Robert A. Askins – författare

This accessible book draws on recent research on bird species and their habitats to explain how basic principles of bird ecology and landscape ecology can help us create scientifically sound plans for protecting and restoring the rich diversity of North American birds. This edition includes an afterword that reviews noteworthy literature that has appeared since the first edition was completed in 1999. This new material—on such key issues as the importance of preserving large expanses of natural habitat, the importance of maintaining early successional habitats, and the habitat requirements of neotropical migrants—shows how the research on landscape ecology of birds has shaped conservation policy more rapidly than most would have predicted.Praise for the earlier edition:"This book is first-rate—very broad in scope and appeal, readable, and truly integrative in its coverage of landscape ecology and its implications for avian conservation biology. . . . It will be of significant interest to researchers and students of conservation biology, ornithology and ecology; land managers; conservation agencies; and anyone with an interest in protecting the rich avian diversity of North America."—Trevor E. Pitcher, American Scientist"This wonderful book . . . is especially relevant for conservation biologists from all walks of life."—Kathryn E. Sieving, Auk"An enjoyable read for anyone, from the amateur birder to the professional scientist."—J. Michael Reed, Ecology

The distinctive contribution of this book is that it presents a pragmatic approach for preserving biological diversity. Experts in a wide variety of fields, including philosophy, environmental policy, law, economics and biology, present different perspectives on how to prevent widespread extinction around the world. Several chapters deal with basic questions such as how we should define biodiversity and how we should determine what is most important to save. Two chapters focus on how we can place an economic value on biological diversity, a step that is often critical for gaining acceptance for conservation efforts. One of the major conclusions is that people are often willing to pay to preserve natural systems that have no immediate value in terms of generating income or commodities. Other chapters are case studies of efforts to protect particular species or ecosystems; these provide practical guidelines for how to protect biodiversity more effectively.