Conservation Biology

by Andrew S. Pullin

This beautifully illustrated textbook introduces students to conservation biology by taking the reader on a tour of the many and varied ecosystems of our planet, providing a setting in which to explore the factors that have led to the alarming loss of biodiversity. In particular, the fundamental problems of habitat loss and fragmentation, habitat disturbance and the non-sustainable exploitation of species in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are explored. The methods that have been developed to address these problems from the most traditional forms of conservation to new approaches at genetic to landscape scales are then discussed, showing how science can be put into practice.

358 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Professor Andrew Pullin is Emeritus Professor and Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation. He specializes in evidence synthesis and evidence-based practice in environmental management. In 2007, he co-founded the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE), an NGO promoting systematic reviews of environmental impacts and management interventions. CEE provides open-access evidence to support informed decision-making in conservation and policy. Pullin is also Editor of Environmental Evidence, the CEE’s academic journal. His current work focuses on improving the rigour and efficiency of evidence synthesis methods and enhancing communication of findings to varied audiences. He also leads training courses for postgraduate students on evidence synthesis techniques.

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers every aspect of conservation from around the world, detailing the ecosystems from each region before describing the levels of biodiversity loss and the causes of these losses. The difficulties and problems that have arisen during the conservation movement are also discussed along with the solutions to these. All aspects of conservation are covered from the small scale local initiatives to the more global projects. The use of more modern approaches are also covered including the genetic and landscape scale approaches. This book shows how modern scientific research and techniques are being applied to conservation in a clear, concise manner without confusing the reader or providing too much detail on each subject. Easy to follow and fairly accessible this is a useful text to have on your bookshelf

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as part of my MSc course and dipped into it occasionally whilst studying. Now that I have finished the course, I decided to read it to refresh my memory of some of the main topics that were covered. It's a well written textbook which is easily accessible to anyone with an interest in conservation, as well as students and professionals.The figures and tables were informative and the design and layout of the book helped break down what can be an overwhelming and content-rich subject into managable pieces.