Roots, relevance, aims and values
11
considerable traction in society and is commonly used
in popular discourse on conservation issues (Ladle &
Gillson, 2009 ).
How much do such frames of reference continue to
infl uence the science we conduct and how we interpret
our data? While our focus in this book is very much on
the way that biogeographical science can contribute to
conservation, we recognize that these and other critiques of the objectivity of our science require that we
pause to consider the interaction between social values,
the conservation movement and biogeographical
science. Hence we devote chapters in this opening part
of the book both to a consideration of values motivating conservation action (Chapter 2 ), and a consideration of the concept of alternative ecological (scientifi c)
baselines and how they may inform conservation
(Chapter 3 ).
From this brief outline we wish to highlight three
points. First, the conceptual origins of biogeography as
an academic discipline substantially predate the emergence of conservation biology. Second, conservation
biogeography forms an important and distinctive (but
not entirely distinct) subset of conservation biology.
Third, the motivating force for these scientifi c endeavours is a diverse and dynamic social movement, representing varied values and world views.
1.4 OUTLINE OF THE FOLLOWING
CHAPTERS
Edited books can sometimes be a bit fragmented. In
Conservation Biogeography we have tried to avoid this by
imposing a strong structure, prescriptive content and
strong editorial guidelines throughout the process of
developing the text. It is our hope, therefore, that the
book can be read either as a single cohesive narrative
or as ‘ stand - alone ’ chapters.
The book is divided into four major parts. The fi rst
part, Roots, relevance, aims, and values (Chapters
1 – 3 ) has the aim of providing the historical and philosophical context of conservation biogeography, as
well as introducing key terminology and frames of
reference. Chapter 2 , Social Values and Conservation
Biogeography , focuses on the frequently neglected
subject of the values underlying decisions to prioritize
or protect certain geographic areas for conservation,
and how to manage those areas once they have been
designated. The key point is that decisions about where,
what and how to conserve may be based on hard data
and scientifi c principles, but are ultimately a refl ection
of different values within society or the global conservation community.
Chapter 3 , Baselines, patterns and process , examines
the two main conceptual approaches underpinning
modern conservation practice – compositionalism and
functionalism – and how they have profound infl uences on conservation objectives. It also introduces the
concept of ecological baselines and how these have
become important targets for conservation and restoration (although in fact there may be multiple alternative baselines, states or dynamic frames of reference for
the same region or landscape).
The second part of the book, The distribution of
diversity: challenges and applications (Chapters
4 – 7 ), provides an overview of the current state of
global biogeographical knowledge and how this knowledge has been used to better focus conservation efforts.
Chapter 4 , Basic biogeography: estimating biodiversity
and mapping nature , focuses on what we know and what
we don ’ t know about the distribution of biodiversity
and the varying phenomena we may want to map (e.g.
biogeographical regions, biomes, ecoregions, areas of
endemism, evolutionary signifi cant units, etc.). It also
covers the varying approaches to species mapping and
how to deal with challenges such as scale issues, representations of species ranges, and bioclimate envelope
modelling and mapping.
Chapter 5 , The shaping of the global protected area
estate , gives an overview of the history and development of protected area planning frameworks at global
to regional geographical scales. The chapter splits
these frameworks into two main approaches: zonal,
involving the mapping of attributes of nature into a
suite of broadly climatically or historically determined
non - overlapping areas (e.g. ecoregions); and azonal,
involving the application of biogeographical principles
to identify a particular set of disconnected places
across the world (e.g. hotspots, important areas).
Schemes based on these contrasting approaches have
become key determinants of global funding and conservation action.
The fi nal chapter of this part is Chapter 6 , Systematic
conservation planning: past, present and future . Here, the
principles and applications of computer - based and
data - intensive approaches to protected area network
design are reviewed and discussed, covering important
network design concepts such as complementarity,
irreplaceability and redundancy and the development
and application of reserve selection algorithms. The
11
considerable traction in society and is commonly used
in popular discourse on conservation issues (Ladle &
Gillson, 2009 ).
How much do such frames of reference continue to
infl uence the science we conduct and how we interpret
our data? While our focus in this book is very much on
the way that biogeographical science can contribute to
conservation, we recognize that these and other critiques of the objectivity of our science require that we
pause to consider the interaction between social values,
the conservation movement and biogeographical
science. Hence we devote chapters in this opening part
of the book both to a consideration of values motivating conservation action (Chapter 2 ), and a consideration of the concept of alternative ecological (scientifi c)
baselines and how they may inform conservation
(Chapter 3 ).
From this brief outline we wish to highlight three
points. First, the conceptual origins of biogeography as
an academic discipline substantially predate the emergence of conservation biology. Second, conservation
biogeography forms an important and distinctive (but
not entirely distinct) subset of conservation biology.
Third, the motivating force for these scientifi c endeavours is a diverse and dynamic social movement, representing varied values and world views.
1.4 OUTLINE OF THE FOLLOWING
CHAPTERS
Edited books can sometimes be a bit fragmented. In
Conservation Biogeography we have tried to avoid this by
imposing a strong structure, prescriptive content and
strong editorial guidelines throughout the process of
developing the text. It is our hope, therefore, that the
book can be read either as a single cohesive narrative
or as ‘ stand - alone ’ chapters.
The book is divided into four major parts. The fi rst
part, Roots, relevance, aims, and values (Chapters
1 – 3 ) has the aim of providing the historical and philosophical context of conservation biogeography, as
well as introducing key terminology and frames of
reference. Chapter 2 , Social Values and Conservation
Biogeography , focuses on the frequently neglected
subject of the values underlying decisions to prioritize
or protect certain geographic areas for conservation,
and how to manage those areas once they have been
designated. The key point is that decisions about where,
what and how to conserve may be based on hard data
and scientifi c principles, but are ultimately a refl ection
of different values within society or the global conservation community.
Chapter 3 , Baselines, patterns and process , examines
the two main conceptual approaches underpinning
modern conservation practice – compositionalism and
functionalism – and how they have profound infl uences on conservation objectives. It also introduces the
concept of ecological baselines and how these have
become important targets for conservation and restoration (although in fact there may be multiple alternative baselines, states or dynamic frames of reference for
the same region or landscape).
The second part of the book, The distribution of
diversity: challenges and applications (Chapters
4 – 7 ), provides an overview of the current state of
global biogeographical knowledge and how this knowledge has been used to better focus conservation efforts.
Chapter 4 , Basic biogeography: estimating biodiversity
and mapping nature , focuses on what we know and what
we don ’ t know about the distribution of biodiversity
and the varying phenomena we may want to map (e.g.
biogeographical regions, biomes, ecoregions, areas of
endemism, evolutionary signifi cant units, etc.). It also
covers the varying approaches to species mapping and
how to deal with challenges such as scale issues, representations of species ranges, and bioclimate envelope
modelling and mapping.
Chapter 5 , The shaping of the global protected area
estate , gives an overview of the history and development of protected area planning frameworks at global
to regional geographical scales. The chapter splits
these frameworks into two main approaches: zonal,
involving the mapping of attributes of nature into a
suite of broadly climatically or historically determined
non - overlapping areas (e.g. ecoregions); and azonal,
involving the application of biogeographical principles
to identify a particular set of disconnected places
across the world (e.g. hotspots, important areas).
Schemes based on these contrasting approaches have
become key determinants of global funding and conservation action.
The fi nal chapter of this part is Chapter 6 , Systematic
conservation planning: past, present and future . Here, the
principles and applications of computer - based and
data - intensive approaches to protected area network
design are reviewed and discussed, covering important
network design concepts such as complementarity,
irreplaceability and redundancy and the development
and application of reserve selection algorithms. The