Franck Courchamp, Ludek Berec, and Joanna Gascoigne
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198570301
- eISBN:
- 9780191717642
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570301.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
Allee effects are broadly defined as a decline in individual fitness at low population size or density, that can result in critical population thresholds below which populations crash to extinction. ...
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Allee effects are broadly defined as a decline in individual fitness at low population size or density, that can result in critical population thresholds below which populations crash to extinction. As such, they are very relevant to many conservation programmes, where scientists and managers are often working with populations that have been reduced to low densities or small numbers. There are a variety of mechanisms that can create Allee effects, including mating systems, predation, environmental modification, and social interactions among others. The abrupt and unpredicted collapses of many exploited populations is just one illustration of the need to bring Allee effects to the forefront of conservation and management strategies. This book provides an overview of the topic, collating and integrating a widely dispersed literature from various fields: marine and terrestrial, plant and animal, theoretical and empirical, academic and applied. Less
Allee effects are broadly defined as a decline in individual fitness at low population size or density, that can result in critical population thresholds below which populations crash to extinction. As such, they are very relevant to many conservation programmes, where scientists and managers are often working with populations that have been reduced to low densities or small numbers. There are a variety of mechanisms that can create Allee effects, including mating systems, predation, environmental modification, and social interactions among others. The abrupt and unpredicted collapses of many exploited populations is just one illustration of the need to bring Allee effects to the forefront of conservation and management strategies. This book provides an overview of the topic, collating and integrating a widely dispersed literature from various fields: marine and terrestrial, plant and animal, theoretical and empirical, academic and applied.
Alex Córdoba-Aguilar (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199230693
- eISBN:
- 9780191710889
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199230693.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Animal Biology
This book is a collection of nineteen chapters where summaries of major ecological and evolutionary questions have been asked and responded using dragonflies and damselflies as study subjects. Each ...
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This book is a collection of nineteen chapters where summaries of major ecological and evolutionary questions have been asked and responded using dragonflies and damselflies as study subjects. Each chapter is written by a well-respected scientist. The topics covered are: demography, population and community ecology, life-history, distribution, abundance, migration, conservation, applied use, predator-prey interactions, mating isolation, lifetime reproductive success estimates, reproduction vs. survival, parasite-host relationships, cryptic female choice, sexual conflict, territoriality, sex-limited colour polymorphisms, sexual size dimorphism, flight performance, and wing evolution. Each chapter puts forward new data and hypothesis in relation to further ecological and evolutionary questions.Less
This book is a collection of nineteen chapters where summaries of major ecological and evolutionary questions have been asked and responded using dragonflies and damselflies as study subjects. Each chapter is written by a well-respected scientist. The topics covered are: demography, population and community ecology, life-history, distribution, abundance, migration, conservation, applied use, predator-prey interactions, mating isolation, lifetime reproductive success estimates, reproduction vs. survival, parasite-host relationships, cryptic female choice, sexual conflict, territoriality, sex-limited colour polymorphisms, sexual size dimorphism, flight performance, and wing evolution. Each chapter puts forward new data and hypothesis in relation to further ecological and evolutionary questions.
John Alcock
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195182743
- eISBN:
- 9780199790005
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195182743.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This book reviews a variety of evolutionary themes and uses the small terrestrial orchids of Australia to introduce and illustrate these themes. Among the topics explored are the competing ideas of ...
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This book reviews a variety of evolutionary themes and uses the small terrestrial orchids of Australia to introduce and illustrate these themes. Among the topics explored are the competing ideas of biologists who use the theory of natural selection when examining possible adaptations (such as the ability of orchid flowers to attract special pollinators) and those who reject this approach, including creationists as well as the late Stephen Jay Gould. Darwin’s own ideas on the topic are reviewed as his work on adaptive plant behavior, given that orchids provide examples of flowers with moving parts. In addition, the book outlines the ability of evolutionary biologists to trace the origin and subsequent modification of complex traits like the extraordinarily unusual flowers of certain orchids. The book also employs Australian orchids to demonstrate the challenges of determining what a species is and how to preserve the biodiversity that still exists in the world.Less
This book reviews a variety of evolutionary themes and uses the small terrestrial orchids of Australia to introduce and illustrate these themes. Among the topics explored are the competing ideas of biologists who use the theory of natural selection when examining possible adaptations (such as the ability of orchid flowers to attract special pollinators) and those who reject this approach, including creationists as well as the late Stephen Jay Gould. Darwin’s own ideas on the topic are reviewed as his work on adaptive plant behavior, given that orchids provide examples of flowers with moving parts. In addition, the book outlines the ability of evolutionary biologists to trace the origin and subsequent modification of complex traits like the extraordinarily unusual flowers of certain orchids. The book also employs Australian orchids to demonstrate the challenges of determining what a species is and how to preserve the biodiversity that still exists in the world.
Alok Kumar and Sushanta K. Chatterjee
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198082279
- eISBN:
- 9780199082063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198082279.003.0017
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
The evolution of the electricity industry in India has been supply oriented. Demand Side measures have been elaborated in detail in the Energy Conservation Act of 2001. The Energy Conservation ...
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The evolution of the electricity industry in India has been supply oriented. Demand Side measures have been elaborated in detail in the Energy Conservation Act of 2001. The Energy Conservation together with the Electricity Act, 2003 provides the relevant statutory framework in this regard. The chapter explains this framework and also goes on to elaborate policy provision in this regard. Regulatory initiatives taken so far in this context, have also been touched upon. The chapter concludes by highlighting the future prospects on the Demand side Management.Less
The evolution of the electricity industry in India has been supply oriented. Demand Side measures have been elaborated in detail in the Energy Conservation Act of 2001. The Energy Conservation together with the Electricity Act, 2003 provides the relevant statutory framework in this regard. The chapter explains this framework and also goes on to elaborate policy provision in this regard. Regulatory initiatives taken so far in this context, have also been touched upon. The chapter concludes by highlighting the future prospects on the Demand side Management.
Barbara K. Jones
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781683401049
- eISBN:
- 9781683401728
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9781683401049.001.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
How we determine what is nature, what is wild, or even what in nature is worth protecting occurs through our human perspective. Whether it is a charismatic manatee or a majestic redwood, we care ...
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How we determine what is nature, what is wild, or even what in nature is worth protecting occurs through our human perspective. Whether it is a charismatic manatee or a majestic redwood, we care about and protect the things we love because they offer us something we value. To make this value relevant in the economic marketplace of competing choices, Wild Capital: Nature’s Economic and Ecological Wealth relies on the ecosystem services model, where nature’s value is determined through the services intact ecosystems provide to our well-being. As one of the recreation components of this model, this book uses ecotourism and the changing tourist dynamic, as well as our evolving relationship with nature, to demonstrate how we can assign a measurable worth to natural resources. If a developer or a policy maker can more equitably compare the capital asset value of development with that of wild nature, better decisions regarding economic and ecological trade-offs can be made. Wild Capital then incorporates the cultural bias we have for charismatic megafauna to link policy decisions regarding biodiversity and habitat conservation to those charismatic animals we care about so intensely. The five megafauna case studies provide solid evidence of the role charismatic species can play in protecting our planet’s biodiversity and ensuring our well-being long into the future.Less
How we determine what is nature, what is wild, or even what in nature is worth protecting occurs through our human perspective. Whether it is a charismatic manatee or a majestic redwood, we care about and protect the things we love because they offer us something we value. To make this value relevant in the economic marketplace of competing choices, Wild Capital: Nature’s Economic and Ecological Wealth relies on the ecosystem services model, where nature’s value is determined through the services intact ecosystems provide to our well-being. As one of the recreation components of this model, this book uses ecotourism and the changing tourist dynamic, as well as our evolving relationship with nature, to demonstrate how we can assign a measurable worth to natural resources. If a developer or a policy maker can more equitably compare the capital asset value of development with that of wild nature, better decisions regarding economic and ecological trade-offs can be made. Wild Capital then incorporates the cultural bias we have for charismatic megafauna to link policy decisions regarding biodiversity and habitat conservation to those charismatic animals we care about so intensely. The five megafauna case studies provide solid evidence of the role charismatic species can play in protecting our planet’s biodiversity and ensuring our well-being long into the future.
Thomas A. Heberlein
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199773329
- eISBN:
- 9780199979639
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199773329.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Psychology and Interaction
The environment, and how humans affect it, is more of a concern now than ever. We are constantly told that halting climate change requires raising awareness, changing attitudes, and finally altering ...
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The environment, and how humans affect it, is more of a concern now than ever. We are constantly told that halting climate change requires raising awareness, changing attitudes, and finally altering behaviors among the general public—and doing it fast. New information, attitudes, and actions, it is conventionally assumed, will necessarily follow one from the other. However, this approach ignores much of what is known about attitudes in general and environmental attitudes in particular—a huge gap lies between what we say and what we do. Solving environmental problems requires a scientific understanding of public attitudes. Like rocks in a swollen river, attitudes often lie beneath the surface—hard to see, and even harder to move or change. This book helps us read the water and negotiate its hidden obstacles, explaining what attitudes are, how they change and influence behavior. Rather than trying to change attitudes, we need to design solutions and policies with attitudes in mind. Heberlein illustrates these points by tracing the attitudes of the well-known environmentalist Aldo Leopold, while tying social psychology to real-world behaviors throughout the book. Bringing together theory and practice, this book provides a realistic understanding of why and how attitudes matter when it comes to environmental problems; and how, by balancing natural with social science, we can step back from false assumptions and unproductive, frustrating programs to work toward fostering successful, effective environmental action.Less
The environment, and how humans affect it, is more of a concern now than ever. We are constantly told that halting climate change requires raising awareness, changing attitudes, and finally altering behaviors among the general public—and doing it fast. New information, attitudes, and actions, it is conventionally assumed, will necessarily follow one from the other. However, this approach ignores much of what is known about attitudes in general and environmental attitudes in particular—a huge gap lies between what we say and what we do. Solving environmental problems requires a scientific understanding of public attitudes. Like rocks in a swollen river, attitudes often lie beneath the surface—hard to see, and even harder to move or change. This book helps us read the water and negotiate its hidden obstacles, explaining what attitudes are, how they change and influence behavior. Rather than trying to change attitudes, we need to design solutions and policies with attitudes in mind. Heberlein illustrates these points by tracing the attitudes of the well-known environmentalist Aldo Leopold, while tying social psychology to real-world behaviors throughout the book. Bringing together theory and practice, this book provides a realistic understanding of why and how attitudes matter when it comes to environmental problems; and how, by balancing natural with social science, we can step back from false assumptions and unproductive, frustrating programs to work toward fostering successful, effective environmental action.
Nicholas P. Money
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199732562
- eISBN:
- 9780199918515
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199732562.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Natural History and Field Guides, Plant Sciences and Forestry
Mushrooms are the most wondrous inventions of the last billion years of evolutionary history on earth. Their overnight appearance is a pneumatic process, with the inflation of millions of preformed ...
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Mushrooms are the most wondrous inventions of the last billion years of evolutionary history on earth. Their overnight appearance is a pneumatic process, with the inflation of millions of preformed cells extending the stem, pushing earth aside, and unfolding a cap above the dewy grass. Once exposed, a mushroom's gills shed an astonishing 30,000 spores per second, delivering billions of microscopic particles into the air in a single day, cells that may be capable of spawning the largest organisms on the planet. Mushroom colonies burrow through soil and rotting wood. Some hook into the roots of forest trees and engage in mutually supportive symbioses; others are pathogens that decorate their food sources with hardened hooves and fleshy shelves. Among the staggering diversity of mushroom-forming fungi we find stranger apparitions including gigantic puffballs, phallic eruptions with revolting aromas, and tiny “bird's nests” whose spore-filled eggs are splashed out by raindrops. But it is the poisonous effects of a handful of fungal metabolites, and the powerful hallucinogenic qualities of others, which account for the central place of mushrooms in mythology and their commonest associations in Western culture. This book explains what mushrooms are (Chapter 1), how they work (Chapter 2), and what their underlying colonies do (Chapter 3); the harvesting and conservation of wild mushrooms and the cultivation of domesticated species are addressed in Chapters 4 and 5, the science of poisonous and hallucinatory fungi in Chapters 6 and 7, and deceptive claims about medicinal mushrooms in Chapter 8.Less
Mushrooms are the most wondrous inventions of the last billion years of evolutionary history on earth. Their overnight appearance is a pneumatic process, with the inflation of millions of preformed cells extending the stem, pushing earth aside, and unfolding a cap above the dewy grass. Once exposed, a mushroom's gills shed an astonishing 30,000 spores per second, delivering billions of microscopic particles into the air in a single day, cells that may be capable of spawning the largest organisms on the planet. Mushroom colonies burrow through soil and rotting wood. Some hook into the roots of forest trees and engage in mutually supportive symbioses; others are pathogens that decorate their food sources with hardened hooves and fleshy shelves. Among the staggering diversity of mushroom-forming fungi we find stranger apparitions including gigantic puffballs, phallic eruptions with revolting aromas, and tiny “bird's nests” whose spore-filled eggs are splashed out by raindrops. But it is the poisonous effects of a handful of fungal metabolites, and the powerful hallucinogenic qualities of others, which account for the central place of mushrooms in mythology and their commonest associations in Western culture. This book explains what mushrooms are (Chapter 1), how they work (Chapter 2), and what their underlying colonies do (Chapter 3); the harvesting and conservation of wild mushrooms and the cultivation of domesticated species are addressed in Chapters 4 and 5, the science of poisonous and hallucinatory fungi in Chapters 6 and 7, and deceptive claims about medicinal mushrooms in Chapter 8.
Hans Kruuk
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198565871
- eISBN:
- 9780191728228
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198565871.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Animal Biology
Hans Kruuk's previous Wild Otters was the first, and until now the only, book to cover both natural history and scientific research on behaviour and ecology of otters in Europe. The present book is a ...
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Hans Kruuk's previous Wild Otters was the first, and until now the only, book to cover both natural history and scientific research on behaviour and ecology of otters in Europe. The present book is a revision, rewrite, and update, now covering all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and elsewhere. Aimed at naturalists, scientists, and conservationists, in a personal style and with many illustrations, it describes the ecology and behaviour of some of the most charismatic and enigmatic mammals in our environment, as well as the research to understand their particular ecological problems. With over 650 references, there is up-to-date description of the most recent studies, including feeding ecology, foraging behaviour, relationships with prey species, and factors that limit populations, as well as social and breeding behaviour, molecular genetics, energetics, the problems of exposure to cold water, mortality, effects of pollution, and the serious, recent conservation problems. There are enchanting direct observations of the animals, as well as guidance about how and where to watch and study them, and what are the most serious questions facing researchers. From otters in the British and American lakes and rivers, to sea otters in the Pacific ocean, giant otters in the Amazon and other species in Africa and Asia, this book provides an enthusiastic, critical, and thorough approach to their fascinating existence, the science needed to understand it, and the threats to their survival.Less
Hans Kruuk's previous Wild Otters was the first, and until now the only, book to cover both natural history and scientific research on behaviour and ecology of otters in Europe. The present book is a revision, rewrite, and update, now covering all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and elsewhere. Aimed at naturalists, scientists, and conservationists, in a personal style and with many illustrations, it describes the ecology and behaviour of some of the most charismatic and enigmatic mammals in our environment, as well as the research to understand their particular ecological problems. With over 650 references, there is up-to-date description of the most recent studies, including feeding ecology, foraging behaviour, relationships with prey species, and factors that limit populations, as well as social and breeding behaviour, molecular genetics, energetics, the problems of exposure to cold water, mortality, effects of pollution, and the serious, recent conservation problems. There are enchanting direct observations of the animals, as well as guidance about how and where to watch and study them, and what are the most serious questions facing researchers. From otters in the British and American lakes and rivers, to sea otters in the Pacific ocean, giant otters in the Amazon and other species in Africa and Asia, this book provides an enthusiastic, critical, and thorough approach to their fascinating existence, the science needed to understand it, and the threats to their survival.
Russell Lande, Steinar Engen, and Bernt-Erik Saether
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198525257
- eISBN:
- 9780191584930
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198525257.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
All populations fluctuate stochastically, creating a risk of extinction that does not exist in deterministic models, with fundamental consequences for both pure and applied ecology. This book ...
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All populations fluctuate stochastically, creating a risk of extinction that does not exist in deterministic models, with fundamental consequences for both pure and applied ecology. This book provides an introduction to stochastic population dynamics, combining classical background material with a variety of modern approaches, including previously unpublished results by the authors, illustrated with examples from bird and mammal populations, and insect communities. Demographic and environmental stochasticity are introduced with statistical methods for estimating them from field data. The long-run growth rate of a population is explained and extended to include age structure with both demographic and environmental stochasticity. Diffusion approximations facilitate the analysis of extinction dynamics and the duration of the final decline. Methods are developed for estimating delayed density dependence from population time series using life history data. Metapopulation viability and the spatial scale of population fluctuations and extinction risk are analyzed. Stochastic dynamics and statistical uncertainty in population parameters are incorporated in Population Viability Analysis and strategies for sustainable harvesting. Statistics of species diversity measures and species abundance distributions are described, with implications for rapid assessments of biodiversity, and methods are developed for partitioning species diversity into additive components. Analysis of the stochastic dynamics of a tropical butterfly community in space and time indicates that most of the variance in the species abundance distribution is due to ecological heterogeneity among species, so that real communities are far from neutral.Less
All populations fluctuate stochastically, creating a risk of extinction that does not exist in deterministic models, with fundamental consequences for both pure and applied ecology. This book provides an introduction to stochastic population dynamics, combining classical background material with a variety of modern approaches, including previously unpublished results by the authors, illustrated with examples from bird and mammal populations, and insect communities. Demographic and environmental stochasticity are introduced with statistical methods for estimating them from field data. The long-run growth rate of a population is explained and extended to include age structure with both demographic and environmental stochasticity. Diffusion approximations facilitate the analysis of extinction dynamics and the duration of the final decline. Methods are developed for estimating delayed density dependence from population time series using life history data. Metapopulation viability and the spatial scale of population fluctuations and extinction risk are analyzed. Stochastic dynamics and statistical uncertainty in population parameters are incorporated in Population Viability Analysis and strategies for sustainable harvesting. Statistics of species diversity measures and species abundance distributions are described, with implications for rapid assessments of biodiversity, and methods are developed for partitioning species diversity into additive components. Analysis of the stochastic dynamics of a tropical butterfly community in space and time indicates that most of the variance in the species abundance distribution is due to ecological heterogeneity among species, so that real communities are far from neutral.
Nigel Yates
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199242382
- eISBN:
- 9780191603815
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199242380.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
This chapter examines the programmes of church building and restoration in Ireland between 1770 and 1850, including the evidence of surviving church interiors from this period. It concludes that this ...
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This chapter examines the programmes of church building and restoration in Ireland between 1770 and 1850, including the evidence of surviving church interiors from this period. It concludes that this programme was one of the most ambitious and extensive in Europe. Particular attention is paid to the restoration of Church of Ireland and building of new Roman Catholic cathedrals.Less
This chapter examines the programmes of church building and restoration in Ireland between 1770 and 1850, including the evidence of surviving church interiors from this period. It concludes that this programme was one of the most ambitious and extensive in Europe. Particular attention is paid to the restoration of Church of Ireland and building of new Roman Catholic cathedrals.
John S. Dryzek, David Downes, Christian Hunold, David Schlosberg, and Hans‐Kristian Hernes
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199249022
- eISBN:
- 9780191599095
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199249024.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
Ecological modernization now suggests that environmental values can be attached to the state's core economic imperative, while Ulrich Beck's risk society thesis suggests an environmental attachment ...
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Ecological modernization now suggests that environmental values can be attached to the state's core economic imperative, while Ulrich Beck's risk society thesis suggests an environmental attachment to the state's core legitimation imperative. These developments could add up to a conservation imperative of the state—the green state—though no state is yet close to this situation. Norway has entrenched ecological modernization in a moderate weak form. Germany is closest to a strong form of ecological modernization that, in combination with risk‐induced legitimation crisis, points the way to a more reflexive and democratic political economy. The US has the sort of movement that could facilitate such a transformation—but its state has moved in exactly the opposite direction, casting economic and environmental values in old‐fashioned conflictual terms. Even the UK at long last appears to be capable of taking on board some of the key precepts of ecological modernization and democratization.Less
Ecological modernization now suggests that environmental values can be attached to the state's core economic imperative, while Ulrich Beck's risk society thesis suggests an environmental attachment to the state's core legitimation imperative. These developments could add up to a conservation imperative of the state—the green state—though no state is yet close to this situation. Norway has entrenched ecological modernization in a moderate weak form. Germany is closest to a strong form of ecological modernization that, in combination with risk‐induced legitimation crisis, points the way to a more reflexive and democratic political economy. The US has the sort of movement that could facilitate such a transformation—but its state has moved in exactly the opposite direction, casting economic and environmental values in old‐fashioned conflictual terms. Even the UK at long last appears to be capable of taking on board some of the key precepts of ecological modernization and democratization.
Wilfred Beckerman and Joanna Pasek
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199245086
- eISBN:
- 9780191598784
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199245088.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
It is widely believed that environmental conservation has to be guided by respect for the ‘rights’ of future generations. But it is argued in this chapter that it may not be plausible to think in ...
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It is widely believed that environmental conservation has to be guided by respect for the ‘rights’ of future generations. But it is argued in this chapter that it may not be plausible to think in terms of the ‘rights’ of future generations in general or their rights to any specific environmental assets. Future generations may well have rights when they come into existence, but these will only be rights that can be satisfied at the time. But ‘rights’ do not exhaust the whole of morality, and future generations will certainly have interests, which means that we are under moral obligation to take account of them and of the effect that our environmental policies may have on them. Thus, the problem is to predict what the main interests of future generations will be and how to weigh them up against the interests of people alive today. It is argued that this approach will lead to a very different ranking of priorities among our moral obligations to future generations.Less
It is widely believed that environmental conservation has to be guided by respect for the ‘rights’ of future generations. But it is argued in this chapter that it may not be plausible to think in terms of the ‘rights’ of future generations in general or their rights to any specific environmental assets. Future generations may well have rights when they come into existence, but these will only be rights that can be satisfied at the time. But ‘rights’ do not exhaust the whole of morality, and future generations will certainly have interests, which means that we are under moral obligation to take account of them and of the effect that our environmental policies may have on them. Thus, the problem is to predict what the main interests of future generations will be and how to weigh them up against the interests of people alive today. It is argued that this approach will lead to a very different ranking of priorities among our moral obligations to future generations.
Michael J. Samways
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199230693
- eISBN:
- 9780191710889
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199230693.003.0008
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Animal Biology
Freshwater ecosystems worldwide are highly threatened. As a consequence, many dragonfly species are also threatened. The threats to them are many and varied, including invasive alien plants and ...
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Freshwater ecosystems worldwide are highly threatened. As a consequence, many dragonfly species are also threatened. The threats to them are many and varied, including invasive alien plants and habitat loss. Global climate change is also beginning to affect them, with some species changing their geographical ranges. Worldwide assessments are being made of dragonfly conservation status. They are one of the highest profile invertebrates in conservation awareness, planning, and action. One reason for this is that they are highly valued, being iconic, aesthetic, and sensitive bioindicators of landscape change. They are both important subjects in their own right as well as important role players in overall biodiversity conservation.Less
Freshwater ecosystems worldwide are highly threatened. As a consequence, many dragonfly species are also threatened. The threats to them are many and varied, including invasive alien plants and habitat loss. Global climate change is also beginning to affect them, with some species changing their geographical ranges. Worldwide assessments are being made of dragonfly conservation status. They are one of the highest profile invertebrates in conservation awareness, planning, and action. One reason for this is that they are highly valued, being iconic, aesthetic, and sensitive bioindicators of landscape change. They are both important subjects in their own right as well as important role players in overall biodiversity conservation.
Gary Scott Smith
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195300604
- eISBN:
- 9780199785285
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195300604.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
To many, Theodore Roosevelt was an exemplar of manliness and “muscular Christianity” and an exceptional public servant who led a crusade for social justice. To others, the sage of Oyster Bay was a ...
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To many, Theodore Roosevelt was an exemplar of manliness and “muscular Christianity” and an exceptional public servant who led a crusade for social justice. To others, the sage of Oyster Bay was a jingoist, a nativist, a hot-tempered, unpredictable manic, and an egomaniac who put his own interests above America’s good. Roosevelt highly valued biblical morality and considered it vital to personal and public life, including politics. He downplayed doctrine and theological differences and strongly stressed the importance of good works and character. Many contemporaries called him a preacher of righteousness, and he labeled the presidency a bully pulpit, which he used to trumpet the importance of social justice, civility, and virtue. Three religious issues caused considerable controversy during Roosevelt’s tenure in office: his attempt to remove “In God We Trust” from some coins, the “Dear Maria” affair, and concerns about William Howard Taft’s Unitarianism during the 1908 presidential campaign. Christianity, especially the version espoused by turn-of-the-century Social Gospelers, played a significant role in shaping his philosophy of government. Roosevelt’s role in mediating the 1902 anthracite coal strike, “taking” Panama to build an isthmus canal, and promoting conservation illustrate how his religious commitments helped shape his policies.Less
To many, Theodore Roosevelt was an exemplar of manliness and “muscular Christianity” and an exceptional public servant who led a crusade for social justice. To others, the sage of Oyster Bay was a jingoist, a nativist, a hot-tempered, unpredictable manic, and an egomaniac who put his own interests above America’s good. Roosevelt highly valued biblical morality and considered it vital to personal and public life, including politics. He downplayed doctrine and theological differences and strongly stressed the importance of good works and character. Many contemporaries called him a preacher of righteousness, and he labeled the presidency a bully pulpit, which he used to trumpet the importance of social justice, civility, and virtue. Three religious issues caused considerable controversy during Roosevelt’s tenure in office: his attempt to remove “In God We Trust” from some coins, the “Dear Maria” affair, and concerns about William Howard Taft’s Unitarianism during the 1908 presidential campaign. Christianity, especially the version espoused by turn-of-the-century Social Gospelers, played a significant role in shaping his philosophy of government. Roosevelt’s role in mediating the 1902 anthracite coal strike, “taking” Panama to build an isthmus canal, and promoting conservation illustrate how his religious commitments helped shape his policies.
Toby Gardner
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265536
- eISBN:
- 9780191760327
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265536.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
The Amazon is a major biome for helping to stabilize the water and temperature of its region and possibly even the whole planet. But increasingly it is subject to droughts leading to the possibility ...
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The Amazon is a major biome for helping to stabilize the water and temperature of its region and possibly even the whole planet. But increasingly it is subject to droughts leading to the possibility of a runaway drying into a far less diverse forest and even an emergent savannah. In essence this is a highly complex socio-ecological biome which is experiencing global interconnections over carbon emissions and food price spikes. All of this makes predictions of the tipping points for the Amazon extremely difficult to model or to manage. Turning these disturbance factors around requires regional and local scale commitment involving all communities and real incentives to conserve ecosystem services with appropriate safeguards and payments. This is a tall order as at the level of land use and forest conservation, the incentives are perverse.Less
The Amazon is a major biome for helping to stabilize the water and temperature of its region and possibly even the whole planet. But increasingly it is subject to droughts leading to the possibility of a runaway drying into a far less diverse forest and even an emergent savannah. In essence this is a highly complex socio-ecological biome which is experiencing global interconnections over carbon emissions and food price spikes. All of this makes predictions of the tipping points for the Amazon extremely difficult to model or to manage. Turning these disturbance factors around requires regional and local scale commitment involving all communities and real incentives to conserve ecosystem services with appropriate safeguards and payments. This is a tall order as at the level of land use and forest conservation, the incentives are perverse.
Desmond King
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198296294
- eISBN:
- 9780191599668
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198296290.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Examines the use of work camps in the US, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), as a mechanism to address unemployment in the 1930s. Beginning with a brief overview of the origins and establishment ...
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Examines the use of work camps in the US, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), as a mechanism to address unemployment in the 1930s. Beginning with a brief overview of the origins and establishment of the CCC, King provides an account of these camps at work: the ways in which the Corps was made compatible with traditional US political values as well as how attempts to make it permanent were thwarted. In addition, King underlines the racial dimension of the Corps’ organization and activities, while exploring the implications of the federal government's segregationist arrangements.Less
Examines the use of work camps in the US, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), as a mechanism to address unemployment in the 1930s. Beginning with a brief overview of the origins and establishment of the CCC, King provides an account of these camps at work: the ways in which the Corps was made compatible with traditional US political values as well as how attempts to make it permanent were thwarted. In addition, King underlines the racial dimension of the Corps’ organization and activities, while exploring the implications of the federal government's segregationist arrangements.
Bryan Shorrocks
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198570660
- eISBN:
- 9780191717680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570660.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter takes a brief look at the ecology and behaviour of the major mammals in the dynamics of the savannah ecosystem. Other animals (insects and birds) are mentioned briefly. First, the ...
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This chapter takes a brief look at the ecology and behaviour of the major mammals in the dynamics of the savannah ecosystem. Other animals (insects and birds) are mentioned briefly. First, the chapter examines the herbivores. This includes the migratory species of the Serengeti ecosystem (wildebeest, plains zebra and Thomson's gazelle) plus elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, buffalo, Grant's gazelle, impala, hartebeest, topi (tiang & tsessebe), eland, rhinoceros, bushbuck, steenbok, oryx, gerenuk, dik dik, and kudu. Each species description includes details of size and weight, diet, behaviour, breeding, conservation status, and a distribution map. Biological topics that impinge upon diet and food selection, such as metabolism and body size, body size and mouth width, the contrast between ruminants and non-ruminants, are examined. Second, the chapter examines the major carnivores. These include lion, spotted hyaena, striped and brown hyaena, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, three jackals, foxes, and mongooses. Again diet, plus hunting techniques and territory characteristics and behaviour are briefly discussed, and a distribution map provided. Two savannah primates: baboons and vervet monkeys, are detailed.Less
This chapter takes a brief look at the ecology and behaviour of the major mammals in the dynamics of the savannah ecosystem. Other animals (insects and birds) are mentioned briefly. First, the chapter examines the herbivores. This includes the migratory species of the Serengeti ecosystem (wildebeest, plains zebra and Thomson's gazelle) plus elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, buffalo, Grant's gazelle, impala, hartebeest, topi (tiang & tsessebe), eland, rhinoceros, bushbuck, steenbok, oryx, gerenuk, dik dik, and kudu. Each species description includes details of size and weight, diet, behaviour, breeding, conservation status, and a distribution map. Biological topics that impinge upon diet and food selection, such as metabolism and body size, body size and mouth width, the contrast between ruminants and non-ruminants, are examined. Second, the chapter examines the major carnivores. These include lion, spotted hyaena, striped and brown hyaena, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, three jackals, foxes, and mongooses. Again diet, plus hunting techniques and territory characteristics and behaviour are briefly discussed, and a distribution map provided. Two savannah primates: baboons and vervet monkeys, are detailed.
A. Townsend Peterson, Jorge Soberón, Richard G. Pearson, Robert P. Anderson, Enrique Martínez-Meyer, Miguel Nakamura, and Miguel Bastos Araújo
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691136868
- eISBN:
- 9781400840670
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691136868.003.0012
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter discusses the use of niche models to help address the “what” and “where” questions in conservation biology as well as climate change effects. It first reviews the conceptual aspects of ...
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This chapter discusses the use of niche models to help address the “what” and “where” questions in conservation biology as well as climate change effects. It first reviews the conceptual aspects of the “what” and “where” questions in conservation planning, focusing on topics such as inferences about extinction risk, identification of regions for species reintroductions, conservation reserve network planning, and considerations of how climate change may affect species distributions. Each of these conservation applications is then examined with respect to the conceptual framework laid out for ecological niche modeling. The chapter concludes by offering practical recommendations regarding calibration and evaluation of niche models.Less
This chapter discusses the use of niche models to help address the “what” and “where” questions in conservation biology as well as climate change effects. It first reviews the conceptual aspects of the “what” and “where” questions in conservation planning, focusing on topics such as inferences about extinction risk, identification of regions for species reintroductions, conservation reserve network planning, and considerations of how climate change may affect species distributions. Each of these conservation applications is then examined with respect to the conceptual framework laid out for ecological niche modeling. The chapter concludes by offering practical recommendations regarding calibration and evaluation of niche models.
Vernon Reynolds
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198515463
- eISBN:
- 9780191705656
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198515463.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
Chimpanzees have never been more threatened with extinction than they are today. This book focuses on one chimpanzee group, the Sonso community, living in a tropical rain forest, the Budongo Forest ...
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Chimpanzees have never been more threatened with extinction than they are today. This book focuses on one chimpanzee group, the Sonso community, living in a tropical rain forest, the Budongo Forest in western Uganda. The book builds up a detailed picture of the forest environment of these apes, their social and behavioural adaptations, and the range of threats they face at the present time. The facts presented in the book summarize the author’s own work and that of the many students and colleagues who have worked with the Budongo Forest Project, which the author founded, over the years from 1990 to the present day. Comparisons are made with other chimpanzee field studies. A picture is built up to show the Sonso community living in a complex environment to which it has adapted well. The diet, culture, social behaviour, and social organization of the chimpanzees are described in detail. Focus then shifts to the various dangers they face in the modern context of increasing pressure from local hunters who put snares in the forest, and from a local agribusiness which threatens to engulf the forest. A careful appraisal of the future for these animals is made, ending with a note of hope for their survival if the national organizations that exist to protect them can become more effective.Less
Chimpanzees have never been more threatened with extinction than they are today. This book focuses on one chimpanzee group, the Sonso community, living in a tropical rain forest, the Budongo Forest in western Uganda. The book builds up a detailed picture of the forest environment of these apes, their social and behavioural adaptations, and the range of threats they face at the present time. The facts presented in the book summarize the author’s own work and that of the many students and colleagues who have worked with the Budongo Forest Project, which the author founded, over the years from 1990 to the present day. Comparisons are made with other chimpanzee field studies. A picture is built up to show the Sonso community living in a complex environment to which it has adapted well. The diet, culture, social behaviour, and social organization of the chimpanzees are described in detail. Focus then shifts to the various dangers they face in the modern context of increasing pressure from local hunters who put snares in the forest, and from a local agribusiness which threatens to engulf the forest. A careful appraisal of the future for these animals is made, ending with a note of hope for their survival if the national organizations that exist to protect them can become more effective.
Frederick Rowe Davis
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195310771
- eISBN:
- 9780199790098
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195310771.003.0011
- Subject:
- Biology, Aquatic Biology
Carr's career demonstrated that the naturalist tradition transformed into related disciplines of ecology and conservation over the course of the 20th century. Carr's life exhibits many dimensions of ...
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Carr's career demonstrated that the naturalist tradition transformed into related disciplines of ecology and conservation over the course of the 20th century. Carr's life exhibits many dimensions of the naturalist tradition. Nearly a decade after Carr died, his example inspired an intense response to an editorial in the journal Conservation Biology. Inspired by the publication of A Naturalist in Florida, editor Reed Noss lamented the demise of natural history and field biology. During the course of his career, Archie Carr embodied E. O. Wilson's goals for the naturalist tradition and conservation biology in his passion for natural history, his acumen for systematics, his sense for ecology, his dedication to conservation, and his ability to write narratives that captured the hearts and minds of scientists and the public in all of these realms. The story of the man who saved sea turtles should be an inspiration to future generations of naturalists and conservationists.Less
Carr's career demonstrated that the naturalist tradition transformed into related disciplines of ecology and conservation over the course of the 20th century. Carr's life exhibits many dimensions of the naturalist tradition. Nearly a decade after Carr died, his example inspired an intense response to an editorial in the journal Conservation Biology. Inspired by the publication of A Naturalist in Florida, editor Reed Noss lamented the demise of natural history and field biology. During the course of his career, Archie Carr embodied E. O. Wilson's goals for the naturalist tradition and conservation biology in his passion for natural history, his acumen for systematics, his sense for ecology, his dedication to conservation, and his ability to write narratives that captured the hearts and minds of scientists and the public in all of these realms. The story of the man who saved sea turtles should be an inspiration to future generations of naturalists and conservationists.
