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An Introduction to Conservation Biology is the only text designed for both aspiring conservation biologists and non-majors who are interested in this topical field, providing up-to-date perspectives on high-profile issues such as sustainable development, global warming, and strategies to save species on the verge of extinction. The book focuses successively on biological diversity and its value; threats to biological diversity; conservation at the population and species levels; protecting, managing and restoring ecosystems; and sustainable development. Each chapter is beautifully illustrated in full color with diverse examples from the current literature. Chapters begin with guiding conservation biology principles and end with study aids such as summaries, an annotated list of suggested readings, and discussion questions. Throughout, the authors maintain a focus on the active role that scientists, local people, conservation organizations, government, and the general public play in protecting biodiversity, even while providing for human needs.
Chapter 1. Defining Conservation Biology
Chapter 2. What Is Biodiversity?
Chapter 3. The Value of Biodiversity
Chapter 4. Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat Change
Chapter 5. Climate Change and Other Threats to Biodiversity
Chapter 6. Extinction Risk
Chapter 7. Conserving Populations and Species
Chapter 8. Establishing New Populations and Ex Situ Conservation
Chapter 9. Protected Areas
Chapter 10. Conservation Outside Protected Areas
Chapter 11. Restoration Ecology
Chapter 12. The Challenges of Sustainable Development
Chapter 13. An Agenda for the Future
Anna Sher is a full professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Denver, where she has been faculty since 2003. She was a double major in Biology and Art at Earlham College, where she has also taught ecology as a Howard Hughes Fellow, visiting lecturer, and as the co-leader of the Earlham Study Abroad Kenya Program in 1992, 2000, and 2002. She received her PhD from the University of New Mexico, where she also taught botany as a visiting lecturer. As a postdoctoral researcher, Dr Sher was awarded a Fulbright postdoctoral research fellowship to conduct research on plant interactions in Israel at Ben Gurion University's Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, and she also studied the ecology of an invasive grass at the University of California, Davis.
"Sher provides just the right amount of detail, at the appropriate level, for my students. The examples are current, the figures are clear, and the information is topical."
– Susan Margulis, Canisius College
"I reviewed a lot of textbooks before deciding to adopt this one. Sher was the most complete and up-to-date text I reviewed, provided a very thorough presentation of conservation biology, was geared to the level of my students, and was easy to read and follow."
– Gary S. Comp, University of South Florida
