What is the minimum viable population (MVP) of a particular species? Besides the obvious implications for conservation, especially of endangered species, this question raises important issues in population biology. MVP obviously varies with demographic, life history and environmental factors, but also depends upon genetic load and genetic variability. This book addresses the most recent research in the rapidly developing integration of conservation biology with population biology. Chapters consider the roles of demographic and environmental variability; the effects of latitude, body size,...

How much of science is culturally constructed? How much depends on language and metaphor? How do our ideas about nature connect with reality? Can nature be "reinvented" through theme parks and malls, or through restoration?"Reinventing Nature?" is an interdisciplinary investigation of how perceptions and conceptions of nature affect both the individual experience and society's management of nature. Leading thinkers from a variety of fields -- philosophy, psychology, sociology, public policy, forestry, and others -- address the conflict between perception and reality of nature, each from a...

In the early 1970s, the environmental movement was underway. Overpopulation was recognized as a threat to human well-being, and scientists like Michael Soule believed there was a connection between anthropogenic pressures on natural resources and the loss of the planet s biodiversity. Soule thinker, philosopher, teacher, mentor, and scientist recognized the importance of a healthy natural world and with other leaders of the day pushed for a new interdisciplinary approach to preserving biological diversity. Thirty years later, Soule is hailed by many as the single most important force in the...