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The rate of species and natural habitat loss across our planet is steadily accelerating. Plant Conservation argues that existing practises of plant conservation are inadequate and firmly supports the placement of ecological restoration at the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. The author unifies different aspects of conservation into one coherent concept, including natural area protection, ex situ conservation and in situ interventions through either population management or ecological restoration. Assisted colonization, experimentation, and utilization of threatened plant species are raised as crucial elements in restoration, with partly novel ecosystems being among its major target areas. Covering a wide spectrum of plant conservation examples, and offering practical methodologies alongside the theoretical context, this is a vital resource for students, research scientists and practitioners in conservation biology and restoration ecology.
1. Introduction
2. The concept major principles
3. Restoration of threatened species
4. Restoration of threatened species habitat
5. Conservation-oriented restoration silvicultural toolkit
6. Conservation-oriented restoration of particular systems
7. From theory to practice
Sergei Volis is Professor of Biology at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing. He has authored many publications investigating genetic and demographic population processes, plant adaptations to local environments, initial stages of speciation and species phylogeography. His major research interest is plant conservation in its theoretical and applied aspects, an interest which goes back to his years of studying ecology at Simpheropol State University in the former Soviet Union and his Ph.D. project at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
"Sergei Volis' new book is a valuable contribution, especially in light of the extensive and growing threats to plant diversity worldwide. Building on the work of plant conservationists and restorationists over the past three decades, Volis highlights the role of conservation-oriented habitat restoration for the recovery of imperilled plants, including its important links to ex situ, quasi in situ, and in situ approaches to plant population management."
– Robert H. Robichaux, University of Arizona
"Sergei Volis brings together in one big important book the entire global knowledge base for plant conservation through ecological restoration. Progress begins here with the frank admission that traditional plant conservation strategies have not always worked well. He shows how modern ecological restoration concepts, including assisted colonization, large-scale experimentation, and utilization of threatened species, are being used around the world with promising success. This book is both a practical how-to manual and a comprehensive technical review of the best information on the many ways that ecological restoration is providing real breakthroughs in plant conservation. I was especially pleased to see that the author did not shy away from one of plant conservation's toughest challenges – ecological restoration on remote oceanic islands plagued by a host of invasive species. This book is a must for anyone with an interest in plant conservation in any part of the world."
– David A. Burney, Makauwahi Cave Reserve, Hawaii
"Plants are the foundation of life on Earth, but sometimes unaccountably neglected in global conservation strategies. Sergei Volis recognizes that a completely new approach is needed for plant conservation, and this important new publication provides an enormous service to the field of biodiversity conservation. By developing the theory of integrated conservation strategies into a single unified approach, Volis demonstrates a pathway by which the irreplaceable values of plant diversity can be protected from the stressors of a changing world. In particular, Volis demonstrates persuasively that habitat restoration will play a vital role in reversing ecosystem degradation, and in helping species and communities adapt to a rapidly changing world. This book places Sergei Volis among the world leaders in contemporary plant conservation."
– Donald Falk, University of Arizona
