Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Biology

by Tim Caro

Overview

In just the last few years, behavioral ecologists have begun to address issues in conservation biology. This volume is the first attempt to link these disciplines formally. Here leading researchers explore current topics in conservation biology and discuss how behavioral ecology can contribute to a greater understanding of conservation problems and conservation intervention programs. In each chapter, the authors identify a conservation issue, review the ways it has been addressed, review behavioral ecological data related to it, including their own, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the behavioral ecological approach, and put forward specific conservation recommendations. The chapters juxtapose different studies on a wide variety of taxonomic groups. A number of common themes emerge, including the ways in which animal mating systems affect population persistence, the roles of dispersal and inbreeding avoidance for topics such as reserve design and effective population size, the key role of humans in conservation issues, and the importance of baseline data for conservation monitoring and modeling attempts. Each chapter sheds new light on conservation problems, generates innovative avenues of interdisciplinary research, and shows how conservation-minded behavioral ecologists can apply their expertise to some of the most important questions we face today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195104905
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	08/27/1998
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	608
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.40(d)
Lexile:	1440L (what's this?)

About the Author

Professor, Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, Center for Population Biology

Table of Contents

1. The Significance of Behavioral Ecology for Conservation Biology, Tim CaroPart I: Baseline Behavioral Ecological Data and Conservation Problems2. The Role of Individual Identification in Conservation Biology, Peter McGregor & Tom Peake3. Ecological Indicators of Risk for Primates, as Judged by Species' Susceptibility to Logging, Alexander Harcourt4. Future Prey: Some Consequences of the Loss and Restoration of Large Carnivores, Joel BergerPart II: Baseline Behavioral Ecological Data and Conservation Intervention5. A Minimum Intervention Approach to Conservation: The Influence of Social Structure, Sarah Durant6. Contributions of Behavioral Studies to Captive Management and Breeding of Rare and Endangered Mammals, Nadja Wielebnowski7. Behavior as a Tool for Management Intervention in Birds, Eberhard CurioPart III: Mating Systems and Conservation Problems8. Conspecific Aggregation and Conservation Biology, Andy Dobson & Joyce Poole9. Reproductive Ecology in the Conservation and Management of Fishes, Amanda Vincent & Yvonne Sadovy10. Social Organization and Effective Population Size in Carnivores, Scott CreelPart IV: Mating Systems and Conservation Intervention11. Animal Breeding Systems, Hunter Selectivity, and Consumptive Use in Wildlife Conservation, Correigh Greene, James Umbanhowar, Marc Mangel, & Tim Caro12. Conspecific Brood Parasitism, Population Dynamics, and the Conservation of Cavity-Nesting Birds, John Eadie, Paul Sherman, & Brad Semel13. The Importance of Mate Choice in Improving Viability in Captive Populations, Mats Grahn, Asa Langefors, & Torbjörn von SchantzPart V: Dispersal and Inbreeding Avoidance14. Mammalian Dispersal and Reserve Design, Dirk Van Vuren15. Behavioral Ecology, Genetic Diversity, and Declining Amphibian Populations, Bruce Waldman & Mandy TocherPart VI: Human Behavioral Ecology16. The Management of Subsistence Harvesting: Behavioral Ecology of Hunters and Their Mammalian Prey, Clare FitzGibbon17. Indigenous Hunting in the Neotropics: Conservation or Optimal Foraging?, Michael Alvard18. The Evolved Psychological Apparatus of Decision-Making Is One Source of Environmental Problems, Margo Wilson, Martin Daly, & Stephen GordonAfterword19. Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Policy: On Balancing Science, Applications, and Advocacy, Daniel RubensteinEpilogue20. How do We Refocus Behavioral Ecology to Address Conservation Issues More Directly?, Tim Caro

Editorial Reviews

"Nearly two decades ago, geneticists, evolutionary biologists and ecologists turned their attention to applying their science and talents to provide information that would slow the extinction of species and destruction of ecosystems. Recently behavioural biologists have discovered that they too are conservation biologists. . . . This book joins a growing number of volumes and journal articles aimed at demonstrating that conservation requires an understanding of animal behaviour. It consists of an introduction, an afterword, an epilogue and 17 chapters divided among six sections. . . . Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Biology belongs on the bookshelves of behaviourists and conservation biologists . . . as [a] basic [reference] for understanding how behavioural processes apply to conservation. . . . [It] should help behavioural scientists make greater contributions to conserving the earth's declining biological diversity."—Animal Behaviour

"Conservation biology is multidisciplinary science that utilizes principles and methods from a number of sciences such as ecology, population biology and genetic, systematics, and behaviour. However, there are relatively few books or papers that explore the discipline and then demonstrate those concepts and methodologies that apply to conservation biology. This volume attempts to do that in the area of behavioral ecology. . . .Each of the 18 chapters (excluding the two chapters written by the editor) provide overviews of some aspect of behavioral ecology and then provides the strengths and weaknesses of that behavior for use in conservation biology, recommendations for the future, and a summary of the chapter. . . .I believe this book should be on the bookshelves on any person involved with behavior, ecology, and conservation." — Ecology

"—This book represents the views of most behavioral ecologists on conservation biology. . .This book, which is indexed and referenced, should be useful for anyone interested in behavioral ecology and conservation biology."—BIOSIS, Volume 51, Issue 4

From the Publisher