Marine Conservation Ecology

This major textbook provides a broad coverage of the ecological foundations of marine conservation, including the rationale, importance and practicalities of various approaches to marine conservation and management. The scope of the book encompasses an understanding of the elements of and threats to marine biodiversity - from global to local levels - and the structure and function of marine environments as related to conservation issues.

Preface.   Marine Conservation Ecology: Concepts and Frameworks   1. Introduction: Why Marine Conservation is Necessary  - Significance, Threats, and Management of the Oceans and Biodiversity   2. The Marine Environment: Physico-chemical Characteristics  - Structures and Processes,   Enduring and Recurrent factors  3. The Marine Environment: Ecology and Biology Pelagic and Benthic Realms and Coastal Fringing Communities  4. Approaches to Marine Conservation Traditional Strategies and Ecological Frameworks  5. Representative Areas: Global to Ecoregional - Marine Conservation at the Ecosystem / Habitat Level  6. Habitats and Communities: Ecoregional to Local - Reality, Variability and Scales of Relationships  7. Distinctive Areas: Species and Ecosystem Processes Ecosystem Processes  - Ergoclines and Hotspots   8. Patterns of Biodiversity: Species Diversity - Theories and Relationships: Global, Regional, Local  9. Species and Focal Species - Keystones, Umbrellas, Flagships, Indicators and Others  10. Genetic Diversity Significance of Genetics: From Genes to Ecosystems  11. Coastal zones Components, Complexities and Classifications 12. High Seas and Deep Seas Pelagic and Benthic, Hydrography and Biogeography  13. Linking Fisheries Management with Marine Conservation Objectives through Ecosystem Approaches - Compatibility of Exploitation and Preservation  14. Size and Boundaries of Protected Areas  - Rationale for Function, Location, Dimensions  15. Evaluation of Protected Areas - The Concept of 'Value' as Applied to Marine Biodiversity  16. Sets of Protected Areas - Integrating Distinctive and Representative Protected Areas  17. Networks of Protected Areas - Patterns of Connectivity in the Oceans  18. Approaches to the Establishment of Marine Monitoring Programs - Stabilizing the Baselines   19. Remaining Problems in Marine Conservation - Present Problems, Future Solutions.   Index