Animal behavior and wildlife conservation /

The growing realization that species extinction and habitat destruction are real and imminent problems has spawned an increasing interest in conservation biology, a relatively new science that uses theoretical models derived from fields such as ecology, evolutionary biology, and economics to solve the more practical problems associated with wildlife conservation and management. Those who study animal behavior have made and will continue to make major contributions to this new science. This volume, the result of a 2000 workshop at the Ettore Majorana Center for Scientific Culture, Erice, Sicily, addresses various topics such as the effects of resource-use strategies in space and time, the relationship between genetic diversity and individual behavioral differences, and the effects of life-history traits on conservation strategies. Two major themes run through the 17 contributions: the importance of individual behavioral differences and the limited ability of animals to modify their behavior to cope with human-made alterations to their environment. Understanding these key issues may determine the success or failure of a particular management strategy or conservation initiative. This book reflects current scholarship useful to researchers and professionals in the field. Extensive bibliography. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers/faculty and professionals/practitioners. F. T. Kuserk Moravian College