Conservation Science: Balancing the Needs of People and Nature, Second Edition

by Peter Kareiva, Prof. Michelle Marvier

Now is the time for conservation science―a mission-oriented scientific enterprise that seeks to protect nature, including Earth’s animals, plants, and ecosystems, in the face of unprecedented human demands upon the planet. Conservation scientists apply principles from ecology, population genetics, economics, political science, and other natural and social sciences to manage and preserve nature. The focus of this textbook is first and foremost on protecting nature and especially Earth’s biota. It also contains a heavy emphasis on highlighting strategies to better connect the practice of conservation with the needs and priorities of a growing human population.  Now used at over 150 colleges and universities,  Conservation Science  is an original and modern approach to conservation. Gretchen Daily (Stanford University) says it “Based on unparalleled, firsthand experience, Kareiva and Marvier explore the innovative approaches to conservation being honed around the world today. Their account is rigorous and engaging, with fresh questions, data, and quantitative analysis interwoven with vivid stories of actual conservation practice in the field."  Conservation Science  was primarily written primarily for undergraduates and beginning graduate students who are interested either in academic careers or working in conservation at government agencies, non-governmental organizations, or international institutions. 

Genres: Science

672 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2014

Reviews

[Marit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook but I decided to read it out of interest in what Kareiva, a self-proclaimed conservation iconoclast, had to write in an introductory conservation science textbook. I would say this book is worth the read for anyone wishing to refresh themselves on basic conservation issues, ongoing and new. It's also worth reading for some of the synthesis and science-backed take-home messages that Kareiva and Marvier present. They often stress the need for moving beyond old conservation adages (e.g., just "saving" land) and provide food for thought and motivation for scientific exploration.