Biology 2483A Lecture Notes - Ivory Trade, Overfishing, Florida Panther
Document Summary
As the human population has grown, and our use of resources has increased, we have destroyed the habitat of many species (outright destruction or through changes in the biological and physical properties). The world conservation union lists 16,913 species as threatened with extinction (1% of all species worldwide). This number is certainly an underestimate, as only the best studied taxonomic groups have been assessed for their conservation status. Conservation biology: this is the field of biology dedicated to reversing species declines. It can be defined as the scientific study of phenomena that affect the maintenance, loss, and restoration of biodiversity. Conservation biology is an integrative discipline that applies the principles of ecology to the protection of biodiversity. Stabilization of populations requires expertise from several biological disciplines, as well as law, political science, and sociology (this integrative approach is characteristic of conservation biology). Diversity protection is important for both practical and moral reasons.