Publisher :
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2008
Thematic : Conservation
Language : English
Note
This issue brings together a selection of original studies submitted to Biodiversity
and Conservation addressing aspects of the conservation of biodiversity in Europe.
Europe is the most intensively studied area of the world with respect to its biota,
and in many of its countries active conservation and recording programmes are
well-established. In addition there have been transnational and concerted actions
across countries of the European Economic Community (EEC) to address conservation
issues. At the same time these actions are being taken in a continent
subjected to an almost unparalleled amount of human disturbance and industrial
development. The European experience can therefore serve as a model and provide
lessons for what might be achievable in other continents and countries if
there is sufficient political and public will, and the necessary resources are made
available.
The 28 papers included here represent a wide spectrum of groups of organisms
and issues concerning their conservation. The organisms covered include wildfowl,
waterbirds, steppe birds, golden and booted eagles, terns, Iberian ibex,
Arctic fox, small mammals, rabbits, amphibians and reptiles, lizards, loggerhead
turtles, butterflies, spiders, field crickets, centipedes, stream macroinvertebrates,
oribatid mites, plants, bryophytes, lichens, and truffles. The multifarious factors
affecting European wildlife are represented here by modifications of calcareous
grasslands, changes in forestry practices, fire, agricultural effects on wetlands,
grazing, hunting, and wind turbines. Also discussed are attitudes of forest managers,
sociological constraints, and buffer areas. The tools available for use in
conservation assessments and monitoring utilized include public databases, indices,
modelling, radio tagging, niche factor analysis, and a vulnerability index.
The papers involve studies conducted Europe-wide or from particular countries,
notably Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia,
Spain, and the UK.
This diverse series of studies presented together here, provides an indication of
current research activities taking place in Europe that will be of value to students
undertaking courses in aspects of biodiversity and conservation. They can be
viewed as a series of topical case-studies that will expose students to a selection of
the types of primary research and conservation actions being conducted now in the continent. As such they will complement the necessarily less-detailed specific
information available in textbooks and secondary review articles.
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Keywords : phenotype
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
