University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Includes bibliographical references (pages 579-619) and index.

Humans are the dominant ecological force -- Biodiversity and extinction -- Ecosystem services : accounting for nature's value -- Policy responses to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation -- Protected areas : a cornerstone of conservation -- Conservation planning and priorities -- The perils of small populations -- Population size, trend, and viability -- Assessing threats and choosing conservation actions -- Islands of nature and the role of dispersal -- Restoration and reintroduction : measures of last resort -- Adaptive management and evidence-based conservation -- Reversing global deforestation and forest degradation -- Balancing agriculture and conservation -- Maintaining sustainable marine fisheries -- Managing fresh water for people and nature -- Getting practical about introduced species -- Climate change demands new conservation strategies -- Making conservation a success story.

"Conservation Science was primarily written for undergraduates and beginning graduate students who are interested either in academic careers or in doing science-based conservation at government agencies, non-governmental organizations, or international institutions. It will also be of interest to those already involved in conservation who want to bolster their understanding of the field. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the science that drives conservation policy and action."--Publisher's description.