What is Conservation Biology?

Conservation biology is the study and preservation of habitat for the purpose of conserving biodiversity. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_biolog y en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_biolog y

The discipline that treats the content of biodiversity, the natural processes that produce it and the techniques used to sustain it in the face of human-caused environmental disturbance. ossary/C.htm ossary/C.htm

Conservation Biology is a new, synthetic field that applies the principles of ecology, biogeography, population genetics, economics, sociology, anthropology, philosophy and the theoretical based disciplines to the maintenance of biological diversity throughout the world.

The goal of conservation biology is to understand natural ecological systems well enough to maintain their diversity in the face of exploding human population that has fragmented, simplified, homogenized, and destroyed many ecosystems to the point that contemporary species extinction rates are estimated to be 1000 to 10,000 times higher than the normal back-ground extinction rate expected in the absence of human influence.

Conservation Biology strives to maintain the diversity of genes, populations, species, habitats, ecosystems, and landscapes, and the processes normally carried out by them, such as natural selection, biogeochemical cycling, photosynthesis, energy transfer, and hydrological cycles.

The branch of biology that is concerned with preserving genetic variation (diversity) in plants and animals. This scientific field evolved to study the complex problems surrounding habitat destruction and species protection. The objectives of conservation biologists are to understand how humans affect biodiversity and to provide potential solutions that benefit both humans and non-human species.

Conservation Biology is a scientific discipline and management context that deals with the diversity of life in ecosystems. Humans have tremendous effects on other species and ecosystems on Earth, and Conservation Biology considers these effects, and how our impacts can be altered to sustain diverse and healthy ecosystems. Conservation Biology encompasses a wide range of biological sciences such as genetics, evolution, and physiology, as well as a wide range of ecological sciences such as biodiversity, competition, predator/prey relations, and long-term dynamics.

An integrative approach to the protection and management of biodiversity that uses appropriate principles and experiences from basic biological field such as genetics and ecology; from natural resource management fields such as fisheries and wildlife; and from social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, philosophy, and economics. (Meffe, G., CR Carroll, et. al. 1997) glossary.htm glossary.htm