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2: What is Conservation Biology?

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    222353

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    Learning Outcomes

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

    • Describe what conservation is, and some of its major components
    • Understand the history of conservation

    • 2.1: Introduction to What is Conservation Biology?
      This page addresses the alarming loss of biodiversity caused by human activities and the rise in global population from 1 billion in 1850 to 8 billion in 2022. It highlights how this population growth intensifies resource consumption, leading to habitat destruction and species extinction. The text stresses the urgent need for conservation efforts, advocating for coordinated local and global actions in the 21st century to effectively protect biodiversity and ecosystems.
    • 2.2: Conservation Biology is Still Evolving
      This page discusses conservation biology, a multidisciplinary field focused on preserving biodiversity through three main goals: documenting biological diversity, assessing human impacts, and creating protection strategies. Emerging in the 1970s, it combines scientific principles with human values and has transitioned from fortress conservation to inclusive, sustainable practices.
    • 2.3: A Multidisciplinary Approach
      This page discusses conservation biology, a multidisciplinary field focused on protecting biodiversity. It is a crisis discipline that requires innovative strategies to address urgent threats under uncertainty. Success hinges on SMART goals that guide efforts effectively. Additionally, public outreach is essential to engage communities and raise awareness about biodiversity's importance, ensuring ongoing support for conservation initiatives.
    • 2.4: History of US Conservation
      This page explores the evolution of the sustainability paradigm in environmental policy, highlighting its origins in the 19th-century conservation movement and the rise of environmental risk management. Key figures such as Gifford Pinchot and John Muir exemplify contrasting conservation philosophies, while Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" significantly influenced environmental awareness and policy.
    • 2.5: Environmental Ethics
      This page explores ethics in the context of environmental issues and biodiversity conservation, highlighting the variability of ethical standards influenced by individual morals. It discusses moral extensionism and environmental ethics, asserting the inherent right of all organisms to exist. The text emphasizes the connection between human well-being and biodiversity and acknowledges the contributions of faith-based organizations to conservation efforts.
    • 2.6: Chapter Summary
      This page discusses the goals of conservation biology, including documenting biodiversity, assessing human impacts, and developing protection strategies. It emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary skills among conservation biologists, including communication and management.

    Thumbnail image - “Environmental Protection” by ejaugsburg is in the Public Domain, CC0

    This page titled 2: What is Conservation Biology? was last modified on Sat, 26 Sep 2026 23:52:33 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Paul Hankamp via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.