childhood, Mark's early scientific research at Oxford, Aberdeen and the RSPB provided a solid background for his management, ambassadorial, and political lobbying activities which were to follow - and his larger than life, yet quietly humane personality has provided the final tools in his own, unique, nature conservationists' toolbox. In this book, Mark mixes a great many stories from his professional life at the RSPB with personal anecdotes and passionate arguments on past and present issues in bird and nature conservation. He shows us something of the many scientists whose work paves the way for conservation action, places domestic conservation into an international context, takes us behind the scenes to glimpse the politicians who have worked with him, or against him, along the way. Mark leaves us armed with practical tips and a guiding philosophy to take wildlife conservation though the troubled years that lie ahead. A personal, philosophical and political history of 25 years of bird conservation, this book provides an instructive and amusing read for all those who would like a glimpse into the birds and wildlife conservation world - what the issues are, what must be done, how it can be done, and the challenges, highs and lows involved.

Nearly half the world's primate species use flooded habitats at one time or another, from swamp-going Congo gorillas and mangrove-eating proboscis monkeys, to uacaris in Amazonian riverside forests. This first-ever volume on the subject brings together experts from around the world in a ground breaking volume spanning fossil history, current biology and future research and conservation priorities. Flooded habitats are a vital part of tropical biology, both for the diversity of the species they house, and the complexity of their ecological interactions, but are often completely overlooked. This book will set the stage for a new wave of research on primates in these extraordinarily productive and highly threatened areas, and is ideal for researchers and graduate students in primatology, zoology, ecology, and conservation.

This book assesses Alaskan wolf and bear management programs from scientific and economic perspectives. Relevant factors that should be taken into account when evaluating the utility of such programs are identified. The assessment includes a review of current scientific knowledge about the dynamics and management of large mammalian predatorprey relationships and human harvest of wildlife in northern ecosystems, and an evaluation of the extent to which existing research and management data allow prediction of the outcome of wolf management or control programs and grizzly bear management programs. Included is an evaluation of available economic studies and methodologies for estimating the costs and benefits of predator control programs in Alaska.

Accompanying a major 5-part BBC series presented by David Attenborough and produced by the team behind Planet Earth and Blue Planet, Perfect Planet is an exploration of the unique conditions that make life on earth possible, and how our wildlife is perfectly adapted to its environment.

There is no place like home.The conditions of Earth are not just good for life, they are perfect. Everything about our planet - its size, its distance from the Sun, its spin and tilt, its moon - is perfectly suited to our existence, and our planet's forces serve to nurture its spectacular biodiversity. APerfect Planet shows in stunning detail how Earth has always been more than the sum of its parts. Unlike any other astronomical body, it is a living world.

Focusing on four key natural forces - global weather systems distributing fresh water to all corners; marine currents delivering nutrients to the deepest reaches of the ocean; solar energy warming and electrifying everything it touches; and volcanic activity fertilising the earth's surface - Huw Cordey reveals to us new levels of this living world, a place populated with astonishing characters living remarkable lives. From Arctic wolves prowling moonlit landscapes or wood frogs, frozen in winter and magically thawing back to life, to flamingos flying thousands of miles to a vast volcanic lake in Africa to breed, we see time and again how animals are perfectly adapted to whatever the environment throws at them.

Packed with over 250 full-colour images, and including a foreword by David Attenborough and stills from the BBC series' spectacular footage, APerfect Planet is a stunning exploration of life on Earth - life that is increasingly precious and rare.

Shorebirds are model organisms for illustrating the principles of ecology and excellent subjects for research. Their mating systems are as diverse as any avian group, their migrations push the limits of endurance, and their foraging is easily studied in the open habitats of estuaries and freshwater wetlands. This comprehensive text explores the ecology, conservation, and management of these fascinating birds. Beginning chapters examine phylogenetic relationships between shorebirds and other birds, and cover shorebird morphology, anatomy, and physiology. A section on breeding biology looks in detail at their reproductive biology. Because shorebirds spend much of their time away from breeding areas, a substantial section on non-breeding biology covers migration, foraging ecology, and social behavior. The text also covers shorebird demography, population size, and management issues related to habitat, predators, and human disturbances. Throughout, it emphasizes applying scientific knowledge to the conservation of shorebird populations, many of which are unfortunately in decline.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR NATURE LOVERS 'To see a hare sit still as stone, to watch a hare boxing on a frosty March morning, to witness a hare bolt . . . these are great things. Every field should have a hare.' The hare, a night creature and country-dweller, is a rare sight for most people. We know them only from legends and stories. They are shape-shifters, witches' familiars and symbols of fertility. They are arrogant, as in Aesop's The Hare and the Tortoise, and absurd, as in Lewis Carroll's Mad March Hare. In the absence of observed facts, speculation and fantasy have flourished. But real hares? What are they like? In The Private Life of the Hare, John Lewis-Stempel explores myths, history and the reality of the hare. And in vivid, elegant prose he celebrates how, in an age when television cameras have revealed so much in our landscape, the hare remains as elusive and magical as ever.

There is a growing need for public buy-in if democratic processes are to run smoothly. But who exactly is "the public"? What does their engagement in policy-making processes look like? How can our understanding of "the public" be expanded to include - or be led by - diverse voices and experiences, particularly of those who have been historically marginalized? And what does this expansion mean not only for public policies and their development, but for how we teach policy? Drawing upon public engagement case studies, sites of inquiry, and vignettes, this volume raises and responds to these and other questions while advancing policy justice as a framework for public engagement and public policy. Stretching the boundaries of deliberative democracy in theory and practice, Creating Spaces of Engagement offers critical reflections on how diverse publics are engaged in policy processes.

Monarch butterflies are among the most popular insect species in the world and are an icon for conservation groups and environmental education programs. Monarch caterpillars and adults are easily recognizable as welcome visitors to gardens in North America and beyond, and their spectacular migration in eastern North America (from breeding locations in Canada and the United States to overwintering sites in Mexico) has captured the imagination of the public.Monarch migration, behavior, and chemical ecology have been studied for decades. Yet many aspects of monarch biology have come to light in only the past few years. These aspects include questions regarding large-scale trends in monarch population sizes, monarch interactions with pathogens and insect predators, and monarch molecular genetics and large-scale evolution. A growing number of current research findings build on the observations of citizen scientists, who monitor monarch migration, reproduction, survival, and disease. Monarchs face new threats from humans as they navigate a changing landscape marked by deforestation, pesticides, genetically modified crops, and a changing climate, all of which place the future of monarchs and their amazing migration in peril. To meet the demand for a timely synthesis of monarch biology, conservation and outreach, Monarchs in a Changing World summarizes recent developments in scientific research, highlights challenges and responses to threats to monarch conservation, and showcases the many ways that monarchs are used in citizen science programs, outreach, and education. It examines issues pertaining to the eastern and western North American migratory populations, as well as to monarchs in South America, the Pacific and Caribbean Islands, and Europe. The target audience includes entomologists, population biologists, conservation policymakers, and K-12 teachers.Contributors: Anurag A. Agrawal, Cornell University; Jared G. Ali, Michigan State University; Sonia Altizer, University of Georgia; Michael C. Anderson, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Sophia M. Anderson, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Kim Bailey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Rebecca Batalden, University of Minnesota; Kristen A. Baum, Oklahoma State University; Scott Hoffman Black, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Brianna Borders, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Lincoln P. Brower, Sweet Briar College; Wendy Caldwell, University of Minnesota; Mariana Cantu-Fernandez, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Nicola Chamberlain, Harvard University; Sonya Charest, Montreal Insectarium; Andrew K. Davis, University of Georgia; Alma De Anda, Covina, California; Guadalupe del Rio Pesado, Alternare, A.C., Mexico; Janet Kudell-Ekstrum, USDA Forest Service; Linda S. Fink, Sweet Briar College; Mark Fishbein, Oklahoma State University; Juan Fernandez-Haeger, University of Cordoba, Spain; Eligio Garcia Serrano, Fondo Monarca, Mexico; Mark Garland, Cape May Monarch Monitoring Project; Brian Hayes, Monarch Teacher Network; Elizabeth Howard, Journey North; Mark D. Hunter, University of Michigan; Sarina Jepsen, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Diego Jordano, University of Cordoba, Spain; Matthew C. Kaiser, University of Minnesota; Ridlon J. Kiphart, Texas Master Naturalists; Marcus R. Kronforst, University of Chicago; Jim Lovett, University of Kansas; Eric Lee-Mader, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Stephen B. Malcolm, Western Michigan University; Hector Martinez-Torres, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Susan Meyers, Stone Mountain Memorial Association; Erik A. Mollenhauer, Monarch Teacher Network; Mia Monroe, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Eneida B. Montesinos-Patino, Monarch Butterfly Fund; Gail M. Morris, Southwest Monarch Study; Elisha K. Mueller, Oklahoma State University; Kelly R. Nail, University of Minnesota; Karen S. Oberhauser, University of Minnesota; Diego R. Perez-Salicrup, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Amanda A. Pierce, Emory University; John Pleasants, Iowa State University; Victoria Pocius, University of Kansas; Robert Michael Pyle, Northwest Lepidoptera Survey; M. Isabel Ramirez, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Sergio Rasmann, University of California, Irvine; Gerald Rehfeldt, USDA Forest Service; Eduardo Rendon-Salinas, World Wildlife Fund-Mexico; Leslie Ries, National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center; Jacobus C. de Roode, Emory University; Richard G. RuBino, Florida State University; Ann Ryan, University of Kansas; Cuauhtemoc Saenz-Romero, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo; Lidia Salas-Canela, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Phil Schappert, Biophilia Consulting; Priya C. Shahani, Oregon State University; Benjamin H. Slager, Western Michigan University; Michelle J. Solensky, University of Jamestown; Douglas J. Taron, Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum; Orley R. Taylor, University of Kansas; Rocio Trevino, Proteccion de la Fauna Mexicana A.C.; Francis X. Villablanca, California Polytechnic State University; Dick Walton, New Jersey Audubon/Cape May Bird Observatory; Ernest H. Williams, Hamilton College; Elisabeth Young-Isebrand, University of Minnesota; Myron P. Zalucki, University of Queensland; Raul R. Zubieta, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico

With more than thirty papers from leading scientists and technicians, "Wetland Creation and Restoration" draws upon important new information and provides the first major national assessment by region of the capacity to implement a goal of no-net-loss of wetlands. It is a one-of-a-kind compendium of hands-on information about methods of creating, restoring, and enhancing wetlands.

There has been a recent upsurge of red-legged partridge research in most countries where the species is distributed, but no comprehensive review of that fresh and relevant multidisciplinary and international knowledge is available. In fact, this is probably the first scientific book on this important species, apart from Dick Potts' excellent works on British-introduced population, or ONCFS's (Office Nationale de la Chasse et le Faune Sauvage, France) older technical reports. This is in strong contrast with a plethora of literature in hunting magazines or non-academic books, not often precise, realistic, or well informed. Thus, the book fills a great bibliography gap that could have important social impact. The common thread of the book is the prominent role a species like this may play for research, from basic physiological or ecological knowledge to socio-economics of hunting and the rural world. The general framework of the book [I1] is the important role that hunting and game management may play in both rural economies and biodiversity conservation, with the partridge as flag species, and also in identifying the "dark drift" that industrial, incorrectly deployed management, or hunting vision may have on both sustainability of resources and nature conservation at large. The final aim of the book is identifying the best future scenario, both for partridge hunters and managers as well as the general public.

Freshwater Ecology, Third Edition, covers everything from the basic chemical and physical properties of water, to the advanced and unifying concepts of community ecology and ecosystem relationships found in continental waters. Giving students a solid foundation for both courses and future fieldwork, and updated to include key issues, including how to balance ecological and human health needs, GMOs, molecular tools, fracking, and a host of other environmental issues, this book is an ideal resource for both students and practitioners in ecology and related fields.

A unified theory of conservation that addresses the broad problem of conservation, the principles that inform conservation choices, and the application of those principles to the management of the natural world. The conservation of natural resources, like that of any other asset, involves trade-offs. Yet, in a world faced with the harsh realities of climate change, crafting the right environmental policies is an increasingly urgent task. In Conservation, Charles Perrings and Ann Kinzig bring together new research in economics and biodiversity to investigate conservation decisions and the theory behind them. Perrings and Kinzig apply the concept of conservation broadly to examine how the principles of conservation apply to the management of the natural world. They demonstrate that the same basic principles serve as the foundation of all rational conservation decisions, from managing financial assets to safeguarding at-risk ecosystems. Whether someone is deciding to hold or dispose of a stock or whether to exploit or preserve a natural resource, they are better off choosing to conserve a resource when its value to them, if conserved, is greater than its value when converted. The book also considers the context of such conservation decisions. Just as national tax rules influence choices about financial investments, environmental regulations within countries, and environmental agreements between countries, impact the decisions regarding natural resources. Building on their basic theory of conservation, Perrings and Kinzig address key issues in the field of environmental economics, including the valuation of ecosystem services and environmental assets; the limits on the substitutability of produced and natural capital; and the challenges posed by the often weak markets for ecosystem services oriented toward the public good. They also address the problem of scale: while decisions might be easier to make at the local level, many conservation policies need to apply at either the national or international level to succeed. Written by experts from both social and hard sciences, this book presents a unified theory of conservation and provides a model for a more effective way to approach the vitally important issue.

This illuminating study explores crimes against, and involving, wildlife and the resultant social harms. The authors go well beyond basic conceptions of animal-related crime, such as illicit trade, for a deeper exploration of wildlife criminology, using a novel approach that combines philosophical, legal and criminological perspectives. They shed light on both legal and illegal harms, including blood sports, wildlife as food and abuse in zoos, and consider the potential connections with inter-human crimes. This is a unique treatment of wildlife as victims of crime and a consideration of their rights as sentient beings that sets new horizons for the concept of wildlife criminology.

Modern treaties, increased self-government, new environmental assessment rules, co-management bodies, and increased recognition and respect of Indigenous rights make it possible for northern communities to exert some control over extractive industries. Whether these industries can increase the well-being and sustainability of Canada's Arctic communities, however, is still open to question. Extractive Industry and the Sustainability of Canada's Arctic Communities delves into the final research findings of the Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic project which attempted to determine what was required for extractive industry to benefit northern communities. Drawing on case studies, this book explores how northern communities can capture and distribute a fairer share of financial benefits, how they can use extractive activities for business development, the problems and possibilities of employment and training opportunities, and the impacts on gender relations. It also considers fly-in fly-out work patterns, subsistence activities, housing, post-mine clean-up activities, waste management, and ways of monitoring positive and negative impacts. While extractive industries could potentially help improve the sustainability of Canada's Arctic, many issues stand in the way, most notably power imbalances that limit the ability of Indigenous Peoples to equitably participate in their governance. Extractive Industry and the Sustainability of Canada's Arctic Communities emphasizes the general need to determine how new institutions and processes, which are largely imported from the south, can be adapted to allow for a more authentic participation from the Indigenous Peoples of Canada's Arctic.

In 2011, adventurer and conservationist John Davis Walked, cycled, skied, canoed, and kayaked on an epic 10-month, 7,600-mile journey that took him from the keys of Florida to a remote seashore in northeastern Quebec. Davis was motivated by a dream: to see a continent-long corridor conserved for wildlife in the eastern United States, especially for the large carnivores so critical to the health of the land. In Big, Wild, and Connected, we travel the Eastern Wildway with Davis, viscerally experiencing the challenges Iarge carnivores, with their need for vast territories, face in an ongoing search for food, water, shelter, and mates. On his self-propelled journey, Davis explores the wetlands, forests, and peaks that are the last strongholds for wildlife in the East. This includes strategically important segments of disturbed landscapes, from longleaf pine savanna in the Florida Panhandle to road-latticed woods of Pennsylvania. Despite the challenges, Davis argues that creation of an Eastern Wildway is within our reach and would serve as a powerful symbol of our natural and cultural heritage. Big, Wild, and Connected reveals Eastern landscapes through wild eyes, a reminder that, for the creatures with which we share the land, movement is as essential to life as air, Water, and food. Davis' journey shows that a big, wild, and connected network of untamed places is the surest way to ensure wildlife survival through the coming Centuries.

Reintroduction of Fish and Wildlife Populations provides a practical step-by-step guide to successfully planning, implementing, and evaluating the re-establishment of animal populations in former habitats or their introduction in new environments. In each chapter, experts in reintroduction biology outline a comprehensive synthesis of core concepts, issues, techniques, and perspectives. This manual and reference supports scientists and managers from fisheries and wildlife professions as they plan reintroductions, initiate releases of individuals, and manage restored populations over time. Covering a broad range of taxonomic groups, ecosystems, and global regions, this edited volume is an essential guide for academics, students, and professionals in natural resource management.

Felines of the World: Discoveries in Taxonomic Classification and History provides the most recent taxonomic, paleontological, phylogenetic and DNA advances of wild felid and domestic cat species following guidelines dictated by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group. It highlights the importance of felines and their role as predators in maintaining the ecological biome balance in which they have evolved. The book delves into the anatomical, evolutionary and zoogeographic features of fossil and current felid species. Each species is described in detail, detailing its classification, habitat and biological habits. This book also presents the most updated threat and conservation status of each species. This book is an ideal resource for zoologists and paleontologists, primarily those interested in the evolution and features of extinct and extant felines.

Despite the 1989 global ivory trade ban, poaching and ivory smuggling have not abated. More than half of Tanzania's elephants have been killed for their ivory since 2007. A similarly alarming story can be told of the herds in northern Mozambique and across swathes of central Africa. But why the new upsurge? The popular narrative blames a meeting of two evils - criminal poaching and terrorism. But the answer is not that simple.Since ancient times, large-scale killing of elephants for their tusks has been driven by demand beyond Africa's range states from the Egyptian pharaohs through the industrialising West to the new wealthy business class of China. Elephant hunting in Africa is also governed by human-elephant conflict, traditional hunting practices and the impact of colonial exploitation and criminalisation.Ivory follows this complex history of the tusk trade in Africa, and explains why it is corruption, crime and politics, rather than insurgency, that we should worry about. In this ground-breaking work, Somerville argues that regulation - not prohibition - of the ivory trade is the best way to stop uncontrolled poaching.

'The Patron Saint of Conservation' Sir David Attenborough 'Peter Scott was a huge influence on my childhood...Later on in life I had the good fortune both to meet and to interview him, and he remains, for me, a hero. His knowledge, his kindness to me and his generosity of spirit have remained an influence in my own sphere of natural history....To meet one's heroes can sometimes be a let-down. That was most certainly not the case with Peter Scott.' Alan Titchmarsh A Life In Nature is a portrait of Peter Scott collected from his own conversations, articles and broadcasts including thoughts on expeditions to Lapland, Conservation and Africa, his travels in Europe and much more. Illustrated by Peter's own beautiful illustrations. Sir Peter Scott had a truly incredible life. He was the only son of legendary explorer Captain Scott. His godfather was JM Barrie and he was married to Elizabeth Jane Howard. He also represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at sailing in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal. He founded the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and also helped to found the Worldwide Fund for Nature. This is a beautiful and timely re-discovered book, perfect for those who are interested in preserving our planet.

Zoos, aquariums, and wildlife parks are vital centers of animal conservation and management. For nearly fifteen years, these institutions have relied on "Wild Mammals in Captivity" as the essential reference for their work. Now the book reemerges in a completely updated second edition. "Wild Mammals in Captivity" presents the most current thinking and practice in the care and management of wild mammals in zoos and other institutions. In one comprehensive volume, the editors have gathered the most current information from studies of animal behavior; advances in captive breeding; research in physiology, genetics, and nutrition; and new thinking in animal management and welfare. In this edition, more than three-quarters of the text is new, and information from more than seventy-five contributors is thoroughly updated. The standard text for all courses in zoo biology, "Wild Mammals in Captivity" will, in its new incarnation, continue to be used by zoo managers, animal caretakers, researchers, and anyone with an interest in how to manage animals in captive conditions.

Glow-in-the-dark owls, eggs boiling in Icelandic hot pools, the gangster tactics of the devil's coach-horse beetle ... Eanna Ni Lamhna has seen them all! Eanna explores the wonders of our wild world, from a safari in Tanzania to the cloud forests of Costa Rica, from rat-hunting in Canada to whale watching in New Zealand. She draws on her experience as a diver to tell of face-to-face encounters with fascinating fan worms, elusive sea hares and a murderous crab, and rings the alarm bells on the environmental challenges facing us. Eanna also recounts with cheerful relish the pitfalls and delights of being a broadcaster and a scientist. Sure why would anyone want to be anything else?