Cover

Half-title

Title

copyright

Contents

Contributors

Preface

Part I Introduction

1 Biodiversity and humanity: paradox and challenge

Introduction

Humanity in the biosphere

The biosphere

The evolution of humankind

Intelligent species and culture

Humans are a biological species

Biodiversity and human life

Biodiversity and species

Species richness

Biodiversity as a source of natural resources

Nature for humanity: biophilia

Extinction and technological society

Extinction as an evolutionary process

Human role in the extinction process

Extinction and ecological dysfunction

The challenges to humanity

Development and human paradox

Evolution and sustainability

Humanity and biodiversity: opportunity

Acknowledgments

References

Part II Human values and biodiversity

2 Thoreau and Leopold on science and values

Thoreau's transformative values

The dynamics of nature and the dynamics of consciousness

The environmentalists' dilemma revisited

Thoreau's science

Aldo Leopold and scientific contextualism

Notes

References

3 Creation: God and endangered species

Religious value and the God Committee

Adam, Noah, and the prolific Earth

Resources and sources

Randomness and creativity

Struggle and perceptual perishing

Nature, law, and grace

Religious conservation biologists

References

4 Biodiversity and ecological justice

Introduction

A crisis in moral value

The problem of anthropocentrism

The need for an ecological ethic

Biodiversity and the ecological ethic

Biodiversity and ecological justice

Notes

References

Part III Human processes and biodiversity

5 Preindustrial man and environmental degradation

Introduction

Classic Maya civilization

The Copan Valley as a test case

Carrying capacity

The demography of ancient Copan

Social factors

The pollen profile

Soil erosion

The mechanisms of decline

Conclusion

References

6 Conserving biological diversity in the face of climate change

Introduction

The nature of the ecologically significant changes

Species' ranges shift in response to climate change

Magnitude of projected latitudinal shifts

Mechanisms underlying range shifts

Dispersal rates and barriers

Synergy of habitat destruction and climate change

Amelioration and mitigation

Preparing for the future

Begin monitoring

Undertake ecological research

Identify sensitive communities, species, and populations

Develop contingency plans

Develop regional plans that involve nonreserve habitat

Develop management techniques

Develop philosophical approaches to management

Dedicate additional reserve lands

Summary

Acknowledgments

References

7 We do not want to become extinct: the question of human survival

Introduction

Gross-scale environmental degradation

Population growth and its environmental impacts

Ecological dislocations

Population growth and energy

North-south relations

The key concept of carrying capacity

Environmental refugees

Conclusion

References

8 Germplasm conservation and agriculture

Introduction

The limited number of crop plants

Evolution under domestication of crop plants

History of plant breeding

Genetic erosion

Genetic wipeout

Genetic conservation

Genetic vulnerability

Food stability: a discussion

Future needs and priorities

Agriculture, germplasm conservation, and strategies for the future

Conclusion

References

Part IV Management of biodiversity and landscapes

9 The paradox of humanity: two views of biodiversity and landscapes

Humans as part of nature

Four positions of the human-nature relationship

Humans apart

Art and natural beauty

Nature as other

Conclusion

References

10 Biodiversity and landscape management

Introduction

Holistic approaches to landscapes and landscape heterogeneity

Biodiversity and the total human ecosystem

New methods for the study of landscape biodiversity and connectivity

Biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity in European agricultural landscapes

Neotechnological degradation of Mediterranean uplands and their dynamic conservation management

Discussion and conclusions

References

11 Making a habit of restoration: saving the eastern deciduous forest

Introduction

Establishment of a system of forest reserves.

Integrating the native landscape with development

Reestablishment of natural hydrologic regimens

Native species banking and dissemination

Control of exotics

Landscape management and restoration

Discussion and conclusions

References

12 Landscapes and management for ecological integrity

Ecosystem management: definition of terms

Case 1: landscapes and water resources - detecting degradation

Laurentian Great Lakes

Midwestern rivers

Case 2: birds, forests, and landscapes - preventing degradation

Forest birds in Panama

Spotted owl and old growth forest

Case 3: restoration of a wetland landscape - the Kissimmee River

Planning for restoration

Alternative restoration plans

Management of the human landscape

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

References

Part V Socioeconomics of Biodiversity

13 Economic valuation of biodiversity

Introduction

The paradox of value for public goods

The logic of economic value: private goods1

The logic of value: public goods

Bases for valuing public goods

Economic valuation and provision of biodiversity

Biodiversity as a public good

The need for economic valuation of biodiversity

Biodiversity as a limited resource

Determining the value of biodiversity

Conclusions

References

14 Thinking about the value of biodiversity

Benefits of biodiversity

In search of a failsafe case for biodiversity

Consequentialist approaches

Appeals to moral duty

Contractarian approaches

A strong, but circumstantial, case for biodiversity

The prospects for benefit evaluation of biodiversity

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

15 Lessons from the aging Amazon frontier: opportunities for genuine development

Introduction

History of land use in Paragominas from the 1960s through the 1980s

Early settlers practice agriculture

Ranching in the rainforest

Land use in Paragominas at the outset of the 1990s

The dominance of logging

The logging-ranching link

Logging and the fate of Amazonia

Social impacts

Environmental impacts

Forest management as a strategy to reconcile development and conservationists aims

Economic feasibility of forest management at Paragominas

Strategies to promote forest management

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

References

Part VI Strategies for biodiversity conservation

16 Market-based economic development and biodiversity: an assessment of conflict

Introduction

Linkages between economic activity and biodiversity

Habitat alteration

Changes in harvesting

Introduction of species and alteration of interspecies equilibria

A search for the roots of the paradox

Economic solutions to the paradox

Country-focused tools and approaches

Income growth

Slowing population growth

Institutional changes and innovations

Public institution development

Regulation and use restriction

Market development to enhance value

Education

Investment in research and development of appropriate technologies

Multinational approaches

Multinational approaches

Conclusions

References

17 Technology and biodiversity conservation: are they incompatible?

Introduction

Societal dependence on technology

The fragmentation problem

In human societies

In the educational system

In the political system

In the regulatory community

The need for a national environmental agency

Communications technology and science superb - the skill of communications miserable

Recommendations

Acknowledgments

References

18 "Emergy" evaluation of biodiversity for ecological engineering

Introduction

Principles of self-organization for maximum performance

Emergy, transformity, and Em$

Energy hierarchy and whales

Emergy and information

Rainforest examples

Emergy and diversity

Transformity for comparing information bits of different scales

Human culture and genetic information

Mitigation and wetlands

Emergy evaluation of foreign trade of environmental products

Economic policy and biodiversity

References

19 Urban horticulture: a part of the biodiversity picture

Introduction

Urban horticulture

Values of plants and gardens

Urban horticulture and biodiversity conservation

Habitats and landscapes

Urban horticulture for people

Acknowledgment

20 The watchdog role of nongovernmental environmental organizations

References

21 Legislative and public agency initiatives in ecosystem and biodiversity conservation

Introduction

An evolving awareness of the importance of biological diversity

The modern conservation dilemma

The Endangered Species Act

Other legislation

Conclusion

References

Part VII Biodiversity and landscapes: postscript

22 Biodiversity and humanity: toward a new praradigm

Introduction

The essence of the paradox

Humanity, biodiversityy and landscapes: the nature of the conflict

Human dependence on biodiversity

Human values: a categorization

The burden of humanity on biodiversity

Species extinction

Landscape alteration

The biosphere as a waste sink

Humanity and biodiversity degradation

The relevance of the conflict to humanity

The origins of the conflict

Human domination

Human cognition and values

Human dominion

The Crux of the paradox

The challenge for change

The imperative

Opportunities and constraints

The goal of change

Options and alternative paths of change

Shifting the consensus

Implementing change with a new consensus

References

Index