1.1 The biodiversity mapping problem Mapping the distribution of elements of biodiversity is essential to any planned approach for allocating resources to conservation, as well as to understand macro scale evolutionary processes. For well studied areas, ‘point’ data from observed locations of each species may provide sufficient information. For well studied species, a range of modelling techniq...

With the ongoing crisis of biodiversity loss and limited resources for conservation, the concept of biodiversity hotspots has been useful in determining conservation priority areas. However, there has been limited research into how temporal variability in biodiversity may influence conservation area prioritization. To address this information gap, we present an approach to evaluate the temporal...

The Ecosystem Approach and sustainable use represent two approaches, at two different scales, to the management of living natural resources and biodiversity conservation. Both approaches have been endorsed by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which has provided an important institutional context for their development and elaboration. Each approach establishes a certai...

In the past two decades, a considerable amount of concern has been expressed in academic and in nonacademic circles about the decline in the world's diverse biological resources. Recently, Swanson (l995b) has suggested that the problem of biodiversity loss is really a problem of regulating the natural habitat conversion process in which naturally existing species have systematically been replac...

Africa has high biodiversity and is rapidly urbanizing. However, there is limited understanding of how urban expansion in Africa is likely to affect its habitats and biodiversity. Little urban ecological research has been done in Africa. This study needs to think ahead as Africa move into the “urban age” it is critical to inform the public on the importance of urban environment...

The hope among policy-makers and scientists alike is that conservation strategies designed to protect biodiversity also provide direct benefits to people by protecting other vital ecosystem services. The few studies that have examined the delivery of ecosystem services by existing conservation efforts have concentrated on large, 'wilderness'-style biodiversity reserves. However, such reserves a...

*Correspondence: Robin M. Warner, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong, ITAMS Building 233, Innovation Campus Squires Way, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia e-mail: [email protected] As global shipping intensifies and technological advances provide more opportunities to access the resources of the high seas and the deep seabed beyond national juri...

As a reaction to the continued dwindling of tropical forest resources, many research and development organizations have turned to the idea of natural forest management in the hope of making tropical forest lands more profitable while maintaining biodiversity. Assertions of sustainability in logging practices have been inadequately supported, however. We begin with a review of the present knowle...

Biodiversity loss--one of the most prominent forms of modern environmental change--has been heavily driven by terrestrial habitat loss and, in particular, the spread and intensification of agriculture. Expanding agricultural land-use has led to the search for strong conservation strategies, with some suggesting that biodiversity conservation in agriculture is best maximized by reducing local ma...

Founded in 1948, The World Conservation Union brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organizations in a unique world partnership: over 1000 members in all, spread across some 140 countries. As a Union, IUCN seeks to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any ...