Because of the scope of conservation problems, biologists and managers often rely on 'surrogate' species to act as proxies to represent larger conservation issues. In this volume, conservation biologist and field researcher Tim Caro offers systematic definitions of surrogate species concepts, explores the theories behind them, considers how surrogate species are chosen, examines evidence for and against their utility, and makes recommendations for their continued use.
Tim Caro is a Professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology and a member of the Center for Population Biology, at the University of California, Davis.
.".. In this book, Tim Caro ably compiles and dissects in one compact source the large body of literature about surrogate species in conservation biology. ... The book is well written and richly referenced, with 65 pages of citations; this section alone renders the book a valuable addition to one's conservation library. The author deftly employs this vast literature in well-developed examples in the text, tables, and figures. ... "Conservation by Proxy "offers an invaluable contribution to the literature of conservation biology. I highly recommend it for academics or students involved with surrogates, as well as anyone grappling with biodiversity conservation or quantifying effects of environmental change. Caro offers not only a timely, thorough journey through the realm of surrogates, but also an effective and less costly alternative to these proxies." --Mary M. Rowland, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station "Ecology "