Plant Conservation in a Changing World

Abstract

"This book derives from papers presented at a joint Zoological Society of London and Conservation International Symposium held in London in September 1996"--Preface. This book will be a source of information for postgraduates, researchers and professionals in conservation biology, wildlife management and ecology. As evidence for the rapid loss of biological diversity strengthens, there is widespread recognition of the need to identify priorities and techniques for conservation action. Much progress has been made in the development of quantitative methods for identifying priority areas based on what we know about species distributions, but we must now build an understanding of biological processes into conservation planning. Here, using studies at global to local scales, researchers consider how conservation planners can deal with the dynamic interactions of species in a changing world, where human impacts will continue to affect the environment in unprecedented ways. The challenges to conservation in a changing world: putting processes on the map / Andrew Balmford, Georgina M. Mace, Joshua R. Ginsberg -- Anthropogenic, ecological and genetic factors in extinction / Russell Lande -- Integrating endangered species protection and ecosystem management: the Cape Sable seaside-sparrow as a case study / Audrey L. Mayer, Stuart L. Pimm -- The dynamic response of plants to environmental change and the resulting risks of extinction / Brian Huntley -- Ecological and evolutionary importance of disturbance and catastrophes in plant conservation / William J. Bond -- Butterfly distributional patterns, processes and conservation / Chris D. Thomas, Diego Jordano, Owen T. Lewis [and others] -- Continent-wide conservation priorities and diversification processes / Jon Fjeldsä, Carsten Rahbek -- Endemism and species turnover with elevation in montane avifaunas in the neotropics: implications for conservation / Douglas F. Stotz -- Indicator taxa for biodiversity assessment in the vanishing tropics / Sacha Spector, Adrian B. Forsyth -- Key sites for conservation: area-selection methods for biodiversity / Paul H. Williams -- Integrating population abundance, dynamics and distribution into broad-scale priority setting / A.O. Nicholls -- Global biodiversity priorities and expanded conservation policies / Norman Myers -- Global conservation and UK government policy / Robert M. May, Kerry Tregonning.