Additional Readings

Allen, C. R., et al. 2001. "Modeling viable mammal populations in gap analyses." Biological Conservation 99(2): 135-144. GIS and gap analysis have proven to be valuable tools in conservation of endangered species.

Ariyoshi, Rita. 1997. "Halting a Coral Catastrophe." Nature Conservancy 47(1):20-25. Cyanide fishing is decimating the IndoPacific's species-rich reefs but steps are being taking to turn the tide.

Barrett, C.B., K. Brandon, C. Gibson and H. Gjertsen. 2001. "Conserving biodiversity amid weak institutions." Bioscience 51: 497-502. Developing countries often have institutional barriers to conserving biodiversity.

Baskin, Yvonne. 1997. The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Examines the threats posed to humans by the loss of biodiversity.

Benyus, Janine M. 1998. Biomimicry : Innovation Inspired by Nature. Wm Marrow & Co. Benyus shows the great potential profitability of copying some of nature's time-tested, non-polluting room-temperature manufacturing and computing technologies.

Blaikie, Piers, et al. 1999. Biodiversity, Human Welfare and Development. New York: John Wiley. Explains how biodiversity has different meanings and implications to different people in society. It integrates ecology and social issues with specific emphasis on the tension between economic development and biological conservation.

Bodmer, Richard, et al. 1997. "Hunting and the Likelihood of Extinction of Amazonian Mammals." Conservation Biology 11(2): 460-466. An example of the role of overhunting in the decline of biodiversity.

Boucher, Yan & W. Ford Doolittle. 2002. "The discovery, in an undersea hot vent, of an organism that does not fit into any previously defined category of life marks the creation of yet another group within the mysterious Archaea." Nature 417, 27-28 (2 May 2002).

Brandt, Anthony. 1997. "Not in My Backyard." Audubon 99(5):58-63. Suburbanites dig in as proliferating wildlife jumps the fence.

Bright, A.D., M.J. Manfredo, and D.C. Fulton. 2000. "Segmenting the public: an explanation of value orientations to wildlife planning in Colorado." Wildl. Soc. Bull. 28(1):218-226. Discusses different valuations people have when determining their attitudes toward wildlife.

Bruner, A.G., et al. 2001. "Effectiveness of parks in protecting tropical biodiversity." Science 291: 125-128.

Burke, Lauretta, et al. 1998. Reefs at Risk: A map-based indicator of threats to the world's coral reefs. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute.

Burke, Lauretta, et al. 2002. Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia. World Resources Institute. Coral reefs rival tropical rainforests in species richness, but 58 percent of all reefs are threatened by human activities.

Callicott, J. G. and E. T. Freyfogle. 1999. For the Health of the Land. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Previously unpublished essays by Aldo Leopold.

Carbyn, L.N., S.H. Fritts, and D.R. Seip, eds. 1995. Ecology and conservation of wolves in a changing world. Canadian Circumpolar Institute: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A wide-ranging overview of the status of wolves in North America.

Caughley, Graeme. 1995. Conservation Biology in Theory and Practice. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Discussions of theories for why species are driven into decline and how these declines can be reversed, set in context of economics, legislation, and treaties.

Clark, Tim W. 1997. Averting Extinction: Reconstructing Endangered Species. Covelo, CA: Island Press. The story of efforts to save the black-footed ferret, illustrating the difficulties implementing complex environmental policies, and proposing fresh approaches to endangered species recovery.

Clarke, David. 1997. "Brownfields." Environmental Encyclopedia. Detroit, MI: Gale Research. An introduction to the problems surrounding recovery of urban superfund sites.

Cortner, H. J. and M. A. Moote. 1999. The Politics of Ecosystem Management. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A review of the problems and promises of ecosystem management.

Curtis, T. P., Sloan, W. T. & Scannell, J. W. 2002. "Estimating prokaryotic diversity and its limits." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, doi:10.1073/pnas. 142680199. There could be more species of bacteria in your back yard than in all the world's oceans, say UK researchers.

Dobson, A.P., et al. 1997. "Geographic Distribution of Endangered Species in the United States." Science 275:550. Geographic distribution data for endangered species in the United States are used to locate "hot spots" of threatened biodiversity.

Dobson, A.P., et al. 1997. "Hopes for the Future: Restoration Ecology and Conservation Biology." Science 277(5325): 515-522. Current issues in restoration and conservation.

Duffey, E. 2001. "Introduced pest species and biodiversity conservation in New Zealand." Biological Conservation 99(1): 1-3. Introductory article in a special issue devoted to exotic species and ecological restoration in New Zealand.

Ebersole, J. L., et al. 1997. "Forum: Restoration of Stream Habitats in the Western United States: Restoration as Re-expression of Habitat Capacity." Environmental Management 21(1): 1-14.

Ehrenfeld, Joan G. 2000. "Defining the limits of restoration: the need for realistic goals." Restoration Ecology 8: 2-9. By looking at three different levels of natural systems the author attempts to lay out a foundation for goals for restoration projects.

Falk, Donald. A. et al. 1996. Restoring Diversity. Covelo, CA. Strategies for reintroduction of endangered plants.

Fujiwara, Masami & Hal Caswell. "Demography of the endangered North Atlantic right whale." Nature 414, 537-541 (29 November 2001). Increasing mortality rates among the 300 remaining members of the North Atlantic population of Right Whales may indicate a bleak future for the species.

Gaines, Charles L. 2001. "Swimming Upstream." Audubon 103(6): 48-57. A profile of Wilf Carter and his efforts to save the Atlantic salmon.

Gibbs, W. Wayt. 2001. "On the Termination of Species." Scientific American 285(5): 40-49. Ecologists warning of an ongoing mass extinction are largely being ignored. What can we do about it?

Greenpeace. 1996. "The Truth about Tuna and Dolphins." Greenpeace Quarterly 1(3): 6-8. The "dolphin-safe" label isn't so safe after all.

Grumbine, R. Edward. 1992. Ghost Bears. Covelo, CA: Island Press. An excellent exploration of the biodiversity crisis.

Grumbine, R. Edward. 1997. "Reflections on 'What is Ecosystem Management.'" Conservation Biology 11(1): 41-47. A review of the dominant themes in ecosystem management and the issues faced by professions in the field.

Guha, Ramachandra. 1997. "The Authoritarian Biologist and the Arrogance of Anti-Humanism: Wildlife Conservation in the Third World." The Ecologist 27(1):14-20. Are environmentalism and conservation biology extensions of First World hegemony?

Hadidian, John, et al., eds. 1997. Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing. Wildlife can coexist with people if we give them some room.

Hemley, G. 1995. "CITES: how useful a tool for wildlife conservation?" Wildlife Society Bulletin 23: 635-639. Have international treaties protected wildlife?

Higgs, Eric S. 1997. "What is Good Ecological Restoration?" Conservation Biology 11(2):338-348. Defining good restoration involves ethical as well as technical decisions.

Holing, Dwight. 1997. "Close Encounters." The Amicus Journal 19(2): 20-26. Proposals for a sea salt extracting facility in Laguna San Ignacio threaten a major calving site for the Pacific Gray Whale.

Hosansky, David. 2000. "Mass Extinction." CQ Researcher. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly. September 15, 2000. We are undergoing a sixth mass extinction of biological diversity. This time, humans are the cause.

Houlahan, J.E., Findlay, C.S., Schmidt, B.R. Meyer, A.H. & Kuzmin, S.L. 2000. "Quantitive evidence for global amphibian population declines." Nature 404, 752 - 755 (2000). Worldwide, amphibian numbers are in decline.

Huber, Harald, et al. 2002. "A new phylum of Archaea represented by a nanosized hyperthermophilic symbiont." Nature 417, 63-67 (2 May 2002). A newly discovered organism from the inhospitable environs of a submarine hot vent could even be a surviving relative of the earliest forms of microbial life.

Jacobson, Susan and Susan Marynowski. 1997. "Public Attitudes and Knowledge about Ecosystem Management." Conservation Biology 11(3): 770-781. This study found the general public to lack basic ecological knowledge and to hold neutral to slightly positive attitudes toward ecosystem issues.

Jeffries, Michael. 1997. Biodiversity and Conservation. London: Routledge Press. An introductory guide through the maze of interdisciplinary themes that encompass the concept of "biodiversity."

Kerr, Jeremy. 1997. "Species Richness, Endemism, and the Choice of Areas for Conservation." Conservation Biology 11(5):1094-1100. A study conducted to determine the usefulness of umbrella species in conserving biodiversity.

Knight, Richard L. 1996. "Aldo Leopold, the Land Ethic, and Ecosystem Management." The Journal of Wildlife Management 60: 471-474. A discussion of ecosystem management illustrated with quotations from Aldo Leopold and his concept of a "land ethic."

Krajick, Kevin. 1997. "Rise of the Snow Geese." Audubon 99(3): 70-77. Geese are thriving in the United States and overwhelming their Arctic nesting grounds.

Lawton, John H. and Robert May (eds). 1995. Extinction Rates. Oxford Univ. Press. Experts calculate current and historic rates of species extinction.

Lentfer, Hank and Carolyn Servid (eds.) 2001. Arctic Refuge: A Circle of Testimony. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Press. A compilation of essays by leading environmental authors about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Available for download in pdf format at http://www.worldashome.org/index.html.

Leopold, Aldo. 1986. Game Management. Univ of Wisconsin Press. A reissue of a classic that is still useful.

Levin, Simon Asher (ed). 2001. Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. New York: Academic Press. Everything you might like to know about biodiversity.

Lichatowich, Jim. 1999. Salmon Without Rivers: A History of the Pacific Salmon Crisis. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A fisheries biologist examines the salmon crisis in the Pacific Northwest.

List, Charles J. 1997. "Is Hunting a Right Thing?" Environmental Ethics 19(4) Claims that sport hunting is a right thing according to Leopold's land ethic.

Lopez, Barry Holstun. 1978. Of Wolves and Men. New York : Charles Scribner's Sons. A great book about wolves and humans.

Lorbiecki, M. 1996. A Fierce Green Fire. Helena, MT: Falcon Press. An illustrated biography of Aldo Leopold.

Luoma, Jon R. 1997. "Catfight." Audubon 99(4): 88-94. Feral cats are dining on birds and other small wild animals by the millions.

MacKay, Richard. 2002. The Penguin Atlas of Endangered Species. Penguin Books. An indespensable resource for locating and identifying endangered species.

MacNally, R. and A.F. Bennett. 1997. "Species Specific Predictions of the Impact of Habitat Fragmentation: Local Extinctions of Birds in the Box-Ironbark Forests of Central Victoria, Australia." Biological Conservation 82(2):147-156. An example of the effects of habitat destruction and fragmentation on the conservation of the world's biodiversity.

Maehr, David. 1997. The Florida Panther: Life and Death of a Vanishing Carnivore. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A comprehensive review of the science and politics of protecting this rare predator.

Majerus, Mark. 1997. "Restoration of Disturbances in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks." Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 52(4):232-236. A good summary of specific restoration efforts in our national parks.

Malakof, David. 2001. "Faulty Towers." Audubon 103(5): 78-83. Each year, millions of birds die from collisions with cell-phone and TV towers.

Mitchell R. J., R. H. Marrs, M. G. LeDuc, and M. H. D. Auld. 1999. "A study of the restoration of heathland on successional sites: changes in vegetation and soil chemical properties." Journal of Applied Ecology 36: 770-783. Discusses ways in which vegetation changes affect soils.

Mladenoff, David J., et al. 1997. "Causes and Implications of Species Restoration in Altered Ecosystems." Bioscience 47: 21-31. A look at the recovery of the gray wolf, the reasons for its current success, and implications for further management needs.

Mooney, Harold A. and Richard J. Hobbs(eds). 2000. Invasive Species in a Changing World. Sponsored by the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment, this volume looks at the problem of introduced species.

Moore, J. L. et al. 2001. "The distribution of cultural and biological diversity in Africa." Proceedings of the Royal Society B, published online doi: 10.1098/rspb.2002.2075 (2001). Cultural and biological diversity are highest in the same places.

Morrison, Michael L. 2002. Wildlife Restoration: Techniques for Habitat Analysis and Animal Monitoring. Island Press. Links restoration ecology and wildlife management.

Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, C. G., Da Fonseca, G. A.B. & Kent, J. 2000. "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities." Nature 403, 853 (2000). A few species-rich areas contain 44% of all higher plants and 35% of all land vertebrates in only 1.4% of the earth's land surface.

Nassauer, Joan Iverson. 1997. Placing Nature: Culture and Landscape Ecology. Covelo, CA: Island Press. An excellent compilation of reflections on landscape ecology from a wide variety of perspectives.

Niller, Eric. 2001. "The Trouble with Turtles." Scientific American 285(2): 80-85. Despite efforts to protect beach nesting sites and reduce fishing by-catch mortality, green turtle populations continue to decline.

Noss, R.F., and Cooperrider, A.Y. 1994. Saving nature's legacy: protecting and restoring biodiversity. Covelo, CA:Island Press. A classic exploration of the value of biodiversity.

Noss, Reed F., Michael A. O'Connell, and Dennis D. Murphy. 1997. The Science of Conservation Planning: Habitat Conservation Under the Endangered Species Act. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A framework and guidelines for applying science to regional habitat-based conservation planning by three of the nation's leading conservation biologists.

O'Toole, Lorcan, et al. 2002. "Re-introduction of the golden eagle into the Republic of Ireland." Biological Conservation Vol. 103 (3) (2002) pp. 303-312. A proposal to re-introduce eagles after nearly a century of absence.

Olson, David, et al. 1998. Freshwater Biodiversity of Latin America and the Caribbean: A Conservation Assessment. World Wildlife Fund. A regional conservation plan for freshwater biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Olsen, P. E. et al. "Ascent of dinosaurs linked to iridium anomaly at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary." Science 296, 1305 - 1307, (2002). Evidence suggests a huge asteroid smashing into Earth may have let dinosaurs take over the Earth 135 million years before another one wiped them out.

Packard, Stephen and Cornelia F. Mutel. 1997. The Tallgrass Restoration Handbook. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Practical hands-on manual for restoring prairies, savannas, and woodlands.

Palmer, T. 1999. The Heart of America. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A landscape approach to ecological and conservation issues.

Petersen, David. 2000. Heartsblood: Hunting, Spirituality, and Wildness in America. Covelo, CA: Island Press. An exploration on the evolutionary, philosophical, and religious history of hunting.

Pipkin, J. 1996. "Biological Diversity Conservation: A Public Policy Perspective." Environmental Management 20(6): 793-797. Shows how maintenance of biological diversity is important for utilitarian reasons, quality of life considerations, and because biodiversity is important to sustainable regional economies.

Ploikin, Mark J. 2001. Medicine Quest: In Search of Nature's Healing Secrets. Penguin/Putnam Pub. A follow up to Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice.

Polinger Foster, Karen. 1999. "The Earliest Zoos and Gardens." Scientific American: 281(1): 64-71. Explores the origins of zoos and botanical gardens.

Power, Haney A. 1996. "Adaptive Management for Sound Ecosystem Management." Environmental Management 20(6): 879-886. Emphasizes the importance of research and monitoring in management.

Pulliam, H.Ronald and Bruce Babbitt. 1997. "Science and the Protection of Endangered Species." Science 275: 499-500. An important analysis of the ESA by the Secretary of the Interior.

Rawland, Anne. 1997. "Make-way for Tallgrass Prairie." Wildlife Conservation 100:20. Description of a prairie restoration project at Walnut Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa.

Redford, Kent H. and Jane A. Mansour, eds. 1996. Traditional Peoples and Biodiversity Conservation in Large Tropical Landscapes. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Through case studies of projects in Latin America, this volume describes way in which environmental groups have worked with indigenous peoples to preserve nature.

Regan, Helen M., et al. 2001. "The Currency and Tempo of Extinction." American Naturalist 157(2): 1-10. Experts attempt to calculate current rates of species extinction.

Reichow, M. K., et al. 2002. "40Ar/39Ar dates on basalts from the West Siberian Basin: doubled extent of the Siberian flood basalt province." Science 296, 1846 - 1849. Massive lava flows in Siberia 250 million years ago were at least twice as large as previously thought, and may have caused the biggest extinction the world has ever seen.

Rensberger, Boyce. 1999. "Biodiversity: The Final Countdown." Audubon 101 (6): 64-69. An interview with E. O. Wilson about threats to biodiversity.

Ricketts, Taylor H., et al. 1999. Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A valuable analysis from the World Wildlife Fund of the state of biodiversity in North America.

Ricketts, Taylor H., Gretchen C. Daily and Paul R. Ehrlich. 2002. "Does butterfly diversity predict moth diversity? Testing a popular indicator taxon at local scales." Biological Conservation Vol. 103 (3) (2002) pp.361-370. This study found no correlation between moth and butterfly diversity across 19 sites sub-alpine sites in Colorado.

Riley, A. L. 1998. Restoring Streams in Cities. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A guide for planners, policymakers, and citizens for restoring urban streams.

Roberts, C. M., et al. "Effects of marine reserves on adjacent fisheries." Science 294, 1920 - 1923, (2001). Setting aside protected havens improves fishing in adjacent areas.

Roe, E.1996. "Why Ecosystem Management Can't Work Without Social Science: An Example from the California Northern Spotted Owl Controversy." Environmental Management 20(5):667-674.

Simerloff, Daniel, et al. 1997. Strangers in Paradise: Impact and Management of Nonindigenous Species in Florida. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Metapopulation theory is an important development in both conservation biology and wildlife management.

Simpson, Sarah. 2001. "Fishy Business." Scientific American 285(1): 82-89. Despite a global protest, cyanide fishing for tropical fish continues to destroy coral reefs.

Soule, Michael. E. and Gordon H. Orians, eds. 2001. Conservation Biology: Research Priorities for the Next Decade. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A report from a group of leaders in Conservation Biology about future directions of the field.

Stein, Bruce A., et al. 2000. Precious Heritage: the Status of Biodiversity in the United States. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. A report from the Nature Conservancy on the state of biodiversity in the United States.

Sugal, Cheri. 1997. "Elephants and People on a Crowded Continent." World Watch Journal 10(3):18-27. The costs of sharing habitat.

Swanson, Timothy. 1997. Global Action for Biodiversity: An International Framework for Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A history of the movements leading up to the Convention on Biological Diversity at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.

Tait, J., et al. 2000. "How Are We Managing? Auditing the Health of Australia's Ecosystems." Ecosystem Health 6(2):149--163. An important review of Australia's national land and water audit.

Thiemann, G.W. & R.J. Wassersug. 2000. "Patterns and consequences of behavioral responses to predators and parasites in Rana tadpoles." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 71, 513 - 528 (2000). Tadpoles that take cover near the bottom of ponds are sitting ducks for parasites, possibly explaining some of the worldwide decline in amphibians.

Thorbjarnarson, J. 1999. "Crocodile tears and skins: international trade, economic constraints, and limits to sustainable use of crocodilians." Conservation Biology 13: 465-470. Crocodiles are imperiled by the trade in animal products.

Van Driesche, Jason and Roy Van Driesche. 2000. Nature Out of Place: Biological Invasions in the Global Age. Explores the causes and consequences of invasions by alien species.

Webster, D. 1997. "The looting and smuggling and fencing and hoarding of impossibly precious, feathered and scaly wild things." The New York Times Magazine, February 16, 1997. A shocking look at the trade in wildlife.

Wemmer, L.C., U. Ozesmi, and F.J. Cuthbert. 2001. "A habitat-based population model for the Great Lakes population of the piping plover (Charadrius melodus)." Biological Conservation 99(2): 169-181. Using "fuzzy-logic" this model is able to make detailed predictions for the breeding success of a very small population of this endangered bird species.

Wilson, E. O. 1997. Conserving the Earth's Biodiversity. London: Blackwell Pub. This interactive CD-ROM explores biodiversity and conservation with one of the world's leading biologists.

World Conservation Union. 1996. IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. Covelo, CA: Island Press. A comprehensive list of global endangered and threatened species.

Youth, Howard. 1997. "Neglected Elders." World Watch Journal 10(5): 22-29. Why reptiles are in trouble.