Principles of Conservation Biology

3rd Edition

by Martha J. Groom, Gary K. Meffe,
and C. Ronald Carroll
Hardcover: 779 pages
Sinauer Associates (August 1, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0878935185
ISBN-13: 978-0878935185

About the preparation of the 3rd edition:

In 2000, Gary Meffe approached me to lead a revision of his and Ron Carroll's successful textbook, Principles of Conservation Biology, published by Sinauer and Associates. The first two editions were multi-authored, included many short essays from conservation practitioners, and were focused appropriately at advanced undergraduate and graduate students.

While preserving the strengths of first two editions, my first goal as the primary author/editor of the new edition was to re-conceptualize how to convey conservation biology most effectively. I reordered and commissioned new chapters to provide a new emphasis first on classes of threats and then on classes of approaches to achieve conservation solutions. I strove to make the social threads work into all the chapters, rather than being separated from the biological concepts.

Feedback indicated that the earlier editions focused too strongly on U.S. conservation practice, and presented too few of the more sophisticated methodologies in practice. The new edition broadens to a more global focus in all chapters, and more essays and chapters were solicited from conservationists across the world.

My second goal was to expand representation of the diversity of conservation scientists included in the book. I was able to recruit many more women, minorities, and third- world conservation biologists as chapter, essay and case study authors.

Finally, an emphasis on conservation theory alone had led to a gap between published conservation science and on-the-ground conservation practice. Modern conservation weaves a focus on biodiversity conservation with the oft-times conflicting imperative to improve the human condition. I wished to portray more of the messiness of conservation practice and the ethical and practical dilemmas that are entwined in seeking simultaneously to improve protections of nature and improvements to human communities.

Conservation has become a far more interdisciplinary field over the past 20 years, and must continue to integrate across the spectrum of social and biological sciences, as well as professional fields, the arts and humanities to be successful. I expect my next edition to push even further to improve the accessibility of the text and its interdisciplinary breadth and depth, while including a wider diversity of voices of conservation practice.