By Rex Dalton
July-September 2006 (Vol. 7, No. 3)
Note: see print edition for article
Discussion Questions
Sugihara believes that conservation of fish populations can occur by “providing people with the means to make moneyÖfor the worldwide catch and sale of fish.” What is the basis for this belief? What are the possible objections to […] Read More »
By Scott Norris
July-September 2006 (Vol. 7, No. 3)
Read the article >>
Discussion Questions
What are the potential benefits to conservation planning of explicitly considering the short-term evolutionary potential of a species? What are the potential pitfalls?
The author, citing Stockwell et al. (2003), suggests that conservationists should view endangerment as a function of […] Read More »
By Douglas Fox
July-September 2006 (Vol. 7, No. 3)
Read the article >>
Discussion Questions
How can paleoecological information be used to understand the causes of ecological problems and their possible solutions?
From a practical perspective, why might it be useful to understand pre-human conditions for an ecosystem that includes information on natural patterns of […] Read More »
By Tim Flannery
July-September 2006 (Vol. 7, No. 3)
I’m beginning to think that there is more to humanity’s reluctance to tackle climate change than fear of prohibitive costs, inconclusive science, and political gaming. If scientists were predicting the imminent return of the ice age, I’m certain our response would be more robust. “Global warming” […] Read More »
Change Starts at Home
I just read your climate change article, “Get Real,” (Conservation In Practice, April-June 2006). Although I agree that the government is culpable and must be held accountable for its actions, I wonder why I see so little from contributors about holding individuals responsible. Our government is a reflection of our people. […] Read More »
Tigers in Red Weather: A Journey Through Asia
By Ruth Padel
Walker & Company, 2006
Reviewed by Fred Pearce
John Nielsen grew up in the shadow of the California condor, psychically if not physically. In the 1960s, he was a kid roaming the foothills of the rugged mountains near the Sespe Range in central California, […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
Why are some plants more invasive than others? New research reveals that at least part of the answer lies in their chemistry. The worst invasive plants produce toxins not found in native species. This gives them an edge over the competition. Although no more potent than those produced by native plants, the […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
It seemed like the perfect conservation success story: after a Tasmanian trawl fishery was required to use nets with built-in escape hatches, the seal bycatch went way down. But new research shows that today’s bycatch is low even without the “seal-friendly” nets, raising the question of what’s really going on.
It turns […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
People have been killing predators to protect livestock for thousands of years, and today many countries around the world have government programs to control predators. But any benefits to the livestock industry are assumed rather than proven. New research raises questions about this assumption by showing that U.S. coyote control programs do […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
More species is not always a good thing—particularly for plants that are competing for pollinators. New research shows that, as the number of plant species in biodiversity hotspots goes up, their likelihood of reproducing goes down.
“Plants in biodiversity hotspots are precariously poised for speciation and extinction,” says Jana Vamosi of the […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
Although work casting doubt on the link between endemism and biodiversity has made recent headlines, new research shows that the two do overlap considerably at the local level. “This is good news,” says Richard Cowling of the University of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. “It justifies conservation strategies that have focused on […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
Invasive plants are thought to be so successful because they don’t have natural enemies in their new homes. But new research suggests that the opposite is true. “Exotic plants may thrive not by escaping their native enemies, but by following them,” say John Parker and two coauthors in Science.
The researchers made […] Read More »
By Robin Meadows
New research reveals that the mammals most at risk of disappearing in the near future may not appear threatened now. The reason, say the researchers, is that these species are disproportionately vulnerable to human disturbances.
“Many species currently considered safe could leapfrog other species on the extinction risk scale to become the […] Read More »
By Phillip Longman
Click charts and graphs above to see an enlargement
When asked how long it will take for the world’s population to double, nearly half of all Americans say 20 years or less. This is hardly surprising, given the sensations of overcrowding we feel in our day-to-day lives and the reports of […] Read More »
By Nancy Bazilchuk
Dusty Gedge is an avid birdwatcher and former London street performer who has taken to the roofs of London—literally—to preach an unlikely gospel: he wants the city to convert up to 400,000 square meters of skyscraper and condominium rooftops into “living roofs,” where biodiversity can bloom and rare bugs and birds can […] Read More »
